পন্ডিত রবিশঙ্কর : বাঙালি ব্রাক্ষ্মণ না বিশ্বনাগরিক?

বাজনার জাদুকর রবিশঙ্কর

১৯২০ সালে বারাণসীর তিলভান্ডেশ্বরে বাঙালি ব্রাক্ষ্মণ পরিবারে জন্ম রবিশঙ্করের, মৃত্যু ক্যালিফর্নিয়ার সান দিয়েগোতে। আদতে তাঁদের পদবী চট্টোপাধ্যায়, ‘চৌধুরী’ উপাধি পেয়েছিলেন তাঁর পূর্বপুরুষ। রবিশঙ্করের বাবা তাঁর মা হেমাঙ্গিনী দেবীকে পরিত্যাগ করার পর ‘শঙ্কর’টাই পদবী হয়ে ওঠে। নামের বানান পালটে Robishonkor Choudhury থেকে Ravi Shankar করেন নিজেই।

নানা দেশে থেকেছেন, অগুন্তি মঞ্চে অসংখ্য মানুষের সামনে ঝংকার তুলেছে তাঁর সেতার। বিবাহ করেছেন একাধিকবার, ভালবেসেছেন অনেককে। দুই কন্যাই – অনুষ্কা ও নোরা – বিবাহসূত্রের বাইরে জন্মেছে। অনুষ্কার মা সুকন্যা রাজন ছিলেন অন্তিম সহধর্মিনী, রবিশঙ্করের চেয়ে বয়সে ৩৪ বছর ছোট। অনুষ্কার জন্মের পর তাঁকে বিবাহ করেন রবি। নোরার প্রতি পিতৃত্বের কোন কর্তব্যই করেননি তিনি, অথচ রক্তে মিশিয়ে দিয়েছেন সঙ্গীতের আকুতি। 

দশ বছরের বালক রবিকে নাচের ট্রুপের সঙ্গে প্যারিস নিয়ে গিয়েছিলেন দাদা উদয়। আট বছর পর নিজের ইচ্ছায় দেশে ফিরে মৈহারে গুরু উস্তাদ আলাউদ্দিন খানের শিষ্যত্ব গ্রহণ করেন তিনি। গুরুকন্যা অন্নপূর্ণা দেবীর সঙ্গে প্রথম বিবাহ ও প্রথম সন্তান। 

১৯৭১। বন্যা-মন্বন্তর-যুদ্ধ বিধ্বস্ত বাংলাদেশকে পৃথিবীর মানচিত্রে এক সন্ধ্যায় হাজির করলেন রবিশঙ্কর-জর্জ হ্যারিসন, ‘কনসার্ট ফর বাংলা দেশ’এ। নিউ ইয়র্ক শহরের ম্যাডিসন স্কোয়ার গার্ডেনের অনুষ্ঠানটি ছিল প্রথম আন্তর্জাতিক ‘ফান্ড রেইজার’। রবিশঙ্কর ততদিনে নিজেকে স্পষ্টত বিটল্‌সদের থেকে আলাদা করে নিয়েছেন। হিপি-গাঁজা-রক অ্যান্ড রোলের সংমিশ্রনে যাতে তাঁর স্বকীয়তা হারিয়ে না যায়, যাতে লোকে তাঁকে ভারতীয় ‘স্পিরিচুয়ালিজম’এর অবতার মনে না করে, তাই তাঁর এই স্বেচ্ছা প্রস্থান। রবিশঙ্কর সেতার-বাদক, সুরসাধক। সেভাবেই থাকতে চেয়েছিলেন। কিন্তু বাংলাদেশের দুর্দিনে পাশে দাঁড়ানোও তাঁর কর্তব্য। অতএব আবার হ্যারিসন, আবার আমেরিকার দর্শক।

