138-594: Cuckoo Moray , also credited as Cuckoo or Cukoo (1928 – 30 September 1981), was an Anglo-Indian dancer and actress in Indian cinema . Cuckoo was the queen of film dancing in Hindi cinema of the 1940s and 1950s. Though unfamiliar in name, she was known as the "rubber girl" of Hindi cinema and her talent made cabaret dancing a must in the Bollywood films during the 1940s and 1950s. It has been recently confirmed that Cuckoo's real name
276-646: A United Nations Development Programme report, its wind and cyclone zone is "very high damage risk". The annual mean temperature is 26.8 °C (80.2 °F); monthly mean temperatures are 19–30 °C (66–86 °F). Summers (March–June) are hot and humid, with temperatures in the low 30s Celsius; during dry spells, maximum temperatures sometime exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in May and June. Winter lasts for roughly 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 months, with seasonal lows dipping to 9–11 °C (48–52 °F) in December and January. May
414-731: A continuous element in the sub-continent. Their presence is not to be considered Anglo-Indian. Similarly, Indians who mixed with Europeans after the British Raj are also not to be considered Anglo-Indian. Historically, the term Anglo-Indian was also used in common parlance in the British Government and England during the colonial era to refer to those people (such as Rudyard Kipling , or the hunter-naturalist Jim Corbett ), who were of British descent but were born and raised in India, usually because their parents were serving in armed forces or one of
552-491: A councillor to the KMC. Each borough has a committee of councillors, each of whom is elected to represent a ward. By means of the borough committees, the corporation undertakes urban planning and maintains roads, government-aided schools, hospitals, and municipal markets. As Kolkata's apex body, the corporation discharges its functions through the mayor-in-council, which comprises a mayor , a deputy mayor, and ten other elected members of
690-613: A deep metaphor for the explorations of his family and community. The book received critical acclaim The narrative received grants from The Literature Board of Australia and The Victorian Premier's Department of the Arts. Anglo-Indians are adherents of Christianity . Along with their British heritage and English language, the Christian religious faith of Anglo-Indians is one of the things that distinguishes them from other ethnic groups. As such, Anglo-Indians have "been well-represented in all tiers of
828-516: A distinct minority community of mixed-race British and Indian ancestry. During the colonial period, their ancestry was defined as British paternal and Indian maternal heritage; post-independence, "Anglo-Indian" has also encompassed other European and Indian ancestries. Anglo-Indians' first language is usually English . Prior to 1911, various designations like "Eurasian" or "Indo-Briton" were used to describe this community. The All India Anglo-Indian Association , founded in 1926, has long represented
966-486: A distinctive part of Indian Christian culture. Over time Anglo-Indians were specifically recruited into the Customs and Excise, Post and Telegraphs, Forestry Department, the railways and teaching professions – but they were employed in many other fields as well. The Anglo-Indian community also had a role as go-betweens in the introduction of Western musical styles, harmonies and instruments in post-Independence India. During
1104-707: A factory; Sutanuti was a riverside weavers' village; and Gobindapur was a trading post for Indian merchant princes. These villages were part of an estate belonging to the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family of zamindars . The estate was sold to the East India Company in 1698. In 1712, the British completed the construction of Fort William , located on the east bank of the Hooghly River to protect their trading factory. Facing frequent skirmishes with French forces ,
1242-766: A few in Hospet and Hatti Gold Mines . Anglo-Indians also live in the towns of Alappuzha , Kozhikode , Cannanore ( Kannur ) in the South Indian state of Kerala also at Goa and Pondicherry and in some towns of Bihar such as Jamalpur , McCluskieganj and in Uttarakhand such as Dehradun , Jharkhand such as Ranchi , Dhanbad and West Bengal such as Asansol , Kharagpur , Kalimpong . A significant number of this population resides in Odisha 's Khurda and some in Cuttack . However,
1380-582: A nominated Anglo-Indian member each in their respective State Legislative Assemblies . In January 2020, the Anglo-Indian reserved seats in the Parliament and State Legislatures of India were basically abolished by the 104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019 , but this provision was extended to 2030. Anglo-Indian often only represents Indians mixed with British ancestry during the British Raj. There are many mixed Indians from other European countries during
1518-422: A person whose father or any of whose other male progenitors in the male line is or was of European descent but who is domiciled within the territory of India and is or was born within such territory of parents habitually resident therein and not established there for temporary purposes only; Between 1952 and 2020, the Anglo-Indian community was the only community in India that had its own representatives nominated to
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#17328758217701656-527: A police commissioner, is overseen by the West Bengal Ministry of Home Affairs . The Kolkata district elects two representatives to India's lower house, the Lok Sabha , and 11 representatives to the state legislative assembly. The Kolkata police district registered 15,510 Indian Penal Code cases in 2010, the 8th-highest total in the country. In 2010, the crime rate was 117.3 per 100,000, below
1794-456: A quarter of the population live on less than ₹ 27 (32¢ US) per day. Major manufacturing companies in the city are Alstom , Larsen & Toubro , Fosroc , Videocon . As in many other Indian cities, information technology became a high-growth sector in Kolkata starting in the late 1990s; the city's IT sector grew at 70% per annum—a rate that was twice the national average. The 2000s saw
1932-627: A report of his mission was read at a public meeting held in the Calcutta Town Hall. In April 1834, in obedience to an Act of Parliament passed in August 1833, the Indian government was forced to grant government jobs to Anglo-Indians. As British women began arriving in India in large numbers around the early to mid-19th century, mostly as family members of officers and soldiers, British men became less likely to marry Indian women. Intermarriage declined after
2070-407: A romantic drama starring Nargis , Dilip Kumar , and Raj Kapoor , gave the dancing star an opportunity to display her acting skills. In Mehboob Khan's 1952 technicolor film Aan , which was her first colour film, she had a brief cameo in a dance sequence. She only appeared in 2 colour films in her career Aan & Mayurpankh . She would charge Rs 6,000 for a dance number, an enviable fee in
2208-475: A stall for the city dwellers. The city receives 2,107 hours of sunshine per year, with maximum sunlight exposure occurring in April. Kolkata has been hit by several cyclones; these include systems occurring in 1737 and 1864 that killed thousands. More recently, Cyclone Aila in 2009 and Cyclone Amphan in 2020 caused widespread damage to Kolkata by bringing catastrophic winds and torrential rainfall. Pollution
2346-457: A state agency. As of 2012 , the city had 16 fire stations. State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited , or BSNL, as well as private enterprises, among them Vodafone Idea , Bharti Airtel , Reliance Jio are the leading telephone and cell phone service providers in the city. with Kolkata being the first city in India to have cell phone and 4G connectivity, the GSM and CDMA cellular coverage
