Counting Down to NABC A Mid Summer Dream in the Heart of Texas
By Partha Sarathi Chatterjee
HOUSTON: North American Bengali Conference 2015, organized by Tagore Society of Houston, is knocking on the door. Space City Houston, is awaiting the launch of Banga Sammelan to a new orbit at the George R. Brown Convention Center from July 10-12 (www.nabc2015.org). Using social media like Facebook and Twitter to introducing mobile apps for the first time will set a precedent in the history of NABC.
The conference will kick off with the business forum on July 9 and 10 highlighting the future of energy, Port of Houston and fracking to LNG (www.houston 2025.org).
A team of close to 200 volunteers led by the executive committee of Sanku Bose, Tapan Das, Partha Chatterjee and Gopendu Chakrabarti is working diligently – planning out every detail of the conference. T is going to be used to to bring exhibitors and companies from across India, Bangladesh and Middle East under one roof. We are also bringing handicrafts, gems, jewelry, fashion, sarees from not only Bengal, but Mumbai, Mysore, Hyderabad, Gujarat and Middle East. Fashion shows, involving some eminent personalities, will showcase apparel and jewelry – bring a glamour factor to the conference.
Medical forums and preventive health care seminars, holistic wellness fair with Yoga-Ayurveda-Acupuncture-Meditation-Massage sessions and most importantly free health screening sessions will be a big hit.
We have enlisted the eminent music director Debojyoti Mishra and dance director Tanushree Shankar for putting together the opening and closing ceremonies, coordinating dances, skits and songs by a big group of domestic performers. Banga Sammelan is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the big name performers – Shreya Ghosal kicking off her US tour in Houston. Add to the list the sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, and the musical group of RED of Sivamani and Suchi fame.
A total of 70 odd artists will bring their wide repertoire of music to Houston – Manomoy, Pramita, Sounak, Aditi, Ronu, Debojyoti, Kinjal, Parnava, Keka, Saikat, Saheb, Iman, Riddhi, Santanu, Biplab, Biswanath, Rini and so many. It will feature classical and traditional songs including Rabindra Sangeet and Baul to modern and fusion songs – it will be a musical feast.
Film Festival committee has been coordinating with many film makers in bringinging a premium list of films to present to NRI Bengalis like Kadambari, Lorai, Bitnoon, Family album, 89 etc. Konkona, Paoli, Parambrata, Saswata, Gargi and others will be adding to the celebrity glamour quotient along with the famed director Gautam Ghose.
NABC literary committee has put together a glittering list of names who will headline literary discussions – Sirshendu, Harsha, Chitra Divakaruni, Selina Hossain, Amarendra, Satyam, Bithi, Aryanil, Nabakumar, Satinath, and many more. It will be a good mix of NRI writers along with writers from Kolkata.
NABC 2015 Drama Team will be staging a fantastic drama by Debesh and Debshankar group with eminent artists from Kolkata and twelve dramas some even from United Kingdom and Finland – a truly global but Bengali experience!
Seminars with Krishna Bose, Sugato Bose, Swadesh Chatterjee and retired justice Shyamal Sen will discuss current topics and throw light on the past, present and future of India. Swami Ishatmanada, head monk of Vedanta Society of Chicago, will speak on Future of Humanity.
An incredible exhibition of Tagore Paintings and Art of Bengal with Shuvaprasanna, Ganesh Pyne, Subroto Gangopadhyay, and others will also be showcased at the conference.
Techno India will share Bishwer Shera Bangali, CAB will also confer awards to distinguished Bengali personalities from all over the world. A sparkling awards ceremony is in the works, befitting those stars.
Hopefully, the new NABC will be a revitalized conference, not only dedicated to the culture and arts but will contribute something concrete to the global community and Bengal, be it green initiatives or social entrepreneurship bringing value to donors and sponsors from the US, India and beyond – thus realizing the goal and potential of the global platform of the conference.