Honouring Change Makers, Celebrating Heritage : Murshidabad Community Conclave 2025

IMAGIN organized Murshidabad Community Conclave 2025 with the mission of uniting communities for development. Presence of Rajarshi Mitra, District Magistrate -Murshidabad, Samsur Rahaman , Additional District Magistrate- Murshidabad, Sukanta Saha- Project Director, District Rural Development Cell (DRDC), Subhankar Roy, SDO-Berhampore, Suchorita Bardhan- Communication Specialist, UNICEF, Dr. Snehasis Sur, President of the Press Club – Kolkata, Dhrubajyoti Pramanik – Managing Editor, Network18 eminent artist Sudip Roy, Dr Hena Sinha, Principal, Berhampore Girls College, famous actor Pradip Bhattacharya, Badash Moitro and many other eminent guests made the Community Conclave a great success. The Conclave was inaugurated on 19th September 2025 at Murshidabad Zila Parishad tourism hub with traditional “Raibenshe” Dance and Dhaak of Bengal by Women Dhakis promoting cultural heritage and women empowerment.

Guests in frame: SHRI RAJARSHI MITRA, IAS District Magistrate, Samsur Rahaman , Additional District Magistrate (ZP)- Murshidabad, Sukanta Saha- PD, DRDC , Subhankar Roy, SDO-Berhampore & actor Pradip Bhattacharya

Through the Conclave IMAGIN celebrated passion and commitment for positive social change. The change makers from fields of Health, Media, Biodiversity Conservation, Environment were felicitated by IMAGIN.

A hall full of applause as Suchorita Bardhan, Communication Specialist, UNICEF India–West Bengal, and Dhrubajyoti Pramanik, Managing Editor, Network18, present mementos of appreciation to the Community Youth Reporters .

IMAGIN felicitated Community Youth Reporters of Murshidabad, Birdman of Bengal- Chand Mian, Mango famer Kushal Ghosh and Migrant workers’ rights activist Matiur Rahaman- for their contribution to society.

Left: ADM-ZP Murshidabad, Samsur Rahaman, along with eminent painter Sudip Roy, presenting a memento to Chand Mian – popularly known as the Birdman of Bengal – for his dedicated efforts in protecting nearly 3,000 parrots living in a single Kadai tree beside the Amtala–Berhampore Highway. Right: Sukanta Saha, Project Director, DRDC, and Dr. Hena Sinha, Principal of Berhampore Girls’ College, felicitating Kushal Ghosh for his pioneering work in sustainable and diverse mango farming.

The event was followed by a “Panel Discussion” on development in presence of eminent actor Badshah Moitro and Members of Legislative Assembly, Members from Chamber of Commerce and Social Activists. Government officials, Business owners, Entrepreneurs, Media Persons, Folk Artists, Artisans , Community Workers across West Bengal attended the Conclave.

Guests in Panel Discussion ( from Left to right) Narugopal Mukherjee, Chairman – Berhampore Municipality, Swapan Bhattacharya, Joint Secreraty, Murshidabad District Champer of Commerce , Touhidur Rahaman, Member-Murshidabad Zila Parishad, Dr Nirmal Saha, Eminent Doctor and Political personality, Actor Badshah Moitra- Moderator, Md Ali, MLA- Lalgola, Subrata Moitra, MLA- Berhampore, Murshidabad Khatun, Headmistress and Social Activist, Arindam Das, Advocate. High Court, Calcutta

The Conclave promoted Eco friendly jute bags, dolls, jewellery items and home decors with stalls set up by Self Help Group Women and Artisans. Special gallery was dedicated to celebrate the heritage of Murshidabad Silk and Pottery of Kanthalia, Murshidabad.

Aiming to preserve biodiversity, a Photography exhibition on “Birds of Murshidabad” was also arranged. District Magistrate of Murshidabad, Rajarshi Mitra inaugurated the exhibition.

Shri Rajarshi Mitra, IAS, District Magistrate inaugurating “Birds of Murshidaba- Photography Exhibition”.

On the second day (20th September) , traditional artists teamed up with IMAGIN and performed Kavigan, a genre of competitive folk songs performed by two groups of poetic singers and Alkap, a cultural heritage of West Bengal .

Folk artists performing ALKAP (Left) and Kavi Gaan ( Right)

The performances were design to spread social messages, as well as to Conserve of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The two-day long Community Conclave took pledge to serve the communities with sustainable outlook and grounded commitment.