2484-435: A steady economic decline in the decades following India's independence due to steep population increases and a rise in militant trade-unionism , which included frequent strikes that were backed by left-wing parties. From the 1960s to the late 1990s, several factories were closed and businesses relocated. The lack of capital and resources added to the depressed state of the city's economy and gave rise to an unwelcome sobriquet:
2622-406: A surge of investments in the real estate, infrastructure, retail, and hospitality sectors; several large shopping malls and hotels were launched. Companies such as ITC Limited , CESC Limited , Exide Industries , Emami , Eveready Industries India , Lux Industries , Rupa Company , Berger Paints , Birla Corporation , Britannia Industries and Purushottam Publishers are headquartered in
2760-607: Is 1.5–9 m (5–30 ft). Much of the city was originally a wetland that was reclaimed over the decades to accommodate a burgeoning population. The remaining undeveloped areas, known as the East Kolkata Wetlands , were designated a "wetland of international importance" by the Ramsar Convention (1975). As with most of the Indo-Gangetic Plain , the soil and water are predominantly alluvial in origin. Kolkata
2898-447: Is a major concern in Kolkata. As of 2008 , sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide annual concentration were within the national ambient air quality standards of India, but respirable suspended particulate matter levels were high, and on an increasing trend for five consecutive years, causing smog and haze. Severe air pollution in the city has caused a rise in pollution-related respiratory ailments, such as lung cancer. Kolkata, which
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#17328758217703036-533: Is also experiencing marked growth in its manufacturing base. In the 2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election , Left Front was succeeded by the Trinamool Congress . Spread roughly meridionally along the east bank of the Hooghly River , Kolkata sits within the lower Ganges Delta of eastern India approximately 75 km (47 mi) west of the international border with Bangladesh; the city's elevation
3174-508: Is celebrated as World Anglo Indian Day. During the period of British rule in India , children born to unions between British fathers and Indian mothers from the 17th century onwards formed the basis of the Anglo-Indian community. This new ethnic group formed a small yet significant portion of the population and became well represented in certain administrative roles. As Anglo-Indians were mostly isolated from both British and Indian society, their documented numbers dwindled from roughly 300,000 at
3312-581: Is east of the town. To promote the recycling of garbage and sewer water, agriculture is encouraged on the dumping grounds. Parts of the city lack proper sewerage, leading to unsanitary methods of waste disposal. In 1856, the Bengal Government appointed George Turnbull to be the Commissioner of Drainage and Sewerage to improve the city's sewerage. Turnbull's main job was to be the Chief Engineer of
3450-686: Is extensive. As of 2010 , Kolkata has 7 percent of the total broadband internet consumers in India; BSNL, VSNL , Tata Indicom , Sify, Hathway , Airtel, and Jio are among the main vendors. The Eastern Command of the Indian Army is based in the city. Being one of India's major city and the largest city in eastern and north-eastern India, Kolkata hosts diplomatic missions of many countries such as Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, People's Republic of China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States . The U.S Consulate in Kolkata
3588-712: Is home to institutions of national importance, including the Academy of Fine Arts , the Asiatic Society , the Indian Museum and the National Library of India . The University of Calcutta , first modern university in south Asia and its affiliated colleges produced many leading figures of South Asia. It is the centre of the Indian Bengali film industry, which is known as Tollywood . Among scientific institutions, Kolkata hosts
3726-519: Is located over the "Bengal basin", a pericratonic tertiary basin. Bengal basin comprises three structural units: shelf or platform in the west; central hinge or shelf/slope break; and deep basinal part in the east and southeast. Kolkata is located atop the western part of the hinge zone which is about 25 km (16 mi) wide at a depth of about 45,000 m (148,000 ft) below the surface. The shelf and hinge zones have many faults, among them some are active. Total thickness of sediment below Kolkata
3864-520: Is nearly 7,500 m (24,600 ft) above the crystalline basement ; of these the top 350–450 m (1,150–1,480 ft) is Quaternary , followed by 4,500–5,500 m (14,760–18,040 ft) of Tertiary sediments, 500–700 m (1,640–2,300 ft) trap wash of Cretaceous trap and 600–800 m (1,970–2,620 ft) Permian - Carboniferous Gondwana rocks. The quaternary sediments consist of clay, silt and several grades of sand and gravel. These sediments are sandwiched between two clay beds:
4002-530: Is the US Department of State 's second-oldest Consulate and dates from 19 November 1792. The Diplomatic representation of more than 65 Countries and International Organization is present in Kolkata as Consulate office, honorary Consulate office, Cultural Centre, Deputy High Commission and Economic section and Trade Representation office. Public transport is provided by the Kolkata Suburban Railway ,
4140-569: Is the largest and second busiest suburban railway network in the country by number of stations and track length, and also one of the largest in the world. Kolkata has five long-distance inter-city railway stations, located at Howrah (the largest and busiest railway complex in India, as of 2024 ), Sealdah (2nd busiest in India, as of 2024 ), Kolkata , Shalimar and Santragachi Junction , which connect Kolkata by rail to most cities in West Bengal and to other major cities in India. The city serves as
4278-421: Is the seventh most populous city in India with an estimated city proper population of 4.5 million (0.45 crore) while its metropolitan region Kolkata Metropolitan Area is third most populous metropolitan region of India with a metro population of over 15 million (1.5 crore). Kolkata is regarded by many sources as the cultural capital of India and a historically and culturally significant city in
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4416-695: Is the area south of Park Street , which comprises thoroughfares such as Jawahar Lal Nehru Road , Abanindranath Thakur Sarani , Dr. Martin Luther King Sarani, Dr. Upendra Nath Brahmachari Sarani, Shakespeare Sarani and Acharay Jagadish Chandra Basu Road . South Kolkata developed after India gained independence in 1947; it includes upscale neighbourhoods such as Bhowanipore , Alipore , Ballygunge , Kasba , Dhakuria , Santoshpur , Garia , Golf Green , Tollygunge , New Alipore , Behala , Barisha etc. The south suburban areas like Maheshtala , Budge Budge , Rajpur Sonarpur , Baruipur etc. are also within
4554-522: Is the critically acclaimed true account of a young Englishman's unexpected discovery of his Anglo-Indian relations in the Darjeeling district. The Hammarskjold Killing (2007) by William Higham, is a novel in which a London-born Anglo-Indian heroine is caught up in a terrorist crisis in Sri Lanka. Keith St Clair Butler wrote 'The Secret Vindaloo' (2014, reprint 2016) which used the signature dish of Vindaloo as
4692-457: Is the hottest month, with daily temperatures ranging from 27–37 °C (81–99 °F); January, the coldest month, has temperatures varying from 12–23 °C (54–73 °F). The highest recorded temperature is 43.9 °C (111.0 °F), and the lowest is 5 °C (41 °F). The winter is mild and very comfortable weather pertains over the city throughout this season. Often, in April–June,
4830-778: Is the oldest High Court in India. It was preceded by the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William which was established in 1774. The Calcutta High Court has jurisdiction over the state of West Bengal and the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands . Kolkata has lower courts: the Court of Small Causes and the City Civil Court decide civil matters; the Sessions Court rules in criminal cases. The Kolkata Police , headed by