রবিশঙ্কর ভারতরত্ন, গ্র্যামি ও নাইটহুড পেয়েছেন। বিধানসভার সদস্য হয়েছেন, ইহুদী মেনুহিন, জুবিন মেহতা, ফিলিপ গ্লাসের সঙ্গে কাজ করেছেন প্রথাগত সিম্ফনি অর্কেস্ট্রা থেকে ইলেকট্রনিক ফিউসন অবধি সব কিছুতে। 

শেষবার তাঁর সেতারের মুর্ছনায় শ্রোতারা মাতোয়ারা হয়েছেন নভেম্বরের চার তারিখে, লং বিচ টেরেস থিয়েটারে মেয়ে অনুষ্কার সঙ্গে। ক্যালিফর্নিয়ার ঢেউয়ের মতোই ভেঙে পড়েছে তাঁর আবেগ। ভিডিও ক্যামেরা সাক্ষী থেকেছে, আরো একবার নিজেকে ভেঙেগড়ে নিচ্ছেন এক শিল্পী। আজীবন ক্লিন শেভেন রবিশঙ্করের সাদা দাড়ি সান্তা ক্লজের মতো নেমে গেছে, সঙ্গীতে হারিয়ে গিয়ে ঠোঁটের কোণে ভেসে উঠেছে সেই চিরপরিচিত হাসি। মানুষ পৃথিবীতেই স্বর্গ সৃষ্টি করতে পারলে যেভাবে হাসে। 

এক মাস বাদে হৃদরোগে আক্রান্ত হয়ে হাসপাতালের বেডে খবর পেয়েছিলেন আবার গ্র্যামির দৌড়ে তিনি। রবিশঙ্করের নতুন কোম্পানি ইস্ট মিটস ওয়েস্টের অ্যালবাম ‘লিভিংরুম সেসন্‌স পার্ট ১’ পাল্লা দিচ্ছে মেয়ে নোরা জোন্সের সঙ্গীতের সঙ্গে। পরদিন অপারেশন হল সময়মতোই, কিন্তু অশক্ত শরীরে আর জীবনের সাথে তাল মেলাতে পারলেন না তিনি।  
  

বাঙালির স্মৃতিতে তিনি থেকে গেলেন শীতের রাত্রিব্যাপী উচ্চাঙ্গ সঙ্গীতের আসরে আল্লা রাখার একই রকম আবেগতাড়িত ঝড়ো তবলার সাথী হয়ে। ঠিক যেমন ব্রিটেনে তিনি বিটল্‌সদের সেই ভারতীয় বন্ধু। মার্কিন মুলুকের ফিউসন আর্টিস্ট। ইউরোপের কনসার্টে অন্য স্বাদ নিয়ে আসা ভারতীয় সেতারবাদক। আর মুম্বইএর এক নিভৃত গৃহকোণে প্রথমা পত্নী অন্নপূর্ণার চোখে বিশ্বাসঘাতক, যে মৈহার ঘরাণার পবিত্রতা ভেঙে সঙ্গীতকে সাধনা থেকে বাণিজ্য করে ফেলেছে। 

পন্ডিত রবিশঙ্কর চৌধুরী/চট্টোপাধ্যায় এমনি ছিলেন। একসাথে অনেক মানুষ। বাঙালি এবং বিশ্ব নাগরিক। ৯২ বছরের জীবনে এত প্রাচুর্য্য ভরে নেওয়া সকলের পক্ষে সম্ভব নয়। তাঁর আত্মজীবনী জানান দেয় কি অসম্ভব সত্যনিষ্ঠ ছিলেন রবিশঙ্কর। ব্যক্তিগত জীবন নিয়ে বিন্দুমাত্র ভণিতা ছিল না তাঁর। আর সঙ্গীত প্রেমও ঠিক ততটাই নিখাদ। রবীন্দ্রনাথ ও সত্যজিৎ রায়ের পর হয়ত তিনিই ছিলেন শেষ আন্তর্জাতিক বাঙালি শিল্পী। 
       

বুধ, ১২ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১২ ; পণ্ডিত রবিশঙ্করের জীবনাবসান

