Today, November 16, is National Press Day.
The photograph above, excerpted from Madras then, Chennai Now by Nanditha Krishna, Tishani Doshi and Pramod Kapoor (Roli books, 2013), is the floor of the composing room of The Hindu from the 1950s, a far cry from the ultra-modern printing towers of today.
As the text accompanying the picture in the book notes:
“The Hindu was the first newspaper to introduce colour in 1940 and the first to own its own fleet of aircraft for distribution in 1963. In 1969, the Hindu adopted the facsimile system of page transmission. In 1986, it began using a transmission satellite. Computer-aided photo composition commenced in 1980. In 1994, text and graphics were fully integrated in computerised page make-up and remote imaging.”
***
Below is the picture of the offices of The Hindu at 100, Mount Road, where it was housed for more than half a century, starting 1883.
And, below, is the newsroom of The Hindu, as seen in circa 2005.
For the record, Pramod Kapoor used to publish the Sunday Mail newspaper from Delhi in the 1990s before he sold it to the Dalmias who, after a revamp under T.V.R. Shenoy, shut it down.
Photographs: courtesy Roli Books, and Outlook
IJR 
Demanding a Media Council in India
Guwahati: Media persons of Assam have raised voice for a
powerful media council in the country comprising both the newspaper
and electronic media organs on National Press Day today across the country. The empowered new council, in
the line of India’s present press council which surfaced on 16
November 1966, should work as a moral watchdog to ensure the press
freedom and also quality journalism in the country, said Journalists’
Forum Assam (JFA) representing the media persons.
The JFA, in a statement issued to the media, however decried that the
Assam based working journalist and other media employees of the region
are still performing their duties with pitiable salaries and other due
benefits under the country’s labour law.
“Amidst the depressing environment, we appreciate the declaration of
Assam government to include working journalists under the pension
schemes from this year,” said Rupam Barua, president of the State
based scribes body.
The JFA also expressed its solidarity to the Assam information and
public relations minister Basanta Das regarding his recent comment
about the ongoing suffering of journalists as most of the media houses
in Assam have not implemented the recommendations of the statutory
wage board for the benefit of their employees.
It also argued that the public observation by a minister on the plight
of media employees in Assam would finally pave the way for an amicable
solution to the present problem that is faced by thousands of media
workers across the State.
Understating the financial constrain of the media houses, the JFA also
urged the State government to hike the advertisement rate comparing to
other States of the country for all the government advertisements
meant for newspaper & news channels of Assam. Moreover it insisted on
regular release of advertisement revenues to the media houses by the
government.
However, the JFA emphasized, the money received from those
advertisement revenues should go for the welfare of the concerned
employees of the media houses. It alleged that the proprietors of many
media groups based in Assam have made it a habit to divert the
collected funds for other personal heads with an aim to present a
loss-making balance sheet in every financial year.
Finally the JFA appeals to the State chief minister Tarun Gogoi,
labour minister Prithvi Majhi and all the responsible trade union
media bodies to take the role of sentinels so that the media employees
of Assam can have a dignified life with the basic minimum facilities
recommended by the law of the land.
AYPYIDAW — The vice chairman of the Central Bank confirmed this week
that the financial institution will work with the government to issue
bank notes featuring the image of Burma’s independence hero, Gen Aung
San.
Khin Saw Oo told lawmakers at a meeting of the Lower House of
Parliament on Wednesday that revamped currency designs would go into
circulation following consultations between the Central Bank and the
government. The new-look bank notes will include pictures of
well-known political leaders, and prominent buildings and landscapes
in Burma.
Thein Nyunt, a Lower House member representing Rangoon’s Thingangyun
Township, said he was pleased with the outcome of his proposal to
reinstate Aung San’s image on the country’s currency.
“I have gone through a number of Parliament sessions in which I
couldn’t gain any result from my proposals, so I am relieved this
time,” Thein Nyunt told The Irrawaddy.