4968-484: Is the oldest underground mass transit system in India. The fully operational blue line spans the north–south length through the middle of the city. In 2020, part of the Second line was inaugurated to cover part of Salt Lake city , Kolkata metro area. This east–west green line connects two satellite cities of Kolkata namely Salt Lake and Howrah. Other operational lines are Purple line and Orange line. Kolkata Suburban Railway
5106-541: Is under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), has an area of 206.08 km (80 sq mi). The east–west dimension of the city is comparatively narrow, stretching from the Hooghly River in the west to roughly the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in the east—a span of 9–10 km (5.6–6.2 mi). The north–south distance is greater, and its axis is used to section
5244-583: The Bengal Army in 1784, there were only four Colonels amongst 931 officers. Few young officers in either army managed to avoid debt. It might have cost approximately £50 a year (Rs 24 to Rs 40 a month) to provide for the wants of an Indian companion and her attendants, compared with £600 to support a British wife with any degree of public style. 83 of 217 wills in Bengal between 1780 and 1785 contained bequests either to Indian companions or their natural children, who were
5382-469: The Bengali Renaissance . It was the hotbed of the Indian nationalist movement . The partition of Bengal in 1947 affected the fortunes of the city. Following independence in 1947, Kolkata, which was once the premier centre of Indian commerce, culture, and politics, suffered many decades of political violence and economic stagnation before it rebounded. In the late 20th century, the city hosted
5520-562: The Bhojpur region , would go on to serve prominent roles in the Maratha Army and later Bengal Army where he raised his own regiment called Skinner's Horse . Many children were born to unofficial partnerships: 54% of the children baptised at St. John's, Calcutta between 1767 and 1782 were Anglo-Indian and illegitimate. British women of good social standing were scarce; in 1785 surgeon John Stewart wrote to his brother from Cawnpore : "Many of
5658-613: The East Indian Railway Company responsible for building the first railway 541 miles (871 km) from Howrah to Varanasi (then Benares ). Electricity is supplied by the privately operated Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation , or CESC, to the city proper; the West Bengal State Electricity Board supplies it in the suburbs. Fire services are handled by the West Bengal Fire Service ,
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5796-1035: The Geological Survey of India , the Botanical Survey of India , the Calcutta Mathematical Society , the Indian Science Congress Association , the Zoological Survey of India , the Horticultural Society , the Institution of Engineers , the Anthropological Survey of India and the Indian Public Health Association . The Port of Kolkata is India's oldest operating port. Four Nobel laureates and two Nobel Memorial Prize winners are associated with
5934-651: The Japanese between 1942 and 1944, during World War II . Millions starved to death during the Bengal famine of 1943 (at the same time of the war) due to a combination of military, administrative, and natural factors. Demands for the creation of a Muslim state led in 1946 to an episode of communal violence that killed over 4,000. The partition of India led to further clashes and a demographic shift—many Muslims left for East Bengal (later East Pakistan , present day Bangladesh ), while hundreds of thousands of Hindus fled into
6072-535: The Kolkata Metro , trams , rickshaws , taxis and buses. The suburban rail network connects the city's distant suburbs. Kolkata Metro is the rapid transit system of Kolkat. According to a 2013 survey conducted by the International Association of Public Transport , in terms of a public transport system, Kolkata ranks top among the six Indian cities surveyed. The Kolkata Metro, in operation since 1984,
6210-538: The Kolkata metropolitan area , which is the city's urban agglomeration. The agency overseeing the latter, the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority , is responsible for the statutory planning and development of greater Kolkata. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation was ranked first out of 21 cities for best governance and administrative practices in India in 2014. It scored 4.0 on 10 compared to
6348-559: The Left Front , which was dominated by the Communist Party of India (CPM). It was the world's longest-serving democratically elected communist government, during which Kolkata was a key base for Indian communism . The city's economic recovery gathered momentum after the 1990s, when India began to institute pro-market reforms . Since 2000, the information technology (IT) services sector has revitalised Kolkata's stagnant economy. The city
6486-917: The Lok Sabha ( lower house ) in Parliament of India . These two members were nominated by the President of India on the advice of the Government of India . This right was secured from Jawaharlal Nehru by Frank Anthony , the first and longtime president of the All India Anglo-Indian Association . The community was represented by two members. This was done because the community had no native state of its own. Fourteen states out of twenty-eight states in India; Andhra Pradesh , Bihar , Chhattisgarh , Gujarat , Jharkhand , Karnataka , Kerala , Madhya Pradesh , Maharashtra , Tamil Nadu , Telangana , Uttar Pradesh , Uttarakhand and West Bengal also had
6624-565: The United States , South Africa and New Zealand , where they form part of the Indian diaspora . Similar communities can also be seen in other parts of the world, although in smaller numbers, such as Anglo-Burmese in Myanmar and Burghers in Sri Lanka. The first use of "Anglo-Indian" was to describe all British people who lived in India. People of mixed British and Indian descent were referred to as "Eurasians". Terminology has changed and
6762-571: The Victoria Memorial , Howrah Bridge and the Grand Hotel . The city's heritage includes India's only Chinatown and remnants of Jewish , Armenian, Greek and Anglo-Indian communities. The city is closely linked with Bhadralok culture and the Zamindars of Bengal , including Bengali Hindu , Bengali Muslim and tribal aristocrats. The city is often regarded as India's cultural capital. Kolkata
6900-683: The government-in-exile of Bangladesh during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. It was also flooded with Hindu refugees from East Bengal (present-day Bangladesh) in the decades following the 1947 partition of India , transforming its landscape and shaping its politics. The city was overtaken by Mumbai (formerly Bombay) as India's largest city. A demographically diverse city, the culture of Kolkata features idiosyncrasies that include distinctively close-knit neighbourhoods ( paras ) and freestyle conversations ( adda ). Kolkata's architecture includes many imperial landmarks, including
7038-461: The secondary sector (industrial and manufacturing); and 83.69% worked in the tertiary sector (service industries). As of 2003 , the majority of households in slums were engaged in occupations belonging to the informal sector; 36.5% were involved in servicing the urban middle class (as maids, drivers, etc.) and 22.2% were casual labourers . About 34% of the available labour force in Kolkata slums were unemployed. According to one estimate, almost
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#17328758217707176-538: The summer monsoon , sometimes interrupt transportation networks. Kolkata along its metropolitan area is home to the second largest road network in India. As of 2022 , total road network in the city's metropolitan area is 4,018 km (2,497 mi), while the city proper has road network of 1,850 km (1,150 mi). The city has witnessed a steady increase in the number of registered vehicles: from 17 lakhs in 2019 to 21 lakhs in 2022, an 18.52 per cent jump. With 2,448 vehicles per kilometre of road, Kolkata has
