“Anjali Gitan Ri” launch
May 16, 2012: On behalf of Prabha Khaitan Foundation, I hosted a book release event at the historic Town Hall in Kolkata.
Anjali Gitan Ri is the first poetic translation in Rajasthani language of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali which won him a Nobel Prize. Rajasthan’s eminent litterateur and lyricist Ikraam Rajasthani has done the translation.
The Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, Sushri Mamata Banerjee released the book (picture). She arrived at the Town Hall with Firhad Hakim, the Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge Municipal Affairs & Urban Development Department, and Shri Amit Mitra, Hon’ble Minister of Finance, Government of West Bengal.
Mamata Banerjee was in a very jovial mood and in her speech she played out to the galleries.
She said most of the Indian languages were very similar and it was not very difficult to understand. In her speech, she recited few lines from the Rajasthani translation of the book.
She said it was a big moment for Bengal and Rajasthan and that each culture should pick up the good traits of others. Mamata, in light humour, asked Prosenjit, Bengal’s leading film star, to do a movie in Rajasthani language.
I organized this programme with the help of Prosenjit Chatterjee’s company Idea Creations. Publication of the book was supported by Shree Cements Limited.
The event was originally slated for May 7th but was postponed to May 16th due to Hillary Clinton’s visit. The venue was changed from ICCR Auditorium to the historic Town Hall with more space which eventually proved to be inadequate due to the more-than-expected turnout. There was a major media turnout for the event.
After the book release a painting of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore by artist Sanatan Dinda (picture) was also presented to the Chief Minister.
ess bee