On the Occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary UTSAV pays homage to Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray Father of Indian Chemistry p§Q£fœ Contents

About Utsav Utsav Literary Committee and disclaimer 2 pÇf¡cL£u / Editorial 3aalbaal Utsav Committee Members 4 Message from the Utsav Boardroom 5 Utsav Accounts 6 Program Schedule 7 Community News 9 Utsav Award Winners 13

L¢ha¡ / Poems fËaÉ¡haÑ−el ü¡c j¡ep l¡u 19 ¢ae¢V L¢ha¡ A¢i−oL e¡N 20 c¤¢V L¢ha¡ afa£ −i±¢jL 21 f§−S¡l ¢eOѸV −L±¢nL c¡p 22 Qä£ l¡e¡ −i±¢jL 22 I am Shayanti Ghoshal 23 Coffee Farah Billah 24 fËhå / Articles Jenkinson Lake-Hl Øj«¢a ¢p¢jL¡ hp¤¤l¡u 28 lh£¾cÊ-fË¢ai¡l e¡e¡ ¢cL fË−cÉ¡a i–¡Q¡kÑÉ 29 jcaÚ L¤Z¡mL¡¢¿¹ −O¡o 31 ¢fL¡−p¡−L ¢g−l −cM¡ nÉ¡jm −Q±d¤l£ 33 From Rickshaws to Automobiles Stuti Ghoshal 35 Better Global Health Through Sharing Andy Fell 39 33G Notebook: Stockholm Biswanath Mukherjee 43

¢g−l −cM¡ / Down Memory Lane ¢g−l −cM¡ 48 Down Memory Lane Mitra Choudri 50 "Evph'-Hl fËbj Evph ¢cm£f l¡u−Q±d¤l£ 52 Brief History of Utsav 54

Utsav Membership Roster 58

−Q±l‰£ 2011 1 Chowrongee 2011 Literary Committee

Rashmi Nandi Biswanath Mukherjee Rajat Saha Somen Nandi Pulak Chowdhury Manas Ray (Editor)

Cover design by Santana Das

Disclaimer The views and opinions of authors in this magazine do not necessarily state or reflect those of Utsav, Inc. For writings published in this magazine, Utsav does not warrant or assume any legal liability and responsibility for accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information disclosed and/or published. Information provided is accurate as of the date of going to press; Utsav or Chowrongee is not responsible for any errors or omissions. Opinions expressed are those of individual authors. Advertisers are solely responsible for the advertisements, not Chowrongee or Utsav.

Utsav Inc. 11230 Gold Express Drive P.O. Box 310-412 Gold River, CA 95670 www.utsavsac.org

Chowrongee is published annually for Utsav members by Utsav, Inc., Sacramento, CA, USA (www.utsavsac.org) Printed at: J. Prassa Printers, 2313 C Street, Sacramento, CA, USA (http://jpprinting.net)

Postmaster: If undelivered, please return to Utsav Inc., 11230 Gold Express Drive, P.O. Box 310-412, Gold River, CA 9567

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j¡ BS jja¡ju£z Good bye to summer and welcome to fall. With fall comes Durga Puja, the most popular festival fË¡u ¢ae hRl B−Nl j¡¢LÑe j¤m¤−Ll f¢lhaÑ−el of Bengalis. Though a Hindu ritual, in practice q¡Ju¡ ¢L d£−l p¤¤−ÙÛ −f±yR¡m h−‰¡fp¡N−ll L¨−m? e¡¢L it has transcended the religious boundary 34 hR−ll j¡LÑph¡c£ c¤NÑ d¤¢mp¡vHl h¡aÑ¡ ¢qÇja through the innovative artistic themes and −S¡N¡m Ef−s −gm−a ¢aE¢e¢pu¡, ¢m¢hu¡, ¢jn−ll cultural extravaganzas associated with it. °ül¡Q¡l£ n¡pL−cl aMva¡Epz Durga Puja this year is very special for the members and friends of Utsav. This is the 10th pj¡S¢h‘¡e£ h−m c¡h£ Ll¡ ¢h‘¡e£−cl cm H ¢e−u anniversary of the puja. Utsav’s Durga Puja is ¢ha−LÑ j¡a¥e, il¡e f¢œL¡l f¡a¡ Bl hÔ−N¡¢Øgu¡lz celebrating a decade of its contribution to the Bjl¡, Bj Sea¡, mrÉ Llm¡j −ch£J −h¡dqu social and cultural mosaic of the capital of HC f¢lhaÑ−el h¡S¡−l a¡m −jm¡−a HhRl BNje J California. Utsav’s puja has now earned a Nj−el h¡qe f¢lhaÑe L−l−Rez Na c¤ hRl HLC h¡qe permanent place in the calendar of festivals of ¢l¢fV Ll¡l fl a«a£u hR−l Bl −c¡m¡u Bp−Re e¡z diverse California. Chowrongee is part and parcel of this Bp−Re N−S - gm npÉf§ZÑ hp¤¤ål¡z history. This is also the 10th issue of f¢lhaÑe Evp−hJz Evph f¡ ¢cm cn hR−lz Chowrongee. Evph BS f¢lh¢aÑa HL f¢lZa pwNW−e k¡l j§m For last ten years, every issue of cªti¡−h −fË¡¢ba pÉ¡œ²¡−j−¾V¡ EfaÉL¡l h‰j¡e−pz Evph Chowrongee attempted to provide a window to BS Bc¢la EfaÉL¡l ¢h¢iæa¡l lwHl E‹ma¡ the thoughts and dreams of the Bengalis living h¡s¡−e¡l SeÉz in the Sacramento valley of California which were articulated by both kids and adults through Evp−hl HC Suk¡œ¡u fËbj ¢ce −b−L R¡u¡p‰£ their paintings, poems, stories and articles. −Q±l‰£z Evp−hl Aˆ¥l −b−L hªr q−u JW¡l C¢aq¡−pl Some reminisced the puja days of Kolkata, some A−eL E‹Æm j¤ýaÑ dl¡ B−R −Q±l‰£l f¡a¡u f¡a¡uz portrayed the future they intended to build in Evp¡q£ f¡WL A¿¹ÑS¡−m ¢N−u f¤l¡−e¡ pwM¡…¢m−a −Q¡M USA. This year is no different. We got a bunch −h¡m¡−a f¡−lez of new writers along with our regular contributors like poet Tapati Bhowmick and Evp−hl cnj f§S¡u −Q±l‰£l cnj n¡lc£u¡ pwMÉ¡ globe trotting Professor Biswanath Mukherjee. lwH l©−f, L¡¢ml ByQ−s p¡¢S−u pcpÉ J …ZNË¡q£−cl Stuti Ghoshal, a senior in Oakmont High q¡−a a¥−m ¢c−a −f−l deÉ −h¡d Ll¢Rz School, has narrated how she enjoyed her summer vacation making school children HC fËL¡ne¡l j§m Q¡¢mL¡n¢š² p¡wú«¢aL L¢j¢Vl computer literate in a small village in West pcpÉ−cl fr −b−L ph¡C−L S¡e¡C f§S¡ A¢ie¾cez Bengal, India. i¡−m¡ b¡L¥e, f§−S¡ Ef−i¡N Ll¦e Hhw −Q±l‰£ Like Utsav, all these ten years Chowrongee fs¥ez has also been supported by dedicated team members to ensure its quality and timely j¡ep l¡u production. I thank all those who as members of literary committee or in any other capacity helped Chowrongee and I am sure in future they will do so. Wish all the readers and well wishers of Chowrongee warm Puja Greetings.

Manas Ray

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Utsav Committee Members

Governing Body Members (GBM) Registration Committee: Joy Mukherjee (President) Pulak Chowdhury Pulak Chowdhury (Vice President) Prodosh Chakraborty Deb Saha Biswanath Mukherjee Rajat Saha (Cultural Secretary) Sumanta Ghosh Mitra Choudri (Public Relations) Barin Kumar Hem Sarkar Community Council Members (CCM) Rupa Chowdhury (Chairperson) Hem Sarkar Food Committee: Rashmi Nandi (Chairperson) Prodosh Chakraborty Pulak Chowdhury Literary Committee Sanjib Nayak Rashmi Nandi Ajay Joshi Biswanath Mukherjee Rajat Saha Fundraising Committee: Deb Saha (Chairperson) Somen Nandi Anima Kumar Pulak Chowdhury Manas Ray (Editor) Website Committee: Pulak Chowdhury Cultural Committee: Mala Paul Rajat Saha (Chairperson) Udayan Chanda Utsav Youth Group: Nupur Joshi Neha Joshi (Chairperson) Mala Paul Natasha Chanda Shashwati Roy Ayananta Chowdhury Aditya Chowdhury Election Committee: Debanshu Das Adi Choudri Rinita Mukherjee Biswanath Mukherjee Sunoy Nandi Somen Nandi Sharod Nandi Puja Committee: Sharon Sarkar Seema Chanda (Chairperson) Mitra Choudri (Coordinator) Rupa Chowdhury Santana Das Anima Kumar Shashwati Roy

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Message from the Utsav Boardroom

Dear Utsav Families and Friend, I am sure you all will see the effort we the board members put together to bring the best The GBM CCM of 2011 welcomes you for our Utsav friends and families. all to celebrate the 10th year of Utsav’s I know many members want to do a lot Durga Puja which is just the beginning of th for this Durga Puja but we really wanted our Utsav’s 10 year celebration. With your members to sit, relax and enjoy each and cooperation support and love we will make every event and we promise that all who this milestone year a remembrance for days, missed showcasing their performance will weeks, months and years to come. be up on the stage in one of the other Utsav As you all know the GBM CCM was events. formed a bit late but we came together I end my message by thanking all the quickly and orchestrated a strong eventful volunteers, sponsors, and members because year. We started our tenure with an eventful without them nothing is possible and with Rabindra Jayanti and a great picnic by them everything is possible. I know we will Folsom Lake and it was all possible because be never perfect no matter how much we try have friends and families who went out of so if you have any complaints or issues, do their way to support us. not hesitate to reach out to the CCM because We all Utsavians know that it really complaints are the steps to perfection. doesn’t matter what we do the whole year On behalf of Utsav GBM and CCM, I because our Durga Puja is the main th wish a wonderful 10 Year. attraction and this being the 10th we have arranged an eventful Durga Puja weekend that no one in Sacramento has ever Joy Mukherjee experienced. You might see some slacks but President, Utsav 2011

