Storm before the lull

I am back in Kolkata from Bangalore. Attended the preview of Rituparna’s new movie Agunpakhi at Hotel Golden Park (picture). Met Sadhan Pandey, director of the film Subhrajit Mitra and others. I was there for a short while.

Yesterday evening had a candle lighting program, organised by The Bengal, in memory of the recent fire victims in Kolkata. Fire safety pamphlets were distributed to the visitors at the event that was the initiative of Dolly Basu. Besides members of The Bengal others included committee members Anandi Ghosh, Javed Yusuf and Arindam Sil. Locket Chatterjee and Rituparna also came to light candles.

Speaker Hashim Abdul Halim, Amol Ghosh and others were also there (picture). After the event I attended a dinner at The Conclave which continued till half past midnight. Started the day today with a meeting at 8:30 am and called in a day just a while back.

Tomorrow I was supposed to leave for Rajasthan to meet the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot but just got a call from his office informing me that he had to leave for Delhi to attend a meeting and that I could reschedule my meeting to Tuesday instead of tomorrow. I called back CM’s office and informed that I would be leaving abroad and would meet the CM after I return. This gives me an opportunity to be in Kolkata tomorrow and attend Aparajita – the function at The Oberoi Grand – organised by the Hindi daily Sanmarg and Ficci Ladies’ Organisation. Besides this, I will also attend a reception to be hosted by Harsh Neotia at The Conclave and this would be followed by another dinner that I have to attend. As I often say how I wish I had a double to attend all the programs.

I am also thinking of organising an awareness program on`Caring for Animals’ with Debasree Roy and her project Karuna on Tuesday April 13, 2010.

Read about the Poland air crash. In this jet set world one can’t say about what hangs in store. I was in London around 1995-96 and the company, where I was learning about tea business, had major trade dealings with Poland. People in this trade knew that there were more women in the tea business in Poland than men. Polish women are among the most beautiful in the world. The same year I was also in Moscow (picture) where I had many Polish friends.

I have never been to Poland but visited almost all the countries in that part of the globe and I think Prague, the capital of Czech Republic, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world I have visited in my life so far.

Two more hectic days in Kolkata and I would leave for North America for five weeks. My first destination would be Montreal, Canada. I am looking forward to some respite from my demanding Kolkata routine.

ess bee