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. 

SANTALI LANGUAGE AND ENVIRONMENT

DEBATE:  TOPIC

SANTALI LANGUAGE AND ENVIRONMENT

Seminar on Environmental Pollution held on 20 November 2000 at Paschimbanga Bangla Academy.  Rarh Bangla Sambad organised this seminar.  From left standing Shyamal De, a social worker, sitting Mrs. Saraswati Sarkar, a social scientist, Dr. Sankar Chakraborty, a social scientist, Amalendu Roy ,Ex-project director, Purulia district science centre and Amalesh Chowdhury, activist participated this seminar.

Aajkal’s report:  “The Position of Santali Language after 50 years of Independence: An important Seminar was organized on Saturday on Initiative of Individual, Society and Nation” and “Environment in Different View” at Pashchimbanga Bangla Academy.  The organizers are the representatives of people of Bengal “Rarh Bangla Sambad” and “Poribesh Chetana Samiti.”  The speakers on environment are Professor Amalesh Chaudhury, Nilotpal Dutta, Saraswati Sarkar, Shankar Chakraborty, Amalendu Ray, Dr. Subhendu Mukherjee and Shyamal Dey.  The speakers on Santali language are Dhirendranath Baskey, Gurucharan Murmu, Saradaprasad Kisku, Baidyanath Soren, Purnachandra Soren, Kushal Baskey, Subodh Hansda and Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar.  Rabindra Sangeet was sung by Jayanti Soren.  The program took away everybody’s attention.

Aajkaal:  22 November 2000.

BOOKS OF MR. LAKSHMINDRA KUMAR SARKAR AND THEIR REVIEWS IN BRIEF

ESSAY

SANTALI BHASHA LIPI O SAHITYACHARCHAR AETIBRITTO (THE ORIGIN OF SANTALI LANGUAGE ,SCRIPT AND LITERATURE)

Picture:  Debabrata Ghosh

Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged

The second edition of this book is filled with more facts than the first edition.  There are many biographies of poets and writers and their poetries.

_________________________________________ In Santali Language and their translation in Bengali

We will come to know the various journals on Indian tribes in different parts of India.  In the same way, you will be able to read and learn the Santali language.  Many pictures.  You will come to know the young and old poets as well as the young and old writers.  We will come to know the dispute over the script “Olchiki” through debate.  This book is an important document to those who  are linguist, writers and poets.  You will come to know the opinion of the experts regarding the script and future of the language.

This book discussed the different aspects of the life of the poets and writers.

______________________________________________________________________

Paschim Simanta Anchaler Lokshilpo o Shilpi (Folk Culture and Artists of Western Frontier Region)

Picture:  Tapas Sarkar

The places in different districts that we have chosen in the western frontier region are as follows:

1.  West Bengal’s Bankura, Purulia, Medinipore.

2.  Different regions of Chotanagpur in Bihar.

3.  Mayurbhanj and Baripada of Orissa.

We have mentioned in detail the folk culture of the above-mentioned regions.  The present status of the regions, the description of their folk culture, their economic status, present status of their work of art, etc.  It is a very important collection of unknown facts and figures.

__________________________________________________________________________

Going to be published soon!

Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar’s

Revolutionary Poet

Saradaprasad Kisku

Picture:  Debabrata Ghosh

Saradaprasad Kisku is an important personality in the Santal society.  The President award winning poet has played an important role.

The present generations are inspired by the works of Saradaprasad Kisku.  There were many incidents of an attempt to murder Saradaprasad Kisku who is fighting against the problems of the tribal society.  He was luckily saved.  The biggest problem in the Santal society is the witch cult.  Saradababu acted as a leader in this problem.  It is very hard to find a person who is playing an active role against the fight of social evils like murder in the name of witch cult, torture.  The writer Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar has studied Saradaprasad Kisku for 12 years.  The writer has played an active role in different protests along with the anti-witch movement.  From this book, you will be able to understand a rare personality.

The following personalities have watched Saradababu closely.  They are:

1.  Mahasweta Devi.

2.  Niranjan Haldar.

3.  Bikraman Nayar.

4.  Dhirendranath Baskey.

5.  Mahadeb Hansda.

6.  Maheswar Besra.

7.  Baleswar Soren.

8.  Gomosta Prasad Soren.

9.  Rupchand Hansda.

10.  Kalendranath Mandi.

11.  Chandranath Murmu.

12.  Domon Sahu etc.

They have expressed their opinions.

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LAKSHIMDRA KUMAR SARKAR’S

NIRAPARADH BANDINI (INNOCENT PRISONER)

Picture:  Debabrata Ghosh

Price:  Rs. 40/-

Many women were confined in different jails of West Bengal.  There were no accounts of them.  It tells us the inside story of how a young lawyer Shibshankar Chakraborty took them out of prison and there are many vital information packed into it.  The author Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar was present in the trials of the court in different times and in different places and compiled the facts and figures for writing this book.