Governing Body Members (GBM): Community Council Members (CCM): Joy Mukherjee Hem Sarkar Pulak Chowdhury Rupa Chowdhury Rajat Saha Prodosh Chakraborty Deb Saha Mitra Choudri

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Utsav Accounts* July 2010 – June 2011 Amount Amount Revenues Membership Fees $20,702 Sponsorship $10,000 Pratima Donation $2,402 Saraswati Puja Donation $1,170 Refund from Facility Rental $300 Ticket Sale and Misc. Collection $533 Total Revenues $35,107 Expenses Bank Charges $25 Utsav Domain & Hosting Registration $110 Durga Puja 2010: Puja & Proshad Expenses $318 Priest Donation $201 Food $6,420 Cleaning Expenses $320 Artist $5,230 Hall Rental $4,570 STL Rental (equipment) $395 Stage Setup $300 Sound & Light $987 Magazine $834 Protima $5,477 Registration & Mailing Supplies $191 Misc. Expenses $73 Saraswati Puja 2011: $25,316 Puja Expenses $122 Food $1,262 Kids Prizes and Misc. $128 Priest Donation $151 Hall Rental $1,974 Sound Engineer $550 Clean Up $120 $4,307 Insurance for 2011-2012 $594 Picnic Expenses from 2010 $295 PO BOX Rental Yearly Subscription $288 Rabindra Sandhya Expenses – Hall Rental, Snacks, etc. $161 QuickBooks Subscription $240 Storage Yearly Charges $1,248 Total Expenses $32,584 Net Balance 2010-11 $2,523 * To be audited

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Program Schedule* for 10th Durga Puja, 2011

Event Time

Friday: October 14, 2011 Set Up 3:30 - 6:00 PM Dinner 7:30 – 9:00 PM Chandipath and Inaugural songs 9:00 – 9:20 PM Tanusree Shankar & group dance 9:30 – 11:00 PM Saturday: October 15, 2011 Durga Puja (Saptami and Mahashtami) 10:00 AM Anjali 11:30 AM Prasad 12:00 Noon Lunch 1:00 – 2:00 PM Ke Tumi Porichho Boshi – a documentary on Bengali and Rabindranath –Raj Ray 2:30 – 4:30 PM Sandhya Aaroti 5:30 PM

Cultural Program  President’s address – GBM and CCM 6:00 – 6:10 PM  Matri Bandana 6:15 – 6:30 PM  Mangalacharan & dances 6:35 – 6:50 PM  Transfusion Dance Program 7:00 – 7:20 PM Dinner 7:30 - 9:00 PM

Aneek and Anwesha Show 9:00 PM Onwards Sunday: October 16, 2011 Durga Puja (Nabami and Bijoya Dashami) 10:00 AM Anjali 11:30 AM Prasad 12:00 Noon Shanti Jol, Bishorjon, and Sindur Khela 12:30 - 1:00 PM Lunch 1:00 – 2:00 PM Cultural Program  Utsav Anuual Awards 2:30 – 2:45 PM  Programs by Utsav kids 2:50 – 3:30 PM  Bangla band – Sampan 4:00 – 5:30 PM

Snacks 5:30 PM Clean Up 6:00 - 7:00 PM *Subject to change

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Community News

Inspired by their parents' (Shantanu Basu and Rina Roy) lifelong commitment to health and science, Shourya Basu completed the Executive MBA Program from Haas School of Business, U.C. Berkeley in May 2011, in order to co-found Simple But Needed, Inc. (a company focused on building enterprise mobile apps for telemedicine and worker safety). Dhiya Basu, daughter of Shantanu Basu and Rina Roy, completed the Masters in Public Health (MPH) degree from UCLA in June 2011, and is now working to improve healthcare delivery for Kaiser Permanente's patient base. Shobhik Ghosh, son of Kunal and Rupa Ghosh, completed his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from U.C. Davis in June 2011. Mohana Roy, daughter of Shashwati Roy and Manas Ray, joined the MD program at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, in August 2011. She had graduated from U.C. Davis with a degree in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior in June 2010, and conducted research in the field of prostrate cancer at VA Medical Center, Sacramento, under the supervision of our Utsav Member, Professor Paramita Ghosh. Suchitra Mukherjee, daughter of Biswanath and Supriya Mukherjee, completed her Bachelors degree in Urban Studies and Planning from U.C. San Diego in June 2011, and is now working for the City of San Diego. Natasha Choudri, daughter of Adi and Mitra Choudri, completed her Bachelors degree in Psychology from Cal Poly Pomona in June 2011, and she has now joined the Psy.D. program at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. Shashwati Roy, Past Cultural Secretary and Treasurer of Utsav, has been elected as the President of Project Management Institute – Sacramento Valley Chapter (PMI-SVC). PMI is the global non-profit association for advancing the profession of project management with 250 chapters and 175,000 members worldwide. She is the first woman from Indian subcontinent to hold this position in Northern California. Congratulations to Sandeep and Debolina Sarkar on the birth of their baby boy Ryan, on June 11, 2011.

Dr. Rajat Saha received his PhD Degree from the College of Engineering at University of California, Davis, in January 2010. His PhD Dissertation is entitled Development of Hydraulic Modeling for Alfalfa Irrigation. Since then, he has been working as Water Resources Engineer at MBK Engineers in Sacramento. Dr. Pulak Chowdhury received his PhD Degree from the Department of Computer Science at University of California, Davis, in March 2011. His PhD Dissertation is entitled Energy- Efficient Next-Generation Networks (E2NGN). Since then, he has been working as a postdoctoral researcher at U.C. Davis. Dr. Rajesh Roy received his PhD Degree from the Department of Computer Science at University of California, Davis, in December 2010. His PhD Dissertation is entitled Managing

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Traffic Growth in Optical Telecom Networks. He is currently working at Cisco Systems, Inc., in San Jose, CA. Biswanath Mukherjee was promoted to Distinguished Professor at U.C. Davis on July 2011.

Indrajit Dutta tied the wedding knot with Deepa Janardhanan during a gala celebration on November 22, 2010, in Kolkata.

Rajat Saha, Cultural Secretary of Utsav, tied the wedding knot with Ananya Nandi, during a gala celebration on December 10, 2010, in Kolkata, followed by a Boubhat reception two days later in Durgapur. Both of these events were enjoyed by many of our Utsav members.

On behalf of Utsav Youth, Sharod Nandi led a team of Utsav volunteers for the Annual Spring Yard Cleaning (Karma Yoga) at Vedanta Society of Sacramento on Saturday, May 21, 2011.

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Our Pujo made its entry in most popular Bengali newspaper Anandabazar’s “Bideshe Bandana” ---

Source: http://www.anandabazar.in/travel/2011/september/bideshe-bandana5.html

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Painting by Rumi, 12 years

Trees - Painting by Eashan, 8 years

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Utsav Award Winners (for 2003-10)

Utsav gratefully acknowledges the winners of Utsav Awards in past years.

Cultural Award 2007: Deb Saha 2003: Somen Nandi 2008: Anima Kumar 2004: Shyamal Chattaraj 2009: Ajay Joshi 2005: Nabanita Sen 2010: Deb Saha 2006: Shashwati Roy

2007: Sharmila Mukherjee 2008: Marvel Gima Outstanding Volunteer Award 2009: Joydeep Roy 2003: Suvayu Bose 2010: Mala Paul 2004: Shashwati Roy and Mala Paul 2005: Santana Das 2006: Joy Mukherjee Literary (and Educational) Award 2007: Seema Chanda 2003: Arijit Chatterjee 2008: Rupa Chowdhury and Koushik Das 2004: Arun Das 2009: Subir Sarkar 2005: Dilip Roychowdhury 2010: Anima Kumar and Rashmi Nandi 2006: Rashmi Nandi and Pat Chatterjee

2007: Santana Das 2008: Manas Ray Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award 2009: Rashmi Nandi (This award was initiated in 2004) 2010: Manas Ray 2004: Joey Chakraborty 2005: Mohana Roy 2006: Natasha Choudri Fundraising Award 2007: Aninda Chowdhury 2003: Udayan Chanda 2008: Robby Chakraborty 2004: Deb Saha 2009: Arunav Sarkar 2005: Anita Ghoshal 2010: Rudrani Ghosh 2006: Somen Nandi

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Wishing Utsav A Happy And Prosperous Durga Puja 2011

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Tropical Toucan by Khounish, 10 years, is a fifth grader and lives in Elk Grove

Nirvik, 5 years, is a kindergardener and lives in Folsom

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−Q±l‰£ 2011 22 Chowrongee 2011

I Am Shayanti Ghoshal

I am funny and emotional I wonder where I will be in 27 years I hear my family and my friends encouraging me with my talents I see my enormous mansion I want to be a famous singer.

I am funny and emotional I pretend to be smarter than my older sister I feel happy about being a good singer I touch the soft hands of my mother and and the strong hands of my father I worry about not having any friends I cry about making huge mistakes.

I am funny and emotional I understand how people feel when they're picked on I say that I will lead a good life I dream about having a billion dollars I try to complete all my school work and homework I hope that I will always find time for important things.

I am funny and emotional.

Shayati, 12 yrs, is a 7th grader in Buljan Middle School.

