Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (D)
To   : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Thu Mar 09 2023 21:07:38

KICKER: FINDING FAMILY, EIGHT DECADES LATER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We finish this week's report with one family's story. 
Nearly eight decades after fleeing Bangladesh during turbulent political 
times, a woman in northern India has reconnected with the family she left 
behind. It happened all because of ham radio. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has that 
story.

GRAHAM: Nearly eight decades of silence and loss ended on Tuesday, March 
7th, when 85-year-old Maya Chakraborty finally spoke with the nephew she'd 
been seeking for so long - the son of her deceased older sister. The call 
was via internet video, but the human connection here was because of ham 
radio. She was a young girl when her family left their native village in 
Sylhet in Bangladesh, and lost contact with her much older sister. The 
Times of India newspaper reported that she had lost much hope of finding 
the rest of her family but asked her son Suvendu to help track them down. 
Suvendu contacted the West Bengal Radio Club, which has expertise in 
reuniting missing persons. The club's secretary contacted the Amateur 
Radio Society of Bangladesh and the hams were able to find Ranjit 
Chakraborty, Maya's nephew, who is nearly 80 years old himself. His mother 
- Maya's sister - had long since died.

Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, secretary of the West Bengal club, told the 
newspaper [quote] "It was difficult to find a person among millions." 
[endquote] He told Newsline that on March 7th, the aunt and her nephew 
were reconnected during an emotional video call. He said that both are now 
applying for visas to take that reunion to its logical next step.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(TIMES OF INDIA, AMBARISH NAG BISWAS VU2JFA)

**

IN SEARCH OF 'YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR'

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We remind our listeners that young hams who live in the 
continental United States have an opportunity to make news, if they aren't 
already doing so, by being a recipient of this year's Amateur Radio 
Newsline Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award. Consider 
nominating an amateur radio operator 18 years of age or younger -- someone 
who has talent, promise and a commitment to the spirit of ham radio. Find 
more details along with application forms on our website arnewsline.org 
under the "YHOTY" tab. The nomination period closes on May 31st.

**

DO YOU HAVE NEWS?

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Do you have a piece of Amateur Radio News that you think 
Newsline would be interested in? We are not talking about advertising your 
club's upcoming hamfest or field day participation, but something that is 
out of the ordinary. If so, send us a brief overview via the contact page 
at arnewsline.org. If it's newsworthy and we would like to cover it, we'll 
get back to you for more details.

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: 

With thanks to Amateur Radio Digital Communications; Ambarish Nag Biswas, 
VU2JFA; CQ Magazine; Dan Romanchik, KB6NU; David Behar K7DB; DX-World.net; 
FCC; Free DV Project; 425 DX News; IARU Region 1; Irish Radio Transmitters 
Society; RadioWorld; RuralRadio.com; shortwaveradio.de; the Times of 
India; the Washington Post; YouTube and you our listeners, that's all from 
the Amateur Radio Newsline. 

We remind our listeners that Amateur Radio Newsline is an all-volunteer 
non-profit organization that incurs expenses for its continued operation. 
If you wish to support us, please visit our website at arnewsline.org and 
know that we appreciate you all. We also remind our listeners that if you 
like our newscast, please leave us a 5-star rating wherever you subscribe 
to us. 

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York, and 
our news team worldwide, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB, in Wadsworth, Ohio,
saying 73. As always, we thank you for listening. 

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

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