LAKSHIMDRA KUMAR SARKAR--HIS LIFE AND ACTIVITIES BEFORE NGO

LAKSHIMDRA KUMAR SARKAR

Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar was born on April 1, 1956.  He was born at Lohia Hospital in Kolkata. 

His mother is late Srimati Lakshmi Sarkar.  She was a housewife.  She was a social worker.  She loved to help poor people with food, clothes and money.  L.K. Sarkar was named by a reputed economist named Arun Ghosh. 

His father is  Manindra Kumar Sarkar and is now 82 years old.  He is working in the printing department in Aajkaal newspaper.  His father was a football player, singer and a fashionable person.  He had great aesthetic sense.  He had a good writing style.  He used to write the prefaces of books written by Bibhuti Chakraborty (DCDD) during the time of Siddhartha Shankar Roy. 

He received his primary education at Chittaranjan High School in Kasba.  He studied there upto class 12 and passed out higher secondary examination in 1974.  Then he studied Commerce at Charu Chandra College in 1976.  He did a diploma in journalism from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Calcutta.  He was trained in photography from Subrata Patranabish, Chief Photographer of Statesman.  He went to Delhi in 1977 and stayed at Daryaganj.  He worked as a Stenographer in Eastern Law House for one year upto 1978.  Then he shifted to journalism in 1978. 

Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar worked as a freelance journalist in Sundarban.  During his travel to Sundarban, he got in touch with a large number of tribes living there and he was guided by Niranjan Haldar who was the assistant editor of the reputed newspaper called Ananda Bazaar.  He studied the tribes like Sardar, Oraon, Munda, Mahali, Santal, etc from close quarters.  During his stay in Sundarban, he wrote a novel “Jeevan Nadir Tirey.”  He studied the tribals of Bankura and Purulia from 1980. 

On March 25, 1981, he joined Aajkaal, a popular Bengali newspaper.  He wrote in a number of little magazines.  He organized rallies on different occasions during his service as a journalist from 1981 to 1990.  In 1993, he resigned from Aajkaal on October 1.  He fully devoted the rest of his life to the social welfare and upliftment of the tribals.  He started an organization for promoting the Bengali literature in Kolkata, which was named “The Progressive Federation of Bengali Literature and Culture.”  This organization was run for 10 years.  At present, he has an office of his NGO in Belghoria. 

HUL BY ARTISTS FROM BANGLADESH AT KHATRA

Sadhan Kumar Mandal, Bankura:  On 30^th June, a ‘Hul Maha’ Festival has celebrated by the Khatra Adibasi Culture and Development Center and it is celebrated every year.  It was held at Gurusaday Mancha of Khatra.  A drama called “Hul” was performed by a group called “Loknatyadal” in Bangladesh.  “Khatra Mahakuma Sahitya Sanskrity Bashar” is a reputed organization has come forward to organize this where there are young writers and artists.  Manik Mitra, Anjali Hembram, Santanu Barat, Aparna Niyogi, Biswajit Singh Mahapatra, Dr. Rajsekhar, Dr. Parthasarathi Roy, Sushanta Kobiraj, Swapan Roy, Pranab Hazra, Sabyasachi Mondol, Amalendu Mandal, Tulsicharan Mondal and Harimoti Mallick, Mithun Sengupta and Khatra People’s Cooperative Bank etc. well-wishers and organization.  The artists of Bangladesh danced the “Karam” dance of Santals and toured different areas of Khatra.  The Bangladeshi artists danced in the same way like the Santals.  This is a noteworthy cultural event in Khatra.  Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar lectures in 3 steps.  The guests present on the stage were Niranjan Adhikary, a noted professor of Sanskrit and Pali in the Dhaka University, dramatist Shamim Ehsaan, director Shahadat Hosain Nipu, the owner of Loknatyadal Alamgir Ratan,   Aparna Neogi who is the councilor of ward No. 70 and a noted social worker, the chairman of the organization, Anjali Hembram etc.  Madhumita Ray recited a self-composed poetry at the beginning of the session.  They gave an informative lecture on “Hul.”  Shakhadat Hosain Nipu, director of Loknatyadal told us about drama that “While presentation of drama, I consciously followed the Middle Age Bengali drama style.”   But I did not want to get involved particularly.  The idea of “empty space” , the style of Brecht and something which cannot be explained through grammar   has preoccupied his mind.  In the words of Rabindranath Tagore, it can be said, ‘the assimilation of heritage and modernity.’ 

The dramatist Shamim Ehsaan says ‘Shakhadat Hosain Nipu has inspired me to write this Hul drama. I agreed to write it but I do not know much about Santals.  As drama is a literature, I have imagined a lot and created it.  So I sacrificed the truth.  In the direction of the play, director Shakhadat Hosain Nipu has worked untiringly.  He applied his intelligence.  We are really indebted to Dhirendranath Baskey, the tribal expert of West Bengal.  In the second half, there was a cultural program. 

The life of L.K. Sarkar.

In the year 1981, L.K. Sarkar climb upstairs by walking on Ayodhyay Hill of Purulia (about 2200 feet height).  After cross TURGA FALLS, L.K. Sarkar upstairs of Bamni watching tower to see surrounding scenery of Ayodhyay Hill.  Get down from watching tower he had to alloy thirst by tree leaf from hilly Bamni water fallen. (Pix by Debashis Roy).

INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL RELATIONSHIP WITH BANGLADESH

On 30 June, 2002, L.K. Sarkar organized an International relationship with Bangladesh.  A renowned drama organization – LOKNATYA DALL, set up a drama on Hool (Independence Movement by Santal Community).  L.K. Sarkar invites that organization to Khatra on 30^th June, 2002 on Hool Day.  Mr. Subhas Chakraborty, Transport Minister of West Bengal, sanctioned concessational rate of bus from petrapol border to Khatra and back Rs. 8000.

L.K. Sarkar with Bangladesh Drama writer Shamim Ahashan, Sahadat Hossain Nipu, Prof. Niranjan Adhikary and Programme Director of Bangladesh T.V. Md. Fayez Uddin Babu.

A rally move Khatra proper with proper with Bangladesh actor and actresses.  L.K. Sarkar also joint this rally on 30 June, 2002.

RARH BANGLA SAMBAD

(A First Class Rural Newspaper)

Peoples and Readers called – Ananda Bazar Patrika of Bankura District Concept, Planning and Edited by Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar.

Published from Khatra, Bankura

VIABILITY

With the growing spread of literacy in India in particular the demand of SMALL NEWSPAPERS in rural and hence forth backward areas will witness phenomenal growth in the not distant future.  The urban media coverage, as has been observed, totally about their immediate surroundings than that what is happening in the wide world.  Hence ,media units or full size newspapers at cheaper rates would have greater acceptance if they can cater to the prime needs of the neglected and under privileged in the rural district of our literate state of West Bengal.

Besides the above, media coverage for the Adivasi and Rural Communities of India, which so far was practically and community wise if careful on the spot investigative journalism is introduced.  Significant news items in far away rural and tribal villages find little space in big metropolitan city –newspapers.  Although such items greatly influence and alter the lifestyle of honest ordinary village folks, rural and tribal culture, social problems etc.  To solve this problem and unemployment problem of youth a monthly 16 pages tabloid newpaper, which name is RARH BANGLA SAMBAD started August 1, 1994 from Khatra (45 km from Bankura Sadar).

These salient points highlighted through newspaper media would immediately attract the attention of authorities and the neglected and the deprived would soon be rehabilitated.  Also the communication gap that now exists between the elite and rural soon be obliterated if given proper news coverage resulting incessation of misunderstanding and hostilities and ushering in a more peaceful climate for Bankura, Purulia, Burdwan, Midnapore, Birbhum, Murshidabad (Rarh areas) which is often plagued by mistrust and animosity among its own people.

Since 1974 L.K. Sarkar visited several villages of West Bengal, early stage of his journalism he went several times to Sundarban areas and Bankura, Purulia of West Bengal and Bihar-Chotanagpur plateau of tribal villages.  After visit completed he realized that area are neglected by daily newspapers.

L.K. Sarkar feels it must be highlighted.  For that reason ,he started first in the year of 1993 Adibasi Sambad, and then after this Rarh Bangla Sambad.  This Rarh Bangla Sambad spread Bankura, Purulia, Midnapur, Birbhum to Kolkata’s reputed personalities.

For the information Bankura’s journalist called his Rarh Bangla Sambad is an Ananda Bazaar Patrika.  Now this newspaper turn monthly tabloid to fortnightly full size newspaper from August 15, 2003.

So many youths and local peoples both tribal and nontribal are inspired and habituated reading habit newspaper and feel to learn journalism.

ACTIVITIES OF ADIBASI PRESS CLUB

1.  Jyanti Saren singing in this occasions.

2.  Paritosh Soren singing inauguration song.

3.  Tribal women reception dancing.

4.  After 12 years first tribal newspaper in India started tabloid size (for preparation of full size) at an inaugurated in Calcutta, Tripura Hitosandhini Sabhaghar.  General Secretary of Press Club, Mr. Hanuk Hasda inaugurate this newspaper Mr. Padma Murmu also with him.

5.  Working President of Khatra Adibasi Cultural and Development Centre.  Mrs. Anjali Hembram speaking her news views regarding Adibasi Press Club and Adibasi Sambad.

6.  Mr. L.K. Sarkar founder and executive secretary of Adibasi Press Club delivery his idea and planning or Adibasi Press Club at Tripura Hitosandhini Sabha Ghar (Kolkata).

7.  Every Sunday Adibasi Press Club joint College Street “BAIHAT.”  L.K. Sarkar and teacher Anjana Saren are regularly attend with Adibasi Tribal Newspaper, Books, Periodicals, Picture, etc. etc. picture shown Anjana Saren and L.K. Sarkar.

THE SCHEMES THAT LAKSHMINDRA WANTS TO IMPLEMENT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS

THE SCHEMES THAT LAKSHMINDRA WANTS TO IMPLEMENT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS

1.        Train at least 5000 tribal youths on development journalism.

2.       Set up Tribal Press-club.

3.       Generate Self-Employment through cooperative society.

4.       Set up press (both letter and computer) for the development of tribal language ,literature and culture.

5.       Train the tribal peasant about modern agriculture.

6.       Set up boarding schools for the poorest tribal girls and boys.

7.       Set up a museum and research center to commemorate the works of famous tribal poet, artists and authors.  Different festival informations and photographs of festivals an archive on folk culture.

8.       Regularize the ADIBASI SAMBAD and RARH BANGLA SAMBAD.