Gopal Krishna Gokhale had once quoted “What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow” while defining the role of the region in India’s freedom struggle.
In sync with the above adage Honourable Union Minister of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel Mr Dharmendra Pradhan spoke about the pivotal importance of Eastern India in shaping the future of the entire nation during Purvadaya – The Rise of the East & North-East, a platform where eminent leaders from the field of Art, Culture & Industry met virtually to share their vision about the rise of a golden era of the East & North East.
The panel comprised Abhay Jain, President of NGTWA, Chairman of International Human Rights Association, who said, “Calcutta is everyone’s gateway but unfortunately the city’s development have been stalled for the last 40 years. The city has a hunger- to rejuvenate its cultural perspective. And this time we are trying our best to bring back the lost spirit of the city and Bengal.” He further added, “The sun will shine again but this time the shinning will be of justice.”
The leaders of eminence met to discuss and about the developmental roadmap of Bengal and The Seven-Sister states of the North-east in the near future.
Honourable Union Minister of Oil, Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan said, “West Bengal has always been the epicentre of rich cultural heritage which has lost its way recently. Swami Vivekananda’s vision and Ramkrishana’s ideology have always ensured that Bengal remains the potpourri of Culture, Philosophy and Spiritual studies. It is time to revive the same so that Bengal gets back its lost glory of being the crown jewel of the East.”
Sunil Kanoria, vice chairman, Srei Infrastructure finance limited, who was the Guest of Honour at the event, said, Agriculture, Agro-Industry, Tourism and the Services Industry are three sectors where Bengal has the potential to flourish due to the abundance of skilled and unskilled labour. If given proper infrastructure, Bengal will rise again as it has unparalleled connectivity via roads, rail and river hence has the perfect ecosystem for Industrial development.
Speaking on the occasion, Biplab Guha, ED, retired, ONGC, said, “Bengal and Bengalis have immense hidden talent. We only need to harness it in national mainstream.” Concluding his speech, he added, “It is sad but true that the people of Bengal leave their motherland and migrate to other states to make opportunities since it is not available here. The right system, right regulatory bodies, necessary impetus of nurturing talent and adequate world class R&D hubs will help retain the skilled and super-skilled to remain in the country and thus would ensure economic prosperity of the region and nation as a whole.”
The other speakers, namely, Rajesh Bhutoria, President of JITO and MD, Vicom Securities Pvt Ltd, Sri Harshvardhan Patodia, Chairman and MD of Unimark, S. Malik, Principal, Stem World School who were also present in the event, shared their insights about developing Bengal as a whole.
