West Bengal govt plans to set up magic school and museum, advisory committee formed

The West Bengal government is planning to set up a school for learning magic and a museum to showcase the history of magic, officials aware of the development said.

A senior state government official said that an advisory committee for the proposed West Bengal School of Magic, Illusion and Performing Arts has already been formed. The committee held its first meeting in Kolkata on Friday.

“A magic school is set to be established through the initiative of the state information and cultural affairs department. Concurrently, a museum on the history of magic in Bengal will also be set up,” said a statement issued by the state government.

An advisory committee has been formed with renowned magician PC Sorcar (Jr) as its chief advisor. Other magicians are also likely to be included in the committee.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had fielded Sorcar from the Barasat Lok Sabha seat during the 2014 Parliamentary elections. He lost to the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) candidate Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.

Earlier that year, in February, Sorcar’s presence at a BJP rally addressed by Narendra Modi (then not the Prime Minister) had stunned many Left supporters, as he was previously known to be close to the Left Front government.