Hero of Congo – Lance Naik Gurung

India was one of the United Nations countries that sent troops to Congo to restore peace there in 1961 when the province of Katanga tried to break away the Congo. The hostile Katanga forces had occupied many vital points and set up roadblocks in Elizabethville.

On 6th December, a section of a platoon of Indian soldiers came under intense artillery fire while patrolling the city. Lance Naik Gurung who was second in command crawled almost 300 metres to the enemy post and then getting to his feet charged forward , gun blazing. Nine enemy soldiers fell to his bullets before he himself was cut down by machine gun fire.

Lance Naik Gurung was posthumously awarded the Mahavir Chakra for his courage and gallantry.

French rush to learn Darjeeling Tea secrets

By Prakash Dubey

As the aroma of Darjeeling tea, already a cherished beverage in France, is spreading to other parts of the world, more and more overseas students are flocking to West Bengal to learn the nuances of making and marketing the tea in their own countries.

Lochan Tea Company has launched a programme to train foreign students in the art and skill of marketing tea.

Already three French students have joined the course which will provide the skillsets to promote Darjeeling Tea in Europe, Ankit Lochan, Director of the company said.

During past five years there has been a surge in demand for Darjeeling tea in France and other European countries.

As a consequence job opportunities for marketing and promotion of the tea has increased manifold in France.

This explains why more and more French students and professionals are coming to Darjeeling in learn the secret behind the successful brand. [Rediff.com]

The last few days of Nepal’s last monarch

Kathmandu, May 27: Not long ago he was revered as a Hindu god, waited upon by thousands of royal palace retainers. His face crowned banknotes and the national anthem hailed him. Now Nepal’s King Gyanendra is vilified, set to lose his crown and even pay his own tax and electricity bills.

A special assembly will convene on Wednesday with the abolition of Nepal’s monarchy top of its agenda, bringing to an end the 239-year-old Shah dynasty and leaving Gyanendra to go down in history as the last king of Nepal.

The 60-year-old businessman-turned-monarch has only himself to blame, many Nepalis say, after an ill-judged power grab in 2005 when he dismissed the government, jailed politicians and declared a state of emergency.

Gyanendra was apparently fed up with Nepal’s corrupt and squabbling politicians and decided only he could rescue the country from a deadly Maoist insurgency.

The attempt backfired, and he was forced to back down the following year after weeks of street protests that ultimately sealed his and the monarchy’s fate.

“He believed that he had the best intention,” said Kunda Dixit, editor of the Nepali Times weekly. “But it was his autocratic streak that did him in.”

As a three-year-old boy Gyanendra was thrust on the throne in 1950 when his grandfather briefly fled to India, in the midst of a power struggle with the country’s hereditary prime ministers, the Ranas.

When King Tribhuvan returned a few months later, Gyanendra retreated once more into the background, building a fortune in tea, tobacco and hotels and getting involved in environmental conservation.

Then, nearly seven years ago, his popular brother King Birendra and eight other members of the royal family were shot and killed by the crown prince, who then turned his gun on himself.

Reminisce of a War Hero!

By Shital Pradhan, Singtam, Sikkim

Shital Pradhan is a journalist and an upcoming writer from Sikkim

Late Rudramani Pradhan and his wife Hiramaya Pradhan

This article is more like a grandfather telling story to his grandson. The story which is not found in the books but borrowed from the pages of past. It is a story of a grand old man from Bom Busty, Kalimpong, a retired Gorkha soldier, a World War II veteran, a father, a grand father and a great grand father. This is the story of late Rudramani Pradhan, who passed away on November 26, 2006. The stories were recorded on my two days stay with him at Kalimpong Hospital.

Being a grandson to a legendry Gorkha soldier was of little importance to me until I found out that he himself was a legend of his own. I was his grandson from his second daughter, settled at Singtam, Sikkim. It was for two days every year on Dushera we would visit aja-aji (Grandfather and Grandmother in Newari Language) out at Bom Busty, Kalimpong. Those early days telephone were not heard off and occasionally send letters by Aja to my mother was the only means of contact between us. Ever since my childhood we used to hear him speak of his days in Burma during the Second World War. He would never get tired sharing up his experience but as other young kids I would prefer playing with children of my age rather than take pleasure in listening to his words.