7314-566: The "East Indian Committee" with a view to send a petition to the British parliament for the redress of their grievances. John William Ricketts, a pioneer in the Eurasian cause, volunteered to proceed to England. His mission was successful, and on his return to India, by way of Madras , he received a standing ovation from his countrymen in that presidency; and was afterwards warmly welcomed in Calcutta, where
7452-410: The "dying city". The city's fortunes improved after the Indian economy was liberalised in the 1990s and changes in economic policy were enacted by the West Bengal state government. Recent estimates of the economy of Kolkata's metropolitan area have ranged from $ 150 to $ 250 billion ( PPP GDP), and have ranked it third-most productive metro area of India. Flexible production has been
7590-577: The 1780s, the opportunities for Company servants to make a fortune through trade had gone forever. Most had to live on their Company salaries and few could afford to support a wife. Company officers were paid less than their counterparts in the British Army and promotion might take twice as long, perhaps 25 years to reach the rank of Major in the Company compared to between 12 and 17 years in the Royal Army; and in
7728-499: The 1850s, Calcutta had two areas: White Town, which was primarily British and centred on Chowringhee and Dalhousie Square ; and Black Town, mainly Indian and centred on North Calcutta. The city underwent rapid industrial growth starting in the early 1850s, especially in the textile and jute industries; this encouraged British companies to massively invest in infrastructure projects, which included telegraph connections and Howrah . The coalescence of British and Indian culture resulted in
7866-453: The 1962 Sino-Indian War , and immigration to foreign countries for better economic opportunities. The Chinese community traditionally worked in the local tanning industry and ran Chinese restaurants. According to the 2011 census, 76.51% of the population is Hindu , 20.60% Muslim , 0.88% Christian and 0.47% Jain . The remainder of the population includes Sikhs , Buddhists , and other religions which accounts for 0.45% of
8004-441: The 2005 National Family Health Survey, around 14% of the households in Kolkata were poor, while 33% lived in slums, indicating a substantial proportion of households in slum areas were better off economically than the bottom quarter of urban households in terms of wealth status. Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding and working with the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata—an organisation "whose primary task
8142-437: The 2011 national census, Kolkata district, which occupies an area of 185 km (71 sq mi), had a population of 4,486,679; its population density was 24,252/km (62,810/sq mi). This represents a decline of 1.88% during the decade 2001–11. The sex ratio is 899 females per 1000 males—lower than the national average. The ratio is depressed by the influx of working males from surrounding rural areas, from
8280-442: The 20th century. The Jewish population of Kolkata was 5,000 during World War II, but declined after Indian independence and the establishment of Israel; as of 2003 , there were 25 Jews in the city. India's sole Chinatown is in eastern Kolkata; once home to 20,000 ethnic Chinese, its population dropped to around 2,000, as of 2009 , as a result of multiple factors including repatriation and denial of Indian citizenship following
8418-437: The 20th century. They felt insecure in an India that put a premium on participation in the independence movement as a prerequisite for important government positions. Many Anglo-Indians left the country in 1947, hoping to make a new life in the United Kingdom or elsewhere in the British Commonwealth , such as Australia or Canada . The exodus continued through the 1950s and 1960s and by the late 1990s most had left with many of
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#17328758217708556-616: The 50s. Cuckoo remained the best dancer in Hindi films until dancers such as Helen and Vyjayanthimala came into the industry. Cuckoo was a family friend of the Anglo-Burmese dancer and actress Helen . She was also known for helping unknown actors get their break in Bollywood, such as Pran in Ziddi . Cuckoo had introduced a 13-year-old Helen into films as a chorus dancer in films such as Shabistan and Awaara (both 1951). Cuckoo and Helen most notably appeared in song and dance sequences together, such as in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) and Yahudi (1958). Her last film appearance
8694-597: The Anglo-Indian population has dwindled over the years with most people migrating abroad or to other parts of the country. Tangasseri in Kollam city is the only place in Kerala State where Anglo-Indian tradition is maintained. However, almost all the colonial structures there have disappeared, except the Tangasseri Lighthouse built by the British in 1902. Most of the Anglo-Indians overseas are concentrated in Britain, Australia , Canada , United States , and New Zealand , while some have settled in European countries like Switzerland , Germany , and France . According to
8832-465: The Anglo-Indians who have settled in Australia, integration for the most part has not been difficult. The community in Burma frequently intermarried with the local Anglo-Burmese community but both communities suffered from adverse discrimination since Burma's military took over the government in 1962, with most having now left the country to settle overseas. Article 366(2) of the Indian Constitution defines Anglo-Indian as: (2) an Anglo Indian means
8970-576: The Bengali language name of one of three villages that predated the arrival of the British; the other two villages were Sutanuti and Govindapur . There are several explanations for the etymology of this name: Although the city's name has always been pronounced Kolkata or Kôlikata in Bengali, the anglicised form Calcutta was the official name until 2001, when it was changed to Kolkata in order to match Bengali pronunciation. The discovery and archaeological study of Chandraketugarh , 35 km (22 mi) north of Kolkata, provide evidence that
9108-442: The British against the nationalist Congress Party. During the East India Company 's rule in India in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it was common for British officers and soldiers to take local wives and start families, owing to an initial lack of British women in India. Looking at the records of wills from the early 1780s, a third of all British men in India named their Indian wives and children as their inheritors. By
9246-404: The British and consequently received favoured treatment from the British government in preference to other Indians, serving in large numbers in the strategic services of the railways, the postal and telegraph services, and customs. In 1919, the Anglo-Indian community was given one reserved seat in the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi. The English-speaking Anglo-Indians identified themselves with
9384-425: The British began to upgrade their fortifications in 1756. The Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah , condemned the militarisation and tax evasion by the company. His warning went unheeded, and the Nawab attacked; his capture of Fort William led to the killings of several East India company officials in the Black Hole of Calcutta . A force of Company soldiers ( sepoys ) and British troops led by Robert Clive recaptured
9522-414: The British-run administrations, such as its main government; "Anglo-Indian", in this sense, was a geographically-specific subset of overseas or non-domiciled British. There is a significant population of Anglo-Indians in Bangladesh . Anglo-Indians have been present in Bangladesh since the colonial period. Their population decreased to 4,000 in 1947 during the Partition of India . Most of them migrated to
