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KOLKATA: It would be a homecoming for super-hit film 3 Idiots, with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, arranging five shows at its

The film depicts life in an elite engineering institute and though there is no explicit reference to IITs, Five Point Someone, the novel written by Chetan Bhagat on which the film is based, talks about life on an IIT campus.

As soon as the institute re-opened after the winter vacation on December 30, a demand for screening the film was placed at the Gymkhana, IITs students' body. So, the Technology Film Society, as the film club of the institute is called, got in touch with the distributor of the film in Kolkata, Kapurchand, who agreed to pull off the film from a city hall for a week so that the institute could hold its shows. "We will have to shell out quite a bit, but it would be worth the effort," said Pulak Banerjee, manager of film club.

Almost all of the 9000-strong student body of the institute, along with the 550-strong faculty and 1200 strong staff wish to see 3 Idiots. The film club is having a trying time as the auditorium has only 900 seats.

Ironically, there's hardly a student who has not watched the film. But students are more than enthusiastic for a repeat viewing with their IIT mates. "I have seen the film but nothing compares like seeing it on campus with my friends. It is like seeing campus life getting enacted by popular actors," said Shubham Matah, student vice-president of the institute.

Abhiradhika Agarwal, an architecture student cancelled her plans to spend the weekend in Kolkata to see the film on campus.

Even teachers sound excited. "I wanted to see the film as newspapers are full of praise for 3 Idiots. However, going to Kolkata to watch the film in a multiplex is a tall order. Now that the film would be screened in the campus, I would not miss the chance," said

V K Tewari, faculty member of the institute. Manish Bhattacharya, a teacher of chemistry and the president of the Gymkhana, confesses that while he is not exactly a film enthusiast, he is happy with the screening "because the film is based on a story on the IITs."
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source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com

After declaring a crusade against Maoists last week, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee made a virtual volte face during Friday’s rally at Jhargram.

Making all possible efforts to woo Naxals, she invited them for talks on development and even offered to mediate with the Centre. And her offer was accepted ¿ at least by the People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA). But much to her chagrin, their choice of mediator was her estranged parliamentarian Kabir Suman.

“We welcome the call by Mamata, but we want to talk to Trinamool MP Kabir Suman only. We believe him and think that he is above politics,” said Dhanapati, PCAPA leader.

Dhanapati’s response came after Banerjee asked them “with folded hands” to shun violence. “I am ready to touch your feet. Give up arms and talk about development,” she said at the sparsely-attended rally. “If you want expansion of railway projects, job opportunities, schools and hospitals, you are free to hold talks.”


Banerjee’s comments were in stark contrast to what she had said about a week ago in Kolkata, when she had virtually announced a war on Maoists.

On Friday, she made it clear that she will do everything for the development of Jangalmahal.

“I want to build railway tracks till Belpahari and connect the area with the rest of the state,” she said. “I have plans to run two pairs of trains between Midnapore and Jhargram. I am considering a proposal to ensure a stoppage of the Bhubaneswar-Delhi Rajdhani Express at Jhargram. If necessary I can convince the Centre to prepare a special package for the overall development of Jhargram and Jangalmahal.”

... contd.
source-indianexpress.com

KOLKATA: Veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu's condition was "extremely" critical on Saturday and he was put on maximum ventilator support, doctors

"Basu's condition is extremely critical and he has been put on maximum ventilation today. His blood pressure had dropped last night (Friday) and later it was managed with high volume of medicines," the afternoon medical bulletin released by the AMRI Hospital said.

The 95-year-old Communist leader's urine output had also dropped in the night.

"The doctors will conduct a slow-low efficiency daily dialysis (SLEDD) on Basu on Saturday. This special dialysis process will continue for almost eight hours," the bulletin said.

The former West Bengal chief minister suffered multi-organ failure Friday evening.

According to doctors, the level of carbon dioxide in Basu's body increased after which he was given more ventilator support.

"He is now under round the clock medical observation," the medical report added.

Earlier, cardiologist A K Maity, who heads the eight-member medical board treating the Basu, said his heart and liver function had deteriorated and the sensorium of the brain was also very low.

According to hospital sources, the medical board will again meet in the evening to review Basu's health condition and issue a medical bulletin at around 7pm.

Basu was hospitalized after a pneumonia attack and admitted in the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit (ICCU) of the Salt Lake-based private hospital on January 1.

Born 1914 in Kolkata, Basu became chief minister of West Bengal in June 1977. He stepped down voluntarily on health grounds in November 2000.
source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com