- Kolkata, officially called Calcutta—the anglicized version of its name—until 2001, was the capital of British India from 1772 to 1911. The vast and varied collection of heritage architecture in and around the city bear witness to its colonial past.
- Kolkata nicknamed the “City of Joy” and the “City of Places” is widely regarded as the “Cultural Capital” of India.
- Kolkata has the pride and honor of being home to six brilliant scholars and Nobel Laureates, namely, Mother Teresa (Peace), Amartya Sen (Economic Sciences), Rabindranath Tagore (Literature), C V Raman (Physics), Sir Ronald Ross (Medicine), and Abhijit Banerjee (Economic Sciences). Satyajit Ray, the Bengali legendary film director, was the first Indian to win an Oscar.
- Kolkata’s historic College Street is the world’s largest secondhand book market.
- Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata, is the second largest football stadium in the World.
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata, is the third largest cricket stadiums in the World.
- One of the prime landmarks of Kolkata is the Howrah Bridge, the sixth largest cantilever bridge in the world.
- The 250-year-old Great Banyan Tree in Kolkata’s Botanical Garden covers about 14,500 square meters of land (3.5 acres), making it the widest tree in the world
- Ultra-high-rise futuristic cybercities have transformed the skyline of Kolkata—where around one third the population calls a slum home.
- Cows roam the streets of Kolkata, where hand pulled rickshaws run parallel to BMWs, Mercs, and Audis.
Nandita Author 