−Q±l‰£ 2011 23 Chowrongee 2011

Coffee Farah Billah

Without those coffee shop lights, Brisk and cold, those tea sipping nights, I want to see the moon sleep, That way my morning will feel just right.

Without those coffee stained tables, Like dipping my fingers into children’s fables, When my milk and cookies were ever present, It made me feel like I can do more than I was ever able.

Without that coffee colored sofa seat suede, Not so thrilling library late nights made, Those books were like bomb shelters in those days, Back then moments were crescendos, they would never fade.

Without my coffee leather jacket, Old films would wave to me and I’d just walk past it, Nobody ever told me that I would grow old so fast, Dreams and memories were the same, neither of them lasted.

Without my mother’s coffee bean morning smell, The silence forced me to watch as my curtains fell, Everything fit in a briefcase and the color was gone, And the moon never went to sleep, but you could never tell.

Farah Billah, 17 years, is a senior in Mira Loma High School.

−Q±l‰£ 2011 24 Chowrongee 2011

−Q±l‰£ 2011 25 Chowrongee 2011

The Vedanta Society of Sacramento

Utsav Members may wish to check out the activities of

The Vedanta Society of Sacramento Swami Prapannananda Minister and Teacher Ramakrishna Order, India 1337 Mission Avenue, Carmichael, CA 95608 Phone: (916) 489-5137 E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.vedantasacto.org

The Society was started in 1949 and made a branch of Ramakrishna Math, Belurmath, India in 1952.

Activities include:  In the temple, daily worship at 8:30 am and group meditation at 6 am and 7:30 pm.  Sunday Services: Worship at 9:30 am and a lecture on a religious topic at 11:00 am. Vesper (Arati) at 6:00 pm with devotional songs.  Wednesday Classes: at 7:30 pm on Vedanta scriptures.  Saturday Classes: at 7:30 pm on Ramakrishna-Vivekananda literature.  Celebration of the birthdays of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, and Swami Vivekananda; and also Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Jagaddhatri Puja, Janmastami, Shivaratri, and few other festivals.  Bookstore: Ph: (916) 489-2116, Email: [email protected] It sells religious books, children’s books, religious articles, incense sticks, etc.  Santodyana (Garden of Saints): A serene 4-acre retreat with Krishna and Lotus ponds having statues of Sri Krishna, Shiva, Moses, Shankaracharya, Sri Chaitanya, St. Francis of Assisi, Guru Nanak, and Our Lady of Guadalupe for peace and tranquility.

−Q±l‰£ 2011 26 Chowrongee 2011

−Q±l‰£ 2011 27 Chowrongee 2011

¢p¢jL¡ hp¤¤l¡u 11 hRl hup£ Hhw Sandra J. Gallardo Elementary ú¥−ml où −nËZ£l R¡œ£

−Q±l‰£ 2011 28 Chowrongee 2011

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−Q±l‰£ 2011 29 Chowrongee 2011

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−Q±l‰£ 2011 30 Chowrongee 2011

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eu, ¢nÒf£ h¡ ¢nÒf−h¡Ü¡−cl SeÉz p¢aÉ L£ a¡C? ¢fL¡−p¡l −L¡e −L¡e R¢h L¢ha¡l j−a¡ By−V¡py¡−V¡ HLSe r¥−c cnÑL−L hRl fy¡−QL hup q−h qu−a¡ −jcq£e J L¡hÉjuz Bh¡l −L¡e R¢h N−cÉl j−a¡ OVe¡l a¡−L hmm¡j, hm−a¡ L£i¡−h h¤T−m −k HV¡ N£V¡lz −R¡– OeOV¡l, k¤¢š²a−LÑ il¡z −plLj L¢ha¡l j−a¡ R¢h "¢c ¢V h¡h¡l −L¡m −b−L −c¢M−u ¢c−m¡ ¢LE−hl dy¡dy¡u m¤¢L−u −hc¡pÑ,' ¢aeSe pÀ¡e−n−ol lje£z pj¤−âl f¡−l lje£l b¡L¡ ¢NV¡l¢V−Lz −LE −LE −h¡d qu ¢nÒf−h¡d ¢e−u pÀ¡e−n−o ay¡−cl Q¥−ml f¢lQkÑ¡ Ll−Rez lje£l pÀ¡e SeÈ¡uz −kje ¢nö¢Vz a¡l h¡h¡ hm−m¡ −p HMe Hy−L ¢hou¢V −l−e¡uy¡ J −pS¡−elJ ¢fËu ¢hou ¢Rmz ¢nÒf£l M¡a¡ il¡−μRz i¡−m¡, hs hu−p −p −ke ea¥e −L¡e ¢nÒf Aw¢La R¢h−a Ae¤fË¡¢Za q−u L¢ha¡ lQe¡ HL¢V B−¾c¡m−el SeÈ ¢c−a f¡−lz EvL«ø BVÑgjÑz iÉ¡e N−Nl 'Starry Night' R¢h¢Vl "¢LE¢hø' ¢Q¿¹¡ ¢hwn na¡ë£l öl¦l ¢c−L f§ZÑa¡ −fËlZ¡u −mM¡ HL¢V L¢ha¡ f−s¢R A−eL¢ce B−Nz f¡uz ¢hwn na¡ë£l °hfl£aÉ R¢h−a −i−p J−W : fËcnÑe£−a −cMm¡j HLSe ÙÛ¡e£u ¢nÒf£ ¢fL¡−p¡l HL¢V −N¡m−Ll p−‰ ¢LE−hl −kje °hfl£aÉ, ØV¡¢Xl Ae¤Ll−Z −f¢¾pm −úQ j¡e¤o J fËL«¢al °hfl£aÉ, fËL«¢a J Ll−Rez HL HL¢V V¡−e B−m¡ h¡ h¡s£O−ll °hfl£aÉz ¢LR¥C −ke Bl R¡u¡ g¥−V EW−Rz Bj¡l −a¡ −p q¡lj¢e−a (harmony) −a −eCz a−h fË¢ai¡ −eC, e¡ B−R L¢ha¡ lQe¡l HL¢V p¤¤−Ml Lb¡ f−ll ¢c−Ll ¢LE¢hø A¢i‘a¡z ¢L¿¹¥ L£ L¢l ¢fL¡−p¡ R¢h−a ¢LEh…−m¡ Ed¡Jz a¡l S¡uN¡ ¢em −cM¡l HC ¢h¢Qœ A¢iO¡a ¢c−uz m¡Ce Hhw p¡l−gpz ¢fL¡−p¡l N¡t J −pSeÉ p¤¤œf¡a HC lQe¡lz p¢mX m¡Cez −kph R¢h −Q¡M S¥s¡uz ¢fL¡−p¡l ¢LR¥ −úQ −cMm¡j, ¢fL¡−p¡l e¡¢L R¢h ByL¡l SeÉ −f¢¾p−m ByL¡z −kph S¡uN¡u B−m¡ j−X−ml fË−u¡Se q−a¡ e¡z ¢a¢e j¡epQ−r M¤h L¢j−u l¡M¡ q−u−Rz k¡−a R¢h eø ByL−a f¡l−aez Bf¡acª¢ø−a k¡ −cM¡ e¡ quz mp AÉ¡−”m−pl NÉ¡¢V k¡u e¡, a¡J ByL−a f¡l−aez −kje dl¦e ¢jE¢Su−j HLh¡l −ljhË¡¾V −cM−a Bf¢e HLSe−L X¡e f¡n −b−L −cM−Re, ¢N−u −Q¡M M¡l¡f qh¡l −S¡N¡sz f¤−l¡ −kje q−u b¡−L −fË¡g¡C−m, Jl h¡j −Q¡M fËcnÑe£ AÒf B−m¡u p¢‹az N¡m Bf¢e −cM−a f¡−μRe e¡, ¢L¿¹¥ h¡j A−eLpju −úQ…−m¡ ØV¡¢Xj¡œz hs −Q¡M −a¡ Bl q¡¢l−u k¡u¢ez ¢fL¡−p¡ −pC e¡ −cM¡ −Q¡M R¢h ByL¡l B−N ¢nÒf£ −ú−Ql j¡dÉ−j jLÚ−n¡ Ll−Re h¡ N¡m ByL−aez L¢h p¤¤e£m N¡‰¥m£l i¡o¡u ""−a¡j¡−L hs R¢hl ¢houhÙ¹¥−L, Bu−š Be−Re a¡l ea¥e kMe −c¢M a¡l Q¡C−a −hn£ −c¢M, kMe −c¢M e¡z'' cª¢øi‰£−Lz −úQ…−m¡ −c−M d¡le¡ Ll¡ k¡u HL¢V hs −plLj ¢LR¥ R¢h ay¡l ByL¡ h¡åh£ −X¡l¡ j¡−ll R¢hz pª¢øl −fR−e L£ fË−pp L¡S L−lz L£ LøLl −p fË−ppz −fË¡g¡C−m ByL¡ R¢h, ¢L¿¹¥ Afl −Q¡MV¡J −cM¡ k¡uz ay¡l i¡×LkÑ…−m¡ A−eLpju p¡d¡lZ hÙ¹¥ à¡l¡ °al£z −X¡l¡ ¢e−SJ g−V¡NË¡g¡l ¢R−mez −X¡l¡l −jd¡ ¢eÕQu −kje p¡C−L−ml qÉ¡−äm J ¢pV ¢c−u °al£ "¢c h¤m' ¢fL¡−p¡−L B−m¡¢sa J Eà¤Ü Ll−a¡z −X¡l¡l R¢h j−e i¡×LkÑ¢Vz AÒfc¡j£ hÙ¹¥ −b−L pª¢ø L−l−Re Ap¡j¡eÉ d−l b¡−L a¡yl E‹Æm c¤É¢aju −Q¡−Ml SeÉz ¢fL¡−p¡ i¡×LkÑz h¡‰¡m£ h¡h¡, j¡ Hhw f¤œ−cl ¢e−u HLp−‰ a¡l Ù»£ J ¢fËu h¡åh£−cl A−eL R¢h Hy−L−Rez Ù»£−cl ¢fL¡−p¡ −cM¡u ¢LR¥V¡ pwú¡l i¡‰¡l fË−u¡Se quz ¢h−no j−dÉ JmN¡, éy¡−py¡u¡ J SÉ¡L¥¢mez h¡åh£−cl j−dÉ −jl£ L−l e¤ÉX R¢hl Ha B¢d−LÉz ¢h−noa: −pC j¡−ul p−‰ J −X¡l¡z −X¡l¡ R¡s¡ AeÉ−cl R¢h −aje j−e d−l e¡z ¢k¢e ¢p−ej¡u Q¥ðecª−nÉ ay¡l −R−m−cl −Q¡M hå l¡M−a JmN¡l −Q¡M ¢e×fËiz ¢a¢e e¡¢L BaÈqaÉ¡ L−lez h−mez fËcnÑe£−n−o ¢S−NÉp Llm¡j f¢lh¡−ll L¡l ¢L SÉ¡L¥¢me R¢h−a c¤¢V q¡a œ²p L−l B−Re, −ke ¢e−S−L fR¾cz −cM¡ −Nm H−LLS−el fR¾c H−LLlLjz fËL¡n Ll−a Q¡e e¡, −Q¡M¢V −hce¡juz SÉ¡L¥¢m−el ¢fL¡−p¡l p¡bÑLa¡ HM¡−e −k a¡l ¢hl¡V pª¢øl j−dÉ −L¡e R¢h−a a¡l l¡Sqwp£l j−a¡ NË£h¡ −Q¡−M f−sz a−h e¡ −L¡e ¢nÒfLjÑ Bfe¡l i¡−m¡ m¡N−hCz ¢fL¡−p¡l SeÈ Bj¡l hÉ¢š²Na ja k¡C −q¡L, ¢fL¡−p¡l e¡l£c¡e a¡y−L :1881 J jªaÉ¥ 1973z ¢hl¡eîC hvp−ll L£ p¡bÑL ¢eÕQu e§ae pª¢øl −fËlZ¡ ¢c−u−Rez Ha hs ¢S¢eu¡−pl pª¢øn£m S£hez hC, ¢p−ej¡, R¢h J i¡×LkÑ ¢e−u 2011-l p−‰ hph¡p Ll¡ e¡ S¡¢e ¢LlLjz ay¡l e¡l£l¡ c¤Se p¡j¡l ¢fL¡−p¡ju q−u b¡L−m¡ Bj¡l J B−l¡ A−eL BaÈqaÉ¡ L−l−Rez éy¡−p¡l¡ HL¢V hC ¢m−M−Re ¢fL¡−p¡ Ae¤N¡j£lz ¢fL¡−p¡l p−‰ a¡l S£hek¡fe pÇf−LÑz ¢fL¡−p¡ −Qø¡ L−l−Re k¡−a hC fËL¡¢na e¡ quz nÉ¡jm −Q±d¤l£ - pÉ¡œ²¡−j−¾V¡ ¢eh¡p£ Hhw −fn¡u fË−L±nm£

