Latest news with #Devi
Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Satyajit Ray, an ancestral home in Bangladesh and many stories of blurred border
It was February 21, 1972. Dhaka's Paltan Maidan, which had witnessed historic rallies a year ago during the war of liberation, was all set to mark the first Shaheed Dibosh (martyrs' day) of independent Bangladesh – an event to commemorate those who had lost their lives in 1952 to get Bengali recognised as the official language of undivided Pakistan. But the chief guest was not someone from the newly formed nation. It was Satyajit Ray, the auteur from across the border, whose films had established him as a global cultural icon. In his brief speech, delivered after Shyamal Mitra's opening song, Ray made two things clear: His love for the Bangla language and his desire to visit his ancestral home in Bangladesh. Ray wasn't born in Bangladesh. He only visited the country on a few occasions. But the memory of the rising sun over the Padma, seen from his uncle's house at Wari, Rankin Street in Dhaka, was etched in his memory. He wanted to visit the ancestral home as well, but as he said, 'That hope kept receding, particularly after the Partition.' As Ray's ancestral home is being demolished in Bangladesh, his family's presence on the other side of the Padma is obliterated forever. But culturally, the Ray-trio – Satyajit Ray, his father Sukumar Ray and his grandfather Upendrakishore Roychowdhury – remains as relevant to the Bengali language as they were during the first Shaheed Dibosh of independent Bangladesh. Demolition of Ray's house, citing risk, or the mob-led vandalism of Tagore's ancestral house, defeats the foundational values of Bangladesh. The birth of the country was a response to the failure of the religion-based two-nation theory. It was a victory of the ethno-linguistic spirit over religious dogmatism, showing that for a multicultural nation, religious identity couldn't be the only binding factor. Ray's films and writings upheld that spirit. While in films like Devi (1960), Ray questioned religious dogma, the rhymic dialogue of Heerak Rajar Deshe (1980) was one of the finest experiments in the history of Bengali language films. In Ray's words, 'I got many requests from many places to leave Bangla and make films in other languages in other countries. But I have rejected those offers over and over again. I know that the language that runs in my blood is the Bangla language. I know that if I leave this language and try to do something in any other, then I will have no ground under my feet, I will not find any base as an artist; I will lose all my spirit and energy.' (taken from his Shaheed Dibosh speech). His Feluda series and Professor Shanku are still considered 'must-read' literature for Bengali children across the border. In his book Our Films, Their Films, Ray outlined the problems of Bengali filmmakers – their difficulty in getting rid of a mix of devotional and mythological scripts that shrouded its exploratory potential. His own films addressed the gap. His Calcutta trilogy illustrated the post-Partition burden of urban Bengal; the Apu trilogy scripted a new chapter in film realism. Ray's portrayal of Bengali culture and everyday life influenced many Bangladeshi filmmakers like Tareque Masuda and Muhammad Quayum. Ray, however, returned to the Padma – though this time on the India side. During the recce for his film Jalsaghar (1989), he reached Nimtita on the bank of the Padma – a few kilometres away from Bangladesh — to find the perfect palace with a 'music room'. Here, he encountered a story — of resilience and rootedness. When he found that the river had gobbled up a sizable chunk of Ganendra Narayan Chowdhury's estate, he asked Chowdhury, 'Why do you still stay here?'. He responded, 'We'd sooner go down with the house than desert it.' Ray's ancestral house represented that sort of indelible ethno-spatial roots. Whether he was there or not was not relevant. It was the tie that mattered, the shared bond of a land and a language. That's why every year — even this year– many Bangladeshi gathered at the house on his birth anniversary. In 2020, a campaign was also initiated by the Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI) to restore Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak's ancestral homes in Bangladesh. Now, the Indian government has offered help in restoring Ray's ancestral home. It remains to be seen if Bangladesh accepts the offer. But each demolition strikes at the roots of memory, uprooting histories, in favour of a monolithic narrative that celebrates borders, not their blurring.
India Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Legendary South actor B Saroja Devi's eyes donated as per her wishes
Lengedary South actor B Saroja Devi died on July 14 at the age of 87. The eyes of the veteran actor were donated as per her wish. Known for her illustrious career spanning several decades, Saroja Devi succumbed to age-related ailments at her residence in Malleswaram, Bengaluru. Her eyes were donated to Narayana Nethralaya, a gesture she had wished for some years official from the Dr Rajkumar Eye Bank at Narayana Nethralaya revealed that Saroja Devi had expressed her desire to donate her eyes during a hospital visit years before. "She had spoken about pleading her eyes a few years ago, and once, when she came to the hospital for checkup she spoke to our chairman about her desire to donate her eyes and a card was made for eye donation. It has been about five years since she registered for eye donation," the official told PTI. Following her death, her corneas were harvested and found to be in excellent condition, according to the same official, "Only corneas have been taken, both her corneas are in good condition." These corneas will be transplanted shortly, offering the gift of sight to individuals in Devi's contribution to Indian cinema is unparalleled, with a career that saw her acting in numerous films across different languages, establishing herself as a prominent figure in the industry. The funeral of the actor is scheduled for Tuesday, to be carried out according to Vokkaliga traditions in her native Dasavara village, Channapatna taluk, Bengaluru South in the Ramanagara district. Her son, Gowtham, informed the media that the mortal remains will be transferred from Bengaluru to Dasavara, reflecting the family's commitment to honouring her cultural heritage. "The mortal remains will be taken to Dasavara from Bengaluru at 11.30 am on Tuesday," he Devi's legacy in cinema and her generous act of eye donation serve as inspiring examples.- EndsWith inputs from PTIYou May Also Like
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
A home where lives are rebuilt
CHENNAI: The wind picks up dust, stirring it into the air as grey clouds hang low, as if carrying the weight of untold stories. Suddenly, the quiet is pierced by the sound of pounding feet — 15 boys, school bags flapping wildly, dash down a narrow lane, their laughter rising like a challenge to the gloom. Books jostle inside, worn soles slap against the wet road, and youthful energy crackles in the air. From behind a rusted iron gate on Kattabomman 6th Street in Kodungaiyur, a voice calls out, half stern, half loving: 'Don't bunk classes!' The boys live in Magizhvagam, a children's home established by the Street Vision Social and Charitable Trust, founded by R Seetha Devi. Standing behind the gate as she sends off the boys, Devi says, 'These kids were orphans, rescued from the streets, kids whose parents are in prison, or belonging to parents suffering from communicable diseases.' Believing education is the ultimate solution for societal betterment, Devi runs a children's home, ensuring they receive proper education and care. 'My idea is to make them self-sustainable through education, so that they can establish a future for themselves,' says Devi, remembering how education transformed her life from a street dweller to someone who serves the underprivileged. Growing up on the streets of Wall Tax Road near Chennai Central Railway station with her five siblings, Devi understood the need for shelter and tools to uplift her life and others. 'My father worked as a porter. He had left home at age six and grew up around the central station,' she says, recalling the brass badge labelled 'Coolie' her father wore. 'My mother, from the streets of Bombay, studied till Class 10. Even though we lived on the streets, my parents prioritised our education.' The legacy of serving the helpless has been carried on by her grandmother, Amirthavalli. She was a Sri Lankan Tamil and came to Mumbai in the 1950s as a refugee. Being multilingual, she wrote letters for a living while living on a platform. 'My grandmother used to notice girls being sold at red light areas. She would approach them alone, speak to them regardless of language, and write letters to their families for rescue,' says Devi, recalling the stories told by her mother.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Centre to roll out biometric-based registration under Poshan 2.0 from August 1
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi on Saturday (July 12, 2025) announced that beneficiary registration under the Centre's Poshan 2.0 scheme will be carried out through biometric authentication, starting August 1. The move aims to enhance targeting and improve service delivery under the scheme. Speaking at a Ministry zonal meeting at Kevadia in the Narmada district, Ms. Devi said the adoption of digital tools, such as the face recognition system used under Saksham Anganwadi, would bring greater transparency, accountability, and governance to the programme. Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is an integrated nutrition support initiative catering to children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. The Union Budget for 2025-26 has allocated ₹4.49 lakh crore for this initiative, covering 273 schemes by 49 Ministries in a push towards gender-inclusive governance, the Minister said. Digital tools for better governance To enhance capacity-building, dedicated learning modules for Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 will be hosted on the iGOT Karmayogi platform for use by field functionaries nationwide, she added. Ms. Devi urged States and Union Territories to strengthen their grievance redressal mechanisms, improve digital literacy among adolescent girls and young mothers, and ensure timely delivery of services through Anganwadis. She also proposed transforming the Poshan Helpline into an interactive platform for citizen engagement and service quality feedback. Ms. Devi highlighted the Aadhaar-enabled Direct Benefit Transfers under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana as a key transparency measure and encouraged all States and UTs to adopt the Mission Vatsalya portal for real-time data monitoring. Participants at the zonal meeting included Minister of State Savitri Thakur, Ministers from the Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan governments, and senior officials from five western States. Discussions focused on convergence under Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya, and Poshan 2.0, with States showcasing best practices and innovations.
Toronto Sun
5 days ago
- General
- Toronto Sun
'Focused, fearless and full of heart' K-9 unit dog, Devi, is mourned following her death
Devi, a K-9 unit police dog in Toronto, has passed after over a decade of service including working the Pan Am Games. Photo by Toronto Police Association A 'beloved' K-9 Unit dog has died after more than a decade of service in Toronto including during the 2015 Pan Am Games. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Toronto Police Association says police service dog has Devi, who worked with handler T.C. Andrews, has passed. 'We're deeply saddened by the passing of Police Service Dog Devi, a beloved member of our K9 Unit,' said the TPA on it's X account. 'Devi was certified in Explosive Firearm Detection in May 2015, just in time for the Pan-Am Games, and spent over a decade working side by side with her handler, T.C. Andrews. She was exceptional at her job. Focused, fearless, and full of heart.' The TPA continues in its post on X: 'Devi left a lasting impression on everyone she met. Her dedication, loyalty, and presence will never be forgotten. Our heartfelt condolences to T.C. Andrews and everyone who served with Devi.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. We're deeply saddened by the passing of Police Service Dog Devi, a beloved member of our K9 Unit. @TPSK9 Devi was certified in Explosive Firearm Detection in May 2015, just in time for the Pan-Am Games, and spent over a decade working side by side with her handler, T.C. Andrews.… — Toronto Police Association (@TPAca) July 10, 2025 Editorial Cartoons Relationships Toronto & GTA World Toronto Maple Leafs
