Deep Banerjee: 2017

Wednesday, 5 April 2017

Nautanki by TMC candidate for Lok Sabha 2014 elections

A friend of mine has been awarded a ticket to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Kolkata on behalf of a political party trying to spread its wings.
A common friend wrote to me saying that I must physically campaign for our friend.

My response (you need to understand Bangla):
"Aamar gayer rang'ta kaalo hoe jaabe bujhecho toh. Aamake koekta sundor dekhe gaamcha kinte hobe. Bheja gaamchai onek shanti paabo. Aabar keu bolbe na toh je aamra chakranto korchi".

(English translation: "I'll get dark. I need to buy a couple of cute looking traditional cloth towels. Wet towels will keep me in peace. Hopefully nobody is going to say that this too is a conspiracy" .... that's my manifesto).

If 'ALL' sized actors (nyekis!) of yesteryears can do such nautankis on national TV channels, can the campaigners be left far behind :P :P :P

P.S: This is a post by me on my Facebook wall on April 5, 2014.

Monday, 27 February 2017

Deep's 55th Birthday celebration at Beliaghata home with Diya and Diksha on 2017-01-18

55th Birthday celebration (of self) at Beliaghata home with Diya and Diksha on 2017-01-18.

28th Marriage Anniversary Dinner at Golden City Chinese Restaurant, FD Block, Salt Lake, Kolkata on 2016-06-28

28th Marriage Anniversary Dinner with Diya and Diksha at Golden City Chinese Restaurant, FD Block, Salt Lake, Kolkata on 2016-06-28.

Tuesday, 21 February 2017

Metro Dairy retailer, Rajesh ensuring Customer Delight for me

I (Deep Banerjee) got stuck up for work at College Street in Kolkata on 15/02/2017 and was craving for a mug of my favorite hot coffee after returning home. Called up wifey at home and was told that there was no milk in stock in the fridge.

Rajesh Mahato, the friendly retailer of Metro Dairy in Jora Mandir, Beliaghata, Kolkata near my house normally closes shop at 7.45pm.

Nevertheless, I phoned Rajesh at 8.15pm and told him about my predicament. He insisted that he will hang on exclusively for me although he had just closed shop. My advice to him to proceed for any other work he might have at that hour fell on deaf ears.

The affable milk retailer handed over the bottle of milk to me flashing his ubiquitous warm smile the moment I parked outside his shop atleast a good 90 mins after his normal closing time.

I felt pampered. I was overjoyed.

That was Rajesh's way of ensuring Customer Delight for a friendly customer who is a regular at his shop since the past 3 years.

Friends, what's your message for Rajesh?
Atleast say a hello to him. That will make him feel happy.
I'd also request the top management of Metro Dairy to congratulate Rajesh for the good work he does every day.

Tuesday, 7 February 2017

Visit to Kolkata Book Fair on 2017-02-03

After a gap of over 7 years visited the International Kolkata Book Fair at the sprawling Milan Mela grounds on 2017-02-03 evening to gauge the effect of online sales on the ubiquitous book fair.

It was evident that today's generation prefers to spend quality time at any of the numerous Cafe Coffee Days' or a multiplex or just window shopping at glitzy malls or under the sheets in a room next to their parent's bedroom!

Young gaudily dressed liberated women were the only ones who were seen smoking vociferously sitting on the tiled grounds.

The typical Bengali 'aatels' (read, intellectuals) were very few and their absence was tell-tale.

Engineering colleges and Universities trying to sell the American dreams to pathetically mediocre students were hard pressed for footfalls into their respective stalls.

The entire event has become more of a 'food fair'.

Most of the well-stocked book stalls wore a deserted look with just a handful of visitors seen loitering aimlessly inside!

I myself had no intention of buying any books whatsoever even on impulse and had purposely carried a meagre sum of Rs185 only in cash and left behind the plastic money at home.

If at all I would have found any books of interest, I would have come back home and ordered the same online at a hefty discount.

Bumping into #Pats76 school batchmate Bibhas Biswas and his wife Ajanta Biswas at the fair grounds made the evening even more enjoyable.

Kolkata's famous Book Fair, if treated as a product, is at the declining stage of a Product Life Cycle. It's high time that strategies are worked out for its revival before it meets the proverbial watery grave!