Internship teaches students about Jhargram’s intangible heritage

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

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

Advertisement

Mr Agarwala lauded the role of the principal of the college and the professors of the English department for taking the initiative and hoped some students will take up travel and tourism as their vocation in future.

Mr Dutta said: “We are very happy as the students chose the subject tourism in Jhargram and I am sure many students will join the tourism industry.”

The programme was a part of Vidyasagar University’s mandatory internship for 3rd and 4th semester students in the new National Education Policy criterion curriculum that intends to do skill development of the new challenges of the job market with a focus on local regions and their available range of resources.

The internship programme gave awareness on environmental issues and intangible heritage of the region. This will help them to understand the tourism industry in a better way.

Presentation on cultural heritage of Jhargram was done by Sumana Mukherjee, who is Incredible India Tourist Guide (IITG). The students doing internship visited the Jhargram Palace Chilkigarh Kanak Durgatemple and Kanak Aranya, which is a biodiversity heritage site. They heard lectures on organic farming.

Today, at the concluding ceremony, folk song by Partha Bhowmik and Jhumur by Indrani Mahato enthralled the audience.

Jhargram is coming in the tourism map of India very fast. Apart from state-run accommodations, registered home stay and private hotels have come up.

After coming to power in 2011, chief minister Mamata Banerjee went to Jhargram, then a part of West Midnapore, to encourage tourism and remove the fear of Maoists attack from the minds of the people. Roads have been upgraded and infrastructure improved. Tourists, both domestic and foreign, visit the district. There is a tribal museum and stone-made items made by the artisans are available.