Durga Puja – Here and There

Durga Pratima Bisarjan - IIT Kharagpur Campus during the seventies.Few minutes ago an old friend of mine called to wish me for the upcoming Durga Puja festivals. He said, “It’s Mahasasthi in Kolkata today!” I wished him back, but it occurred to me that it’s Mahasashti everywhere, not only in Kolkata. When I reminded him, he laughed and said, “Yes indeed. But our Sasthi starts on coming Friday!” And he is absolutely right. Our Pujo in New Jersey (I am referring to the Kallol Durga Pujo which we both attend), starts on October 15th, Friday evening and that’s our Mahasasthi. The thought does give me some consolation that Pujo is yet to start and we have few more days to look forward too. But my friends and family in Kolkata have started enjoying their Pujo. They have started posting photos of their favorite idols on Facebook and Orkut, sending Pujo greetings through emails and expressing their joy and merriment. ETV Bangla is taking us through the streets of Kolkata and the online newspapers and magazines giving us day by day commentary of the Pujo happenings. And we cannot deny that this does cause a bit of a tinge in our hearts. Continue reading

Trouble in IIT Campus

IIT KharagpurIt is ironic to say the least that just when I was enthusiastically reporting the news of the development of an artificial heart by IIT Kharagpur, a young heart stopped beating in the campus. Rohit Kumar, a third year Electrical Engineering student (LLR Hall) died due to the apparent neglect by the in-campus “B.C.Roy Technology Hospital”.  Details about this event can be found in the campus students newspaper “Scholars Avenue” and I will refrain from reporting them once again out here.  However this incident resulted in a student uproar that was unprecedented in the history of IIT Kharagpur. The angry students demonstrated their frustration at the residence of the director of the Institute which resulted in the resignation of the director as well as some other administrative staff. Continue reading

IIT Kharagpur Develops Artificial Heart

Artificial Heart developed at IIT KharagpurMy alma mater, IIT Kharagpur is once again in the news with a great device – an artifical heart. It’ll be to coronary care what Nano is to cars, say scientists at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, who have devised an an artificial heart that could save lives for just Rs 1 lakh – reports the Times of India. The research team says trials of the prototype lab constructed heart have been successful on small animals and the gadget is being perfected on goats. The institute has applied for permission to conduct human trials. The Total Artificial Heart (TAH) — said to be the first such in the country — has been developed by a team of scientists at IIT-Kgp’s school of medical science and technology. Continue reading

IIT Kharagpur Alumni – East Coast Summer Picnic 2008


IIT KGP Alumni – East Coast Summer Picnic 2008

Hi Alumnus –
Our 11th annual picnic is scheduled for Saturday, September 20, 2008 (rain or shine). Please join us. Bring your significant other and family, and reconnect with friends. Lounge, bhaat, play and enjoy. Help grow the newly formed NY/NJ alum chapter.

When: Sat, Sept 20, 2008, 11am-4pm

Where: Duke Island Park Pavilion, Old York Road, Bridgewater, NJ

Park Contact: 908-722-7779, http://www.somersetcountparks.org

Cost: $20/adult (16yrs and above), $5 (6-15 yrs); Cost goes up after Sept 6

Catered Indian lunch will be served at 12:30pm. Please bring along lawn chairs and/or rugs to make yourselves comfortable. If you have any games or sports equipment (e.g., soccer, volleyball, cricket, cards, baddy), please bring along. If you would like to help with the event, please reach out to us.

To avail the early bird rate, register by September 6. After that the event fees go to $25 and $8 respectively. Send email to Ajit Agrawal (ajit_k_agrawal@yahoo.com) to use Paypal to register using credit cards.
If you prefer to send a check, please send to: Ajit K Agrawal, 315 West End Avenue, #8B, New York, NY 10023.

KGP ka tempo HIGH hai! See you on Sept 20.

Ajit Agrawal (ajit_k_agrawal@yahoo.com)

Subhodev Das (subhodev@att.net)

Arnab Dey (arnabdey@hotmail.com)

Kunal Sinha (kunalsinha@gmail.com)

Vinod Addidam (vinod.addidam@mba.stern.nyu.edu)

Ravi Gupta (ravi2gupta@yahoo.com)