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The 3rd Sujal Mukherjee Memorial Oration- A brief report

The 3rd Sujal Mukherjee Memorial Lecture was held in Rotary Sadan, Kolkata on 19th December, 2015. Those of you who attended the programme may have noticed that we had already started to call this event an 'oration' and not a 'lecture'. Both 'lecture' and 'oration' being synonymous, some of us preferred the latter better. Here is hoping we will stick to 'oration' for the future events and not give in to further caprice.

We were delighted and honoured to have the Himalayan Club (https://www.himalayanclub.org/) as our associates for this evening. Surely Sujal Mukherjee's spirit of the outdoors united us and it was a lovely resonance in the end. We sincerely hope that this association would continue in the years to come.

We were also happy to have Dream Wanderlust (http://www.dreamwanderlust.com/) as our Web Media Partner for the event. It was a new experience for us, and I must say that all of us who get together to organize this event welcomed their involvement. Their involvement assures that we have been able to archive all the proceedings digitally and thus make it available to a wider audience.

On 19th December, 2015, Dr. Kallol Das delivered the welcome address for the 3rd Sujal Mukherjee Memorial Oration. Dr. Das pointed out why we started this oration series in the first place and shared his hopes on continuing this effort in the future.

Dr. Kallol Das delivering the welcome address




Shortly after this a brief video based on the interviews of Sujal's friends and contemporaries was played. Here is the youtube link to that video:


After this video screening, our Guest of Honour, Sri Harish Kapadia took to the podium and delivered a hilarious yet insightful illustrated talk titled "Games Mountaineers Play- a humorous look at mountains and mountaineers, both in mountains and otherwise". It is needless to mention that the audience simply loved it.
Guest of Honour Sri Harish Kapadia delivers his delightful presentation

Sri Banabhshan Nayak felicitates Sri Harish Kapadia
After Sri Kapadia's talk, it was Dr. Rupak Bhattacharya's turn to come on the podium and introduce Prof. George W Rodway, the Guest Speaker of the 3rd Sujal Mukherjee Memorial Oration. In a very well researched manner and by means of a powerpoint presentation Dr. Bhattacharya introduced both Prof. Rodway and the theme of his talk for the evening.

Dr. Rupak Bhattacharya introduces Guest Speaker Prof. George W Rodway

 Finally it was Prof. George W Rodway on the podium and it was time for his much awaited oration titled :" A Little History of Some Big Peaks: the saga of medical science associated with the struggle for heights" . The audience was engrossed in Prof. Rodway's talk and were taken on a mesmerizing journey starting from 300 BC to the present day of human knowledge regarding the understanding of the high altitude and its realities.

Prof. George W Rodway delivering the 3rd Sujal Mukherjee Memorial Oration
Sujal's brother Sri Nishith Ranjan Mukherjee felicitating Prof. Rodway

At the end of Prof Rodway's oration it was our dear friend from the Himalayan Club Rajesh Gadgil's turn to deliver the closing note and vote of thanks to the audience and everyone who made the evening a grand success.

Rajesh Gadgil delivering the closing note

Thus another wonderful evening reached its completion. We certainly hope to see you again for the 4th session of the Sujal Mukherjee Memorial Oration.
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