Jumbo film to be screened on Aug 24
It was a national news when 7 elephants were mowed down by a high speed goods train on the 23rd of September 2010 in the 'Elephant Corridors' of North Bengal. Three female, three calves and one tusker was killed. A lactating mother was dragged on the tracks for more than three hundred meters before the train finally came to a halt !! This was the foundation of a voice which was determined to shout back at the system to stop and listen. But this was easier said than done. Film making is an expensive art form and finding funds was a huge task specially for an untrained film maker like me. Hence, no funds. I pestered my dad to get me a camera. I'm thankful to him that he trusted my abilities and got me one. Armed with the device I began shaping up the voice of 'God On The Edge'. The pre-production work had to be very strong as we had limited resources for permissions to shoot in Wildlife Sanctuaries. It was a short two schedule shoot with lot of challenges thrown in. But it provided a huge learning experience for a first time film maker like me. Today the film having won an award, 'Best Film On Environment' at the 10th IDPA Excellence Award, Mumbai; and officially being selected in Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, New York, it seems the effort was worthwhile. The response the film has got from various Nature & Environment Organizations is really very encouraging. Hope the voice reaches to as many elephant lovers as possible. GOD ON THE EDGE - DIRECTOR'S PROFILE Born in 1978 Ashok Patel was brought up in the proximity of nature by his forester father and housewife mother. He did his schooling from St. Joseph's School, Darjeeling, The Queen of hill stations. He had to move to Bangalore for his college, but nature always stayed with him. Given a chance I would set off on wild trek and travel choosing over pubs and parties. Moving to Mumbai was a tough decision his family had to deal with. They wanted the safety net of a regular job while he wanted to explore the world, dream for a living and tell stories through his camera lens. Eventually he won and moved to Mumbai only to be hugely disillusioned. It wasn't easy there. With a lot of odd jobs and acting in theaters he finally ended up as an associate Film Editor with Mr. Mahesh Bhatt's production house, Vishesh Films. Things looked brighter from there. But it was short lived as his editor boss had to leave Mumbai to be with his family to attend some important matters. He was unemployed again. This was the time when this accident took place in 2010 where 7 wild elephants were mowed down by a goods train. His love for nature and adventure inspired him to go ahead and make this film even with practically zero experience in film making. Working on 'God On The Edge' has been a tough but learning and satisfying journey so far for him. Guwahati Cine Club has arranged special screening of the film on August 24 in Guwahati where Ashok Patel will be present.
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Assam State Science & Technology Councils two days annual conclave has been inaugurated in Guwahati city on September 6 which has been organised by Assam Science Technology & Environment Council (ASTEC),Guwahati and supported by Department of Science & Technology,Government of India.The inaugural session was held at Hotel Gateway Grandeur where S&T officials from 23 Indian states have participated.In the inaugural ceremony at 11 am todayRavinder Gaur,Scientist D (TDT) and Member Secretary (SSTP),DST,India spoke on State S&T Council's Conclave while Dr.Neeraj Sharma,Advisor & Head (TDT),DST,India explained about significance of state S&T council programmes and...
The visit of the newly appointed Darrang DC Ashok Kumar Barman to the historic Raghunath Kuwnori xatra on September 3 recently was widely appreciated by the public.It is noteworthy that a day-long programme organised by Sipajhar College at its adopted village N0.1 Bijulibari underway when the DC dropped in.The programme began with a ‘Swacchata Abhiyan’ by the volunteers of the NSS and the volunteers from the village. At the meeting presided over by Dr Pradip Ch Deka, the Principal of Sipajhar College, the DC lauded the efforts of the college to bring the public and the administration closer.DC Barman in his friendly and informal interaction with the public and the students and...
The teachers are the torch bearers of the society.Their intellectual pursuits help their students to achieve goal. Now, since we are in the competitive world, the young generation will have to study hard to meet the challenge and the teachers should make their students to cultivate a competitive mind to meet the target. This was observed by Rihon Daimari, Minister, Food and Civil Supplies and PHE of Assam while addressing a congregation of working and retired teachers here at the conference hall of inspector of schools of Udalguri district circle here at Udalguri town today.The minister,who is also the local MLA addressed the assembly of teachers as the chief guest on the occasion of the...