On Wednesday, Thein Nyunt submitted a motion to the Lower House
proposing that the image of a lion, currently imprinted on several
different bank note denominations and a shared symbol of Burma’s
ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), should be
removed from the currency. The lawmaker said it was inappropriate for
national bank notes to feature the same image as a political party.
Than Lwin, a former central bank vice chairman and the current deputy
chairman of Kanbawza Bank, told The Irrawaddy that there should be a
clause in the Central Bank’s bylaws requiring that the image of Aung
San and other portraits of respected national leaders be imprinted on
future bank notes.
Burma’s currency previously featured Aung San, but those bills
gradually disappeared after 1988, the year of a crackdown by the
ruling military regime on pro-democracy protestors. Bank notes with
Aung San’s image can still be found for sale by street vendors in
Rangoon as novelty items, in denominations as low as 1 kyat.
Than Lwin added that the printing of nations’ prominent former leaders
on bank notes was a well-established precedent, practiced by other
governments in honor of the individuals’ efforts in service of
country. India’s Mohandas Gandhi, Pakistan’s Muhammad Ali Jinnah and
China’s Mao Zedong are all featured on bank notes in their respective
countries.
On Feb. 13 this year, the day Aung San was born, Rangoon-based youth
groups called on the government to once again imprint their late
hero’s picture on bank notes.
Aung San and six members of his cabinet were assassinated on July 19,
1947, six months before Burma gained independence from Britain.
Gen Aung San image to appear on Burmese banknotes
Gen. Aung San previously appeared on 15-kyat notes in Burma as late as
the 1980s.
Gen. Aung San previously appeared on 15-kyat notes in Burma as late as
the 1980s.
By SHWE AUNG 14 November 2013 Print Email
The vice-president of the Central Bank of Myanmar, Daw Khin Saw Oo,
told lower house MPs on Wednesday that the bank was planning to issue
new banknotes featuring the image of Burma’s national hero, Aung San,
as well as other prominent Burmese leaders.
Khin Saw Oo was speaking in response to a proposal by MP Thein Nyunt
who said that his proposal had been accepted due to “changes in the
political environment”.
Related Stories
Late General Aung San’s notebook containing his original handwriting. (DVB)
Locals upset after upper house speaker snatches historic notebook
Remembering the martyrs and their hopes for Burma
Burma to give central bank more autonomy
“The political environment has notably changed,” he said. “I served
this emergency proposal to celebrate the diamond jubilee of the 1300
revolution [a 1938 general strike] and stated solid reasons for doing
so.
“I acknowledge the response of the Central Bank’s vice president to
print banknotes with images of our country’s most prominent leaders. I
would also like to extend my gratitude to the parliament speaker,
without whose approval we would not have been able to discuss it.”
The Central Bank vice-president did not elaborate on which “prominent
leaders” would be featured on the new banknotes. The current notes in
circulation display images of a white elephant and a lion.
Regarded as Burma’s independence hero, Gen. Aung San is the father of
NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He was shot dead in 1947 ahead of Burmese
independence. His image previously appeared on 15-kyat bills as late
as the 1980s.
Tags:Aung Sanbanknotes
Dear Ripunjoy,
Here is an article for your use.
Regards,
Nava Thakuria,
Guwahati
Grameen bank brought under Bangladesh Bank
By Nava Thakuria
Amidst international condemnation and domestic objections, the
Bangladesh government has finally brought the award winning Grameen
Bank (of Bangladesh) under the purview of the country’s central bank.
The Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid has recently signed the
legislation bringing the world-famous bank, created by Professor
Muhammad Yunus, under the supervision of Bangladesh Bank. Earlier the
Bangladesh Parliament passed the bill on November 5, 2013.
The move came during deepening political chaos, with the Bangladesh
National Party-led 18 party opposition alliance, which has opposed the
plan to take over the bank, distracted by the refusal of the
government of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League to dissolve itself in
favor of a neutral caretaker government in preparations for national
elections, which must be completed by January 2014.
The BNP, led by Hasina’s bitter enemy, Khaleda Zia, called a series of
demonstrations including Hartals (general strike) which resulted in
the killing of many people and destroying of properties. Few BNP
leaders were also arrested by the authority for allegedly hurling
objects at police. The chaos continues with hundreds being hurt,
vehicles torched, and a string of arrests.