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From Rickshaws to Automobiles Stuti Ghoshal

From time to time in my life, I have embrace each other, complimenting each wondered if I would identify myself as other on their meticulously chosen saris and Indian, American, or a combination of both. jewelry for the evening. I notice all of the Up until this summer, I couldn’t come up colorful kurta pajamas that the meshos wear, with a definitive answer. as they sit around in a grand circle, There are a lot of American things about discussing politics, the economy, work, or me, which I suppose I have acquired by even cricket. I watch as the priest leads us living in the United States for a good 14 in our prayers in a very sing-songy yet years. I speak English like an American, powerful voice, and I smugly glance over at sometimes so well that even my own parents my sister every time I hear my name, Stuti, can’t pick up on the American references mentioned in his mantras. And of course, all that my sister and I make; it sounds like a of the effort we put into our dances and completely foreign language to my singing makes me appreciate our culture grandparents when they listen to us even more. Those colorful costumes, those conversing. The majority of my friends are hours at dance rehearsals, those layers of American, and I spend almost every day of stage makeup, and in the end, those the week around American people. I study applauses and encouraging smiles from the at an American school, and I even plan on many familiar faces in the audience make going to an American university afterwards. the Indian lifestyle quite enjoyable. From In fact, legally, I am American, because my laughing at the posts on mylifeisdesi.com passport has the Great Seal of the United (because they’re all so true) to watching States represented in gold on top of the dark Shah Rukh Khan or Hrithik Roshan defeat blue cover. With all of these American the newest super villain that Bollywood aspects to my life, one could argue that I am, comes out with, we so-called Americans in every sense of the word, American, or seem to lead a completely different life that at least, I’m living the American life. outside of school or work. However, I could argue back, that there are There is one thing, however, that leaves many things in my life that not every me feeling closer to our native country, American experiences. In fact, these more than any of the things listed above. experiences are usually reserved for Indians. Even if we had to give up all of the I am also Indian, and often, I am aforementioned, this one thing would still be strongly reminded of this fact. Just coming able to maintain a connection with our roots. to these few pujos every year is a significant That one thing is a plane ticket to India. I element to the Indian life. By putting on one thank my visits to my grandparents’ home in of my mother’s saris, not only do I India for my still-strong Bengali, my love physically look Indian, I also feel Indian. I for rasgullas, and a new sari to wear every wear what all of my ancestors have worn year. It truly is the streets of India, where before me, and I remember the history of the you see shopkeepers begging you to buy bindi that my grandmother taught me, as my their products and shoeless children running mother fusses over finding one that matches around from car to car, that reminds you that the color of my sari. I listen to the jingles of you’re Indian, or that you are in India. the bangles that come from the wrists of all However, the experience is something of the mashis as they move about and entirely new when you go to India on your

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own at 16 years of age. That experience is outsider, but rather, “overwhelming almost indescribable in words. But I’ll try curiosity” would be the right term. my best. However, people were also very nice, and My main purpose for going this summer almost everyone I looked at had a smile – was because I had come across an something you wouldn’t find in Kolkata or exceptional opportunity for community in any other city, really. When I got to the service (of course, not much else runs school, I seemed to have caused a disruption through the mind of a college-geared student in their classes, because to my surprise in high school) at a village outside of (mixed with a little fear), I saw all of the Kolkata. This village, called Adrahati, was students pour out of their classrooms, all in especially unique in that my mother’s side matching blue and white salvar kameezes or had lived there for many generations, and shirts and trousers, and into the main my great grandfather was and still is courtyard. I was expecting them to be celebrated today because he founded the friendly and generally outgoing, or at least first school there. The school had received a receive a “hello”, but after their eyes found new shipment of computers in May 2011, me, all of the students stood very still and and although they had been installed and looked rather timid. The headmaster came everything, nobody there knew enough out to meet me, and explained that they were about computers to actually start a course all just shy, so I attempted to speak to them. for the students. Rather than having the A few of them did smile back. school hire a teacher from Kolkata, I gladly volunteered to take on the class, for absolutely no money. Everyone was delighted; the school officials had saved a lot of money, my grandparents were ecstatic to see me again, and I thought I had finally hit the jackpot of worthwhile community service projects. Little did I know exactly what I had signed up for. On my arrival, the first thing I noticed was everybody else’s eyes on me. I was relentlessly stared at, and my grandmother nervously chuckled beside me in the car as I was shown my classroom, where I saw people came out of their houses and shops to about 14 computers lined up against the catch a glance of our car driving by. I was wall. The principal also handed me a list of already beginning to feel very self- students who were interested in taking the conscious, and I watched as people’s heads class, the youngest being in 10th grade, and turned with the car as it moved. But I was the majority being in 12th. The first day of still very welcomed at my grandfather’s class was pretty interesting, and I quickly house, as everyone was fascinated with the realized that I spoke English too fast and “bideshi”, as I was referred to. with too much of an accent for them to After putting my things in my room, I follow everything I said, and so I switched went off with my aunt to the high school I to Bengali. To my amusement, they were all was to work at for the next four weeks. As I shocked that I knew the language; I don’t walked down the street, I wouldn’t say think any of them expected me to be able to people had a “healthy curiosity” for the new say anything that they would understand. But the class progressed from that point on.

