Sundeep Bhutoria Nominated to the Board of Victoria Memorial Hall by Ministry of Culture
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 14: The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, has nominated prominent Kolkata-based cultural personality, author and philanthropist, Sundeep Bhutoria, to the Board of Trustees of the Victoria Memorial Hall (VMH) for a three-year term.
"Victoria Memorial Hall is embedded in Bengal's psyche as an icon of art, architecture, and culture. I am proud to associate with a glorious heritage symbol for Bengal and the nation - an enduring icon of art and architecture whose cultural initiatives I greatly admire. It is an honour to associate and contribute," said Mr Bhutoria whose deep roots in the cultural sector include current service on the Board of Trustees of the Indian Museum, Kolkata.
Mr Bhutoria brings a formidable portfolio of cultural and philanthropic engagement: Fellow of London's Royal Society of Arts; member of Royal Overseas League London, India International Centre (IIC), India Habitat Centre (IHC) and Rajasthan International Centre and trustee of Education for All Trust.
He is also a Member of the Expert Committee of the Cultural Function and Production Grant of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and a brand ambassador for the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC).
Mr Bhutoria's global impact includes representing India at United Nations Associations (UNA) forums. He was instrumental in setting up The WFUNA Foundation - a global non-profit organization that promotes the principles and work of the United Nations. The WFUNA Foundation, launched in 2015 by the then Foreign Minister of India, Ms Sushma Swaraj, supports youth-led initiatives and works to advance the United Nation's mission in India.
As Managing Trustee of the Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF), he actively promotes Indian art, literature, and culture across India, Europe, the USA, and West Asia and is also engaged in preserving folk art and culture of India. PKF is also engaged in various social welfare activities involving children, women and the elderly.
Mr Bhutoria has also curated popular branded cultural events like An Author's Afternoon, Aakhar, Chaupal, Ek Mulakat, Kalam, Kitaab, Lafz, Tete-a-Tea, The Write Circle and The Universe Writes. All these events have created a series of social and cultural calendar bringing together litterateurs and literary groups spanning the country and beyond.
Mr Bhutoria, who is also on the board of Petronet LNG Ltd, has also launched many CSR projects for corporates. He is actively involved with prestigious organizations like The Bengal - a Kolkata based NGO of prominent citizens; Pronam - a joint venture of The Bengal and Kolkata Police to support senior citizens of Kolkata.
A prolific author and globetrotter, his works include - The Safari, China Diary, The Norway Diary, Global Desi, Calcuttascape, Aap Biti Jag Biti, The Bera Bond, Amar Kolkata and My Life My Travels.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
3 hours ago
- India.com
Boeing 737 plane of American Airlines aborts takeoff, catches fire after landing gear failure, 173 passengers rescued; chilling video goes viral
(Image: X/@krithi_sharma) New Delhi: A major accident was averted on Saturday, July 27, at Denver International Airport in America. The takeoff of American Airlines' Boeing 737 Max 8 plane had to be aborted due to failure of landing gear. During this, a fire broke out in the rear part of the plane. This flight was going to Miami. When did the mishap occur? The incident happened at 2:45 pm US time (2.15 am Indian time). There were a total of 173 passengers and 6 crew members on board the plane. All were evacuated through emergency slide. 6 people suffered minor injuries in the accident, one of whom has been admitted to the hospital. FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and airlines have started investigating the matter. What did American Airlines say? American Airlines confirmed that there was a technical fault in the plane's tyre, due to which it has been removed from service. It is being investigated. At the same time, the fire department said that the fire in the plane was extinguished. A new aircraft has been prepared to take the passengers to Miami. The ground stop was in effect at the airport from 2 pm to 3 pm, due to which 87 flights were affected. Now normal operations have started at the airport. Similar incident occurred in March Earlier in March, an American Airlines aircraft had to make an emergency landing at Denver International Airport due to engine related problems. Just 24 hours before this incident, 'Southwest Flight 1496' had to make a sudden 'nose drop' (dive downwards) to avoid a mid-air collision while flying from Burbank, California to Las Vegas, due to which the passengers jumped from their seats and hit the ceiling.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
1.3 lakh appear for CET in Gurgaon, buses deployed to take them to centres
Gurgaon: The Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) conducted the Common Eligibility Test (CET) 2025 over the weekend. Held in four sessions across 145 examination centres in the city on Saturday and Sunday, a total of 1,32,209 candidates appeared for the exam. According to official data, 33,040 candidates appeared in the first session on Saturday, followed by 32,963 in the second. On Sunday, 33,108 candidates took the morning session, and 33,098 appeared in the afternoon session. To facilitate the transportation of Faridabad-based candidates to centres in Gurgaon, 135 buses were arranged in both sessions over two days. Deputy commissioner Ajay Kumar visited examination centres on Sunday and kept a close watch on arrangements throughout the day. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon Following the peaceful and successful conclusion of the examination, he extended congratulations to the police department, transport officials, GMCBL, and the entire district team for their efforts. Teams from administration, police, and civil defence also played a crucial role in helping candidates reach their respective centres efficiently. The district control room assisted more than 1,500 candidates, reflecting the administration's commitment to a smooth examination process.