9660-445: The Hooghly River. The Kolkata metropolitan area is spread over 1,886.67 km (728.45 sq mi) and comprises 4 municipal corporations (including Kolkata Municipal Corporation), 37 local municipalities and 24 panchayat samitis , as of 2011 . The urban agglomeration encompassed 72 cities and 527 towns and villages, as of 2006 . Suburban areas in the Kolkata metropolitan area incorporate parts of
9798-411: The Hyderabadi elite. Other officials such as William Fraser would similarly assimilate themselves into local Indian culture, even patronizing artists and poets such as Ghalib , and going on to have dozens of children with many women, both Hindu and Muslim. Notable children of these unions such as James Skinner , also named Sikandar Sahib, the son of a Scottish Company officer and an Indian noblewoman of
9936-537: The Indian military, which is based in Fort William, played a pivotal role in the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 and securing the surrender of Pakistan . During the mid-1980s, Mumbai (then called Bombay) overtook Kolkata as India's most populous city. In 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi dubbed Kolkata a "dying city" in light of its socio-political woes. In the period 1977–2011, West Bengal was governed from Kolkata by
10074-736: The Indian mother rather than the European father. There was growing disapproval of marriages amongst the Company elite and Anglo-Indian women. The public dances for the female wards of the Upper Military Academy, Calcutta, which had been attended so eagerly fifty years earlier had been discontinued by the 1830s. Public argument against marriages to Indian and Anglo-Indian women skirted the question of race and focused on their social consequences: they did not mix well in British society, lacked education, were reluctant to leave India when their men retired, and - probably most important of all - would handicap
10212-530: The KMC. The functions of the KMC include water supply, drainage and sewerage, sanitation, solid waste management, street lighting, and building regulation. Kolkata's administrative agencies have areas of jurisdiction that do not coincide. Listed in ascending order by area, they are: Kolkata district ; the Kolkata Police area and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area, or "Kolkata city"; and
10350-517: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation limits, in their own municipal corporations or authorities. Kolkata is the commercial and financial hub of East and Northeast India and home to the Calcutta Stock Exchange . It is a major commercial and military port, and is one of five cities in eastern India (alongside Bhubaneswar , Guwahati , Imphal , and Kushinagar ) to have an international airport. Once India's leading city, Kolkata experienced
10488-567: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation) can be broadly divided into two groups— bustees , in which slum dwellers have some long term tenancy agreement with the landowners; and udbastu colonies , settlements which had been leased to refugees from present-day Bangladesh by the government. The unauthorised slums (devoid of basic services provided by the municipality) are occupied by squatters who started living on encroached lands—mainly along canals, railway lines and roads. According to
10626-506: The Native women, because it will be impossible to get ordinary young women, as we have before directed, to pay their own passages, although Gentlewomen sufficient do offer themselves." Until 1741, a special payment was made to each soldier who had his child baptised as a Protestant . The concern in London was that if the soldiers at Fort St. George lived with or married the many Portuguese women there
10764-542: The Nawabs were abolished, and East India company took complete control of the city and the province. In the early 19th century, the marshes surrounding the city were drained; the government area was laid out along the banks of the Hooghly River. Richard Wellesley , Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William between 1797 and 1805, was largely responsible for the development of the city and its public architecture. Throughout
10902-617: The United Kingdom, United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. In 1970, however, almost 9,000 Anglo-Indians had come from India. During the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War , almost 1,500 Anglo-Indians died. After the independence of Bangladesh, during 1974–1976 almost 2,800 Anglo-Indians arrived in Bangladesh from India. In 1980, there were 3,750 reported births of Anglo-Indian children in Bangladesh. By 1993, there were 10,371 Anglo-Indians living in Bangladesh. The Anglo-Indian population in
11040-453: The age of 52. Cuckoo died on 30 September 1981 due to cancer at the age of 53. At the last moment, the situation became such that the film industry left her in oblivion. There was no money even to buy medicines, due to which Cuckoo could not get herself treated and no one from the film industry came forward to help her. She was forgotten and unattended by the film industry at the time of her death. Anglo-Indian Anglo-Indian people are
11178-553: The better part of half a century. Most Anglo-Indians, even those without much formal education, find that gaining employment in schools is fairly easy because of their fluency in English. Norman Pritchard became India's first ever Olympic medallist, winning two silver medals at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, France. In cricket Roger Binny was the leading wicket-taker during the Indian cricket team's 1983 World Cup triumph. Wilson Jones
11316-479: The career of an ambitious husband. By 1830, the proportion of illegitimate births registered in the Bengal Presidency had fallen to 10%, and British wills in Bengal in 1830-2 record less than one in four bequests to Indian women and their children compared with almost two in five fifty years earlier. For all the social disapproval, however, officers and Company servants continued to marry Anglo-Indian girls, and it
11454-420: The children would be brought up as Roman Catholics rather than Protestants. The Company's officials on the ground were less worried about the religious issue, but more concerned that soldiers should be married "to prevent wickedness". Married soldiers with family ties were thought more likely to be better behaved than bachelors. The British military population in India grew rapidly from a few hundred soldiers in
11592-414: The churches, from cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests and ministers, and fill a number of educational roles." India constitutionally guarantees of the rights of communities and religious and linguistic minorities, and thus permits Anglo-Indians to maintain their own schools and to use English as the medium of instruction. In order to encourage the integration of the community into the larger society,
11730-481: The city into North, Central, South and East Kolkata. North Kolkata is the oldest part of the city. Characterised by 19th-century architecture and narrow alleyways, it includes areas such as Jorasanko , Rajabazar , Maniktala , Ultadanga , Shyambazar , Shobhabazar , Bagbazar , Cossipore , Sinthee etc. The north suburban areas like Dum Dum , Baranagar , Belgharia , Sodepur , Khardaha , New Barrackpore , Madhyamgram , Barrackpore , Barasat etc. are also within
11868-709: The city is struck by heavy rains or dusty squalls that are followed by thunderstorms or hailstorms, bringing cooling relief from the prevailing humidity. These thunderstorms are convective in nature, and are known locally as kal bôishakhi ( কালবৈশাখী ), or "Nor'westers" in English. Rains brought by the Bay of Bengal branch of the south-west summer monsoon lash Kolkata between June and September, supplying it with most of its annual rainfall of about 1,850 mm (73 in). The highest monthly rainfall total occurs in July and August. In these months often incessant rain for days brings life to