Grameen’s founder, Prof Yunus, who created the bank in 1983, condemned
the government’s action in the strongest possible language. “Grameen
Bank was created as a bank owned by the poor women, and managed by the
poor women,” he said recently.
“Its legal structure did not allow any government interference of any
kind, except for regulatory oversights. The amendments have
fundamentally changed the character of the bank and the government has
opened the door for its ultimate destruction. What a shame for the
nation, and the whole world!” Prof added.
“The new act will allow the government to virtually dominate the
activities of Grameen bank in all aspects,” said Kamaluddin Ahmed, a
Dhaka based political analyst. “The government would have three
members in the board of directors (out of 12), but it will also
nominate the chairman. Moreover in selection of the managing director
too, the government would have an indirect say.”
Speaking to this writer from Dhaka, Ahmed added that by increasing its
share from 3 percent to 25 percent, the government emerges as the
single-most important shareholder in the bank. It also empowers the
government to take major decisions regarding the bank.
“Understanding the implications of the new Grameen act, one can easily
guess that it is the end of the Prof Yunus era in Grameen bank,” Ahmad
said adding “The act has specified a retirement age of 60 for the
managing director and Prof Yunus is already over 70. So even if we
bet for a different government in Dhaka after the national election,
he cannot return.”
Bangladesh Finance Minister AMA Muhith however clarified that the new
law won’t change the structure of the bank management. Muhith said the
law was merely a constitutional requirement because the original
ordinance that created the Grameen bank during military rule must be
ratified by the Parliament.
Since it was conceptualized by Prof Yunus in 1976, the bank has grown
into the world’s most effective anti-poverty institution, making tiny
loans to the poor, mostly women. It now has more than 8 million
members and earned Prof Yunus (jointly with the institution) the Nobel
Prize in 2006. More than 100 nations have created similar programs –
even wealthy ones including the United States.
It apparently also earned Prof Yunus the eternal enmity of Sheikh
Hasina, partly because according to sources in Dhaka she felt she
should have won the 2006 Nobel Prize, for her role in bringing peace
to south Bangladesh’s warring hill tribes during her previous stint as
the Prime Minister. She has also distrusted him as a possible
political force he made an abortive attempt to set up a reform party
in the wake of the 2007 state of emergency.
Prof Yunus was forcefully removed from his post by government in 2011,
alleging that at age 72 he had passed the legal age to run the bank.
The Bangladesh Supreme Court upheld the decision nonetheless. Finally
the end as the managing director of Grameen bank came for Prof Yunus
with the new law, which would have a definite impact on the activities
of the unique bank in the days to come.
No scope for compromise: Khaleda
Mohammad Al-Masum Molla
The opposition chief makes an unscheduled visit at the press club and
exchanges views with journalists
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia exchanges views with pro-BNP journalists
at the National Press Club on Thursday evening
Photo- Dhaka Tribune
BNP Chairperson and leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia has said
there is no scope of a negotiation with the government over the
non-partisan government to oversee the next elections.
“We have been and will be with the people of the country always. We
are fighting for the restoration of democracy and will continue the
movement for establishing the rights of the people. There is no scope
of compromise. Compromise means allowing injustice to happen,” she
said.
The former prime minister was speaking to journalists during an
unscheduled visit to the National Press Club on Thursday evening, a
day after the opposition’s 84-hour nationwide hartal ended Wednesday.
Several senior journalists greeted Khaleda Zia at the press club at
5:45pm.
Terming the demand of election under a non-partisan government is
logical, the BNP chief said, “It was your (ruling party) demand, not
ours. We inserted the provision in the constitution and you scrapped
it, which was unjust.”
Press club President Kamaluddin Sabuj, journalists Ruhul Amin Gazi,
Syed Abdal Ahmed, Abul Asad, Abdul Awal Thakur, Kamruzzaman, Abdus
Sahid, Mostafa Kamal Majumdar, M Aziz, Khandakar Monirul Alam, Baker
Hossain, Syed Mesbah Uddin, Amirul Islam Kagoji, Mahfuzullah and M
Abdullah were among the pro-BNP journalists who spoke at the
programme.
