Our services

Library

A spacious library with about 4,000 books covering all general subjects, including a children’s section. It is believed to be the first night library in the state, open from 4 pm to 10 pm. A special section has a fine collection for researchers, scholars and teachers, and the reading room is calm and pleasant.

Medical unit

One of our signature projects was a night health service that ran without a break for several years until 2014. An MBBS doctor, a trained nurse and a pharmacist stayed through the night to give emergency care, and a small pharmacy supplied the medicines needed. We had to stop this service for lack of funds. Donations from generous people and organisations are earnestly sought to revive it.

We have a car equipped for medical services, given to the society by Dr. Sujan Chakraborty, then MP for Jadavpur, on 1 March 2009. The Mobile Medical Service started on 5 April 2009 with the help of local clubs. It gives free medical care to poor people in the rural areas of Sonarpur and is staffed by a doctor, a nurse, an attendant and a driver.

Ambulance and hearse service

Samannay runs an ambulance and hearse service for the people of Sonarpur. Call the office for help.

Vocational training

The Samannay Vocational Training Institute was set up in 2005 under the management of STCSS, our parent organisation. It ran useful courses such as footwear making, telephone and mobile repair, two- and three-wheeler repair, basic electronics, food processing, soft toy making, tailoring (gents and ladies) and beauty culture, sponsored by the state and central governments. The institute soon became popular with unemployed young people in the district, and results in the government-run examinations were always excellent.

After changes in government policy we could not continue all of these courses. Today we run the Telephone and Mobile Set Repairing course approved by the West Bengal State Council of Technical Education and Training, along with tailoring and handicraft training for women.

Samannay Theatre

Samannay is fortunate to have a group of theatre lovers and seasoned theatre workers in its family, inspired by the great legends of the Bengali and Indian stage. In 2005 they formed Samannay Theatre and began producing a series of short plays. They made a real impression with Archimedes-er Mrityu, a short play on the death of the great scientist, in 2006, and kept producing well-made plays in the years that followed.

Notable works include Shunore Naaiya Bandhu, based on Shambhu Mitra’s Chandbonik-er Paala, presented at the Samannay Theatre Festival in 2008, and the full-length play Ghare Baire, from Tagore’s novel, in 2011 as a tribute in the poet’s 150th birth anniversary year. Samannay Theatre has also organised theatre festivals at the Sonarpur Book Fair for many years.

Money troubles kept the group from staging new plays for almost five years, but in 2016 we were back on stage. We are grateful to the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, for a grant towards our newest play, Saturday Evening, staged at Tapan Theatre, Kolkata.

Relief work

After the devastating Cyclone Yaas we went to the village of Kumirmari in the Sundarbans and spent the day giving out garments and sanitising products, mainly for women and children.

Cyclone Amphan before it caused great destruction. Despite our limits, and with the support of our friends and patrons, we went to the villages of Sonargaon and Bali in the Sundarbans to stand by people in distress, with garments and blankets.

See photos of our relief work

Anubhab weekly newspaper

We publish and circulate Anubhab, our weekly newspaper, without a break. Special issues are released at the book fair every year.