LAKHSMINDRA KUMAR SARKAR’S

NIRJATITO SHISHURA (EXPLOITED CHILDREN)

Price:  Rs. 25/-

There was no other book like this before on child labor.  What are the laws directed to protect them?  How the Indian children are exploited though there is a law.  A detailed description of the exploited children in different areas of Kolkata.  The author went as far as Canning to collect the information on child labor.  Many unknown facts have been highlighted in this book.  Many pictures are there as evidence.

Novel

Jeevan Nadir Tirey (On The Banks of The River of Life)

Picture:  Abhijit Sarkar

Lakshmindra Sarkar is a young writer and journalist.  In “Jeevan Nadir Tirey,” the author has described an unusual background while writing about the life of an ambitious individual’s life.  In the work, the hard life of the minorities and the stories of the bright and dark sides of the tribal people’s life has been mentioned.  The life of the inhabitants of the Sundarban region has been beautifully described through the mouth of the protagonist of the novel, Shantanu who is a journalist.  The author has shown a spontaneous pace in the life of the people.  From this point of view, we can say the novel is worth reading.  But that way of thinking forces the readers to think.

We will be happy if the writer’s first novel is taken into the literary discussion of the readers.  We wish a continuous advancement of the author in the days to come.

Written by Rabidas Saha Roy.

On the Jamteria Adibasi of Tripura

A new type of story

Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar’s

SUKHARAMER JHUM CHASH (JHUM CULTIVATION OF SUKHARAM)

Picture:  Abhijit Sardar

“Sukharamer Jhum Chash” is a different kind of writing --- in this book, the daily life of Sukharam and simultaneously an interesting description of Jhum cultivation is given here.  The way in which the good and bad times of the tribes of Tripura have been mentioned shows the concern of the author about the tribal people’s life.  As he is concerned about the tribal people’s life and activities, so there is a great expectation of new information related to the tribe.  But while giving the information, he has not spoiled the main story line.  For this reason, we thank the author.  To the modern youth, it is an ideal example of a person who got engaged with the villagers leaving the city behind while working in a government job.  We hope he will write more novels on tribal life that is neglected by the Bengali literature.

Written by Barun Mondol

INAUGURATION FUNCTION OF ADIBASI SAMBAD

L.K. SARKAR FELICITATED “ROY MONGOL SRADHANJALI” TO THE FOLLOWING PERSONALITIES:

1.  MAHASWETA DEVI.

2.  SINDHUBALA DEVI.

3.  GAMBHIR SINGH MURA.

4.  SARADA PRASAD KISKU.

5.  RUPCHAND HEMBRAM.

6.  MOHAN KHERIA.

PEOPLE WHO HELPED MR. L.K. SARKAR

A REPORT OF VARIOUS PERSONALITIES OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OF BENGAL AND BIHAR WHO HAVE BEEN CLOSE ASSOCIATES OF L.K. SARKAR APPRECIATING AND ALSO RENDERING A HELPING HAND IN HIS FIELD OF ACTIVITIES:

1.  Annada Sankar Roy.

2.  Nightingale of Chhotanagpur, Sindhubala Devi.

3.  Renowned Santali writer, editor and activist Mahadev Hansda.

4.  Sarada Prasad Kisku.

5.  Doman Sahu Samir.

6.  Gambhir Singh Mura (International Chhou Dancer).

7.  Dr. Srabani Sarkar (Chakraborty).

8.  Mahasweta Devi.

9.  Renowned singer Amar Pal.

10.  Film actor Anil Chatterjee (Anil Chatterjee read the book “Santali Bhasa-Lipi-O-Sahitya Charchar Eatibritta”).

11.  Renowned Santali author Basta Soren.

12.  Human activists of Bankura district.

13.  Journalists of Bankura district.

14.  Lok Kabi Adyaitta Kundu.

15.  Santali writer Gomosta Prasad Soren.

16.  Mahadev Hansda.

17.  Journalist Saghan Chattopadhyay.

18.  Pinaki Ranjan guha (journalist, Bartaman Patrika).

19.  Pannalal Ghosh (Editor, Saptahik Bartaman).

20.  Swadeshi Dakat Mohan Sabar (his age was 116).  In the year 1996, 28^th December, Mohan Sabar died.  His age was 121.