12006-517: The city of Kolkata (as a metropolitan structure). Central Kolkata hosts the central business district. It contains B. B. D. Bagh , formerly known as Dalhousie Square, and the Esplanade on its east; Rajiv Gandhi Sarani is on its west. The West Bengal Secretariat , General Post Office , Reserve Bank of India , Calcutta High Court , Lalbazar Police Headquarters and several other government and private offices are located there. Another business hub
12144-519: The city of Kolkata (as a metropolitan structure). The Maidan is a large open field in the heart of the city that has been called the "lungs of Kolkata" and accommodates sporting events and public meetings. The Victoria Memorial and Kolkata Race Course are located at the southern end of the Maidan. Among the other parks are Central Park in Bidhannagar and Millennium Park on Rajiv Gandhi Sarani, along
12282-647: The city such as the Coal India , National Insurance Company , Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers , Tea Board of India , Geological Survey of India , Zoological Survey of India , Botanical Survey of India , Jute Corporation of India , National Test House, Hindustan Copper and the Ordnance Factories Board of the Indian Ministry of Defence . The demonym for residents of Kolkata are Calcuttan and Kolkatan . According to provisional results of
12420-458: The city the following year. Per the 1765 Treaty of Allahabad following the battle of Buxar , East India company was appointed imperial tax collector of the Mughal emperor in the province of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, while Mughal-appointed Nawabs continued to rule the province. Declared a presidency city , Calcutta became the headquarters of the East India Company by 1773. In 1793, ruling power of
12558-522: The city. During the 1960s and 1970s, severe power shortages, strikes and a violent Marxist – Maoist movement by groups known as the Naxalites damaged much of the city's infrastructure, resulting in economic stagnation. During East Pakistan's secessionist war of independence in 1971, the city was home to the government-in-exile of Bangladesh . During the war, refugees poured into West Bengal and strained Kolkata's infrastructure. The Eastern Command of
12696-449: The city. Philips India, PwC India , Tata Global Beverages , and Tata Steel have their registered office and zonal headquarters in Kolkata. Kolkata hosts the headquarters of two major banks: UCO Bank , and Bandhan Bank . Reserve Bank of India , State Bank of India have its eastern zonal office in Kolkata. India Government Mint, Kolkata is one of the four mints in India. Some of the oldest public sector companies are headquartered in
12834-536: The city. Though home to major cricketing venues and franchises, Kolkata stands out in India for being the country's centre of association football. Kolkata is known for its grand celebrations of the Hindu festival of Durga Puja , which is recognized by UNESCO for its importance to world heritage. Kolkata is also known as the 'City of Joy'. The word Kolkata ( Bengali : কলকাতা [kolˈkata] ) derives from Kôlikata (Bengali: কলিকাতা [ˈkɔliˌkata] ),
12972-532: The colonial era, genres including ragtime and jazz were played by bands for the social elites, and these bands often contained Anglo-Indian members. Around the time of the Indian independence movement , the All-India Anglo-Indian Association was opposed to the partition of India ; its then president Frank Anthony criticized the colonial authorities for "racial discrimination in matters of pay and allowances, and for failing to acknowledge
13110-685: The colonial era. For example, the definition rarely embraces the descendants of the Indians from the old Portuguese colonies of both the Coromandel and Malabar Coasts , who joined the East India Company as mercenaries and brought their families with them. The definition has many extensions, for example, Luso-Indian (mixed Portuguese and Indian) of Goa and Kochi , people of Indo-French descent, and Indo-Dutch descent. Indians have encountered Europeans since their earliest civilization. They have been
13248-506: The company, and was later made the Nawab for a brief time. Under company and later crown rule , Calcutta served as the de facto capital of India until 1911. Calcutta was the second largest city in the British Empire , after London , and was the centre of bureaucracy, politics, law, education, science and the arts in India. The city was associated with many of the figures and movements of
13386-416: The country reached 20,000 in 2016. Kolkatta Kolkata , also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001 ), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal . It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River , 80 km (50 mi) west of the border with Bangladesh . It is the primary financial and commercial centre of eastern and northeastern India . Kolkata
13524-558: The emergence of a new babu class of urbane Indians, whose members were often bureaucrats, professionals, newspaper readers, and Anglophiles; they usually belonged to upper-caste Hindu communities. In the 19th century, the Bengal Renaissance brought about an increased sociocultural sophistication among city denizens. In 1883, Calcutta was host to the first national conference of the Indian National Association , which
13662-521: The events of the Rebellion of 1857 , after which several anti-miscegenation laws were implemented. As a result, Eurasians were neglected by both the British and Indian populations in India. Over generations, Anglo-Indians intermarried with other Anglo-Indians to form a community that developed a culture of its own. Their cuisine , dress, speech (use of English as their mother tongue ), and religion ( Christianity ) all served to further separate them from
13800-499: The following districts: North 24 Parganas , South 24 Parganas , Howrah , Hooghly and Nadia . Two planned townships in the greater Kolkata region are Bidhannagar , also known as Salt Lake City and located north-east of the city; and Rajarhat , also called New Town and located east of Bidhannagar. In the 2000s, Sector 5 in Bidhannagar developed into a business hub for information technology and telecommunication companies. Both Bidhannagar and New Town are situated outside
13938-585: The government stipulates that a certain percentage of the student body come from other Indian communities. In a 2013 BBC News feature on Anglo-Indians, journalist Kris Griffiths wrote: "It has been noted in recent years that the number of Anglo-Indians who have succeeded in certain fields is remarkably disproportionate to the community's size. For example, in the music industry there are Engelbert Humperdinck (born Madras ), Peter Sarstedt ( Delhi ) and Cliff Richard ( Lucknow ). The looser definition of Anglo-Indian (any mixed British-Indian parentage) encompasses
14076-958: The headquarters of three railway zones out of eighteen of the Indian Railways regional divisions namely the Kolkata Metro, Eastern Railway and the South Eastern Railway . Kolkata has international rail connectivity with Dhaka , the capital of Bangladesh. Kolkata is the only Indian city with a tram network, which was operated by the Calcutta Tramways Company . It has now amalgamated to West Bengal Transport Corporation . There are three operational routes: Tollygunge to Ballygunge , Gariahat to Esplanade , Shyambazar to Esplanade . Trams are environment friendly but due to slow-moving and traffic congestion, tram attracts less passengers. Water-logging, caused by heavy rains during
14214-478: The highest car density in India. This leads major traffic congestion. The city's main bus terminals are located at Esplanade and Howrah . The Kolkata–Delhi and Kolkata– Chennai prongs of the Golden Quadrilateral , and National Highway 12 start from the outskirts of the city. As of 2024 , Kolkata has one state expressway and two national expressways , all in its metropolitan area. Kalyani Expressway