Senior journalists Reaz Uddin Ahmed, Shafique Ahmed, Alamgir
Mohiuddin, Abdul Hai Sikder, Dhaka University teacher Mahbubullah and
Brac University teacher Pyas Karim were present in the programme.
They urged the BNP chairperson to call for a tougher movement to oust
the ‘autocratic’ government and vowed to support such a movement from
their respective positions.
Some of the speakers criticised the Dhaka city unit BNP for its
‘inactivity’ saying there was strong movement outside the capital but
poor performance in the capital.
Listening to the opinions of journalist community leaders, Khaleda
said, “I share your concerns about the current situation of the
country. You know many things about the country. Today I came to hear
from you.”
The former premier said post and position is not a big deal for her,
rather restoration of democracy is her struggle.
“When I started politics, I struggled for restoring democracy and am
doing the same thing right now.
People’s government should have to be established ousting this
repressive and fascist government.”
Remembering noted journalist Gias Kamal Chowdhury who died recently,
Khaleda said he had worked for democracy and people like him were
needed most today.
Earlier BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan told the Dhaka
Tribune, “ In a democratic system, there is hardly any other
alternative.”
“ If the government shows restraining in their persecution of the
opposition and implement the resignation of the prime minister which
she had already indicated in public, the present violent and volatile
situation may be resolved within seconds thus paving the way for a
meaningful negotiated settlement of the whole crisis,” he said.
– See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/politics/2013/nov/14/khaleda-press-club#sthash.3bcFQAMl.dpuf
SPECIAL RELEASE
November 15, 2013
GUWAHATI – With the aim of forging a long-term relationship with
alumni of the U.S. State-Department’s professional exchange programs
and encouraging young leaders and entrepreneurs from the North East,
the American Center Kolkata for the first time organized an Alumni
Entrepreneurship Road Show & Mentorship Program in Guwahati across
November 15 and 16.
The Alumni Entrepreneurship Road Show on Friday, November 15th was an
interactive networking event for aspiring entrepreneurs, students and
young professionals. Five northeast business leaders, all alumni of
U.S. State-Department Exchange Programs, conducted the youth workshop,
providing participants with pointers to make them aware of the climate
for entrepreneurship in the country. Proven entrepreneurial stories
of success and failure, leads for potential sources of capital and
emerging collaborative opportunities were discussed.
The Alumni Mentorship program tomorrow, Saturday, November 16 will
have 25 young alumni leaders host a mentoring and training event for
100 young leaders selected from the northeast focusing on
entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment, human rights, global health and
the environment. The participants will also compete for a grant where
they will work on a sustainable community service project or training
program.
Deputy Director of the American Center Rachel Sunden and North East
India alumni Szarita Laitphlang and Rosanna Lyngdoh from Meghalaya,
Gumjum Haider from Arunachal Pradesh, RupaYumnam from Manipur,
Cressida Jamir and Jesmina Zeliang from Nagaland, Jahnabi Phookan, Dr.
Syed Iftikar Ahmed and Atreyee Borooah from Guwahati were the
panelists at the press meet on November 15. At the interaction, Ms.
Sunden shared insights about the U.S. State Department’s professional
exchange programs and the American Center’s involvement and
initiatives for engaging alumni of such programs in North East India.
Note: Pasted below are the bio notes of the Press Meet panelists
………………………………………..
U.S. Consulate media coordinator:
Ipshita N. Banerjee -9903041569
banerjeein@state.gov
Rachel Sunden
Deputy Director of the American Center Kolkata
Rachel Sunden is the Deputy Director of the American Center and a
Public Affairs Officer. She arrived in Kolkata with her family in
September, 2012. This is Rachel’s second tour in India. She
previously worked at the Consulate in Mumbai where she was a consular
officer who ran the Business Executive Program. In addition to India,
Rachel also served in Buenos Aires, Singapore and the State Department
in Washington where she was a watch stander for the Bureau of
Intelligence and Research.