It was just a week before his passing away I had an opportunity to spend two days in Government Hospital, Kalimpong with aja. He was undergoing treatment for kidney and heart ailment that had gone worse. When in the evening the gate of the small hall leading to the private cabins in the hospital were locked aja lying in his bed wanted me to note down few anecdote from his past. He wanted me to write down his words since he felt there were many unknown facts related to Kalimpong, Sikkim and his days as a 13 Gorkha Rifles soldier that should be documented before it is gone. He told me it was only the rough sketch and more information was to be added after he gets recovered from his illness. But that never happened. Today when aja is no more I regret not getting in touch with him the way that happened during my two day stay at Kalimpong hospital. There were on few occasion I found his words sound more of myths rather than true facts. But it is for sure myths are crucial for future findings. Two nights passed by in a whisker for us. We never knew when the wheel of clock was moving on. In the day time he had visitors and in between hours he would take small snip of sleep.

Today’s Beacon Online Exclusive Wallpaper

Iron Jaw!

An insect known locally as Iron Jaw is said to have clippers powerful enough to snap fingers from one’s photos. This specimen was found near Little Rangeet in the foot hills of Singla.

Photo by Barun Roy

Bombscare in Siliguri!

Police search luggages at Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus at Siliguri due to bombs found in many parts of the city. Photo by Himalaya Darpan.

Bomb blast in Katmandu ahead of assembly

By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA, Associated Press Writer

KATMANDU, Nepal – A bomb exploded outside a convention center in the Nepalese capital Monday, days ahead of the country’s formal abolition of the centuries-old monarchy, police said. No one was hurt. The blast took place at the Birendra International Convention Center, where an assembly that is to remove the king and declare Nepal a republic is to meet on Wednesday. [Inset:

Nepalese soldiers stand guard outside the Nagarjuna forest palace gate, where King Gyanendra is believed to be staying in Katmandu, Nepal, Sunday, May 25, 2008. Nepal's King Gyanendra is preparing to quit the Narayanhiti royal palace just a few days ahead of a key meeting of the Constituent Assembly on May 28 is expected to dethrone him, according to news reports.]

“There was no damage but police have stepped up security. We suspect it was targeted towards the assembly meeting,” said police official Sarbendra Khanal of the explosion.

Earlier in the day, Nepalese authorities had banned protests around King Gyanendra’s palace and private residence to prevent violence.

Partial strike in Kalimpong – Yesterday!

A Partial strike was called yesterday at Kalimpong Bazaar as an altercation ensured between a trader and CPIM leader boiled out in the open. Photo Himalaya Darpan

Exclusive Online Audio Release – Mandirma by Sudhir Rai from his coming movie Ab Uthne Palo!

Nepalese capital hit by bomb attacks ahead of royal abolition

KATHMANDU: At least two bombs exploded yesterday outside a venue in Nepal’s capital where politicians are set to meet later this week to abolish the country’s monarchy, police said. Nobody was hurt in the attack, police said, adding that a previously unknown Hindu nationalist and possibly pro-royal group had left a leaflet at the scene claiming responsibility. “Two explosions have occurred in front of the complex but there were no injuries,” a police official, Durga Kumar, told AFP at the scene of the blasts. [Inset: A Police Officer points at the blast site near Birendra International Convention Centre in Kathmandu where two bombs went off].

“There would have been injuries but they threw the bombs where there were no people,” the police officer said of the two attackers, who eyewitnesses said sped by on a motorcycle. “The people who did this are trying to create panic.” Nepal’s Hindu monarch, King Gyanendra, is set to be ousted on Wednesday along with his 240-year-old Shah dynasty during the first meeting of a 601-member body elected last month to rewrite the country’s constitution.

The April elections saw the country’s Maoists win the largest bloc of seats in the assembly. The Maoists fought for a decade to overthrow the king, before signing a peace deal in 2006. The king, however, is seen as still enjoying support from Hindu hardliners and powerful elements in the country’s armed forces and ruling elite.

Weekly lifts lid on doomed king

KATHMANDU: In his cramped office, Kishore Shrestha puts the finishing touches to his weekly newspaper, required reading for its scoops on what is happening among the people who have ruled Nepal for centuries.
And with the monarchy facing imminent abolition, Jana Aastha’s gossip and apparent insiders’ knowledge of royal goings-on is in even greater demand.

