How Kolkata Has Changed Dramatically in the Last 11 Years
The changes and non-changes I observed
As Kolkata came into view from the airplane, it brought back a smorgasbord of memories. My last visit was 11 years ago when we stopped over for a few days on our way to Hong Kong.
I lived here as a child from the ages of 6 until a young teen. During this time, life was largely simple and structured, devoid of too many global influences, apart from India’s flirtation with the USSR in the 80s.
I remember how many families including mine subscribed to bilingual English/Russian magazines and how we gifted each other books like ‘Baba Yaga’ and ‘Fairy Tales from Estonia’. Those were interesting times.
The Kolkata I witnessed in February 2024 was an entirely different beast.
A brief history
Kolkata, India, was founded in 1690 by the British East India Company and designated as the capital of British India in 1772, mainly because of its geographical location on the river Hooghly, aiding trade and commerce greatly.