21.  Surya Sabar (eldest son of Mohan Sabar, near about 90 years old, living at Borda Sabar Colony near Mukutmanipur).

encouragement from mahasweta devi on Mr. Sarkar's achievement and other activities

I will be happy and interested to see many editions of the book –MAHASWETA DEVI

I am waiting for a long time to see this book of Lakshmindra Sarkar to get published.  This work has great importance.  Lakshimdra has done something that was not done before.  The belief of witch cult was not restricted to the adibasi society.  There is belief in witch cult and other superstitions in nontribal society and tantric methods are applied to ward off evil spirits.  The murders of people accusing them as witches are more in number in the Santal society and Ho society of Singhbhum.  In the last few years, the number has increased.  A vicious circle works in the murder of a witch.  Because behind the motive of every murder, there is grieve.  Along with it, the belief of witch cult is there.  The good news is that in the society of the tribals, a disbelief and the protest has started.

The noted Santal poet Saradaprasad Kisku is a brave fighter and a social worker.  For this reason, Saraprasad and his co-fighters had to pay a price and is still paying it.  Still they firmly believe in themselves.  If it happened in some other country, then Saradaprasad and his co-fighters would have been proudly recognized.  We do not know how to pay respect to the respected people.  People should be united to fight against witch cult.  On the basis of this book, ‘witch cult should be banned by law.’  This protest can also be done.    The socially conscious and scientific minded people will also take part.  I will be very happy to see many editions of the book and will be encouraged.

A DIFFERENT PROTEST

Written by Bikraman Nair

(Noted journalist-Anandabazar)

The people of West Bengal are aware of the anti-witch movement in Purulia.  The superstition of the Santals in Bengal and Bihar became significant.  The social scientists think there are two reasons behind it.  Firstly, this protest is to acquire political power.  Secondly, an aged poet is supporting the young protestors in the public protest.  Saradaprasad Kisku taught us how to go through the tough times and the Bengalis must learn a lesson from them and go back to their youth protest.

When Mr. Sarkar was young, he started the work of bridging the gulf between the tribals and the nontribals.  In spite of being their companion in good and bad times, they were still unknown to us.  The author’s book on ‘Santali Bhasha, Lipi O Sahityochorchar Eatibritto’ is an account of the language and culture of the Bengal’s biggest community.  It is an account of the history of the anti-witch movement of Purulia and a contemporary struggle in the tribal life.  Mr. Sarkar is the right person who has introduced us the ‘contemporary protest’ in the political atmosphere of West Bengal. 

In nine chapters, after the first chapter of emergence of witch, the public protest that started and the description has been given serially.  The murder of Jagaran Soren, the trial of Sudhir-Milan, through a peculiar cultural revolution, the inside story has been mentioned here.

The neglect of those living in the plains and the suspicion of the political workers – both of them ignored Sarada and his followers.  Among them Mahadeb Hansda and Rupchand Hansda are worth mentioning.  They have asked the society to wake up and they have incorporated science and logic.  We must know the story.  Other than this, more work needs to be done.  This history compels us to think in the right way.

The reports published in different newspapers, the letters of Saradaprasad Kisku, the leader of the protest and the report of PUCL  are the references of the book.

 

 

LAKSHMINDRA KUMAR SARKAR AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS

He had set up organizations like Grameen Mahila Samiti, Human Resource Research Bureau, Sahitya Sanskrity Bashar, R.B. Sarkar Prakashani etc. Two new organizations will be inaugurated soon.  Adibasi Press Club and Adibasi Krishak Club with the help of NABARD.  We hope that Lakshimdra will be successful in his work.

Related to Culture

One Ray of Light

Written by Dolon Mitra

Published in Nandan, February 2004.

A ray of light has fallen travelling millions of light years.  Adibasi Press Club was created by a group of fighters.  A group of people who are hunter-gatherers living in a green environment deprived of traditional education. 

On January 11, 2004, I reached the Adibasi Press Club to attend the inauguration ceremony on 11 a.m. and the venue was Raipur Sabuj Sangha Club in the district Bankura.  The short statured man in round eyes with strings attached spectacles surrounding the head, with a French cut beard along with a big smile came forward.  Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar introduced us to the general secretary Hanu Hansda.  Everybody was saying the same thing that the “Bharat Sarkar” never thought about us but Lakshimdra Sardar was thinking about me continuously.  He is going to take the responsibility of planning today and also for future plans.  Along with him, there are important intellectuals of the parties of Left Front government and Amiya Patra who are constantly thinking.  He is going to take the responsibility of today’s and future plan.  On June 30, 1855, Sidhu and Kanhu died in the fight against the British forces before 92 years of independence.  If somebody forgets to light a lamp on August 15, the tribals’ lamp on the muddy balcony on June 30 in “Hul Day” did not get extinguished and they keep it burning in the memory of the martyrs’. 

After 57 years of independence, we shot an arrow in the mouth of India to suggest that ‘though we are neglected, we are not taught to be lagging behind.’

The Santali language became a part of our Indian constitution in the 8^th toposhil.  Presently the Adibasi Press Club awarded the fighters of the language revolution and writers.