“If you go to the homes of any of the elites, army people, intellectuals and all the politicians, you will find a copy of Jana Aastha,” said Shrestha. Two-and-a-half centuries of bloodshed, betrayal and intrigue have made Nepal’s Shah dynasty gripping reading.  Nepal’s King Gyanendra ascended the throne in 2001 when his drink and drug-fuelled nephew, crown prince Dipendra, massacred the former king, queen and seven other royals at a palace party after being blocked from marrying the woman he loved.

The night of the massacre, Gyanendra was out of Kathmandu and his son Paras, the new crown prince, survived after pleading for his life.  For newspaper editor Shrestha, the cause of the massacre was a relatively straightforward event in a family not unused to bloodshed.

“This whole thing was about personal revenge. That’s why Dipendra did this,” said Shrestha, who believes the murderous prince was shot in the head by a palace guard and did not kill himself, as the official version of events holds.  “His original idea was that he would just kill his father and become king, thus removing the obstacle that prevented him from marrying Devyani, but others in the room retaliated,” which led to the massacre, Shrestha said.

Two bombs exploded in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU: At least two bombs exploded Monday outside a venue in Nepal’s capital where politicians are set to meet later this week to abolish the country’s monarchy, police said. “Two explosions have occurred in frot of the complex but there were no injuries,” a police official, Durga Kumar, told AFP at the scene of the attacks. A previously unknown Hindu nationalist group, which identified itself as G.F.P. Ramdir Sena, left a leaflet at the site claiming responsibility, the police officer said.

“The people who did this are trying to create panic,” he said.

Nepal’s Hindu monarch, King Gyanendra, is set to be ousted on Wednesday along with his 240-year-old Shah dynasty during the first meeting of a 601-member body elected last month to rewrite the country’s constitution. The elections saw the country’s Maoists win the large bloc of seats in the assembly. [South Asian Media Net]

Sakewa-cum-tourism festival 2008 to be celebrated as Sadhbhawana Diwas

GANGTOK, May 25: A two-day Sakewa-cum-Tourist Festival 2008 will be held at Bhaichung Stadium, Namchi from May 26 to 27. Kirat Khambu Rais and people from all communities of Sikkim will gather at Namchi for the celebration from all over Sikkim, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kuseong, Mirik, Dooars and Bagdogra.

A press release issued by the president of Akil Kirat Rai Sangh (AKRS) Dr Shiva K Rai informs that at least 20 cultural troops from all over Sikkim, Darjeeling, Kalimpong & Bagdogra will perform Rai Sili and Lok (dancers) on May 26. Out of the 20, four troops will be selected to perform on May 27. It is also informed that certificates and a token will be distributed to all the cultural troops.

In the afternoon of the first days, there will be a ‘Sangosti’ on the Rai culture, tradition, language, script etc. In the evening 300 ‘Mangpas’ (Rai Shaman) will perform a ‘Shakti puja’ at Kopchey Mangkhim for good health, peace and prosperity of all Sikkimese people, the release informs.

Similarly, on May 27 at 6am, ‘Sakewa Puja’ will be performed at Kopchey Mangkhim by the Mangpas (Rai Shamman) and the members of the AKRS and devotees. “It is done for good sunshine, good harvest and a calamity free year for all the villagers, Dhanti mata, the nature, Pannhang and Summima, the creator of the Rais are solicited for the blessings,” the release reads. At 7:30am, a ‘Shova yatra’ by the Mangpas, AKRS members, devotees and the public of Namchi and South Sikkim will proceed from Kopchey Manghim via Namchi Bazaar to the Bhaichung Stadium.

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce visits Nathula – Committee assures local traders to take up their demands to the Parliament

By NIRMAL MANGAR

GANGTOK, May 25: A 16-member team of Indian parliamentarians today visited Sherathang and Nathula to have a look on the border trade and to discuss measures to boost two-way border trade through Nathula.
Impressed with the trade gaining momentum, the MP and also the Member of the Parliament Standing Committee for Commerce, E Punnuswamy said that the demands of the State Government and the Sikkim traders have been taken up seriously by them. The team will in no time submit the report in the Parliament, he said adding, “We shall leave no stone unturned in raising the issue of revision of lists of items of Nathula trade in the Parliament.”