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I saw that they were all very bright, and look even more confused at the same enthusiastic students, and had a genuine will time. My grandmother got off the rickshaw, to learn, something that I rarely see here in and the rickshaw-wala helped me on to the my own classes. I appreciated that greatly, bicycle. He swiftly climbed into the back. and it made the four weeks in Adrahati go By this point, I already had the entire street by a little easier. Every now and then, they staring at me, but I couldn’t care less, would ask me to speak a little English to because I was about to do what I’ve wanted them in my American accent, and they for so long. I placed my feet on the pedals, would try to mimic phrases like “cool!” and and immediately started to push. Although “what’s up, dude?” as best as they could. it was a bit heavier than a regular bicycle, I They taught me many things about the was able to start it and pretty soon, I was village lifestyle as well, and by the end of pedaling a colorful rickshaw down the the course, when they could all easily start street. People pointed, and mostly stared, a up computers, make powerpoint little open-mouthed, but that didn’t matter. presentations, send emails, draw graphs, and play computer games, I had become a little more Indian. I’ve noticed that specific genes run very strongly in our family. It is said that my sister is a lot like my mother’s family, whereas I seem to have more similarities with my father. My father and I do share one trait, and that is the fascination with moving objects. For my father, it is trains; my grandfather (his uncle) told me that he would go to the railway station and watch the trains for hours. However, for me, it’s Unfortunately, after about 5 minutes, I rickshaws. I can’t quite explain it, I suppose lost control of the steering as it suddenly because it’s just so different from anything I took a right turn, and I couldn’t turn it back see on a regular basis, but I’ve always in time. So the rickshaw, the rickshaw-wala, wanted to drive a rickshaw, not just ride in and I all took a tumble into the drain that it. I’ve had this desire for four or five years runs along the side of the street. Nobody got now, and this summer, my grandmother hurt, because the rickshaw-wala grabbed on finally fulfilled it. to me, which prevented me from slipping off She had a few rickshaw-walas that she of the seat, and I was clutching the breaks, knew pretty well, and so one fine day we so the rickshaw did not topple. But I recall took one and started off by just sitting in the my grandmother screaming as she ran after back. After about 20 minutes into the ride, us, demanding the rickshaw-wala to “not lay my grandmother told the rickshaw-wala to a finger on me!” However, after the entire pull over on the side of the street. He was a ordeal was sorted out, I bought him ice little confused, and I got down. My cream from one of the stands on the street, grandmother quietly told him that I was marveling at how much stamina and strength actually interested in driving the rickshaw, it takes to carry around passengers like that which at first, he refused to believe. But all day. And what awed me the most is that after a few moments, he realized that we with all of this work, he didn’t earn that were very serious, and he started to smile much money, and yet, he was generally happier than most of the richer people I see

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today. I can proudly say that I have driven a became individual desks here, complete with rickshaw, something that most Americans arm rests and book baskets under the seats. cannot say, and it shall forever be an The cows that I used to see strolling down experience that I will not forget. the street became the neighborhood cats and As I returned home that day, it was then dogs. And of course, the rickshaws and that I found the answer to my original autos I saw there became the silent cars that question. I identify myself as not just we see here, obediently moving around in Indian, and not just American, but a true their lanes, without the sound of a horn or combination of both. I lead two lives, but anything. Although I lead two lives, I am those lives intersect. I think that going to the same person, and so, I am a combination India kind of brought out the American in of Indian and American. And if I could, I me. I was different from everyone there, but would have brought back a colorful at the same time, I shared a bit of a bond rickshaw here with me, so that I could drive with all of the people I met this summer. it around the streets of America, amidst all And when I came back home, I couldn’t of the sleek and polished automobiles, with help but notice all of the differences my family sitting in the back, the wind between India and America. The bhaat and flowing through our hair, and the occasional daal became my regular sandwich and apple sound of my unique, rubber horn. I don’t that I take to school. The long wooden think an American would ever do the same. benches and tables at Adrahati’s school

Stuti, 17 years, is a twelfth grader in Oakmont High School.

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Better Global Health Through Sharing+ Andy Fell

Infectious diarrhea kills two million children a rabies project and encourage exchange of year, while rabies remains a deadly scourge in students and faculty between UC Davis, much of the world -- even though effective Bangladesh and other participating treatments for both diseases exist. A new countries. initiative based at the University of California, The U.S. model of entrepreneurs backed Davis (UC Davis), is using the power of by venture capitalists looking to invest a lot sharing to take on these and other health of money and get a big return does not problems and develop solutions for the always work in the developing world, said developing world. Dr. Somen Nandi, Managing Director of the But this is not about charity. It aims to Global HealthShare® initiative. Nandi said combine university discoveries, that the Global HealthShare® approach uses philanthropy, social entrepreneurs, investors a “teach a man to fish” philosophy that will and private companies to create profitable, give researchers, philanthropic groups, local affordable health care products in a socially social entrepreneurs and private companies responsible and culturally relevant way, said an opportunity to work together to make Ray Rodriguez, a professor of molecular and safe, effective, affordable and sustainable cellular biology and director of the Center of health products. Excellence for Nutritional Genomics at UC In the jargon of international Davis, who is leading the initiative. development, this approach is called a "It has been estimated that the potential “hybrid value chain,” which uses the assets market for food and health products in low- and capabilities of businesses and income and developing countries is worth as organizations to address the needs of a low- much as $4 trillion. This is a tremendous income population. Hybrid value chains are opportunity for anyone who has the courage, neither purely philanthropic, nor entirely compassion and the creativity to get profit-driven, but combine elements of both. involved," Rodriguez said. The ultimate goal, said Rodriguez, is to The initiative is already working on two turn developing and low-income countries projects in collaboration with doctors and from consumers of imported health products scientists in Bangladesh and South Africa: a into exporters of these products. new, improved formulation of oral "Why are companies like Google and rehydration solution for treating diarrhea, Skype so successful? They use the power of and plant-based vaccines and antibodies for the Internet and free download to attract treating and preventing rabies. customers and then charge minimal fees for Last November, the Global services and products. It’s the concept of HealthShare® initiative signed two unit price times a billion instead of the 5- to memoranda of understanding, with the 10-fold return on investment in three to five Disease Control Unit of Directorate General years of time that expected for a typical of Health services (DGHS) of the Ministry “venture backed” model,” Nandi said. of Health and Family Welfare of the Rodriguez, Nandi and the partners in the Government of Peoples’ Republic of Global HealthShare® initiative which Bangladesh and the Institute of Allergy and includes representatives from universities, Clinical Immunology of Bangladesh government labs, non-government (IACIB), to foster collaborative work on the organizations, and private companies around

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the world, believe that there is a new "We can reduce the financial burden by taking approach that can improve health and turn a products that are already prototyped and profit while health solutions remain leveraging the collected assets of our affordable. It's an approach based on members to take it the rest of the way," Nandi said. "We're not doing discovery research." making small profits on big markets; low- cost manufacturing; and experts who are Oral rehydration solutions, a mixture of willing to invest not just money but time, glucose and salts that can be mixed into expertise and intellectual property -- and water and used to quickly revive patients wait longer for a payout including “social dehydrated by diarrhea, are one promising return on investment” not only just “return group of products. on invest”. The Global HealthShare® Initiative About 4 billion people, two-thirds of recently signed a memorandum of humanity, live on a dollar a day or less, with understanding with the International Center inadequate nutrition and little or no access to for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh healthcare, Rodriguez said. Simply giving (ICDDR,B) to go ahead with clinical trials food or medicine to those in need is not for a new oral rehydration solution. sustainable and increasingly unpopular with Infectious diarrhea kills almost 2 million philanthropic and humanitarian children a year. organizations, he said. “The ICDDR,B hospital can see up to "But if you can make and sell things for 500 sick babies per day and five times that reasonable profits within these countries, in the country’s two peak cholera seasons,” you can create both healthy communities Rodriguez said. and healthy economies, in other words, we At the ICDDR,B, doctors routinely add can expand global economic citizenship, one rice water/soup to the rehydration solution to healthy village at a time," Rodriguez said. boost its effectiveness. The Global The biotech industry is notorious for its HealthShare® initiative will work with the "valley of death" — the gap between Center’s doctors on a next-generation oral making a promising discovery in the lab and rehydration treatment that will also include bringing the product or technology to the two antibacterial compounds, lactoferrin and market. In the U.S., bridging this gap can lysozyme, which are found naturally in cost hundreds of millions of dollars in human breast milk. The physicians are research and development costs and the calling it the “Super ORS,” Rodriguez said. clinical trials needed to achieve regulatory In clinical trials in Peru, researchers approvals. To recoup that money, venture from UC Davis and Peru found that the investors are understandably keen to see big enhanced mix reduced the duration and profits once a drug hits the market. severity of diarrhea in children compared to In many cases, that means promising regular oral rehydration mix. products, particularly those suited for the In addition to the super ORS, the Global needs of the developing world, get shelved HealthShare® initiative also has an even though research and early development agreement with the Center for Disease have been done, because they are not Control in the Bangladesh’s Directorate for expected to be lucrative in Western markets. Health Services and the Institute for Allergy ® The Global HealthShare initiative plans and Clinical Immunology to begin testing a to pick up some of these orphan products plant-based vaccine and antibodies for and take them to market. preventing and treating rabies after testing

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safety, biavilibity and efficiecy trial at UC antibodies made from human or horse Davis trial facility. serum, as well as with an anti-rabies vaccine While Louis Pasteur made the first that primes the body’s immune system. rabies vaccine over 125 years ago, it is still a But these treatments are expensive, serious health problem in Africa, South and potentially risky and often in short supply. South East Asia and Latin America. Experts There is a clear need for an effective, safe, estimate that at low-cost least 55,000 product, said people die Rachel annually as a Chikwamba, result of Chief Scientist rabies, usually at the Council contracted for Scientific from dog bites, and Industrial but many more Research in cases probably Pretoria, South go Africa. undiagnosed. To meet that “Rabies is need, a disease of Chikwamba and the poor CSIR, in because it is collaboration largely with the Global neglected by HealthShare® the developed initiative, are world. This is The picture was taken on March 19, 2011 in front of under construction site of IACIB’s setting up 2nd hospital project Filaria Hospital & Center for Disease Control (CDC) where Global inhumane,” HealthShare® initiative of UC Davis is considering having their anchor Institute in Greenpharm, a said Professor Bangladesh. Standing from left – Anwarul Huq, Executive Director, IACIB, Dr. Delia startup company Bethell, Clinical/Regulatory Specialist, UC Davis, Nasima Akther, Chairperson, IACIB, Moazzem Prof. Ray Rodriguez, UC Davis, Dr. Moazzem Hossain, Ex-Director CDC Bangladesh that will make Hossain, and Founder IACIB, Dr. Somen Nandi, UC Davis and Habibur Rahman, Consultant, rabies former director IACIB. antibodies in of Disease Control for the government of tobacco plants. Bangladesh and now director of the The plants are genetically engineered to Bangladesh Anti-Rabies Alliance. produce a cocktail of antibodies to rabies, Likewise, indiscriminately killing thousands and the proteins will then be extracted and of strays, including household pets, in an purified for use in animals and/or humans. effort to curb rabies, is also inhumane. Data from tests so far show that the plant- Probably introduction of pre-exposure based product is as effective or better than a prophylaxis for both man and animal for product made from human or horse serum, Rabies control is one of the best solutions in and much cheaper to produce, Chikwamba a developing country like Bangladesh – said. Hossain said. They also plan to make an anti-rabies Rabies is 100 percent fatal if not treated vaccine, she said. Working with Prof. but 100 percent survivable if treatment is Hossain, the Global HealthShare® initiative given before symptoms develop. Treatment is exploring sites in Bangladesh for a future involves inoculation with both anti-rabies rabies vaccine and antibody production

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facility that can produce the materials institution can do when it sets its mind to needed to begin product studies. meeting a challenge," he said.