14352-531: The historic region of Bengal . The three villages that predated Calcutta were ruled by the Nawab of Bengal under Mughal suzerainty . After the Nawab granted the East India Company a trading licence in 1690, the area was developed by the Company into Fort William . Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah occupied the fort in 1756 but was defeated at the Battle of Plassey in 1757, after his general Mir Jafar mutinied in support of
14490-524: The interests of this ethnic group; it holds that Anglo-Indians are unique in that they are Christians , speak English as their mother tongue, and have a historical link to both the British Isles and the Indian sub-continent . Anglo-Indians tend to identify as people of India, mostly in Kolkatta and Chennai , (or Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Pakistan), rather than of a specific region such as Bengal. 2 August
14628-406: The ladies' seminaries in Presidency towns and to England to be 'finished'; and when they returned, they were married off to fellow officers. Some daughters of senior officers became substantial heiresses whose wealth was a marked marital attraction, but many more daughters of impoverished officers, raised in military orphanages after the deaths of their fathers, hoped only to find a suitable husband at
14766-442: The late 18th and 19th century, the city was a centre of the East India Company's opium trade. A census in 1837 records the population of the city proper as 229,700, of which the British residents made up only 3,138. The same source says another 177,000 resided in the suburbs and neighbouring villages, making the entire population of greater Calcutta 406,700. In 1864, a typhoon struck the city and killed about 60,000 in Kolkata. By
14904-527: The latest being held in 2015 in Kolkata . Several narratives and novels have been published recently. The Leopard's Call: An Anglo-Indian Love Story (2005) by Reginald Shires, tells of the life of two teachers at the small Bengali town of Falakata , down from Bhutan ; At the Age for Love: A Novel of Bangalore during World War II (2006) is by the same author. In the Shadow of Crows (2009) by David Charles Manners ,
15042-554: The latter group are now called "Anglo-Indians". The community originated soon after 1639 when the British East India Company established a settlement in Madras. The community identified itself with and was accepted by the British until 1791, when Anglo-Indians were excluded from positions of authority in the civil, military and marine services in the East India Company. During the Indian rebellion of 1857, Anglo-Indians sided with
15180-405: The likes of cricketer Nasser Hussain , footballer Michael Chopra and actor Ben Kingsley ." Air Vice-Marshal Maurice Barker was India's first Anglo-Indian Air Marshal. At least seven other Anglo-Indians subsequently reached that post, a notable achievement for a small community. A number of others have been decorated for military achievements. Air Marshal Malcolm Wollen is often considered
15318-527: The lower one at a depth of 250–650 m (820–2,130 ft); the upper one 10–40 m (30–130 ft) in thickness. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards , on a scale ranging from I to V in order of increasing susceptibility to earthquakes, the city lies inside seismic zone III . Kolkata is subject to a tropical savanna climate that is designated Aw under the Köppen climate classification . According to
15456-553: The man who won India's 1971 war fighting alongside Bangladesh . Anglo-Indians made similarly significant contributions to the Indian Navy and Army. One of the most respected matriculation qualifications in India, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education , was started and built by some of the community's best known educationalists, including Frank Anthony , who served as its president, and A.E.T. Barrow , its secretary for
15594-463: The mid-18th century to 18,000 in the Royal and Company armies of 1790. During this time the records of cohabitation and last testaments show that at least a third of all British men in India married an Indian woman or left their inheritance to their Anglo-Indian children. There were also many second generation British officers who were born and raised in India, such as Lieutenant-Colonel James Kirkpatrick who
15732-528: The mid-19th century, there were around 40,000 British soldiers, but fewer than 2,000 British officials present in India but by then the Suez Canal was opened and many British women came to India in quick transit. Before the British Raj, the Company, with some reluctance, endorsed a policy of local marriage for its soldiers. The board of directors wrote in 1688 to its Council at Fort St. George : "Induce by all meanes you can invent our Souldiers (sic) to marry with
15870-463: The monthly public dances. Save in very few cases, when British men returned home, the Indian companion and any children stayed in India: British soldiers were not permitted to bring them, and many officers and civil servants feared the social and cultural consequences. Originally, under Regulation VIII of 1813, Anglo-Indians were excluded from the British legal system and in Bengal became subject to
16008-575: The national average of 3.3. The Kolkata Port Trust, an agency of the central government, manages the city's river port. As of 2023 , the All India Trinamool Congress controls the KMC; the mayor is Firhad Hakim , while the deputy mayor is Atin Ghosh. The city has an apolitical titular post, that of the Sheriff of Kolkata , which presides over various city-related functions and conferences. As
16146-578: The national rate of 187.6; it was the lowest rate among India's largest cities. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation supplies the city with potable water that is sourced from the Hooghly River; most of it is treated and purified at the Palta pumping station located in North ;24 Parganas district. Roughly 95% of the 4,000 tonnes of refuse produced daily by the city is transported to the dumping grounds in Dhapa , which
16284-455: The native population. A number of factors fostered a strong sense of community among Anglo-Indians. Their English language school system, their strongly Anglo-influenced culture, and their Christian beliefs in particular helped bind them together. They formed social clubs and associations to run functions, including regular dances on occasions such as Christmas and Easter . Indeed, their Christmas balls , held in most major cities, still form
16422-414: The norm in Kolkata, which has an informal sector that employs more than 40% of the labour force. One unorganised group, roadside hawkers , generated business worth ₹ 87.72 billion (equivalent to ₹ 300 billion or US$ 3.6 billion in 2023) in 2005. As of 2001 , around 0.81% of the city's workforce was employed in the primary sector (agriculture, forestry, mining, etc.); 15.49% worked in
16560-463: The offspring of high and low in British society, and gentlemen of wealth often left substantial bequests and annuities to their Indian partners and children. When Major Thomas Naylor in 1782 bequeathed to his companion Muckmul Patna Rs 4000, a bungalow and a garden at Berhampore , a hackery, bullocks, her jewels, clothes, and all their male and female slaves, he treated her as he might a wife. Where they could, gentlemen sent their Anglo-Indian daughters to
16698-416: The population; 1.09% did not state a religion in the census. Kolkata reported 67.6% of Special and Local Laws crimes registered in 35 large Indian cities during 2004. Kolkata is administered by several government agencies. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation , or KMC, oversees and manages the civic infrastructure of the city's 16 boroughs, which together encompass 144 wards. Each ward elects
