Internship educates students regarding Jhargram's intangible heritage

For the first time a 10-day long summer internship on sustainable tourism and cultural heritage of Jhargram organized by the department of English of the state-run Jhargram Raj College concluded today.

The internship started from 15 July. Sumit Agarwala along with senior state government officials and Sumit Dutta, founder Jhargram Tourism were present at the concluding function.

Mr Agarwala appreciated the effort of the college principal and the English department professors for taking the first step and hoped some students will adopt travel and tourism as a profession in the future.

Mr Dutta stated: "We are extremely happy that the students have opted for the subject tourism in Jhargram and I am confident that a large number of students will enter the tourism sector."

The program was a component of Vidyasagar University's internship compulsory for 3rd and 4th semester students in the new National Education Policy criterion curriculum that aims to accomplish skill development of the new difficulties of the job market with emphasis on local areas and their accessible range of resources.

The internship programme made aware of the environmental concerns and intangible heritage of the region. This will enable them to know the tourism industry better.

Presentation of cultural heritage of Jhargram was conducted by Sumana Mukherjee, Incredible India Tourist Guide (IITG). The intern students visited the Jhargram Palace Chilkigarh Kanak Durgatemple and Kanak Aranya that is a biodiversity heritage site. Lectures on organic farming were heard by them.

Today, at the valedictory function, folk song by Partha Bhowmik and Jhumur by Indrani Mahato took the audience in awe.

Jhargram is emerging in the tourism map of India at a very rapid pace. In addition to state-owned accommodations, registered home stay and private hotels have emerged.

When chief minister Mamata Banerjee took power in 2011, she visited Jhargram, which was then a district under West Midnapore, to promote tourism and erase the fear of Maoists attack from the people's minds. Roads have been improved and infrastructure enhanced. Tourists, both foreign and domestic, come to the district. A tribal museum exists and stone-made products made by the artists are present.