Remembering Syamalendu Banerjee
Syamalendu Banerjee passed away on 17 June 2019. A University topper, he later proceeded to Oxford for higher studies. He was for some time Assistant editor to Samar Sen at Now. Mr Banerjee's articles have also graced the yellowed newsprint of Frontier. In the 15 January 1984 issue of the now defunct The Illustrated weekly of India, Mr Banerjee had reminisced with great passion about his association with the founder editor of this weekly. A correspondent wrote in the 24 June issue of The Statesman that "His passing away marked the exit of an unsung talent." It will be pertinent to add that many of us have lost our singing voice in these difficult times.
Soumyabrata Guhathakurta, Kolkata, 26-6-19

Tarpan
The favourite pastime of the denizens of this city is tarpan or remembering the past. Recently there were some issues at the printing press whose facilities are used to publish the 100 and many more years old English broadsheet daily of this city. Social media was agog with memories of having learnt crisp English by reading the un-biased contents of that daily. And also that there is a great disaster in the making since Queen's English and objectivity in reporting are both under threat. Things returned to normalcy after a couple of days.
Soumyabrata Guhathakurta, Kolkata

Chinaman
During the recent cut-money episode, a senior Congressman chose to remind us that ex-CM Siddhartha Shankar Ray appointed the Wanchoo Commission to investigate corruption in his own cabinet. Justice Wanchoo was no Chinaman but the present CM has suggested that partymen and their offices be besieged by cut money payers seeking a refund (almost like Mao's dictum to "Bombard the Headquarters"). All this noise is to protect her family headquarters at Harsish Chatterjee Street.
Soumyabrata Guhathakurta, Kolkata

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Frontier
Vol. 52, No. 5, Aug 4 - 10, 2019