Local Events
An international conference on "Urban Changes & Culture" was concluded by participants of a panel discussion in the garden of the German Consulate General in Kolkata on 11 February 2012. The conference was a project by the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden with the support of the German Robert Bosch Foundation and the Max Mueller Bhavan, Goethe-Institut.
Urban Changes & Culture
The winner of the Germany Trophy on 11 February 2012 at Royal Calcutta Turf Club was the horse Catchphrase. German Vice Consul Ms. Andrea Fischboeck (at middle) handed over the Germany Trophy to Mr. Bharat Singh (3rd from left), the trainer of the horse and the jockey Mr. P Trevor (2nd from left). Mr. Vijay Mallya owns Catchphrase.
The Germany Trophy
To get back in touch with the former German Scholarship recipients from AvH, DAAD, MPG, DFG and others, the German Consulate General Kolkata organised a get-together on 10 February 2012 at the Consulate premises. Vice Consul Ms. Andrea Fischboeck was the host of the Meet. Dr. Theodor Schneller of RWTH Aachen, Germany was the guest speaker at the occasion.
German Scholarship Recipients' Meet
The Parliamentary Committee on Federal and European Affairs of the Legislative Assembly of Bavaria under the leadership of the Chairperson Prof. Ursula Maennle visited Kolkata during 06-08 February 2012....
Delegation from Bavarian State Assembly
Merck, the global pharmaceutical and chemical company, having its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, announced institution of the Merck-Tagore Award to recognise special contributions for promoting cultural exchange between India and Germany. Dr. Martin Kämpchen, a writer, translator of Tagore’s works and a German teacher, was declared winner of the first award.
Merck-Tagore Award
Vice Consul Andrea Fischboeck visited the West Garo Hill District of Meghalaya, for the inauguration of the “Soudarion English Primary School” in the village Melim.
Visit to West Garo Hill of Meghalaya
Consul General Rainer Schmiedchen made his maiden visit to Odisha in November 2011. Apart from meeting the Chief Minister Navin Patnaik, he also visited a few projects in Kandhamal district of Odisha that have been financially supported by the German Consulate General Kolkata.
Visit to Odisha
ARSOlux - Detecting Arsenic in Drinking Water
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) Germany has taken up a project ARSOlux to detect the presence of arsenic in drinking water in a sustainable and time efficient way than the conventional test kits presently available on the market. On 7 Nov 2011 a workshop on the project was organized at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur. Project Manager Ms Hahn-Tomer, Research Associate Dr Siegfried, UFZ associate Ms Osterwalder, German Consul General at Kolkata Mr Schmiedchen, the Director of the IIT Kharagpur Prof Acharya along with other professors of the IIT and some local NGOs and companies took part in the workshop.
The German Consulate General Kolkata has organised a photographic exhibition on the last dance-theatre performance in India by Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch “Bamboo Blues” at The Harrington Street Arts Centre in Kolkata.
"Bamboo Blues" - a photographic exhibition
Information Exchange on Schengen Visa
On 03 November 2011 the Head of the German Visa Section Udo Krippner invited his counterparts of other Schengen countries having diplomatic presence in Kolkata for an information exchange on ‘false & forged passports & visas’, ‘health insurance for elderly people’ and ‘bad' banks in Kolkata, amongst others. Visa colleagues of Italian Consulate, French Consulate and the Norwegian Honorary Consul were present at the meeting.
Consul General’s maiden visit to Mayor
Consul General Rainer Schmiedchen made his maiden visit to Mayor of Kolkata Sovan Chatterjee on 21 October 2011. They had a discussion on recent events and developments in Kolkata. The Consul General informed the Mayor about the ongoing Germany Year in India - "Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities" - whereas the Mayor informed the Consul General about different issues related to the city Kolkata and its future development.
Pandal Hopping
Consul General Schmiedchen along with his wife went for Pandal Hopping during the Durgapuja and took part at the immersion process. It was an unforgettable experience for them. It is important to know that Durga Puja had been also associated with the freedom movement of the Indians. Family Schmiedchen found the pandals at the College Square and at Salt Lake FD block the best among they visited.
Consul General visits the artist Shuvaprasanna
On 5 October Consul General Schmiedchen and his wife met the famous artist Shuvaprasanna Bhattacharya and his wife Sipra, who is also an artist, at their residence at Salt Lake. It is inspiring and important to have regular contacts and exchange of ideas between the artists and intellectuals of Bengal and of Germany.
Women’s football in Bengal and the German Consulate
On 25 Sep 2011 Werner Wnendt, Head of Cultural Department of the German Federal Foreign Office, on behalf of the German Government handed over the Indian Football Association (IFA) Kolkata footballs and gloves for the women footballers of Bengal, as a token gesture for working together in this field in future.
The women’s football event that was organised at the German Consulate Kolkata during the Women’s World Cup in Germany in July 2011, has made the consulate realise the potential of the Women’s Football in Bengal.
Interactive session on ‘Energy’
On 13 September 2011 an interactive session was organised by EEPC and VDMA on ‘Energy’. Consul General Rainer Schmiedchen (at left in the picture) spoke on ‘Energy U-Turn’ and the possible know-how exchange between Germany and Indian experts on the issue. As the topic is very relevant in Germany he also mentioned the chances of the Indian industry to work in Germany in this field.
Consul General's visit to Koeppern
The new German Consul General, Mr. Rainer Schmiedchen, visited the Dhulagarh factory of the Koeppern Maco Services Pvt Ltd on 2 August 2011. The visit was a part of his keeping in touch with the German companies operating in the consular area of the German Consulate General in Kolkata.
Mr. Schmiedchen said: “This factory seems to be a piece of Germany in West Bengal. The working conditions could most probably not be better in Europe. I enjoyed the time spent in the factory and I had very interesting talks with its staff. The heavy machinery used by Koeppern in a way touched my heart, as it reminded me of my time as a student, when I used to work in a cable factory on weekends.”
(Pic: L to R: GM of VDMA India R Nath, Consul General R Schmiedchen and Executive Director of Koeppern M Bhattacharjee)
On the occasion of the on-going Women's Football World Cup in Germany, the German Consulate General in Kolkata organised a football match on 12 July. Three women’s football clubs from Kolkata were invited to play against the newly created ‘German Consulate Women’s Team’.
Germany hails Kolkata’s women football