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
The tale of the tigers
Where it all began… Did you know that a rough conservative estimate of India's tiger population at the start of the 20the Century was around 40,000? The top end of the estimates even placed the number of tigers in the Indian subcontinent in 1900 at around 1,00,000! That number, however, nosedived to a mere 1,827 in 1972, the estimated population figure the result of a nation-wide tiger census conducted that year. This meant that in just 70 years, only about one in every 25 tigers (or 4 out of every 100) remained, even if we were to start with the conservative estimate. The dismally low number was an urgent call for action. The Government of India set up the Project Tiger in 1973 with the primary objective of protecting the Bengal Tiger, and its natural habitats, while ensuring a viable tiger population for ecological balance. Secondary objectives included controlling poaching and illegal trades, raising awareness about tiger conservation among the public, and developing and incorporating better methods to monitor tiger populations. How was it implemented? A multi-pronged approach has been employed to implement Project Tiger through the last half a century or so. Central to it has been the establishment of tiger reserves, which are managed with a core-buffer strategy. While the core areas enjoy legal protection as national parks or sanctuaries, buffer zones around the core areas allow for sustainable human activities, balancing conservation efforts with local needs. The tiger reserves are designed such that they serve as secure habitats for the tigers, and minimise human-wildlife conflict. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was established under the Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972 and serves as the wildlife conservation agency that provides regulatory oversight and also manages the funding of Project Tiger. Even though the project is an initiative by the Indian government, a number of collaborators from other countries and organisations have also lent their support to aid the efforts of tiger conservation. Data that highlights the project's success 50+ When the project was started, there were nine tiger reserves, including the iconic Jim Corbett National Park – India's first national park, established in 1936. In a little over 50 years, the number of tiger reserves have ballooned to more than 50, meaning that the country has been adding almost one tiger reserve every year. As big as Jharkhand When Project Tiger was launched in 1973, an area of 9,115 sq. km was encompassed by the nine reserves. As of 2025, the area under the 50+ reserves across 18 states in the country has gone past the 75,000 sq. km mark. If all those areas were to be placed together to form a single parcel of land, it would be comparable with the state of Jharkhand, which has an area of 79,714 sq. km. Over 2% of the country India has an overall area of 3.287 million sq. km. If the area demarcated as tiger reserves were compared with the total area of the country, it is a little over one-fiftieth of the total area. This means that over 2% (2.2%, if you wish to be more precise) of India's landmass is now devoted to this project. More than 3,000 tigers The most recent estimate of tiger population in the country ranges from a minimum of 3,167 to a maximum of 3,925, with an average of 3,682 – generally given out as the number of tigers in India. While a jump from 1,827 in 1973 to 3,682 in 2022 represents a commendable annual growth rate of 6.1%, the growth in reality was far from linear. This means that the rate of growth didn't steadily keep on increasing, and there were, in fact, even some dips before the numbers bounced back. The estimate in 2006, for instance, was 1,411 – even lower than the 1972 mark! This decrease from previous estimates actually led to a major overhaul in the way in which things were done, and they have borne fruit as the tiger numbers have more than doubled in the last two decades. Roughly 75% India's tiger population has, in fact, doubled in a decade according to a study whose results were published earlier this year. As a result, India is now home to roughly 75% of the global tiger population. Yes, you read that right. Three out of every four tigers in the world are now in India! A tigress's tale Programmes like Project Tiger do better off with a face. Machhli was the poster child of this conservation effort as she saw the numbers of her species both decline and grow during her lifetime. Meet Machhli Name: Machhli, also spelt Machli or Machali Tiger code: T-16 Gender: Female Species: Bengal tiger First seen: 1997 Died: August 18, 2016 Habitat: Ranthambore National Park Nicknames: Queen Mother of Tigers, Tigress Queen of Ranthambore, The Lady of the Lakes, Crocodile Killer Claims to fame: India's most famous tigress; labelled most photographed tigress in the world. Machhli inherited her name – Hindi word for 'fish' – from her mother and also because of the fish-shaped mark on her left ear. A dominant cub, she started hunting at the age of two and her ferocity was well documented throughout her lifetime. The