Shriya Laksmi’s Creation Took Her Family to Visit New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art

 

Shriya Laksmi’s Creation

Took Her Family to Visit New York City’s

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Sachi G. Dastidar

In the 2020-2021 academic year little Shriya (Lakshmi) Ghosh Dastidar, a first grader in Public School 133 of School District 26 of Queens Borough of New York City, won accolade by being selected as the creator of top art work in her grade. Shriya is the daughter of Shuvo and Sumedha. The award was announced in spring. Before the school year ended in July the world famous attraction of Metropolitan Museum of Art began display of selected art work of New York City primary through high school students. The museum is located in the Museum Mile of New York City’s Manhattan borough, next to the Central Park. Her parents and grandparents weren’t able to visit Manhattan, the other part of New York City they live in until Sunday, July 31, 2021. Incidentally, Shriya’s father went to the same primary school and her grandfather was elected in 1996 to her School District 26 making grandpa the first person of her heritage to be popularly elected in New York State when they formed a tiny minority.

These days, because of Covid crisis, one has to get an entry ticket for a particular time, and wear a face mask. Although New York City is almost near normal, yet some restrictions are maintained for greater good.

So on Sunday, Shriya got up early, had breakfast, and left for the museum in the morning, with her parents and grandparents. It turned out to be a perfect day for travel with bright sunshine and moderate temperature. The city and the museum were real busy with tourists. It gave her family a chance to visit the huge museum after a long time. Truly speaking, it takes more than a day to go through the entire museum covering human history of thousands of years. After the visit, her aunt Pishi and uncle Pishey, Joyeeta and Edward, took her for a treat to celebrate her achievement.

The visit started with the section containing New York City students’ art work, followed by other sections of ancient art work.

Here are some pictures from the visit:

 

The Museum of Modern Art

 

The Museum of Modern Art

Waiting for Opening of the Museum

 

Shriya Showing her Painting of ”Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood”

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood

 

Note on Painting of “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” of Shriya

 Shriya Showing her Artwork to Visitors

Panel Display of Shriya with Other Grades

Another Panel of Student Work

Another Panel of Student Work

Student Art Work Appreciated by Shriya

 

With Family

Ancient Greek Art

Ancient Buddhist Art

 Arts of the Indian Subcontinent

 Arts of Ancient Indian Subcontinent, now Pakistan

 

Art of Ancient India

 

Arts of Hindu Deity, Ancient India

Art of Ancient China

 Japanese Garden

 Ancient Egyptian Art

  Nearby Guggenheim Museum

 Shriya Explaining to Her Mother

 Shriya at Her Painting

 Congratulations to Shriya and her parents. Best wishes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Probini Foundation Girls’ Hostel (Dormitory) at Andharmanik Girls’ High School, Kochua, Bagerhat, Bangladesh

 

Dedication of

Probini Foundation Girls’ Hostel (Dormitory) at

Andharmanik Girls’ High School, Kochua, Bagerhat, Bangladesh in 2008

Sachi G. Dastidar

In 2008 Probini Foundation of New York dedicated the Probini Foundation Girls’ Hostel building for the Andharmanik Girls’ High School at Kochua village of Bagerhart district –  formerly of Khulna district – of southwestern Bangladesh. This is a public school. It is located at one of remotest parts of the nation. It was a wonderful and joyous event attended by many students, parents and neighbors. Probini received an appeal from the school to help build a dormitory as many girls after passing junior level classes weren’t able to walk back to home, especially after dark, because of violence and oppression. As is the norm for Probini, a year back Probini Executive Secretary Mr. Shuvo G Dastidar and this writer visited the school at their own cost and time and gave a first-hand report to the Executive Committee in New York. It is so remote that on their first trip they had to travel as a passenger on a rented motor cycle, while returning on a tractor-pulled flat-bed uncovered accessory. Probini was approached by Gharami family of Kochua and presented their request at Probini’s meeting in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. In 2008 trip we took bus from Dhaka City that takes over 8 hours for the 260 kilometers or little over 200-mile trip in that evergreen riverine nation with river ferries. 

 

 

Bangladesh and Southern Coastal Bsgerhat District in Red

In 2008 Mrs. Pratima Roy Chowdhury, of Kolkata, India, and a former teacher, Dr. Ananta Roy, a business executive of Dhaka, Hon. Rev. Monk Jiban Maharaj of Bangladesh and this writer visited the opening and dedication ceremony in Kochua. In typical Bengali style Mr. & Mrs. Anil Krishna Gharami Bidyabhusan (meaning Person Wearing the Glory of Education), an indigenous Hindu minority, founder of the school, hosted Roy Chowdhury and this writer at their traditional yet two storied thatch-roofed rural home with all modern amenities and warmth. It was a wonderful experience.

The ceremony opened with an invocation by Hindu Monk Rev. Swami Jiban Maharaj, followed by the visitors, Head Mistress Debi Rani Ghosh, Assistant Head Mistress Madhabi Gharami and many more. In typical Bengali/Indian/ Subcontinent tradition the day was declared as a day of celebration by the public school. It must be noted that swamiji must be thanked profusely for his dedication and hard work – visiting the distant place and at times camping there for weeks at his own cost and hardship when the building was being built. The project was completed in time and within the estimated cost. We thank swamiji for that.

The dedicated plaque includes the following donors’ names on the tablet. They are, Probini Foundation (New York) Members, Andharmanik Girls’ School’s Students, Parents, Neighbors and Friends, Srimati (Ms.) Baby Chowdhury, Sri (Mr.) Dr. Sabyasachi Ghosh Dastidar & Srimati Shefali Sengupta Dastidar, Srimati Chan Jamoona, Srimati Dr. Kusumita Priscilla Pedersen, Sri Louise Auchincloss, Sri Srikant Mookherjee, Sri Dr. Mihir Meghani, For the late Henry James Linger by Dr. Eloise Linger and James Harsch, Srimati Dr. Joyeeta Ghosh Dastidar, Sri Ronald Moehle, Sri and Srimati Dr. Anup K. & Kathy Lahiry, Sri Shuvo Ghosh Dastidar, Sri & Srimati Saumya Nandi & Martha Delgado, Drishtipat: A Bangladeshi-American Organization.  

Here are some of the pictures of that event.

 

The Tablet

 

The New Building

 

The Opening of the Donor's Plaque

 

One Area of the Celebration Pandal (Covered Area)

 

A Dedication Presentation, a Teacher Introducing Mrs. Pratima Roy Chowdhury (Black Sari)