Prior to joining the State Department Rachel worked in product
development and the travel industry. She has a Master of Business
Administration from the University of Southern California and a
Bachelor of Science Degree in Film and Photography from Ithaca College
in New York.
scan
Dr. (Ms.) Cressida Jamir
Exchange Program: IVLP 2013 on Small Business Development
Cressida Jamir has a background in Agriculture and holds a Ph.D. in
Molecular Biology. Her current service as a member of the Government
of Nagaland’s Bio Resource Mission involves writing project proposals
and implementing projects for development of indigenous Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants of Nagaland, working as a team in conceiving,
implementing and managing strategic models for preserving the
bio-resources of the state, surveying and documenting the indigenous
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Nagaland, documenting the indigenous
traditional knowledge of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Nagaland,
and coordinating with various research institutes for biochemical
analysis of the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants with a view to
understanding their medicinal value and thereby enhancing their market
value. She has several publications to her credit and has conducted
several presentations on bio-diversity. She is the recipient of
several scholarships, fellowships, including a Senior Research
Fellowship from the World Bank-Indian Council of Agricultural Research
that involved a National Agricultural Technology Project on Buckwheat
in India.
White House Panel Discussion.JPG
Atreyee Boroaah
Exchange Program: FORTUNE/U.S. State Department International Mentoring
Partnership 2012
Atreyee Borooah Thekedath holds a Masters Degree in Business
Administration (MBA) from Central Queensland University, Australia.
After her MBA, she worked in Hewlett Packard Pvt. Ltd. in Singapore
before she quit to set up her own Software Development Company in
Assam in 1999. She is the Director of Baruanagar Tea Estates Pvt. Ltd.
and Baruakhat Tea Company Pvt. Ltd. which are producers of high
quality Assam tea. In 1999, Atreyee launched Web.Com (India) Pvt.
Ltd., an ISO 9001:2008 certified Software Development Company in Assam
which is today one of the leading software development companies in
Northeast India catering to a vast cross section of clientele ranging
from large PSUs to Government departments to Socio voluntary
organizations to private companies in Northeast India and abroad. She
is the Past National Chair of Arts, Sports & Culture in Yi and the
Past Chair of the Young Indians (Guwahati Chapter).
She is currently Head — Eastern Region, Regional Management Team of
Young Indians. She is a member of the Confederation of Indian
Industry at Assam. She has travelled extensively including France,
Moscow, Slovenia etc Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand,
Malaysia, Indonesia and European countries including United Kingdom.
She has also been featured in two books titled “Women Achievers of
Assam” and “Assamese Women: The Pathbreakers” brought out by the
Women’s Study Cell of a leading Girls’ College in Assam.
Szarita Laitphlang
Exchange Program: IVLP on ‘Young Political Leaders 2012’
Szarita hails from the Khasi community of Meghalaya, and is Vice
President, Meghalaya State Congress. Szarita is wisely experienced in
the political field. She is the National Coordinator for the Indian
Youth Congress, where she undertakes election campaigns for
Congressional candidates in the states of Meghalaya, Maharashtra and
Rajasthan, and trains grassroots-level party workers in various parts
of India. She is also the Vice President of Jail Road Block Congress,
Shillong, Meghalaya; Vice President of Meghalaya Pradesh Youth
Congress In-charge Ri-Bhoi District; National Coordinator, Aam Aadmi
Ka Sipahi (AAKS) In-charge North East, Indian Youth Congress;
Secretary, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee; Secretary i/c
Communications Department , Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee.
Szarita graduated from St. Mary’s College, Shillong and worked as a
teacher before joining politics. Szarita is also the Chairperson of
an organization named AMATSARA, which is an initiative for the general
societal improvement with branches in seven states.