On being questioned on the poor infrastructure on the Indian side he said, “I have heard that China has developed good infrastructure facilities and we too are trying our level best to come at par with them,” the MP informed. “We stand by the Indian traders and we shall make sure that all the bottlenecks would be smoothened very soon,” he added.

The team reached Sikim yesterday and had an interactive meeting with the traders at a local hotel here. “The interactive meeting was fruitful. The Sikkim Chamber of Commerce also got the opportunity to submit a memorandum to the delegation,” president of Sikkim Chamber of Commerce SK Sarda said. According to Anil Kumar Gupta, the General Secretary of Indo-China Border Trade Association, the demands in majority comprised the revision and increase of the lists of items, extension of the duration of border trade, allotment of permits for the drivers and potters to go across the border etc.

GJM says it will directly deal with Centre on Gorkhaland

Siliguri (WB) (PTI): With its proposal for a separate state of Gorkhaland being rejected outright by West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on Monday said it would now deal directly with the Centre.

GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri said Bhattacharjee’s proposal for greater autonomy, made in a meeting with the GJM in Kolkata three days back, was “meaningless and frustrating” because their movement was aimed at statehood and “nothing less”.

However, Giri said, “We will keep our doors open for talks to be initiated by the Left Front government.”

Meanwhile, GJM president Bimal Gurung yesterday demanded that the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council be dissolved immediately, arguing it had hindered the original demand for a state for the Gorkhas.

Tibetan Muslims or Lhasa Kazis in Darjeeling Hills – A Photo Feature

The “Lhasa-Kazi” delegation at Kalimpong in the traditional dress to receive HH, the Dalai Lama in first visit to the town after exile. Note the headgears – symbolic of the Kashmiri lineage.

Faizullah Chisti [seated first left] in Kalimpong who was the prime architect in rehabilitating the TM refugees in India with Government of India’ help. [1957 circa]

India to export Tea to Bashkortostan

After almost five months of negotiations, the Bengal chapter of Confederation of Indian Industry, (CII), has come to an understanding with a private company to export tea from India to the Republic of Bashkortostan also known as Bashkiriya.

Siliguri, May 26 : After almost five months of negotiations, the Bengal chapter of Confederation of Indian Industry, (CII), has come to an understanding with a private company to export tea from India to the Republic of Bashkortostan also known as Bashkiriya.

Teastar, a company based in Ufa, the capital of Bashkortostan located south of Ural range in Russia has agreed to buy 20 tonnes of orthodox tea from Bengal every month.

For over five decades, Russia (earlier Soviet Union) has been a major market for Indian tea, be it of Assam variety, Nilgiris or Darjeeling grown.

The tea that would be exported to Russia is black or orthodox tea or TGFOP (Tippy, grainy, flowery orange, pekoe) and FOP (flowery, orange, pekoe) grades.

The samples of the tea which were sent for confirmation as per Russian standards were approved.

Muslims of Tibet

Masood Butt is a Tibetan, living in India. But, unlike most other Tibetans in exile, who are Buddhists, Butt is a Muslim. However, apart from his faith, there is little else to distinguish Butt from other Tibetans. He follows Tibetan customs, speaks the language fluently and regards the Dalai Lama as his leader. Yet, Butt’s community – the Tibetan Muslims – are little known in India, even though they have shared with their Buddhist brethren, the plight of leaving their homeland. And they have been living in India for the last 50 years.”Like other Tibetans, our community, too has faced tough times and undergone great mental and physical strain,” says Butt, who now works with the Dalai Lama’s office in Dharamsala.

The story of the Tibetan Muslims is that of a unique community, that has blended different cultural strains to forge a distinct identity, that has been kept alive even in the face of adversity. What is interesting to know is that Islam arrived almost a 1000 years ago in Tibet – a region that has always been synonymous with a monolithic Buddhist culture. How the first Muslim settlers reached Tibet is an interesting tale. Sometime in the 12th century, it is believed, a group of Muslim traders from Kashmir and Ladakh came to Tibet as merchants. Many of these traders settled in Tibet and married Tibetan women, who later converted to the religion of their husbands. Author Thomas Arnold, in his book, The Preaching of Islam says that gradually, marriages and social interactions led to an increase in the Tibetan Muslim population until a sizable community came up around Lhasa, Tibet’s capital.

