You can see the pictures and videos posted here:
Gallery

and seem them as a slide show by clicking:
Slide show

[b]The Konark Dance and Music Festival 2010[/b]

Audio-video presentation of The Konark Dance & Music Festival, Orissa which was held from February, 19th to 23rd, 2010:
Audio-video presentation of The Konark Dance & Music Festival, Orissa which was held from February, 19th to 23rd, 2010.

Interview by Suchit Nanda of Padmashree Awardee Guru Gangadhar Pradhan who is the founder & director of Konark Natya Mandap situated at Arka Vihar, Konark, Orissa. February, 2010. Part 1 of 2:
Interview by Suchit Nanda of Padmashree Awardee Guru Gangadhar Pradhan who is the founder & director of Konark Natya Mandap situated at Arka Vihar, Konark, Orissa. February, 2010. Part 1 of 2

Interview by Suchit Nanda of Padmashree Awardee Guru Gangadhar Pradhan who is the founder & director of Konark Natya Mandap situated at Arka Vihar, Konark, Orissa. February, 2010. Part 2 of 2:
Interview by Suchit Nanda of Padmashree Awardee Guru Gangadhar Pradhan who is the founder & director of Konark Natya Mandap situated at Arka Vihar, Konark, Orissa. February, 2010. Part 2 of 2

Short video clip of Odissi Dance Group, Sutra Dance Theatre from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Gear: Nikon D3S, 14-24 mm f/2.8, 24-70 mm f/2.8, 70-200 mm f/2.8, SB-800

Welcome all comments & feedback, here or on the site itself:

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You are welcome to see the images as a slide show at:
http://www.photonicyatra.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=12417480&AlbumKey=pQumv
or individually as:

Many wrote back asking for this. Thank you. I’m happy to share the link below which has the JPG images and the link to the PDF files:

Both the MSSRF Books are available at http://www.photonicyatra.com/Features/

The first books is about how information and communication technology is impacting rural areas and the lessons learnt. The second is about human impact – listing change stories from rural India.

Reaching the Unreached
http://www.photonicyatra.com/Features/Reaching-the-Unreached/10999150_LjSEZ

and

Transformative Impact of ICT
http://www.photonicyatra.com/Features/Transformative-Impact-of-ICT/10999162_TaGUK

Please do visit MSSRF Books and I welcome all feedback.

Kind regards,

~ Suchit

The interview is split in four parts and can be viewed by clicking on the thumbnail images below:

[Part 1 of 4]

[Part 2 of 4]

[Part 3 of 4]

[Part 4 of 4]

Images of the book release function of the two books written for MSSRF can be seen by clicking the link.

Welcome your comments and messages.

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
~ Henry Brook Adams

It’s been over 25 years since the Class of 1984 left School and when we did, we exchanged goodbyes and set about our life’s journeys. Our teachers, fathers and other mentors worked so relentlessly to prepare us for this and all through these years their teachings and words of advice taught us to pursue excellence and goodness and learn humility in success. Words of encouragement throughout our schooling years, helped us sail through the most difficult and challenging phases of our lives and were the formative periods which shaped our lives. We made great friends, and lasting relationships which continues even today and will never be forgotten. So it was fitting that we celebrated this in a grand way by coming together – no matter which part of the world we were in now.

So after a quarter of a century since our batch of 1984 passed out of St. Xavier’s High School a few got together and planned a grand reunion of our batch at the school premises on the school premises on Sunday, December 27, 2009 to relive our school days. We got a chance to meet again, thank in person our teachers & mentors, relive old memories, share new stories and revive our bonds. It was such a great feeling, such a nostalgic period and so much fun going down memory lane – together.

Group Picture of St. Xavier’s High School – Batch of 1984 at their 25 YEAR REUNION meeting held on 27th December, 2009 at the School in Dhobi Talao, Mumbai.

We meet at school, took a walk through the corridors & classes, had a tug-of-war, a mock-class, some formal events, felicitation of our teachers and a great dinner & dance party.