Ms. Jesmina Zeliang
Exchange program: IVLP 2013 on Regional Economic Integration through
Women’s Empowerment
Jesmina is the Founder/Proprietor of ‘Heirloom Naga’ and ‘Cane
Concepts’, apart from being a partner in, Razhu Pru, a Heritage Hotel
and partner in Konyak Marketing, Guwahati. She completed her
graduation from Punjab University and went on to set up Cane Concepts
& Heirloom Naga in the early 1990s, which was a pioneering move at the
time. By innovating on existing tribal designs, her textiles unit
under the banner Heirloom Naga and the hard goods unit under the
banner Cane Concepts were able to showcase “Made in Nagaland” products
to markets outside of the state. Jesmina was selected by the Dutch
Government as one of 40 producers worldwide in the crafts sector to be
eligible for their mentoring program to promote exports from
developing countries. In 2004 she was awarded the Kamala Devi Award by
the Crafts Council of India. She is also the Convenor, North East
Region Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts and Partner, JJ
Marketing Guwahati (Marketing Agent for Fabindia in Guwahati and
Dibrugarh).
Rupa Singh Yumnam
Exchange Program: IVLP 2008 on HIV and AIDS Awareness and Prevention
Yumnam Rupachandra Singh is the Editor in Chief of Impact News in
Imphal, Manipur. He graduated from Caclutta University on 1986 and
later went on to attend IIMC, New Delhi. Mr. Singh has been a
journalist since 1997 and reported on various issues including health,
development, law and order etc. In his career as a journalist he has
worked for the “NE Sun” published from New Delhi; Imphal Free Press,
Imphal; The Sangai Express” English Imphal; Manipur Correspondent for
Kolkata based English daily -The Statesman; Manipur Correspondent for
Guwahati based English Daily-Seven Sisters Post English; Chief Editor
for ISTV News; News Analyst of All India News Radio news bulletin;
Produced TV documentary on developmental issue in the NE for North
Eastern Council; Regularly conducts talk shows on current issues on
ISTV Network; Made documentaries on HIV/AIDs for ISTV Network etc. He
has also hosted a TV talk show on Violence Against Women as part of 16
days campaign on activism against Violence Against Women. Mr. Yumnam
Rupachadra has also participated in several national and regional
seminars in different capacities.
Jahnabi Phookan
Exchange Program: South Asian Women’s Entrepreneurship Symposium, 2013
Jahnabi Phookan is the Director of Jungle Travels India and Assam
Bengal Navigation Company with offices in Guwahati, Kolkata, Delhi and
Cochin. Jungle Travels India is the pioneering travel company as the
first IATA agent of the Northeast. Both are National Tourism Awards
winners, the only companies based in the NE to have achieved this
recognition to date. Jahnabi has been an entrepreneur in the travel
and tourism, river cruising and hospitality business for over two
decades. Jahnabi obtained a Postgraduate diploma in Mass
Communication from Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC)
New Delhi, and went on to pursue Mass Communication in Indiana
University, USA. As a family enterprise, Jahnabi is also Director,
Baruanagar Tea Estates Pvt Ltd, Baruakhat Tea Company and Konyak Tea.
She is a member of various organizations including – National Board of
Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) under the Ministry of Small
Medium Micro Enterprises (MSME); India Women Network; Executive
Committee, CII (Confederation of Industries) of Assam chapter. In
2008, Ms Phookan was the Chairperson of FLO, the Womens’ Wing of FICCI
(Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) for the
Northeast Chapter. She is also co-creator of Northeast brand ‘Konyak’
a platform for grassroots artisans of the region.
In December 2013, Ms Phookan is to be awarded among the 30 Outstanding
Women Achievers in the FLO network to commemorate the 30 years of
FLO’s existence.
