Kuala Lumpur: Integrated farming culture of the Lepcha community of Sittong gets international exposure as Mayukh Bhattacharyya’s documentary film entitled ‘Kutokodalo: Farming in the Lepcha World” gets the nomination in the Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival scheduled to be held on and from 28th June to 4th July at Cyberjaya City, Selangor state, Malaysia. The documentary film focuses on how the Lepcha community has been living on and progressing fast in agri-farming, horticulture, and tourism in Sittong Khasmahal which is located in the Kurseong division of the Darjeeling district of West Bengal.
In this much-acclaimed documentary, Mayukh Bhattacharyya, a Ph.D. scholar cum Lecturer at Lincoln University College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and an alumnus of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Kalyani, West Bengal, showcases the success story of the women empowerment through integrated farming in the tiny mountain settlement of Sittong. “The Lepcha women in Sittong, as in other mountain settlements, have been successful in their own ways through diligence, dedication, and devotion to work. Here, they are emerging as progressive farmers through integrated farming culture aided by the Government of West Bengal. Our documentary chiefly focuses on this aspect. I’m happy that I’m able to carry the success story to a greater audience”, says Mayukh, the young and passionate filmmaker who has to his credit several national and international film festival awards for his previous documentary film entitled “Vande BCKV” and music video entitled “Sesher Kabita”. Both were appreciated globally and gave Mayukh wider recognition.
Hailing from Jalpaiguri, a tiny town in West Bengal, Mayukh received his schooling from Jalpaiguri Zilla School before getting admission to the prestigious BCKV, Kalyani for his B.Sc and M.Sc. degrees in Agriculture. Dr. Bhaskar Kumar Das, Mayukh’s teacher from Jalpaiguri Zilla School said, “Mayukh has always been a versatile genius – a bright student, a brilliant actor, a creative filmmaker, and, above all, a humble soul”.
Talking about his future endeavours, Mayukh said, “Presently I’m planning to work on a new documentary on the agricultural aspects of Malaysia. I’m thankful to Dr. Sandip Poddar, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Lincoln University for giving me the opportunity to pursue research on agricultural development in Malaysia. I wish to continue my Ph.D. research and nurture my passion for filmmaking simultaneously.” Recently, Mayukh had a meeting with Ms. Peggy Cheng, CEO and Founder of Ganofarm Group of Companies and Grusonn Wellness. They are mainly working on mushroom cultivation and ago-farm homestays including coffee production. Mayukh is all set to explore this aspect by delving deep into his creative world.