most famous incident showcasing this is her fight with a 14-foot mugger crocodile, which she killed while losing a couple of canine teeth. She gave birth to five litters and raised 11 cubs, contributing significantly to the park's tiger count. Some of her cubs were even relocated as a couple of female cubs were transferred to Sariska Tiger Reserve to boost the big cats population there as well. She soon became a favourite subject for wildlife photographers and filmmakers, and her photogenic nature even earned her the title of being the most photographed tigress in the world. This had a strong impact on both tourism and conservation, as it brought more footfalls to Ranthambore and more eyeballs to the conservations efforts. As is to be expected, Machhli did split opinion as well. By the time she died in 2016 as a 19-year-old, she had far outlived most 'wild' tigers, who generally live to the age of 10-15. Her fame and the money that she brought in meant that she was tended for as she aged, raising questions of whether she was still 'wild' at all. If that weren't enough, some commentators even stated that the establishment was going out of the way to keep its star alive, even though she was no longer performing any ecological function. This drain in resources, they believed, could have been better employed in actual conservation efforts. Machhli was, doubtless, an icon. And when it comes to capturing the public's imagination and grabbing their attention, an icon always works. The Tiger Man of India If Machhli is seen as the face of Project Tiger, then Kailash Sankhala is the brains behind it. Nicknamed the 'Tiger Man of India,' Sankhala is an Indian biologist and conservationist who served as the first director of the project. Here's more about the man who lived for a cause that he cared about… An early start Born in Jodhpur in 1925, Kailash Sankhala obtained his master's degree in Botany from Jaswant College, Jodhpur in 1950. He went on to earn a postgraduate diploma in forestry from the Indian Forest College in Dehradun in 1953, and joined the Indian Forest Service (IFS) in 1957. Less than a decade after independence, when much of India was still coming to its feet, Sankhala began raising awareness about the plight of the tigers. As early as 1956, Sankhala had begun spreading the word about the alarming decline in their numbers, establishing himself as an early advocate for tiger conservation. Bear in mind that this was a time when tiger hunting was still a common practice, and there were countless problems plaguing the country as it was taking baby steps towards governing itself. Research and management As an IFS officer, Sankhala had a distinguished career. He managed a number of wildlife sanctuaries, including the ones at Sariska, Bharatpur, Van Vihar, and Ranthambore. By 1965, Sankhala had accepted the position of Director at the Delhi Zoological Park, a position he held for five years. His methods and innovative approach to zoo management earned him recognition as he completely changed how zoos in the country function. The practice of having animals perform for onlookers was stopped, and animals were provided enclosures that were akin to their natural habitats. By 1970, Sankhala had extensively studied tigers. His research on tiger population, their behaviour and population dynamics, paved the way for Project Tiger. He was also the first civil servant to receive the Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship in 1969-70 to study tigers. The first director Sankhala realised that the onus was on him to employ his knowledge to educate the public and persuade the government for conservation efforts. His efforts brought the attention of both national and international media to the issue of tiger conservation. Indira Gandhi, who was India's Prime Minister at the time, took notice of Sankhala's work. The hunting of wild animals was first banned, and then efforts were taken to protect tigers. When she set up a task force for the protection of tigers, Sankhala was part of it. Once the Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972 was passed, it was a matter of time before Project Tiger kicked-off. Gandhi had no doubts in appointing Sankhala as the project's first director. Under Sankhala's leadership, the project established nine tiger reserves, putting in place a nationwide network of protected areas. Along with his team, he came up with conservation strategies and implemented them, protecting the tiger and its habitat. Tiger Trust Sankhala literally lived for the cause that he had taken up, spending much of his lifetime to protect tigers, even after his tenure as the director of Project Tiger. In 1989, he set up Tiger Trust, a non-governmental organisation focussed on tiger conservation. Through this NGO, he tried to further the involvement of the community in the conservation efforts, while also bringing about initiatives and measures to preserve habitats and prevent poaching. He authored several influential books on wildlife and conservation, including 'Tiger! The Story of the Indian Tiger.' He received the Padma Shri award in 1992, a couple of years before his death in 1994, aged 69.