Among them the personalities who received the awards are:

1.   Salkhan Murmu (Chairman of All India Language Forum).

2.   Rupchand Hansda ( Chairman of All India Santali Writers Association).

3.  Kherowal Soren (Writer, awarded by Government of West Bengal).

Presently, in the meeting of the tribal society of the state, the invited speakers are:

1.   T.K. Lapaz (Well known Santali researcher and historian).

2.    Nityananda Hembrom (All India Majhi Madwa).

3.    Mondol Hembrom ( Noted Santali Linguist).

4.    Kartick Hansda (General Secretary, Adibasi Youth Association, West Bengal).

5.    Anthony Murmu (General Secretary, All India Language Forum, West Bengal Branch).

6.    T.C. Baskey (Secretary, Jiui Patrika).

7.    Sukumar Hembrom (Youth Representative).

8.    Bishambhor Mura  (Birosa Munda Death Anniversary Committee).

Besides them, the representatives of the organizations of Santali language and literature, respectable individuals, boatman, member of parganas, poet, secretaries of reputed journals and magazines were present.

There was an interaction between the tribal and the nontribal journalists.  A great revolution happened silently.

  

L.K. SARKAR WITH SANTAL TRIBAL STUDENTS OF AYODHYAY HILL OF PURULIA, W.B.

L.K.  SARKAR WITH SANTAL TRIBAL STUDENTS OF AYODHYAY HILL OF PURULIA, W.B.

L.K. Sarkar with Santal tribal students of Ayodhya Hill who are staying and studying in Bagmundi Kalyan Ashram.

From left standing backside Hiralal laya, Jadunath Tudu, Haridas Roy (Charida village) Ramsing Murmu, Nagranjan Ganguli (Teacher), Arabinda Bhattacharya (Teacher),  Middle standing – Umesh Mandi (Balarampur Kalyan Ashram, L.K. Sarkar, Binod Behari Murmu, Nagen Besra.

In front, Kinkar Mandi, Na Sibankar Singh Sardar, Chakradhar Saren. 

In the year 1982, L.K. Sarkar went to see how the tribal peoples are living on Ayodha Hill forest areas.

At that time,  no conveyance available to go upstairs on Ayodha Hill L.K. Sarkar by walking went on that hill.

A residential poor tribal education center whose name is Baghmundi Kalyan Ashram situated on the road side.  On the way to go to Ayodha Hill, L.K. Sarkar and his wife Dr. Srabani Chakraborty to collect information about Kalyan Ashram, Mr. Sarkar met some tribal students.

Pictures shown, these students are now scattered in different sectors.

Hiralal Laya is now working at a Refugee Relief Camp Commission, Camac Street, Kolkata.  Umesh Mandi and Kinkar Mandi are working at Balarampur Kalyan Ashram.  Sibshankar Singh Sardar is a teacher at Murshidabad.  Binodbehari Murmu is an assistant CDPO, ICDS, Khatra, Bankura.

Binod behari Murmu is the exceptional student of them.  L.K. Sarkar recently written an article about Binod Behari Murmu.  Published this article on ‘Jangal Mahaler Khabar’ in the issue of July 1, 2003.

L.K. SARKAR WITH SABAR COMMUNITIES

We are all aware that the Sabar Tribe are rare and primitive tribe (called as Born Criminal) of our state.  They need special care from every corner of our society.

L.K. Sarkar want to change the lifestyle and do uplift their quality of life through greater awareness about health, education, value system, government schemes for development, income generation programmes etc.

L.K. Sarkar through his organization Khatra Adibasi Culture and Development Center, conducted 2 days programme under sponsorship by Central Board for Workers Education, Ministry of Labor, Government of India, at Baroda Sabar Colony Primary School on 11-11-02 to 12-11-02.

S.D.O. Satadal Dutta inaugurated the 2-day program.

REMARKABLE SUCCESSFUL ACHIEVEMENTS

Sushil Mahali, a tribal boy, turn his life from bamboo basket maker to journalist and social worker

By  L.K. Sarkar.

If you have no idea about Mahali tribes, you could not realize that what L.K. Sarkar wants to say about Sushil Mahali? So, first you know that Mahali Samaj, then to Sushil Mahali.

Mahali, a Dravidian caste of laborer, palanquin bearers, and workers in bamboo found in Chotanagpur and West Bengal.  They are divided into 5 subcaste –

1.     Bansphor Mahali – who make baskets and do all kinds of bamboo work;

2.      Patar Mahali – Basket makers and cultivators;

3.      Sulunki Mahali – who are cultivators and labourers;

4.      Tanti Mahali – who carry palanquins;

5.      Mahali Munda – a small outlying subcaste.

 Those of the Santals seem to warranty the conjecture that the main body of the caste, that is to say the group comprising the Bansphor, Sulunki and Tanti Mahalis is merely a branch of the Santals, separated at a comparatively recent date from the parent tribe.