Gumjum Haider
Exchange Program: IVLP 2008 on Leadership Development for Young
Political Leaders
Gumjum Haider is known as a popular student leader in the state of
Arunachal Pradesh. He graduated in Political Science from Delhi
University from where he began his journey as a student leader with
the erstwhile Itanagar Adi Students Union (IASU) as Social Service
Secretary and went on to occupy the prestigious position of Secretary
General of the North East Students Organisation (NESO) for the session
starting from August 2007 to March 2013. He is, till date, the only
student leader from Arunachal Pradesh to hold this post. As General
Secretary of AAPSU, he visited Geneva, Switzerland in the year 2005
and attended the United Nation’s Working Group on Indigenous
Population (UNWGIP) and opposed the settlement of refugees in
Arunachal Pradesh. He was also invited to attend the International
Forum for Democracy and Peace (IFDP) at Istanbul, Turkey in April
2013. He was also part of the delegation that attendedthe United
Nations’ Indigenous Fair in Chiangmai, Thailand to celebrate the
United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Population (UNDRIP)
in 2008. He has recenly joined the only regional Political party of
Arunachal Pradesh, Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA).
cid:image008.png@01CEE0A3.88638E40
Dr. Syed Iftikar Ahmed
Exchange Program: IVLP ON ‘HIV prevention and Public Health issues’, 1996
Dr. Ahmed is a physician and Community NGO activist from Guwahati,
Assam. He works tirelessly towards the cause of HIV AIDS prevention
and Awareness. After completing his MBBS from Assam Medical College,
he went on to specialize in the Clinical Management of AIDS from
Paris, Fance. He is currently the Chairman Cum Medical Director of the
AIDS Prevention Society ( APS ). Dr.Ahmed has carried out several
studies in the field of HIV/AIDS since the early years of the epidemic
in the region since1989-90, among different groups of people from the
beginning of the AIDS epidemic in North East India on behalf of AIDS
Prevention Society (APS). Dr. Ahmed published several papers on
different health issues and presented several of them before the
international forums at international conferences, workshops and
meetings. He is widely travelled and has also participated at the UN
General Assembly Special Session- UNGASS 2006 & Special Session in
June 2008 at UN Headquarters in New York at the invitation of UNAIDS .
Rosanna Lyngdoh
Exchange Program: IVLP 2012 on Combatting Trafficking in Persons
Rosanna Lyngdoh is one of the founders of Impulse NGO Network which is
the most prominent NGO based in Meghalaya’s state capitol Shillong,
working on child labor, human trafficking, economic livelihood support
for artisans and adolescence health and HIV/AIDS issues in Northeast
India. As the incumbent Program Director, Rosanna is the hands-on
person with oversight on the entire range of Impulse’s activities. A
graduate from Lady Keane College, Executive Board Member Lyngdoh has
been a part of Impulse since its early days and is a founder on the
Board of Directors. A significant part of Impulse’s grassroots
connectivity is managed, nurtured and developed by Rosanna. She has
led trekking excursions for the participants in the leadership and
communications course, implemented projects, conducted trainings, and
followed-up on projects; she has also been a researcher for many of
the organizations’ various surveys and studies. She has been involved
in much of the field work of child trafficking, including family
studies and repatriation of trafficked victims. As Program Director,
Rosanna works to improve the inter-agency response and NGO
coordination. She is also a member of the Children Welfare Committee
for Meghalaya.
Thank you
Ipshita N Banerjee
Manager: Media & Public Communications
Public Affairs Office — U.S. Consulate General Kolkata
PM arrives in Mizoram today
Correspondent
AIZAWL, Nov 15 – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will arrive here tomorrow as the star campaigner for the Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC). He is expected to reach the Lengpui Airport around 12 pm from where he will fly in a helicopter to the Thuampui Helipad. From there, he is expected to drive down to the Mualpui Stadium to address a Congress poll campaign meeting.
The Opposition parties have criticised the Prime Minister’s forthcoming visit as an election stunt. “He never visited our State as the Prime Minister, but only found time to come here on an election campaign. This is not expected of a Prime Minister of a country,” said a youth leader of the Mizo National Front (MDF) and seconded by the Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC).
AICC president Sonia Gandhi is scheduled to arrive here on Monday. She will go straight to Lunglei district for an election speech. AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi is also slated to visit the State next week, official sources said. It may be mentioned here that the AICC president’s last visit here was greeted with black flags carried by MNF youths who lined up the main thoroughfares of the city leading to the Mizoram Congress Bhavan.