Kolkata, located on the bank of the river Hoogly and the capital of West Bengal is known as the “Cultural capital of India.”
History:
Studies show that the region where the city is located has been inhabited for over two millennia. Kolkata’s recorded history begins in 1690 with the arrival of the British East India Company. In 1712 the British forces completed the construction of Fort William and by 1773 Calcutta became the headquarters of the British East India Company. Calcutta was the center for revolutionary organizations during the freedom movement. The city faced a series of socio-political woes after independence as well. Its economic recovery gathered momentum after the 1990s. Bengali is the official and most widely spoken language. Hinduism is followed by the vast majority and Muslims make up a significant minority.
People: While Bengali Hindus form the majority of the population Marwaris, Biharis and Muslims compose large minorities of the 14 million population of the metropolitan area.
Culture:
Kolkata is the birthplace of modern Indian literary and artistic thought. The city has more than 30 museums catering to various fields. Institutions like The Asiatic Society of Bengal, The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, and the Birla academy of art and culture uphold and foster the cultural traditions of the city. Science City, a museum and entertainment complex was the first of its kind in Asia. The national library is the largest in India and has a collection of rare manuscripts as well. Kolkata is home to India’s avant-garde filmmakers like Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen. The greatest cultural exponent of the city is Rabindranath Tagore whose genius in poetry, drama, music, and painting bring pride to the nation.
Economy:
Kolkata is the commercial and industrial hub of the East and North East of India. Kolkata’s industries cover a wide range of sectors including information technology, textile, agriculture, minerals, and tourism. A port city, Kolkata handles more than 60 million tons of goods. Compared to other Indian metros it is much cheaper to start a business in Kolkata. Small and medium scale industries account for a major share of the economy and output of the city. About 80% of the cities workforce is employed in the service industry.
Mental health:
- According to the National Mental Health Survey, about 1.25 crore of the estimated 9.67 crore population of West Bengal suffers from various mental health problems and is in need of immediate care.
- Since the critical appraisal of the mental health care provided by the government a decade back, the government has taken steps to build better infrastructure to meet the mental health needs of its population.
- A 2016 study found that respondents from Kolkatta had a higher level of perceived discrimination towards people with mental illnesses when compared to respondents from other cities.
- Kolkata’s progressive mental health workers and NGOs are working on fighting stigma towards mentally ill people and creating awareness on mental health. India’s first mental health fair was organized in Kolkatta by The Institute of Psychiatry in 2020.
- India has 9,000 psychiatrists or one doctor for every 100,000 people. The desirable number of psychiatrists is three for every 100,000 people.
TalkItOver offers professional counseling services in the city of Kolkatta and in other major Indian cities.