বৃহস্পতি, ১৩ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১২ ; মরণোত্তর গ্র্যামি রবিশঙ্করকে

বৃহস্পতি, ১৩ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১২ ; আঙুরপাতা-ছাপ সেতার পছন্দ ছিল পিসেমশাইয়ের

বৃহস্পতি, ১৩ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১২ ; তাঁর হাতের জাদুতে বিশ্বের ভারত-দর্শন

বৃহস্পতি, ১৩ ডিসেম্বর, ২০১২ ; পশ্চিমের চশমা দিয়ে তাঁকে দেখলে মস্ত ভুল হয়

Posted on 26 April, 2013

More than one-sixth World Population is Poor

More than one-sixth (1.2 Billion) World Population is Poor

It is shocking that around 40 Crores people in India are living below poverty level i.e. an income less than Rs. 65 per day (World Bank bench mark <$1.25 per day), as per a World Bank report on poverty.
The report said that 120 Crores people are still living in extreme poverty across the world. It is unfortunate that India accounts for one-third of the world poor.
In Latin American Countries, after remaining stable at approximately 12 per cent for the last two decades of the 20th century (1981-2000), extreme poverty was cut in half between 1999 and 2010 and is now at 6 per cent.
The extreme poverty rate in Sub Saharan Africa between 1999 and 2010 and is now at 48 per cent. There are more than twice as many extremely poor people living in Sub-Saharan Africa today (around 41Crores) than there were three decades ago (around 20.5 Crores).
India contributes one-third (up from 22 per cent in 1981) and China comes next, contributing 13 per cent (down from 43 per cent in 1981).
Child death rate is huge in some countries of Sub-Saharan Africa due to malnutrition which is an ill effect of extreme poverty in such underdeveloped countries.
In India also, around 40% population hardly enjoys 2 full meals a day due to extreme poverty.
It is matter of shame that BCCI is wasting Crores and Crores Rupees in conducting IPL every year across Metro Cities during 2 months T20 day-night cricket matches.
I wonder, if all the rich people of the Globe deposits their excess money in the World Bank to eradicate poverty then whether 1.2 Billion people who are still living in extreme poverty may have 2 full meals in a day and get relief from poverty.

Posted on 21 April, 2013

India accounts for 1/3rd of the world poor

India accounts for 1/3rd of the world poor: World Bank

India accounts for one-third of the world poor, people living on less than $1.25 (about Rs 65) per day, a World Bank report on poverty has said.

The report said that 1.2 billion people are still living in extreme poverty across the world.

"The State of the Poor: Where are the Poor and Where are the Poorest?," using data released in the latest World Development Indicators, shows that extreme poverty headcount rates have fallen in every developing region between 1981 and 2010 from half the citizens in the developing world to 21 per cent.

This despite a 59 per cent increase in the developing world population.

However, a new analysis of extreme poverty released on Thursday by the World Bank shows that there are still 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty, and despite recent impressive progress, Sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for more than one-third of the world's extreme poor.

"We have made remarkable progress in reducing the number of people living under $1.25 a day in the developing world, but the fact that there are still 1.2 billion people in extreme poverty is a stain on our collective conscience," said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim.

"This figure should serve as a rallying cry to the international community to take the fight against poverty to the next level. Our analysis and our advice can help guide the way toward ending extreme poverty by 2030, by showing where the poor live and where poverty is deepest," he said.

"We have made strides in cutting down poverty, but with nearly one-fifth of the world population still below the poverty line, not enough," said Kaushik Basu, World Bank senior vice president and chief economist.

"Directing investment towards the poor will require coordinated effort by the Bank, our country partners, and the international development community, and will, let's face it, entail sacrifice on the part of those who are fortunate enough to be better off," Basu said.

According to the report, after steadily increasing from 51 per cent in 1981 to 58 per cent in 1999, the extreme poverty rate fell 10 percentage points in Sub Saharan Africa between 1999 and 2010 and is now at 48 per cent -- an impressive 17 per cent decline in one decade.

