Kolkata, August 31, 2026: Among the numerous club organisations in the country and the state that work for the rights and welfare of journalists, the Calcutta Journalists Club stands out as one of Kolkata’s most popular and respected institutions, now approaching the milestone of five decades. The club celebrated its 48th Foundation Day at Rabindra Sadan this year.
The Calcutta Journalists Club organises a wide range of programmes throughout the year. Among its notable initiatives are an international photography competition, regular participation in the Kolkata International Book Fair for many years, an annual sports competition, and members’ get-togethers. Another significant tradition of the club is the regular publication of three subject-based journalists’ magazines every year.
The club is set to enter its 50th year in 2027. A Golden Jubilee year is a matter of great pride for any organisation. Despite heavy rain, the 48th Foundation Day celebrations were held on Sunday, August 30, with the programme commencing at the scheduled time before a packed auditorium.
The first session featured an award ceremony honouring meritorious students from various universities across West Bengal. Memorial awards were presented in the names of eminent journalists including Dakshinaranjan Basu, Santosh Kumar Ghosh, Barun Sengupta, Niranjan Sengupta, Dr. Smarajit Dutta, Amit Chattopadhyay, Rahul Goswami, Himanshu Chattopadhyay and Abhik Bose.
Students from the families of club members who successfully passed their Class X and Class XII examinations this year were also felicitated on stage. A total of 14 meritorious students were awarded this year.
The club’s Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to its founding member and eminent journalist, Biswajit Motilal. Club Secretary Imankalyan Sen honoured him with a shawl, while President Prantik Sen presented him with the cash award and silver medal.
A talented sportsperson was also felicitated in a special category. During the programme, a special issue of the journalists’ magazine was released by the club’s adviser and eminent journalist Shambhu Sen, along with other office-bearers present on the stage.
The second session featured a captivating musical performance by popular actor and renowned singer Saheb Chatterjee. His performance deeply touched the hearts of the audience. As the evening progressed, Saheb enthralled the packed auditorium with a diverse repertoire ranging from Rabindra Sangeet and modern Bengali songs to several timeless popular numbers.
As part of the club’s longstanding tradition, Ajanta Chowdhury and Shakila Khatun presented Saheb Chatterjee with an uttariya and floral bouquet on behalf of the Calcutta Journalists Club. Additional gifts were presented by General Secretary Imankalyan Sen, President Prantik Sen and Treasurer Sadhana Das Bose.
The entire programme was compered by club member Nandini Laha.
