Pragoti Editorial Team

150th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore: the Universal Poet

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May 9, 2010 marks the 150 birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, one of the greatest poets and thinkers India has ever produced. In the present day World, riddled with war and violence, his writings on universal humanness and peace are more relevant than ever.
 
The multi-cultural educational efforts carried out by Tagore became an inspiration to educators around the world, and schools following his philosophy of human unity were created in many countries.

91 years ago in Jallianwalla Bagh

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 91 years ago on this day, hundreds of peacefully gathered Indians were shot dead or drowned after the British ordered firing on them in Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. The firing lasted 10 minutes and 1650 rounds were fired or 33 rounds per soldier. Though the official figures of deaths from the British records state 379 fatalities , however the actual figure was more than 1000 with over 2000 wounded. According to Dr Smith a civil surgeon there were 1526 casualties.

Homage to Comrade Jyoti Basu

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One of the stalwart communist leaders of India and the head of the longest elected communist government anywhere in the world - Comrade Jyoti Basu breathed his last at the ripe age of 96 at Kolkata today.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), whose first politburo (PB), constituted in 1964 included Comrade Jyoti Basu - in fact he was last surviving member of that PB - pays its homage to its leader in this statement.

Homage to Juan Almeida

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One of the stalwarts of the Cuban Revolution and a symbol of the achievements of both the 26th of July movement as well as its successor, the Cuban Communist Party, Commandante Juan Almeida Bosque breathed his last on September 11,aged 82. Pragoti pays homage to Comrade Almeida.

Fifty Years Ago: Food Movement of 1959

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In post-independence and post-partition Congress-ruled West Bengal, the echoes of famine continued to be heard in the 1950s. The collusion between rice mill-owners, jotdars and food hoarders created an artificial food crisis. These proprietor segments, who controlled rice distribution, also exercised a strangle-hold over the villages and formed the rural backbone of the Bengal Congress.

Habib Tanvir in thought and action

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As a further tribute to Habib Tanvir,Pragoti presents an article written by the veteran leftist actor and director on the struggle for radical theatre.

Guernica Revisited

Guernica Revisited

Pragoti revisits the bombing and destruction of Guernica eighty-two years ago on this day. A centre of resistance to the Falangists who were determined to overthrow the elected Republican government of Spain, the town in the Basque country was targetted for annihilation by the Nazi airforce sent by Hitler in aid of Franco.

Pragoti commemorates the 138th anniversary of Paris Commune

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Pragoti commemorates the 138th anniversary of the establishment of the first worker’s government on 26 March 1871