In Latin American Countries, after remaining stable at approximately 12 per cent for the last two decades of the 20th century, extreme poverty was cut in half between 1999 and 2010 and is now at 6 per cent.

However, despite its falling poverty rates, Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region in the world for which the number of poor individuals has risen steadily and dramatically between 1981 and 2010.

There are more than twice as many extremely poor people living in SSA today (414 million) than there were three decades ago (205 million).

As a result, while the extreme poor in SSA represented only 11 per cent of the world's total in 1981, they now account for more than a third of the world's extreme poor.

India contributes another third (up from 22 per cent in 1981) and China comes next, contributing 13 per cent (down from 43 per cent in 1981).  

Posted on 21 April, 2013

The GRE topper who scored a perfect 340!

Interview with Ashwini Nene: Divya Nair

The GRE topper who scored a perfect 340!

For the first time since a revised format was introduced in 2011, an Indian has topped the Graduate Record Examination with a perfect score 340 out of 340. Mumbai's Ashwini Nene tells us how she achieved the impossible.

Ashwini Nene could not believe her eyes when she obtained her Graduate Record Examination results on March 11, 2013.

The computer displayed a perfect score of 170 in both sections of the exam -- Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning -- right after she completed them.

When the 20-year-old computer science engineering student shared the news with her father Anil Nene, he asked her to contain her excitement until she received an official confirmation from ETS, the organisation that conducts the GRE worldwide.

The wait for the next ten days was an excruciating one for Nene.

"During my Class 10 boards, a lot of us couldn't score too well in English and lost out on the aggregate. Similarly, in Class 12, I did not score too well in the Common Entrance Test due to silly mistakes. Although I had expected to score over 335 in GRE, the perfect score of 340 seemed too good to be true, so I did not want to share the news with anyone until I received an official confirmation on March 21," she says.

Nene is a third year student of the Sardar Patel College of Engineering in Andheri, a Mumbai suburb, and is now preparing for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language).

She credits part of her success to her supportive parents who 'never put any pressure' on her.

"They appreciated me for my hard work and I am glad I could return their blessings," she says, adding, "At the same time, I don't see this as a great achievement; it is just the beginning. I have a long way to go from here."

Nene hopes that the score will help her secure admission to one of the top-ranked institutions in the US when she applies in the fall semester of 2014.

For now, she and her family are enjoying the moment.

Her father has been beaming all along as she narrates the story of her GRE success. "It is a proud moment to realise that an Indian has achieved this and what doubles the joy is that a girl has done it!" he tells me.

Nene is one of the few from her college to have received an offer to intern with Microsoft at their Hyderabad office, which she will join soon after she completes her academic course.

In an interview conducted at her family home in the Mumbai suburb of Vile Parle, Ashwini talks of how failure didn't deter her from dreaming big and how time management can help achieve your goals.

Did you believe that you could achieve the perfect score?

I always scored over 335 in my practice tests. But getting 340 out of 340 was totally unexpected! It took some time (to sink in).

You said you were hesitant about revealing your GRE score initially. Were you scared of something?

I was apprehensive, but I wasn't scared. Sometimes it happens that despite all the hard work, you don't get what you want. It has happened to me in the past, so it was only fair to expect an official confirmation before I shared the news.

How did your parents react when your scores in Class 10 and 12 did not live up to your expectations?

Both my parents gave me incredible support when I was low. When I scored over 90 per cent in my Class 12 boards and still could not get through to an engineering college of my choice, they stood by me and encouraged me to focus on getting the desired specialisation of my choice instead.

Even while appearing for the CET, when my first section did not go too well, I sought help from my father. He motivated me to concentrate on the next section. The five-minute pep talk did wonders for my next section.

You went to a coaching class for GRE. How important do you think is coaching for such an exam?

GRE is a professional test and without expert coaching it would be difficult to understand what is required of you in the exam. More importantly, you don't have a set syllabus per se.

Since GRE is a computer adaptive test and you have limited time at hand, you need to have access to the right test material and take lots of practice tests.