The target price for the rabies vaccine is 10 to About UC Davis: For more than 100 years, 30 cents or about one tenth of the current UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research price per dose -- affordable for the poor but and public service that matter to California with a small profit built in to repay the investment. and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has more than "This is all proven technology, but it has 32,000 students, more than 2,500 faculty not been implemented for financial or and more than 21,000 staff, an annual regulatory reasons," Rodriguez said. “There research budget that exceeds $678 million, a are so many potential health products like comprehensive health system and 13 these just sitting on the shelf." specialized research centers. The university Through Global HealthShare®, offers interdisciplinary graduate study and Rodriguez is donating some of his own more than 100 undergraduate majors in four intellectual property on protein production colleges — Agricultural and Environmental to the effort, which would make the Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, antibodies and vaccine free for use in the and Letters and Science. It also houses six developing world and for sale elsewhere. professional schools — Education, Law, Everybody wins with the power of Management, Medicine, Veterinary sharing, Rodriguez believes. He said that he Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School has been gratified to find that many of his of Nursing. colleagues feel the same way. And the Ray Rodriguez, Director, Center of depth and variety of UC Davis's Excellence for Nutritional Genomics, international connections have also been a [email protected]. great help, he said. Somen Nandi, Managing Director, "Global HealthShare® initiative has Global HealthShare® initiative, taken off because people have tremendous [email protected]. respect for UC Davis and know what this More information can be found at http://nutrigenomics.mcb.ucdavis.edu/GHS

+This article is republished from Davis Enterprise, Sunday, April 10, 2011 with minimal modifications

Andy Fell – Science Writer, UC Davis News Service, can be reached at [email protected]

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33G Notebook: Stockholm Biswanath Mukherjee 33G is a travel notebook which has evolved from the Sacramento Notebook columns which appeared in Chowrongee 2006 and Chowrongee 2007. (Please see Chowrongee 2005 for an explanation on 33G.) This edition of 33G Notebook is devoted to Stockholm. When you think of Stockholm, what is the Technology. (Kungliga in Swedish means first thing that comes to mind? For me, it is Royal, so you will find many places in the “Nobel Prize” awarded here which has Sweden named Kungliga such as the made this city famous. But Stockholm, the Kungliga Theatre.) Lena and Lech are capital of Sweden, which consists of 14 originally from Poland, they did their PhD islands that are part of the Stockholm from Gdansk University, and they Archipelago, has numerous other attractions, immigrated to Sweden a long time back. as we found out. Lena and I share the same research area Stockholm is the destination my family (networking) while Lech’s work is more chose for vacation this past summer, physics-oriented. piggybacking on the ICTON conference which I was invited to speak at. Unfortunately, our younger daughter, Suchitra, had to cancel due to a last-minute conflict with her work schedule. Otherwise, for my wife Supriya, our older daughter Bipasha (who flew in from Baltimore to Sacramento to start the trip with us), and myself, our trip started well as we were upgraded to business class, which was very comfortable for our long trans-Atlantic flight. Our visit to Stockholm lasted 9 days, on three of which I was tied up with ICTON. But even on these days, the evening programs organized by ICTON were very attractive: such as dinner at Stockholm City Hall, walking tour of Gamla Stan (Old City), boat tour of Stockholm Archipelago, and banquet at Djurgarten, events for which we did not have to make time separately. Our hosts booked a spacious apartment for us within walking distance to the conference location in their university, so it was a very relaxing trip. Our Hosts: Lena and Lech With Lena, Lech, UCD Alums, and Friends Our hosts were Dr. Lena Wosinska and at the Stockholm City Hall Restaurant. her husband Dr. Lech Wosinski, both of I met Lena and Lech for the first time whom are faculty members at KTH about 6 years back in Mozambique (of all (Kungliga Tekniska Hogskolan), whose places), where we were attending a English translation is Royal Institute of

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conference on improving Internet facilities Winbladh in Djurgarden), etc. We took up in Africa. Since then, I meet them about on his many suggestions. twice a year. They have visited Davis, and After returning from Midsummer, the know my family quite well. They have also Stockholmers were found to be mainly visited India a few times, to participate in a hanging out in outdoor restaurants and bars, conference I organize every December. I starting as early as 5 pm, and these places have visited them at KTH twice before, and were getting crowded very quickly. We every time they take excellent care of me, reasoned that, given their summer is rather starting with picking me up at Stockholm’s short, the locals want to enjoy it as much as Arlanda airport. On every visit, they fixed possible while it lasts! an excellent dinner at their home, gave UC Davis Alumni Reunion guided tour to different parts of Stockholm, The ICTON conference gave us the and took us to wonderful restaurants. Our opportunity to meet up with several of my current visit, as well as a prior one, occurred former PhD students and their spouses, all of during Midsummer, which is a very whom are well known to my family… Dr. important Swedish Festival. Marilet de Andrade Jardin (now Swedish Midsummer postdoctoral researcher at Politecnico di The Swedes celebrate Midsummer on Milano, Italy) and her husband Dr. Iyad Al- the longest day of the year, usually June 23. Khatib, who became a good friend of my They typically have BBQs, with salmon father when they were both visiting Davis; being an abundant and favorite item. All Dr. Cicek Cavdar (research assistant sorts of berries are available at this time with professor at KTH Sweden) and her husband strawberries being particularly tasty. As Olcaytu Ulas; Dr. Aysegul Gencata usual, Lena fixed a wonderful salmon dinner (assistant professor at Istanbul Technical (with strawberries for dessert) for us the day University), and Dr. Massimo Tornatore we arrived in Stockholm. When other (assistant professor at Politecnico di ICTON attendees heard that the conference Milano). chairperson had fixed dinner for me and my I particularly enjoyed hanging out with family, they were jealous! Iyad and Olcaytu because they are both Midsummer in Sweden is a bigger event successful businessmen and appreciate than Christmas, and the Midsummer humor very much. One day, Olcaytu and Holiday lasts several days, when most Cicek invited us to walk around Sodermalm, Swedes leave the big cities, and retreat to a large island south of Gamla Stan, and have the countryside to celebrate with their traditional Swedish Midsummer Brunch at families. Indeed, after we arrived in the Fafangan Restaurant, located on top of a Stockholm on June 22, we found most hill, accessible only by foot, and offering a shops, including shopping malls, closed and beautiful view of the Stockholm harbor. the city quite deserted for several days. Our On another afternoon, Iyad and Marilet innkeeper Jan seemed quite unhappy that he invited us to their home in Kista had to work during this time because his (pronounced Sista), a northern suburb of staff had all gone on holiday. But he was Stockholm, which is like its Silicon Valley, also very friendly and gave us useful with Ericsson having its headquarter here. information on Swedish culture, what place Iyad, who is from Lebanon, is an excellent to visit in Stockholm, where to go jogging, host, and prepared nearly 20 items of food which restaurants to visit (such as Anna for our afternoon snacks.

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In front of Nobel Museum, Gamla Stan.

With Cicek and Olcaytu overlooking Stockholm harbor. Gamla Stan (Old City), Nobel Museum, and Santinekatan Gamla Stan (meaning Old City) is where Stockholm originated in the 13th century. It is a small island, whose circumference you can walk around in 45 minutes or so. It is located at the junction of Lake Malaren on the west and Baltic Sea on the east. Over the years, the water level in Lake Malaren has been rising, so to prevent strong currents in the waterways around Gamla Stan, lock Entrance to an old tavern in Gamla Stan. gates have been put in place. The Nobel Museum’s Theater was Gamla Stan consists of narrow medieval continuously playing about 8-10 alleyways, cobbled streets, and archaic documentaries, one after another, each architecture. On our walking tour of Gamla lasting about 7-8 minutes, and each devoted Stan, we saw its many famous structures to a Nobel Laureatte. We were particularly such as the Stockholm Cathedral, Nobel delighted to see the “Santinekatan” Museum, and Kungliga Slottet (Royal documentary devoted to Nobel Laureatte Palace), and learned a lot of Gamla Stan Rabindra Nath Tagore, which showed history from our tour guide. Later, we came people, children, and the buildings of back to Gamla Stan and hung out in the Shantinekatan where Tagore used to live, Nobel Museum’s Café for many hours, and which was being watched by so many sipping lattes, and having adda with our people from various parts of the world. This friends Cicek and Olcaytu. The bottoms of event made me very proud to be a Bengali. the chairs in the café have been signed by Stockholm City Hall and Nobel Banquet various Nobel Laureattes, so it was fun to The Nobel Prizes are awarded annually watch so many tourists turning over the in Stockholm since 1901, and Stockholm chairs to see the Lauraettes’ names; and we City Hall hosts the prestigious Nobel did the same as well. Banquet, which recently had 1,300 distinguished guests. The City Hall itself is a wonderful structure, located next to the water. Any organization can hold its own “Nobel Banquet” in the City Hall’s elegant

