Patna Book Fair 1991: Seminars, Cultural Events & Intellectual Dialogues That Shaped a Generation

PATNA BOOK FAIR 1991 : 1-15 DECEMBER

REMEMBRANCE

We had also organised several programmes including seminars, audio quiz, English debate, Hindi debate, Hindi and English extempore speech, general quiz, sports quiz, on-the-spot painting, dumb charade, jam session, general quiz in Hindi/Sanskrit and antarakshi during the event. The celebrated quizmaster Mr Neil O’ Brien emceed sports quiz on 4th December with a lot of his famous panache thrown in. His sparkling wit added a light and sporting flavour to scenario. At the go the teams were sounded on the tricky questions up his sleeves, but he himself found later that two teams were as good as any other.

Answers came sailing in while everyone watched intent. The occasional slips by the team were picked up for amusement they might contain. When we asked about the event that could be held on water, sand as well as ice, one replied ‘track and field, while another preferred skating. Mr Neil O’ Brien suggested to the latter to try it for himself outside. Chiefly involved with the sports-world annual quiz, as the then Deputy General Manager, Oxford University Press, his interests spread to the book 📚 event too. He found the lighting particularly remarkable and the space well utilised. Besides this, a cultural programme including drama, folk song, classical and instrumental music was also held.

As regards the seminar, Dr B.K. Sinha, the Executive Director, Centre for Communication Resources Department, New Delhi gave a talk on 4th December. A seminar on the Role of Media in Education was held under the chairmanship of Prof U.K. Singh, Executive Director of Dr Zakir Hussain Institute, Patna gave the keynote address. Viewing the growing need for environmental protection a one-day workshop on ‘Industry and Environment: Need for Co-ordination’ was held on 5th December in which Dr R.C. Prasad, the then Chairman, Bihar State Pollution Board, Dr R.N. Trivedi, the then Head of the Department of Environmental Science, Magadh University, Dr C.B. Sharma, Public Health Institute and Father Athikal of St. Xaviers School had been invited to present their views.

A lecture cum demonstration symposium on the topic ‘Role of computers in education’ was organised on Friday, 6th December in the fairground by Prof A.K. Nayak, Secretary, Computer Society of India while the seminar on ‘Role of library in educational development’ was held on Saturday, 7th December in which Dr B.P. Mishra, Chief Librarian, Patna University and Dr Ram Shobhit Singh, Chief Librarian, Sinha Library had been invited to present their papers. A ‘kavi-sammelan’ had also been organised on the theme ‘Literature and education for national integration’ on 8th December in which noted poets and personalities had been invited to participate.

The President of Patna Book Fair Dr Lala Surajnandan Prasad, eminent paediatrician and Ex-Director of the Rajendra Memorial Research Institute held a seminar on ‘AIDS in relationship to kala-azar’ on Monday, 9th December in the book fair premises. Dr Prasad pointed out that kala-azar is a parasitic infection in which the organic leishmania donovani attacks the immune system and makes the patient vulnerable to so many infection as in case of AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). He said Dr Modabber of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Geneva had recently pointed to the dreadful combination of kala-azar and AIDS in India, particularly in the endemic areas.

He also explained that presently there are reports of about sixty symptomatic cases of AIDS in the country but HIV is estimated to have infected 2,50,000 to 3,00,000 people. If urbanisation of kala-azar occurs to any extent then there is the apprehension of a real trouble in the face of density of our population. He delivered the keynote address while Dr Umeshwar Prasad Verma, the then Chairman of the State Legislative Council (SLC) presided over the seminar. On the occasion, Dr Shyam Narayan Arya gave a talk on global epidemiological data and practical approach to limit the spread of AIDS in India. Dr B.B. Sinha gave a clinical presentation of a full-blown AIDS case and Dr Shiv Narayan Singh had spoken on seropositive cases without clinical manifestation and possible impact on kala-azar epidemic in Bihar, if the two infections co-exist. Ex- Central Health Minister Dr C P. Thakur, Ex-Health Minister of the State Dr Sudha Srivastava, Ex-Director of Bihar Health Services Dr Mahavir Das, Dr Dilip Sen and Dr Sandip Sen,who has studied kala-azar at London School School of Tropical Diseases also attended the seminar.

A seminar on the ‘Problems and prospects of literary programme in Bihar’ was held on Tuesday, 10th December. The present Working president of Patna Book Fair and Ex-Director of A.N. Sinha Institute of Social Studies Prof Sachidananda (Ex-Vice Chancellor, Ranchi University) was the Chief Guest on the occasion. A seminar on ‘Lalit kala in Bihar : Its problems and Solutions’ was also organised on Wednesday, 11th December which was presides over by Mr Chaturbhuj, a local dramatists. Various aspects of the problems faced by the artists in different fields were discussed at the seminar. Mr Chaturbhuj pointed out that theatre workers had problems due to lack of a proper place to rehearse tteir productions. Therefore drama needed to be included in the syllabli of schools and colleges in Bihar to give it recognition in the state. Mr Paresh Sinha said that most of the cultural groups presenter programmes either to get grants only or to propagate their political ideologists. Mr Harendra Prasad, the then Assistant Director of the Department of Culture explained that the troupes which really wanted to do something worthwhile lacked sufficient funds. But one should not blame the government totally for all this.

He added that unless the cultural workers form a united front their demanda and problems in an organised manner the government feels helpless in the matter. The noted sculptor Mr Damodar Prasad Ambastha, recounting some of his experiences showed how the artists of the State have devoted themselves to this medium despite many hurdles. A litterateur Mr Ajat Shatru was of the opinion that theatre today failed to get a steady audience because most plays had themes which were above the mental level of the common man. Therefore, it did not interest them. As a female artist Priti Mathur felt that ladies had specific problems in the field of art. Mr Miteshwar Prasad drew the attention of all towards the art of driftwood and its problems. The seminar was attended by many art lovers and artists of the city.

An art exhibition was also organised on the occasion. The pieces on display were to some extent representatives of the city’s artists, both old and young. There were driftwood pieces of Mr Miteshwar Prasad besides graphic works of Archana, Ranjana and a few paintings of Sachin, Birendra, Rohit and Amit. The art exhibition was inaugurated by the editor of The Times of India (Bombay) Mr Deelip Padgaonkar. He was impressed to find such activities going on in Bihar and had assured that next time he would like to devote more time to it in the fairground.