“The Tibetan government allowed the Muslims freedom to handle their own affairs, without any interference. This enabled the community to retain their identity, while at the same time absorbing traditional Tibetan social and cultural traditions,” says Butt. The Tibetan Muslims followed the occupation of their ancestors and were mainly traders, who owned successful businesses. The community also contributed to Tibetan society and culture in many ways. For instance, the first cinema hall in Tibet was started by a Tibetan Muslim businessman. Also, Nangma – a popular classical music form of Tibet, is believed to have been brought to Tibet by the Muslims. In fact, the word ‘Nangma’ is said to be derived from the Urdu word, ‘Naghma’, which means song. “These high-pitched lilting songs, developed in Tibet around the turn of the century, were a craze in Lhasa, with musical hits by Acha Izzat, Bhai Akbar-la and Oulam Mehdi on the lips of almost everyone,” says Butt.

Many Tibetan scholars have commented on how religions as diverse as Islam and Buddhism could co-exist in peace in a traditional society such as that of Tibet. The credit for this, some feel, goes to religious leaders like the Dalai Lama, who took the lead in fostering this spirit of brotherhood. For instance, a history of the Tibetan Muslim community published some years ago relates how during the 17th century, the fifth Dalai Lama readily agreed to give the Muslims land within Lhasa for building a mosque.

End to water crisis in Darjeeling?

SILIGURI, May 26: Water crisis crippling Darjeeling, Queen of the Hills, for many decades may be a thing of the past soon with the completion of a number of water-related projects. The problem was that the West Bengal government could not take any initiative as water was a subject of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, an autonomous body that runs the administrations in the three hill subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong.
Just a year ago, former strongman of the hills, Mr Subash Ghisingh, allowed the Public Health Engineering Department to take up a Rs 55 crore project aimed at drawing water from the river Balasan in Siliguri in three phases for supply to Darjeeling and Kurseong after treatment.

If all goes well, the people will get water by the end of 2009, said minister for public health engineering, Mr Goutam Deb. He also urged the Centre to increase its share of the project cost of Rs 10 crore to Rs 20 crore which would accelerate the project. [The Statesman]

CPM leader held

SILIGURI, May 26: The police in Kalimpong arrested the CPI-M Kalimpong zonal secretary Mr Prakash Subba today for an incident involving the CPI-M leader, his security and a fish trader at Algarah yesterday.
According to the IC, Kalimpong police station, Mr Puran Subba, the CPI-M leader was arrested and released on bond.

Protesting against yesterday’s incident in which the CPI-M leader and his security had allegedly intimidated the fish trader at Algarah, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha observed a bandh at Kalimpong today.

Demanding arrest of the CPI-M leader and his security, the GJMM had threatened to impose a bandh in Kalimpong tomorrow. “The situation is now under control,” the IC, Kalimpong PS, said. [The Statesman]

Bangla O Bangla Bhasa Bachao Samiti demands identification of Indian Nepalis before talks

SILIGURI, May 26: The Bangla O Bangla Bhasa Bachao Samiti has demanded identification of the Indian Nepalis before negotiations between the state government and the representatives of the Darjeeling hill-based political outfits. “The Bengali populace of Siliguri would not give credence to any negotiation to untangle the Darjeeling crisis until the foreigners and the Indian Nepalis are differentiated,” Dr Mukunda Majumder, the president, BBBBS affirmed.

“We suspect that some of the negotiators representing the hills are not from this country. Only the genuine Indian Nepalis are entitled to take part in the negotiations,” Dr Majumder said.

He further said that 1950 should be declared the cut-off year for the identification of the Indian Nepalis and the antecedents of those having come into India after that year should be thoroughly looked into.

“It is queer that there is yet no government instrumentation to distinguish the genuine citizens from the mere settlers. Taking advantage of government nonchalance, thousands of people from a neighboring country have been getting into India, settling down and then claim they were Indian citizens,” the BBBS leader affirmed.

