Social Science » Contemporary India

Effects of History: Tale of Two Neighbours

Anup Mukherjee — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:06:21 +0000

History is very powerful – not just conceptually – but emotionally, logically and politically. It hangs on the mind and shapes the mindset. We may even be getting influenced by it – even without realizing its power to shape us. Some might say we are scared of the ghosts! But ghosts are scary – isn’t it?

In . . . → Read More: Effects of History: Tale of Two Neighbours

Caste outside Hinduism

Anup Mukherjee — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 04:50:54 +0000

India is a land of complex mixing of traditions and cultures. Through its ever continuous evolution, it has developed local flavours of religions. It has adopted practices, assimilated traditions, and even transformed the religious practices that have emerged in foreign lands to the local situations and needs. One such social institution is that of caste. While, . . . → Read More: Caste outside Hinduism

India and English Language

Anup Mukherjee — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 04:47:40 +0000

Many years ago, a well known editor and columnist had written that since he writes in english, speaks most of the time in english, most of his reading is english, and he even consequently thinks in english, therefore his mother tongue ought to be English! At that time, such statement sounded too arrogant and whimsical. Having . . . → Read More: India and English Language

The Concept of Swaraj

Anup Mukherjee — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 04:42:55 +0000

This essay was presented at the Essay Competition-cum-Young Scholars Seminar on Concept of Swaraj, held under auspeicies of Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR), at Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya (University), Jabalpur, Feb 25-28, 1997.

Concept of Swaraj © Anup Mukherjee

Swaraje Namah : Salutation to the self ruling splendour – Atharva Veda

The impelling urge for freedom is innate in . . . → Read More: The Concept of Swaraj

Teacher Watching

Anup Mukherjee — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 04:37:38 +0000

For Peter Drucker, teacher watching was a favourite hobby. Peter Drucker, as we know was himself a great Management Guru, and originator of the Concept of Corporation. However, I was recently faced with a situation of perforce teacher watching, and in a different situation.

Yesterday, when I was going to Kolkata – at Durgapur a middle . . . → Read More: Teacher Watching

Finance and Profits

Anup Mukherjee — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 04:33:43 +0000

For some years now, I had wanted to read this book Finance and Profits by N.J. Yasaswy, but could mange only some extracts. By this time, this edition of the book that I have, is nearly 15 years old. So, I decided, that I should read it at least now. In the field of finance, the . . . → Read More: Finance and Profits

Market Practices

Anup Mukherjee — Sat, 12 Nov 2005 05:50:36 +0000

This might sound a simple and small thing, but is quite symptomatic on how a free market mechanism punishes the bad trader, and at the same time how a a cartelised market is a bad place to shop.

A week back I had gone to the vegetable market, and at one shop there was good potatoes – . . . → Read More: Market Practices

Independence Day and Legacy of Mangal Pandey

Anup Mukherjee — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 15:24:11 +0000

India celebrated its 59th independence day today (58 years of independence). Some cynic would say, that the republic is already old and it should prepare for its retirement (as a republic, India is 55 something). More optimists would say that India has learned over the years, and the people and leadership and the republic as a . . . → Read More: Independence Day and Legacy of Mangal Pandey

Initiation for the Probasi

Anup Mukherjee — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 15:11:41 +0000

“You are a Bihari, huh”? No! I protest, I am Mukherjee. “You are a Mukherjee!” – the man said with questioning disbelief and astonishment. “So where is your home?”. I say, I live at Asansol. “No-no”, he again protests – “where do you belong, where have you been brought up?”, he now asks with greater clarity. . . . → Read More: Initiation for the Probasi

Asansol Film Festival and Amu

Anup Mukherjee — Sun, 20 Mar 2005 07:58:36 +0000

The film festival at Asansol is held around this time of the year. This comprises a handful of good films – English, Hindi, Bengali – that are shown over a week at the Rabindra Bhavan. This time we decided that we would go to watch a film. We decided on Amu that has been written, . . . → Read More: Asansol Film Festival and Amu

Calcutta and Sourav’s

Anup Mukherjee — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 11:40:55 +0000

Recently we went to Calcutta. Apart from some works of importance, we decided that this time we would see the new face of Kokata. Kolkata, as Calcutta is now known is changing and for the good. It is developing both in terms of infrastructure as well as in terms of many newer things. While it can . . . → Read More: Calcutta and Sourav’s

Understanding India through Films

Anup Mukherjee — Thu, 14 Oct 2004 06:08:48 +0000

Films of India come in various shades. There are the masala films of Bollywood, which is the popular mainstream cinema. There are the serious films of the parallel movement, and then there are topical and special films that deal with different issues. This last category films can deal . . . → Read More: Understanding India through Films

Magic of P.C. Sorcar

Anup Mukherjee — Fri, 08 Oct 2004 06:00:54 +0000

Bengal is famous for magic – and the most famous contemporary magician of Bengal is P.C. Sorcar – who is the son of the famous magician of the same name. So he adds ‘Junior’ as suffix.

Yesterday we went to see the Magic show of P.C. Sorcar Young that was conducted at the Rabindra Bhawan at . . . → Read More: Magic of P.C. Sorcar