Protesting against sharp price rise of essential commodities in the country,more than five hundred people mostly woman staged dharna in front of Kalaigaon Revenue Circle Office today on September 2 at 11 am on the day of Bharat Bandh.The protesters blocked the main gate of Kalaigaon Revenue Circle Office preventing government officials and employees including Additional Deputy Commissioner Udalguri. Police had to arrest all the protesters numbering more than five hundred to clear the entrance.They were taken to Kalaigaon police station campus after their detention for the day. Vehicular traffic were off the road,but shops and educational institutions remained open.
The National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC) Udalguri district will be held on September 14 at Golmagaon High School at Udalguri. This has been stated by Sadhana Hojai,DC,Udalguri who is also the president of NCSC DOC(District Organising Committee) Udalguri district.Udalguri district administration and office of the Inspector of Schools, Udalguri have already directed heads of more than hundred government educational institutions to offer help and support to children,students and teachers willing to present science projects at the ensuing district level Children’s Science Congress.It needs mention that Assam Science Technology and Environment Council, Guwahati has been supervising...
A citizens’ meet on Thursday unanimously demanded disbanding of the Rhino Horns Verification Committee, recently formed by the Government of Assam, as in its opinion, the committee is out to legalize all irregularities by those involved in killing and poaching of rhinos and selling their horns.Held at Guwahati Press Club and jointly organized by Nature’s Beckon and the Journalists’ Forum, Assam (JFA), the meeting also demanded of the authorities to make public the total number of horns from the rhinos naturally dead and those recovered after being killed by the poachers. But this number too must be arrived at after putting each and every horn to forensic tests. Presided over by...
In a sensational incident miscreants kidnapped a father and his two sons from their residence at Udmari village near Kalaigaon town last night on August 30.According to information a nine member group of Bodo youths on motorcycles arrived at the house of Jona Ram Tamuli,the government gaonbura of No.2 Kalaigaon at around 12.30 am. Immediately after their arrival they started asking about secret treasure supposedly belonged to ULFA.They ordered the family members to hand over the ULFA treasure which they had allegedly found during JCB excavation in Sibasagar district some years back. Finding no clue or answer they forcefully picked up gaonbura Jona Ram Tamuli (60), his two sons namely -...
As per the first 100 days programme of the Science and Technology Department, Govt. of Assam, a three-day-long programme “Grooming and Mentoring of Students by Science & Mathematics Facilitators” was held at Sipajhar B.J. Girls’ High School, Darrang duringAugust 17-19. The programme was organized by Science & Technology Division of Assam Science Technology and Environment Council (ASTEC) in collaboration with Sipajhar B.J. Girls’ High School. The programme aimed to motivate the students to explore science and mathematics with simplicity, fun and out of the rigid framework of textbooks and show them career and opportunities in the field of science, technology and innovation.The...
Mahendra Saikia a renowned social worker of Kalaigaon has been sad now a days in his eighties.His dream of a peaceful and corruption free society has been shattered.Very recently he has been awarded with the “Chief Minister’s best Community Action Award for Development /2016” on the occasion of 70th Independence Day.When asked his feelings on receiving the award,Mahendra Saikia just expressed his anguish at present day social degradation.Speaking to this correspondent Saikia said that political promises were made only for power and such promises never materialised.”Political leaders and members of other social organisations lack good education and wisdom”, he regrets.Speaking on...
Kaziranga Wildlife Society (KWS)held its annual Nature Conservation Day in memory of its founder president Padmashree Robin Banerjee at the pensioners Bhawan at Chandmari in Guwahati on August 12.On the occasion the KWS Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to JFMC forest of Bhairabkunda (Gedsimani Forest) in Udalguri district.The JFMC comprising local vill;agers were instrumental in transforming a vast stretch of barren land (5500 bighas) into a green forest which today sheltres wide ranging wildlife.Delivering key note address on wildlife in urban areas of Assam,writter and conservationist Dr.Anowaruddin Choudhury said that the so called man animal conflict conflict was actually a...
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