Message from Soumyanetra

From Ma’s Desk:

I am very happy to bring to you the second issue of Conversations, the annual newsletter of Convergence, which is entirely in the format of an online journal. You will find clickable links of all the articles, stories, poems and painting, and can easily navigate between them. There is also a link that contains the summary of activities of Convergence since the last newsletter that came out in September 2022. There is also a link that lists the students who have been part of the Convergence family during its last academic session.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have been part of the Convergence family right from its inception and without whose stoic and unwavering support, it would not have been possible to carry forward the vision of ma, in whatever little way I am able to.

Sujit Maiti, is foremost amongst them. Ma selected him out of several applicants, based on his performance and credentials and soon had become very attached to him. In fact, even when she was very sick and in ICU, she always wished to meet him and Sujit met her whenever it was allowed. In spite of his academic job in North Bengal and his family responsibilities having become a father, he still manages to come and open the Convergence library twice a week. He has categorised all the books and journals and is typing ma’s articles that have appeared elsewhere, some of which are here in this newsletter under “Articles by Professor Rita Chattopadhyay”. He has proofread the Sanskrit and Bengali articles in this issue of Convergence. He also helps me with all kinds of administrative support that I need like creating WhatsApp groups, helping with online lectures, getting in touch with speakers, students, instructors, scholars using the library, computing technician and so on. And last but not the least, he is the instructor of the Convergence online Sanskrit courses (both levels – basic and intermediate). In short, it would be impossible to carry on with the vision of ma without his active and dedicated support at every step along the way. He, in short, most efficiently, dons the hats of the librarian, accountant, typist, and Sanskrit teacher and scholar of Convergence. I am very fortunate indeed to have him with me at Convergence.

Convergence also would not have inched forward without the dedicated commitment of some of its other teachers like Swati Parrack and Moumita Ghosh, who have been teaching the online German courses from the very beginning. Swati di has been associated with my parents in various capacities and has been a great support to ma in her endeavour of giving shape to Convergence. Like a true and kind teacher, she has gone out of the way to help her students in her class, even scheduling more than one session for particular topics, in case students have missed classes due to their unavailability. Moumita too has been exceptionally gracious and forthcoming with her time and efforts for the Convergence courses. When German level 2 course ended, and I hesitatingly inquired about whether she’d have time for another course (German 3), to my happiest surprise, she readily agreed! Not only is she an erudite scholar of Sanskrit, but I have seldom seen a humbler and a gentler personality. I am greatly honoured to have them in our Convergence family.

Debdas Mondal, who has been one of ma’s younger colleagues at Jadavpur University, has been a stoic and unwavering backbone of the organisation right from the beginning. He creates the links for the Convergence online lecture series and hosts them, introducing ma and the vision of Convergence to the audience. I am truly grateful to him for sparing time and efforts towards being part of the Convergence family.

Last but not the least, all my gratitude to our students in the various courses (in the past and the current courses) for enthusiastically participating in the online courses of Convergence making ma’s efforts of creating such an organisation, a huge success. My thanks also to scholars and students who visit the Convergence library frequently from near and far, making ma’s dreams of the library serving the student/research scholar community, come true. And of course, I am grateful to all those who have come forward to give online lectures at the Convergence platform.

I hope you will continue to be by my side with all your blessings, support and wishes, the way you have been beside Ma, in her journey heading Convergence.

Happy conversing!

Soumyanetra