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Blue Hall or gilded Golden Hall, or for a people live. But some are small enough to smaller crowd at the City Hall Restaurant. hold a single house! (Imagine owning your Also, you may select any Nobel menu from own island!) Some are even smaller with 1901 and onwards. ICTON organized a just some vegetation and some rock jutting buffet dinner for all its 400 participants at out. (The Stockholm Archipelago reminded the Blue Hall. Later, for a smaller group of me of The Thousand Islands Archipelago 20 people, including all of our UCD alums which is quite similar, which has about 1800 and family, Lena organized another intimate islands, and which straddles the Canada-US dinner at the City Hall Restaurant. For border in the Saint Lawrence River as it dessert, Bipasha and I shared the Nobel emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Banquet 2010 dessert: Milk chocolate and Ontario.) It seemed quite amazing that they orange Bavarian cream, flavored with had electricity in almost all islands where Gammeldansk Bitter, served with an orange people lived and cables for Internet salad. At $30, it was quite expensive, but (although wireless will solve the Internet tasty! connectivity problem today). In the past, Stockholm Archipelago most people living in the Stockholm The Stockholm Archipelago is a must- Archipelago were fishermen, but today it is see item for any first-time Stockholm a popular holiday destination with about visitor. From Stockholm, the archipelago 50,000 holiday cottages owned mainly by extends about 60 km east, covering the Stockholmers. south-east coast of Sweden, and it is the largest archipelago of the Baltic Sea. Cruise ships and other ships navigate through the archipelago to travel from Stockholm to Helsinki, Finland, and other destinations. For tourists, there are many boat tour options, and we recommend a 2-3-hr round- trip dinner cruise, particularly during the summer, when the scenery is very beautiful. The boat trip that I took on my first visit to the archipelago also served as a ferry, Imagine owning an island and a house on stopping at two large towns on various it… islands on its way out to a larger town called Under-The-Bridges Tour Vaxholm, and repeating these stops on the Most big cities have sightseeing tours by way back, dropping off and picking up bus. However, because of its unique passengers. Tourists like us could choose a geography, with so many islands and dinner seating on the way out to Vaxholm or waterways, Stockholm can be enjoyed from on the way back. For ICTON, however, we the water on a sightseeing tour by boat. had two large boats, accommodating approx. Based on our innkeeper Jan’s 200 passengers each, so we did not stop recommendation, we took the 2-hr Under- anywhere and were seated all through, The-Bridges Tour, which showed us many enjoying our salmon dinner, the scenery, and famous parts of the city. We traveled under the beautiful sunset. 15 bridges and passed through two locks The Stockholm Archipelago has approx. connecting the Baltic Sea with Lake 30,000 islands and islets, some quite large Mälaren. We passed by many of the city’s where towns have been formed and many sights such as the inner city, the Old Town,

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the islands Södermalm, Lilla, and Stora Know Before You Go Essingen, the new area Hammarby Sjöstad, The Arlanda (ARN) is the main and the green areas of Djurgården. It was a international airport serving Stockholm. It truly beautiful tour, and is highly is a 1-hr taxi ride from the City Center. recommended! Getting around the city is easy due to an Other Attractions efficient subway system and its beautiful Stockholm has many other attractions trams. Seafood, particularly salmon, is such as the Djurgarden (which is an island in abundant. In general, Europe is quite a bit central Stockholm, with many historical expensive relative to US (and I use the price buildings and monuments, museums, of Starbucks coffee as a barometer for galleries, an amusement park, yacht harbors, comparison); and Scandinavian countries are and extensive stretches of forest and typically more expensive than other meadows); Skansen (which is an open-air European countries with the exception of museum in Djurgarden); Vasa Museum Switzerland, which is most expensive. If (housing the ship Vasa, which sank in you want a less-expensive European Stockholm harbor within minutes of starting vacation, please try Spain, which is another on its maiden voyage over 300 years back, country we visited on this trip, but we save and which has been found and restored); that for another column. Drottningholm Palace (which is the private We hope you will also enjoy Stockholm residence of the Swedish Royal Family); etc. soon if you haven’t already done so.

Biswanath Mukherjee is Distinguished Professor (and Past Chairman) of Computer Scienceat University of California, Davis, where he has been for the past 24 years. Readers can visit the author at: http://networks.cs.ucdavis.edu/~mukherje/

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Down Memory Lane Mitra Choudri

The Beginning: It was a forwarded email by by Joy, Community outreach by Shantanu Mita from Joy that initiated the process of and Arijit, and By-laws by Adi. Utsav formation. He had a group of about 10 The First Puja: Our first Protima was young energetic Bengalis eager to host their donated and free from St.Louis, and we own Durga Puja locally in Sacramento, but were able to rent the Fair Oaks Community did not have the personpower and Center at $50.00 per day! Our first external experience for putting such an event in artist, Mala Ganguly, came from LA. UC place. We were then about 20 seasoned along with two Shubhras, Sunanda, Adi, Bengali families who had already been Tuhina, and Anuradha performed the hosting the annual Saraswati Puja in our Mahalaya excerpts, and Shashwati and Mala homes by rotation for 15+ years, and organized a local cultural program involving obviously had more knowledge about all children starting at 3 years of age, that organizing such an event. I have always was incredible and heartwarming. Many been a PR person naturally, trying to bring parents have nostalgic videos of this event. the old and the new together in the Bengali Somen directed a Natak involving the senior community, and so within minutes I sent an members which is still in our memories. email back to Joy welcoming him to meet us Arun C. and Shomeek arranged for the as a group to discuss this new exciting music system which enhanced the program. opportunity. Fundraisers: Deb was able to find us The Picnic: We organized a summer sponsors who donated $5000. For this first picnic at the Granite Bay Park on a warm event which was essential to start the summer weekend afternoon for a process, as we had no membership structure rendezvous, and it was amazing to meet in place yet. Marvel went around to local these young families strolling in with little businesses and collected donations which children, with animated faces bubbling with were part of a raffle. Later Adi, Biswanath, excitement as they realized that it was a Prodosh, Satyada and Jyotsna developed the dream coming to fruition! It was here that By-laws and set up the fee structure, which Natasha and Suchitra met Mohana, and thus has been minimally increased over the years. started a long lasting friendship that is still Purohit: Ramenda was our first priest to in place. perform the Puja ceremony, and he has Super Six: Joy and his group had already continued to do so annually except for one started the paperwork process for the year. Sanjib S. has been our dholok master formation of Utsav prior to contacting us, since the very beginning, and his drum beats and within two weeks of our picnic in the send the instant puja thrills down the spine! park, Utsav was an official non-profit I learned that portable stages can be rented organization. Then, the first Board was from STL, and we have been their loyal formed to kick off the event – Deb, Udayan, customers since then. Anima and I went Joy, Adi, Shantanu, and Arijit came forward shopping for the blue backdrop which as a team of six individuals without a continues to enhance the mandap décor. designated President, who worked in Santana and Moushumi decorated the alpana incredible sync and spearheaded the key that we have managed to preserve for the parts of any event – Fund raising by Deb, past 10 years. Mukta, Pat, Rashmi, Rupa, Cultural program by Udayan, External artist and Seema have all been managing the other

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puja-related activities every year involving together to celebrate an event that they have bhog, mala, and naru making. embraced since their childhood, and are now Samrat, Suvayu, Koushik, Barun, and able to showcase for their children who are Barinda were involved in getting volunteers growing up in a different country. We had lined up to execute the various jobs with set TV Channel 5 come and take live coverage up and wrap up. of our event for their news; Kabitadi was our Khichuri: Anima and Chabidi also spokeswoman as she was at the mandap cooked the first khichuri, cabbage, and when they arrived. It was amazing to have chutney that were served for Saturday’s many visitors from the Bay Area and Reno lunch. Priya Indian Cuisine from Folsom attend too, and their compliments and catered our remaining meals for the encouragement have kept us going for the weekend at a charge of $3.00 per person per past 10 years! meal – what a deal negotiated by Shubhra Down Memory Lane: As I reminisce on G! that first event, I browse through all the Chowrongee: Our first Chowrongee emails we had exchanged while planning the magazine was produced by our Literary event. We’ve had many new families join us group that included Dilipda, Rashmi, and since that first event, and while some have Pat, and had 13 articles – not bad for a start. left to pursue other career options in other Mita was able to get the Governor of cities, etc., the core Utsav families that came California write a welcome letter that was together 10 years ago are still bonded and printed in our first magazine too. dedicated in fostering a healthy and friendly About 80 families [300 total individuals] nurturing environment for others who wish gathered for this first Durga Puja event on to join and be a part of our unique October 25-27, 2002, dressed in their new organization. sarees and kurtas and with little kids running Wishing everyone a very joyous 10th year around in their Indian outfits too. It was celebration! nostalgic to watch the Community come

Mitra Choudri -Ex-Utsav President (2005), Current Utsav Board Member, and pediatrician by profession, lives in Folsom, and can be reached at [email protected]

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UTSAV

Thanks All Its Volunteers, Donors, Sponsors, and Well-wishers Who Have Contributed To The Success Of All Its Events In 2011