Terming the 1950 Indo-Nepal treaty a ‘bane’ for India and a ‘boon’ for Nepal, he demanded an immediate abrogation of the treaty. “It puzzles us why the Centre is not interested in reviewing the treaty, though the Nepali Maoist leader Prachanda has publicly advocated for its review from the end of Nepal’s new dispensation,” he said. [The Statesman]

Anti- Gorkhaland body to meet CM over GJMM’s use of DGHC property

SILIGURI, May 25: The controversy over the unabated use of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council tourist resort ‘Pintail Village’ in Siliguri by the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha for political purposes has been resented by a Siliguri based anti-Gorkhaland apolitical body. The body has decided to meet the chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on the issue.

Named Janajagarana – the anti-Gorkhaland body, has worked out a delegation, which would meet the CM at the Writers’ Buildings in Kolkata. “We have approached the chief minister’s office for an appointment and once we avail that, the delegation would leave for the Writers’,” said Mr Ashok Hore, joint secretary of the newly formed body. Expressing resentment at the ‘indiscriminate’ use of the ‘Pintail Village’ by the GJMM for political purpose, the Janajagarana leader said: “Mr Bimal Gurung is holding Press conferences at the resort regularly as if it was his party office. Despite this open misuse of a public property, the administration is keeping mum.”

Janajagarana, which surfaced recently to campaign against the Gorkhaland demand revived by the GJMM, has also condemned Mr Gurung’s call for dissolution of the DGHC. “He does not have any proven mandate to give such an undemocratic call and to risk the livelihood of thousands of individuals employed with the DGHC. In our meeting with the CM, we would also urge him to take a strong stand against such undemocratic gestures,” Mr Hore said. Meanwhile, the hill based political party, the All India Gorkha League too has criticised the GJMM for using the ‘Pintail Village’ for political purpose. “On one hand, Mr Bimal Gurung is calling for the dissolution of the DGHC, while on the other, his party is actively involved in the implementation of several development projects initiated by the Council in the hills. He is also using the ‘Pintail Village’ frequently. Are these not contradictory?” the AIGL president, Mr Madan Tamang questioned.
However The DGHC Jalpaiguri divisional commissioner, Mr BL Meena did not have a say on the GJMM’s use of ‘Pintail Village’. [The Statesman]

Siliguri women’s Kabaddi team win three titles, break records

SILIGURI, May 26: Winners of the Siliguri women’s kabaddi team, who created history by clinching all the three state titles in a season, were honoured by the Siliguri Mahakuma (District) Kabaddi Association at the Kanchenjungha stadium here today. The men’s squad, which had won the runners trophy at the inter-district meet in 2007, was also felicitated at the occasion. The players of the women’s team were awarded T-shirts, suitcases and gift hampers, while the members of the men’s side were presented bags and gift packs. Honouring the teams, the SMDKA general secretary Mr Nantu Paul said: “It is a historic event in the Kabaddi annals of Siliguri. For the first time in the history of the game in West Bengal, a single team has won all three major crowns in a season. It has been possible largely because of the spread of the game in the rural fringes and the co-operation of the schools in Siliguri.” Speaking at the occasion, the mayor of Siliguri, Mr Bikash Ghosh said: “The girls in the Kabaddi team of Siliguri have proved that the age-old adage Sansar Sukhi Hoy Ramanir Gune (There is always a woman behind a flourishing family) is absolutely true.”

The mayor asserted that progress in sports was indispensable for the development of a society. “Almost all advanced nations like the USA, Japan, China and Russia accord topmost priority to the development of sports,” he pointed out.

Tourism classes on tech campus

Siliguri, May 26: Siliguri Government Polytechnic College has introduced two new courses from this year with an eye on the growing requirements of the tourism and hospitality industry in the region.

“We have introduced a six-month course on housekeeping and front-office management and a one-year course on food processing and food and beverage service,” principal Pujan Sarkar said. “The intake of each course will be 30.”

The minimum requirement for admission to the courses is 50 per cent in mathematics and the science subjects combined in Madhyamik or equivalent Class X exams. The sale of application forms began today and will go on till June 16.

Sarkar said the institution in Siliguri is one of the five polytechnic colleges selected among the 43 in Bengal to offer courses related to the tourism and hospitality industry.