16836-690: The region in which the city stands has been inhabited for over two millennia. Kolkata or Kalikata in its earliest mentions, is described to be a village surrounded with jungle on the bank of river Ganga as a renowned port, commercial hub and a hindu pilgrimage site for Kalighat Temple . The first mention of the Kalikata village was found in Bipradas Pipilai's Manasa Vijay (1495), where he describes how Chand Sadagar used to stop in Kalighat to worship Goddess Kali during his path to trade voyage. Later Kalikata
16974-643: The remaining Anglo-Indians still aspiring to leave. Like the Parsi community, the Anglo-Indians were essentially urban dwellers. Unlike the Parsis, the mass migrations saw more of the better educated and financially secure Anglo-Indians depart for other Commonwealth nations. There has been a resurgence in celebrating Anglo-Indian culture in the twenty-first century, in the form of International Anglo-Indian Reunions and in publishing books. There have been nine reunions, with
17112-575: The rest of West Bengal; these men commonly leave their families behind. Kolkata's literacy rate of 87.14% exceeds the national average of 74%. The final population totals of census 2011 stated the population of city as 4,496,694. The urban agglomeration had a population of 14,112,536 in 2011. As of 2003 , about one-third of the population, or 15 lakh (1.5 million) people, lived in 3,500 unregistered squatter-occupied and 2,011 registered slums . The authorised slums (with access to basic services like water, latrines, trash removal by
17250-421: The rule of Islamic law outside Calcutta , and yet found themselves without any caste or status amongst those who were to judge them. This coincided with the Company officially allowing Christian missionaries into India; and evangelical organisations and popular writers of the time like Mary Sherwood routinely blamed the alleged moral shortcomings or personality defects of the growing Anglo-Indian population upon
17388-611: The seat of the Government of West Bengal , Kolkata is home to not only the offices of the local governing agencies, but also the West Bengal Legislative Assembly ; the state secretariat, which is housed in the Writers' Building; and the Calcutta High Court . Most government establishments and institutions are housed in the centre of the city in B. B. D. Bagh (formerly known as Dalhousie Square). The Calcutta High Court
17526-468: The sterling military and civil contributions made by Anglo-Indians to the Raj". Their position at the time of independence of India was difficult. Given their English ancestry, many felt a loyalty to a British "home" that most had never seen and where they would gain little social acceptance. Bhowani Junction touches on the identity crisis faced by the Anglo-Indian community during the independence movement of
17664-502: The time of independence in 1947 to about 125,000–150,000 in modern day India. During much of the time that Britain ruled India (the Raj ), British-Indian relationships faced stigma, which meant that the ethnicity of some Anglo-Indians was undocumented or identified incorrectly. As such, many have adapted to local communities in India or emigrated to the United Kingdom , Australia , Canada ,
17802-438: The women here are mere adventuresses from Milliners shops on Ludgate Hill and some even from Covent Garden and Old Drury [well known areas of prostitution in late 18th century London]. They possess neither sentiment nor education, and are so intoxicated by their sudden elevation, that a sensible man can only regard them with indignation and outrage." The reforming zeal of Governor-General Lord Cornwallis had ensured that by
17940-631: Was Cuckoo Moray. Born during the late British Raj , Cuckoo made her screen debut in the film Arab Ka Sitara in 1946. Soon after in Stum Chandi , directors and greater audiences noticed her dancing abilities for the first time. Then, the turning point in Cuckoo's career was in Mehboob Khan 's films. Her dance number in his film Anokhi Ada (1948) established her as the lead dancer of the era and in Andaz (1949),
18078-466: Was India's first ever World Professional Billiards Champion. Today, there are estimated to be 350,000-400,000 Anglo-Indians living in India, most of whom are based in the cities of Kolkata , Chennai , Bangalore , Mumbai , Delhi , Hyderabad , Ratlam , Kochi , Pune , Kollam , Secunderabad , Mysuru , Mangaluru , Kolar Gold Fields , Kanpur , Lucknow , Agra , Varanasi , Madurai , Coimbatore , Pothanur , Tiruchirapalli , The Nilgiris , and
18216-603: Was also found to be mentioned in Mukundaram Chakrabarti 's Chandimangal (1594), Todar Mal's taxation-list in 1596 and Krishnaram Das's Kalikamangal (1676–77). Kalighat was then considered a safe place for businessmen. They used to carry on trade through the Bhagirathi and took shelter there at night. Kolkata's recorded history began in 1690 with the arrival of the English East India Company , which
18354-489: Was born in Madras in 1764, wore Mughal style clothing, and spoke Tamil as a first language. Left with a strong affinity for the cultural practices of their childhood homeland, many although nominally Christian would adopt local Hindu and Muslim customs such as shunning pork, beef, and even becoming vegetarians. Kirkpatrick would even go on to converting to Islam in order to marry a Sayyida noblewoman named Khair-un-Nissa in 1800, having two children together, and assimilating into
18492-440: Was consolidating its trade business in Bengal. Job Charnock is often regarded as the founder of the city; however, in response to a public petition, the Calcutta High Court ruled in 2003 that the city does not have a founder. The area occupied by the present-day city encompassed three villages: Kalikata , Gobindapur and Sutanuti . Kalikata was a fishing village, where a handful of merchants began their operations by building
18630-567: Was in Mujhe Jeene Do in 1963 after which, she had disappeared from the film industry. How much Cuckoo was fond of luxury can be easily estimated from the fact that she had three luxury cars, out of which one car was for her use, one for her dog and one car was for Helen. She owned several apartments and a lot of jewelry but it is said that all her property was confiscated for violating income tax. Because of this, she had no money left. As her fortunes dwindled, she battled terminal cancer, dying at
18768-411: Was the first avowed nationalist organisation in India. The partition of Bengal in 1905 along religious lines led to mass protests, making Calcutta a less hospitable place for the British. The capital was moved to New Delhi in 1911. Calcutta continued to be a centre for revolutionary organisations associated with the Indian independence movement . The city and its port were bombed several times by
18906-522: Was thought that in Calcutta alone there were more than 500 marriageable Anglo-Indian girls in the 1820s, compared to 250 Englishwomen in the whole of Bengal. In 1821, a pamphlet entitled "Thoughts on how to better the condition of Indo-Britons" by a "Practical Reformer", was written to promote the removal of prejudices existing in the minds of young Eurasians against engaging in trades. This was followed up by another pamphlet, entitled "An Appeal on behalf of Indo-Britons". Prominent Eurasians in Calcutta formed
19044-850: Was to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after". Languages spoken in Kolkata city (2011 census) Bengali , the official state language, is the dominant language in Kolkata. English is also used, particularly by the white-collar workforce. Hindi and Urdu are spoken by a sizeable minority. Bengali Hindus form the majority of Kolkata's population; Marwaris , Biharis and Urdu-speaking Muslims compose large minorities. Among Kolkata's smaller communities are Chinese , Tamils , Nepalis , Pathans/Afghans (locally known as Kabuliwala ) Odias , Telugus , Gujaratis , Anglo-Indians , Armenians , Bengali Muslims , Greeks , Tibetans , Maharashtrians , Konkanis , Malayalees , Punjabis and Parsis . The number of Armenians, Greeks, Jews and other foreign-origin groups declined during
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