St. Xavier’s High School – Batch of 1984 25 YEAR REUNION 27th December, 2009 was a grand success and here are some pictures of the event:

Presentation as images can be viewed by clicking here.

You can see here a large collection of images – Blast from the Past
St. Xavier’s High School – Old and new memories

There are certain fleeting moments in life that make you realize what the important things are. Moments that you cherish, moments that you want to embed in your consciousness and its those that make you realize that nothing really matters except for the people that you love and care about. You realize that nothing really lasts forever; the snap shots of time are fleeting and if you don’t stop and look around once in a while you might miss them. I think I have always known this at some subconscious level and that is the reason why I love photography so much. To me the ability to capture that moment and help bring it back to life later – over and over again is what makes photography so special. You can freeze that smile, that joy, that passion, that hunger visually forever and that moment will never age and never change in time. CLICK. It is amazing that you can capture a feeling, an emotion, a time period and all those things can reside forever either as a piece of paper or 1s and 0s on your computer. The really amazing thing is that this single piece of photo paper can have such a profound influence on your life.

Roopal is a dear friend – a friend I have know for over a decade and have visited her home and been with the family many times. Her husband Kushal is such a wonderful person – ever smiling and great company. He truly lives-the-moment – all the time. And I’ve seen the children grew up right before our eyes. So when the announcement was made that “kids” were getting engaged and married, I was delighted to be able to be a part of the family along with my wife to witness this first hand. Its such a warm feeling inside. Its hard to describe. What brought great joy was that we were not only going to be able to be a part of the process but also capture it visually through our lens. These are fleeting moments that are permanently etched in time and not everyone can be everywhere so its in a sense – the marriage seens through our eyes and lens…

I hope that one day when Roopal and Kushal are old and gray, which is a long time from now, when they have grandchildren all around the, they will open the computer, or show the prints to them and share the memories long past. In the true story-telling style, they will embed the values, the culture and tradition and weave the stories to the pictures and kindle the light within those tiny tots to carry the flame. I hope we are around then to be able to capture as now those precious moments and continue to share in the joy and happiness.

To me, photography is not just clicking pictures – anyone can do that. To me, I believe that photography is beautiful way of capturing and freezing emotions and being able to relive them log after the moment has passed. To share what others may not be witness to and be able to spread the happiness around. In that spirit, I’m happy to share the pictures from the pre-wedding, sangeet, and wedding as well as reception of Parthiv (s/o Roopal & Kushal Mehta) & Neha (d/o Heena & Shailesh Kapadia) held in Sun-n-Sand Hotel, Juhu, Mumbai on 20th December 2009.

You can take a look at the images posted at:
Wedding of Parthiv & Neha Mehta, Dec’09/>

Pictures of the book release and convocation are from the MSSRF Archives.

Arriving at the venue (CLRI, Chennai)

Book release and 6th Convocation funcation of NVA Fellows

Book "Reaching the Unreached" being released

First copy being handed out

Transformative Impact of ICT being released

Two book release function at Chennai

Suchit Nanda addressing the audience at the Book release of "Reaching the Unreached" and "Transformative Impact of ICT" and 6th Convocation of Jamsetji Tata National Virtual Academy (NVA) Fellows, 4th December, 2009 organized by M S Swaminathan Research Institute (Chennai) at CLRI, Chennai, TN.

Both books done for M S Swaminathan Research Foundation.

"Reaching the Unreached" book for MSSRF

Transformative Impact of ICT

Happy to share that some of my images are going to be exhibited at:

INDIA: ONE COUNTRY, DIFFERENT FACES
Gala Gallery
Event on Facebook
From November 21 – December 19, 2009 (Opening Reception: November 21, 2009, 7-10 pm) at Gala Gallery Art Cafe, Legacy Village, 24355 Cedar Road, Lyndhurst, OH 44124, +1 216 291 8875

You can see more details by clicking: Photo Exhibition INDIA ONE COUNTRY, DIFFERENT FACES