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Brief History of Utsav

Arijit Chattopadhyay, and Joy Mukherjee – tsav is a nonprofit, cultural “U with smiles, happiness, and glitters in their organization involved in promoting Bengali eyes – signed the official paperwork. We culture in Sacramento valley. Utsav was celebrated our first Durga Puja in October founded in 2002, with one goal: creating a 2002. The participation of member families positive and enjoyable experience of was outstanding and the joy was boundless. friendship, happiness, and harmony via our As days have passed, the Utsav tree has Bengali heritage. Although Utsav is expanded and the bondage among families predominantly a Bengali organization so far, grew deeper. we want to reach other communities as well. The First Six Years: Days passed. The Membership in Utsav is not limited to any baton of responsibility transferred to other particular race, religion or ethnic origin”. able hands from the hands of those who The Journey started the organization. But, the founders The Beginning: It was a fine afternoon of and senior members continued to remain Saraswasti Puja of 2002. A few new Bengali very active in different roles. arrivals in Sacramento were standing in Utsav membership includes 80-90 front of 1317 Montridge Ct., El Dorado families, from which eight members are Hills, CA, reminiscing over the Puja elected every year to serve as officers for a celebrations in their homeland in India. The year. In the first seven years, many of our participants in that gathering - Deb Saha, members have served our organization with Udayan Chanda (UC), Arun Chowdhury, the leadership of our following Presidents: Samrat Basu, Anirban Bhattacharya, Suvayu  2003: Arijit Chattopadhyay Bose, and Joy Mukherjee - all felt the need  2004: Udayan Chanda to host their own Durga Puja in Sacramento  2005: Mitra Choudri and the idea of an organization was thus born. In an hour, they came up with the  2006: Biswanath Mukherjee name, Utsav, first proposed by Suvayu  2007: Dipankar Chattopadhyay Bose. Later Mala Paul designed the Utsav  2008: Udayan Chanda/Deb Saha logo.  2009: Adi Choudri Few weeks after that momentous  2010: Sharmila Mukherjee gathering of minds, several Sacramento  2011: Joy Mukherjee

Bengali old timers were contacted with the Our Activities: help of Mita Chakraborty. Everyone who We organize several major annual events: we spoke to got excited to have our own Durga Puja; Saraswati Puja; Picnic + Durga Puja and to have our own Annual General Meeting (AGM); etc. All organization. Through this process of our events enjoy strong participation from joyous interactions between the new arrivals our children. Our next generation – for and the old timers of Sacramento, Utsav whom the exposure to Bengali culture is found few strong pillars in the names of Adi invaluable – is very active in our cultural and Mitra Choudri, Somen Nandi, programs, literary activities, and puja Biswanath Mukherjee, and others, who had activities. It is gratifying to note that many an immediate impact to make Utsav a grand of our young members, even after going to success. college, still come back for our Pujas and In July 2002, Utsav was officially formed. look forward to attending them. Adi Choudri, Deb Saha, Udayan Chanda,

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Our other activities include the following: o Bifole Mulyo Ferot (by Samir  Cultural Program productions, as parts of Dasgupta), also performed at 23rd Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, Anandamela, Annual North American Bengali India Day, California State Fair, etc. Conference (NABC) (Bongo  Our Past Durga Puja External Artists Sammelan), Long Beach, CA, July include the following famous performers: 2003. o Mala Ganguly o Hum Do Hamara Do (by Amol o Lopamudra Mitra Roy). o Antara Chowdhury o Public Servant (by Gautam Roy), o Bhoomi also performed at Bay Area o Rezwana Chowdhury Banya Natyamela, May 2005. o Somdatta Basu o Jampati (Sruti Natak) (by Sanjib o Utpalendu Chowdhury Chattopadyay). o Nachiketa o Babuder Dalkukure (by Manoj o Sougata Ganguli (Sarod) Mitra), also performed at Bay Area o Jojo Natyamela, June 2006. o Anup Ghoshal o Apaharan (Sruti Natak) (by o Raghav Chatterjee Baidyanath Mukhopadhyay), o Suchismita Das performed at Bay Area Natyamela, o Shubhomita June 2007. rd o Arnab Chakrabarty  Our participation in 23 Annual North o Kaya American Bengali Conference (NABC)  In 2009, Dr. Mitra Choudri initiated a (Bongo Sammelan), Long Beach, CA, youth volunteer group, which has been July 2003: with a Children’s Dance warmly received by our Utsav kids. They Program (Production: Mala Paul) and have organized a winter clothes drive for Drama Bifole Mulyo Ferot (please see St. John’s Shelter, performed Annual above). Spring Cleaning at the Vedanta Center,  Our participation in 29th Annual North served an Indian meal at St. John’s American Bengali Conference (NABC) Shelter, and raised funds for the Haiti (Bongo Sammelan), San Jose, CA, July Disaster. 2009: Dance Program (Production:  High-quality production of our Annual Shashwati Roy and Mala Paul) and Magazine, Chowrongee (please visit our Drama Hoitey Sabhdan directed by website for archives), thanks to our Past Joydeep Ray. and Present Editors: Dilip  Transfusion (November 2005; Producer: Roychowdhury, Arun Das, Rashmi Mala Paul; Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ernie Nandi, and Manas Ray. Bodai): A Fundraising Event through  Drama Productions, under the Direction which we donated $5,000 to the Cancer of Somen Nandi, such as: Foundation of India. o Obak Jolpan (by Sukumar Roy), also  Chalo Kolkata (October 2010; Written performed at Durgotsav’07 by an all- by: Manas Ray; Directed by: Mala Paul): female cast under the direction of A musical drama. Sharmila Mukherjee Information for this write up is gathered from the o Mamago (by Sukumar Roy) past several years with the objective to help new and o Makuda Chole Gelen (by Gautam future members who are expected to take forward Roy) and improve the Utsav legacy.

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Utsav Membership Roster (2011-12)

Platinum Sponsors (contribution: $1200 and above) Choudri, Adi and Mitra Mukherjee, Joy and Subhra Nandi, Somen and Rashmi Saha, Deb and Nina Sarkar, Sanjib and Hem Sharma, Kingshuk and Ashrukona

Gold Sponsors (contribution: $600 and above) Chowdhury, Shyamal and Bipasha Das, Koushik and Santana Joshi, Ajay and Nupur Karmakar, Amit and Carol Mukherjee, Biswanath and Supriya Nayak, Sanjib and Soma

Silver Sponsors (contribution: $300 and above) Basuroy, Nirupom and Sudeshna Chakraborty, Prodosh and Mita Chakraborty, Shyama and Paris Powell Chowdhury, Arun and Rupa Devavarapu, Pradeep and Sanhita Bandyopadhyay Gima, Marvel and Shubhra Ghosh, Somnath and Sarbani Ghosh, Sumanta and Paramita Khatua, Tara Kriplani, Indru and Pramila Kumar, Barin and Anima Mukherjee, Arun and Sharmila Saha, Rajat and Ananya Saquib, Najmus and Lubna Sarkar, Sudeep and Suman

General Members * Denotes membership renewed for 2011-12 at press time. Our apologies if the information has any inaccuracies; please drop us an email at [email protected] with corrections.

Adoni, Anand, Subhra (Chakraborty), Anish, and Aisha *Bagchi, Shyamal and Ossing *Bandyopadhyay, Barun, Sunanda, Sneha, and Hiya *Bandyopadhyay, Rohosen *Banerjee, Amit, Snigdha (Ghosh), Isha and Shriya *Basu, Debashis Basu, Shantanu and Rina, and Dhiya *Basuroy, Nirupam, Sudeshna, Shimika, and Nirvik

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Bhattacharya, Anirban and Archita *Bhattacharya, Prodyot and Srilekha *Bhaumik, Partha *Bhaumik, Ashish and Tapati Burman, Prabir *Chakraborty, Prodosh, Mita, Joey, and Robby Chakroborty, Shyama and Paris Powell *Chanda, Udayan, Seema, Neel, and Natasha *Chatterjee, Satya, Pat, and Arun *Choudri, Adi, Mitra, Neil, and Natasha *Chowdhury, Arun, Rupa, Ayananta, and Aditya *Chowdhury, Pulak, Sanchita Dey, and Mahika Adishree *Chowdhury, Shyamal, Bipasha, Sudip, and Anindya *Das, Koushik, Santana, and Debanshu Das, Modan, Shilpi, Neil, and Raj Datta, Jyotirmoy, Namita, Srijon, and Orjon *Devavarapu, Pradeep, Sanhita Bandyopadhyay, and Suhan *Dey, Saumen, Manjula, and Siddhartha Doyle, Michael and Jayashree *Dutta, Indrajit and Deepa *Ganguli, Apratim Ganguly, Juneli and Debraj *Ghosh, Kunal, Rupa, Shovik, and Rudrani Ghosh, Somnath and Sarbani *Ghosh, Sumanta, Paramita, Sumita, and Shayan *Ghoshal, Surajit, Tuhina, Tuli, and Tithi *Gima, Marvel and Subhra *Guha, Snehangshu and Tanusree *Gupta, Suvodeep and Sanhita *Joshi, Ajay, Nupur, Neha, and Veer Kar, Mukta *Karmakar, Amit, Carol, Deven, and Asha Khan, Abdul Quyyum, Jasmin, Sami, and Nafi Khatua, Tara *Kriplani, Indru and Pramila *Kumar, Barin, Anima, and Soma *Mandal, Uttam Mazumder, Tapas, Saptarshi and Souradeep *Mitra, Anupam and Ananya Mohammad, Billah (Rana), Baby, Farah, and Farhan *Mukherjee, Arun, Sharmila, Ballari, and Kajori *Mukherjee, Biswanath, Supriya, Bipasha, and Suchitra *Mukherjee, Joy, Suvra, Rinita, and Ronit *Nag, Avishek *Najmus, Saquib, Lubna, Samhita, and Samara *Nandi, Somen, Rashmi, Sunoy, and Sharod

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*Nayak, Sanjib, Soma, Ena, and Ashna Paul, Debashis Paul, Shomeek, Mala, and Evani *Paul, Subrata and Soma *Ray, Manas, Shashwati, and Mohana Roy, Rajesh *Saha, Deb, Nina Shetty, Rohan, and Ishaan *Saha, Rajat and Ananya *Saha, Subir and Seema Chowdhury *Sarkar, Sanjib, Hem, Arunava, and Sonia *Sarkar, Sudeep, Suman, Aditya, Aryav, Sandeep, and Debolina *Sharma, Kingshuk, Ashrukana, Khounish, and Eashaan

* Denotes membership renewed for 2011-12 during press time. Our apologies if the information has any inaccuracy; please drop us an email at [email protected] with corrections.

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