Missing out on Kolkata events
Today morning I went to the Indian Council of World Affairs located at the Sapru House on Barakhamba Road to listen to a speech and an interactive session with the President of The Dominican Republic, Dr Leonal Fernandez.
It was a gathering of about 100 people, mostly of ambassadors of Latin American countries in India, scholars and few ex-ambassadors from India who have served in different Latin American countries.
I was invited by His Excellency, Dr Frank Hans Dannenberg Castellanos, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of Dominican Republic in India. The President stressed upon the good relations between Indian and Latin America and highlighted the potential for tourism to his country. I met the President and many of the known ambassadors over tea after the interactive session.
In the afternoon I was at the India International Centre (ICC). I got a call from Usha Ganguly requesting me to watch a Rangkarmee play. I will miss that. On February 2nd also I could not attend the 150-year celebrations of the Loretto College in Kolkata. I wanted to listen to Dr A P J Abdul Kalam. I always met him whenever he visited Kolkata as the President India (picture).
Another event that I missed is the inauguration of Sufi Festival at the Nicco Park in Kolkata. Tanmoy Bose had invited me to the inaugural session as a guest with Aparna Sen. I had also missed his last event – Mahabharata – for which he had invited me, but I could not make it because of my Delhi plan.
I will be missing many more events in Kolkata but my main regret would be missing out on the launch of the magazine Protector by the Kolkata Police at the Kolkata Book Fair tomorrow and also the annual award function of Krittivas at the same venue.
Tomorrow I’ll miss another function on Tagore at the Taj Bengal terrace being organised and hosted by Dr Manilal Bhowmick Foundation. The party at The Park, hosted by Vijay and Soniya Deewan tomorrow (Feb 5th) would also be added to my growing list of `missed events’.
ess bee