I read the interview of Dr Ratan Chandra Kar with keen interest. He is the DL Block resident who was conferred the Padma Shri in 2023 for his service to the Jarwas of the Andaman islands (apropos the article “Doctor who made friends with & treated Jarwas”, published on January 19).
Through this letter, I want to convey my heartiest congratulations to him for the prestigious award. My message to Dr Kar is to kindly write a book on the Jarwas with his first-hand experience of having spent time with them.
Sourish Misra,
SA Block
I was astonished to read of the untiring efforts of Dr Ratan Chandra Kar in the Andamans.
He struggled so hard to help this primitive tribe at a time they started coming out to interact with the outside world. It is, in fact, a wonder how he earned their confidence in the first place and removed their fear of outsiders. His methods charmed me beyond measure. I was also amazed to read how he managed to grow in them an interest of football!
I hope Dr Kar’s dedication to the upliftment of the Jarawas inspires future generations to come forward for such noble causes.
Parthasarathi Roy,
Cluster XI, Purbachal
I was present at the DL Block ceremony that felicitated Dr Ratan Chandra Kar and poet Joy Goswami. In an age when doctors refuse to practice in rural areas, Kar provided years of unparalleled service and deserves all the praise he is receiving.
In the question-answer session with Goswami, I asked to know when and how he writes poetry. In his mind, soul, and heart, I told him, perhaps streams and waves of continuous poetry flow. The rhythm and rhymes of those streams, perhaps, he saves in the ‘computer’ of his brain. In response, Goswami replied: “That’s right!”
I called Goswami the “epic poet” among his contemporaries.
Samares Bandyopadhyay,
DL Bock