Anushilan Samiti
By 1902, Calcutta had three secret societies working toward the violent overthrow of British rule in India. One was founded by Calcutta student Satish Chandra Basu with the patronage of Calcutta barrister Pramatha Mitra, another was led by Bengali woman Sarala Devi and the third was founded by Aurobindo Ghosh. Ghosh was one of the strongest proponents of militant Indian nationalism at the time. By 1905 the work of Aurobindo and his brother, Barin, enabled Anushilan Samity to spread throughout Bengal. Nationalist writings and publications by Aurobindo and Barin, including "Bande Mataram" and "Jugantar", had a widespread influence on Bengal youth. The 1905 partition of Bengal stimulated radical nationalist sentiments in Bengal's Bhadralok community, helping Anushilan acquire a support base of educated, politically-conscious and disaffected members of local youth societies. Its program emphasized physical training, training its recruits with daggers and "lathis" (bamboo staffs used as weapons). The Dhaka branch of Anushilan was led by Pulin Behari Das, and branches spread throughout East Bengal and Assam. More than 500 branches were opened in eastern Bengal and Assam, linked by "close and detailed organization" to Pulin's headquarters at Dhaka. It absorbed smaller groups in the province, soon overshadowing its parent organisation in Calcutta. Branches of Dhaka Anushilan emerged in Jessore, Khulna, Faridpur, Rajnagar, Rajendrapur, Mohanpur, Barvali and Bakarganj. Estimates of Dhaka Anushilan Samiti's reach indicate a membership of 15,000 to 20,000. Within two years, Dhaka Anushilan devolved its aims from the Swadeshi to that of political terrorism.
Shyamal-Saumil
In 2014, Shyamal-Saumil organized a 3-day music festival called Anushthaan, an event which the Times of India called a "spectacle for music-lovers." The event featured artists from all around Gujarat, including Parthiv Gohil, Aishwariya Majmudar, Hema Desai, Dipali Somaiyya, and nearly 50 other musicians and artists. In 2015 and 2016, the event was repeated with further critical acclaim and success, and featured a plethora of artists, a lineup which included Maati Baani, Bhoomi Trivedi, Osman Mir, Aalap Desai, Aashit Desai, the Tabla Taalim Sanstha, Rhythm Pulze, and nearly 80 other artists. The events also included dance performances by Chandan and Nirali Thakore, Maulik and Ishira Shah. Being an ensemble of the arts, Anushthaan also included several poets, stand-up comedians, and actors, who gave talks, speeches, and performances. Renowned artists like Sairam Dave, Jay Vasavda, RJ Dhvanit, Tushar Shukla, Darshan Jariwala, Harsh Brahmbhatt, Archan Trivedi, and Abhishek Jain were among the celebrities present. In 2015, the event featured Gujarat's first LED floor, and in 2016, the very first Gujarati a cappella performance was presented. New techniques like projection mapping and optical illusion dances were also performed.