Regional media

Baljinder Kotbhara is a senior correspondent working with Nawan Zamana, a daily Punajbi vernacular from Jalandhar. He started his career as a correspondent with Ajj di Awaj -  a daily vernacular from Jalandhar - in 2000. His passion for highlighting the hardships of the poor has earned him recognition in Punjabi journalism. At present, he is also working on a research project highlighting the miseries of the labourers of this region. He has been associated with Desh Sewak and Ajit, leading Punjabi dailies, and has reported vastly on issues related to the masses. He has written a book Samraji taaktan ate Iraq Jang in 2005 and has translated around 10 books from Hindi into Punjabi.


Until Baljinder Kotbhara came out with a story on Shekhpura’s grave health issues such as mental disorders, growth disorders, cancer and motor neuron diseases, nobody really knew about them. Kotbhara visited Shekhpura, a village in Bathinda district, to get a close view of the unfortunate villagers who had been suffering from incurable diseases since their birth. The relatives of these patients, while sharing their pain and disillusion, said that they felt rejected at the hands of destiny. Some parents have fallen into neck deep debts while trying to arrange finances for the treatment of their children. It was found that the children born 1984 and 1988 became easy prey to the above mentioned deadly diseases.

Doctors are of the opinion that the high level of uranium and other dangerous heavy metals in the drinking water of this region is responsible for it.

This story appeared in a daily called Nawan Zamana and made a huge impact on the public as well as the administration, following which money started pouring in generously for the treatment of these children. A doctors’ team from Ludhiana visited the village and collected samples to get into the root causes of these diseases. After reading this story, an organisation named Help from USA sent Rs 50,000 approx for the treatment of two disabled girls of this village.

Madhuchanda Chakra borty is currently working as feature assistant for a Bengali daily, Dainik Statesman, sister publication of The Statesman Ltd, from Kolkata. A Physics Honours from Calcutta University, she said, “I have chosen journalism for two reasons - first for my passion for news, and second, I did not have any opportunity to go for higher studies. After working for two years in a Bangali daily Khaborer Kagoj, I joined Dainik Statesman seven years back.” According to her, upon hearing the news from Prof Sanyal what clicked in her mind was that Shyamsundar’s plight may not be a case in isolation. “May be several other Shyamsundars are striving to build their career but their dreams are shattered in the want for money,” she said. She added that she would be happy if the government ensured that no meritorious student suffered due to financial constraints.


Will power helps you to overcome all odds. This seems to befit Shyamsundar Pal who, despite acute poverty, ranked 54.206 in West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination. But there were other obstacles standing against his dream to study Computer Engineering at Pailan College. Born to a poor vegetable seller Rabindra Nath Pal, it was impossible for him to arrange Rs 67,000 as down payment to secure admission apart from Rs 100,000 per year including hostel expenses and semester fees. But he did not lose hope, and along with his father, he started knocking doors of known and unknown persons in Kolkata seeking assistance to fulfil his aspiration. Shyam’s attempt to reach Mamata Banerjee failed due to security reasons. He then met Prof Sunanda Sanyal, who heads the education department’s Advisory committee.
  

Prof Sanyal, recipient of IIPM’s Manavata Vikash Award, helped him with Rs 5000 from his pocket and requested others to help him too. Prof Sanyal shared Shyamsundar’s case with Madhuchnada Chakraborty, a scribe at Dainik Statesman, who promptly published his story. Her article on July 9 this year “Abhab ke pechone fele egie jete chai Shyamsunder” (Shyamsunder wants to march ahead leaving his financial constraints behind) was well-received and soon MP Subhendu Adhikari offered to bear Shyamsundar’s cost of education. Later, an unknown woman from Burdwan contacted Madhuchnada and proposed to bear the entire cost of study on the condition of anonymity.  Shyamsundar and his father met the kind-hearted lady, who not only provided them the required DD for admission but also assured them of bearing entire educational expenses including semester fees and hostel charges.