My training at the coaching class helped me understand the pattern and prepare accordingly.

Each time I made a mistake, a teacher would be there to guide me and ensure that I did not repeat the mistake a second time. You cannot get that professional edge when you are preparing on your own.

Do you think being an engineering student helped you achieve the perfect score?

I won't deny that engineering students perform better at calculations. At the same time, the subjects in quantitative reasoning require basic conceptual knowledge and their application.

Besides, GRE also demands that you have a good command over English. So you have to have a good balance of both language and quantitative skills.

How did you prepare for the exam? When did you start studying?

I started preparing in August 2012, first revising the concepts and understanding the question paper pattern. Initially I would spend about two to three hours a day studying, but as January approached, I focussed more on full-length practice tests, which demanded more than four hours a day. The more I practiced, the more confident I felt about taking the exam.

Which section according to you was the most difficult and why?

I found Reading Comprehension to be the most difficult, because you don't know what to expect. Initially I would not read the passages and would proceed straight to the questions. Eventually I learnt that that wasn't helping much.

For RC, you have to be prepared to understand the subject matter irrespective of your interest or liking.

Tell us about your interests outside of academics.

I love reading books -- from classics to fiction and non-fiction, we have a collection of over 2,000 books at home. I also started learning Spanish recently.

When I am not reading a book, I am either listening to music or sketching.

Could you recommend a few books to our readers?

For beginners, the self-help books by Stephen Covey can be of great help. I would recommend reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It will cultivate leadership skills in you and also tell you how you can be a successful person.

As a student of technology, I absolutely enjoyed reading the biography of Steve Jobs. His entire life is a lesson in itself. It teaches you to look beyond the obvious and make a difference through thoughtful action.

What are your career plans?

I am yet to decide on the specialisation for my MS, but I would like to pursue it from one of the top ranked institutions in the US, preferably the University of Michigan or Columbia. Cornell, the University of California, Berkeley and the Georgia Institute of Atlanta are also on my list.

Why do you want to study in the US and not in the UK or Canada?

If you look at the top-ranked colleges in the world, a considerable number of them are in America. I feel that when it comes to research, the country has the best to offer. I would like to make the most of the experience, so that I can come back and do something for my own country.

Do you have a message for parents whose children are preparing for competitive exams?

I think it is important for parents to understand what their children truly deserve and support them in the decision-making process, rather than have unreasonable expectations of them.

Your advice on how to deal with unexpected failure...

No matter how hard you try, failure is something you have to deal with on a day-to-day-level. The fun part is it never ceases to surprise you.

The law of nature demands that you fail more than once. If that failure is due to external factors, don't feel guilty about it. Even if you fail because of your own mistakes, there is nothing you can do about it, so do not dwell on them for too long.

Failure should always be seen as a thing of the past and the challenge is not to let it affect your present and future.

Do you have a message for our young readers?

Never let failure affect how you see your future. Don't underestimate your capabilities. You have the power to change things. From my own experience I can tell you that amazing things can happen to you at any moment.

 Posted on 21 April, 2013

Plastic Waste - A National Threat

Plastic Waste - A National Threat

“We are sitting on a Plastic Time Bomb” - remarked Supreme Court on April 3, 2013 on hearing from CPCB that India dumps 56 Lakhs tonnes of Plastic Waste annually. Four Metros are the main culprits who alone generate 2000 tonnes Plastic Waste daily; Delhi is the front runner followed by Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai. CPCB clarified that out of total generation of 15,342 tonnes Plastic Waste daily, 60% (9205 tonnes) is collected and recycled in the country while 40% (6137 tonnes) remain uncollected and littered. SC ordered to adopt two pronged strategies for effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management and ban on Gutka and Panmasala mixed with chewing tobacco and nicotine. SC has taken this stand so that common people would not suffer because of failure of governance at the grass root level.

A strong and effective nationwide campaign is necessary to use Biodegradable Plastic only in our daily life.    

Posted on 5 April, 2013