In the late 17th century, the three villages that predated Calcutta were ruled by the Nawab of Bengal under Mughalsuzerainty. After the Nawab granted the East India Company a trading licence in 1690,[23] the area was developed by the Company into an increasingly fortified trading post. Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah occupied Calcutta in 1756, and the East India Company retook it the following year. In 1793 the East India company was strong enough to abolish Nizamat (local rule), and assumed full sovereignty of the region. Under the company rule, and later under the British Raj, Calcutta served as the capital of British-held territories in India until 1911, when its perceived geographical disadvantages, combined with growing nationalism in Bengal, led to a shift of the capital to New Delhi. Calcutta was the centre for the Indian independence movement; it remains a hotbed of contemporary state politics. Following Indian independence in 1947, Kolkata, which was once the centre of modern Indian education, science, culture, and politics, suffered several decades of economic stagnation.
The word Kolkata derives from Kôlikata (Bengali: কলিকাতা) [ˈkɔliˌkat̪a], the Bengali name of one of three villages that predated the arrival of the British, in the area where the city was eventually established; the other two villages were Sutanuti and Govindapur.[24]
There are several explanations for the etymology of this name:
Kolikata is thought to be a variation of Kalikkhetrô [ˈkaliˌkʰːet̪rɔ] (Bengali: কালীক্ষেত্র), meaning "Field of [the goddess] Kali". Similarly, it can be a variation of 'Kalikshetra' (Sanskrit: कालीक्षेत्र, lit. "area of Goddess Kali").
Another theory is that the name derives from Kalighat.[25]
Alternatively, the name may have been derived from the Bengali term kilkila (Bengali: কিলকিলা), or "flat area".[26]
The name may have its origin in the words khal [ˈkʰal] (Bengali: খাল) meaning "canal", followed by kaṭa [ˈkaʈa] (Bengali: কাটা), which may mean "dug".[27]
According to another theory, the area specialised in the production of quicklime or koli chun [ˈkɔliˌtɕun] (Bengali: কলি চুন) and coir or kata [ˈkat̪a] (Bengali: কাতা); hence, it was called Kolikata [ˈkɔliˌkat̪a] (Bengali: কলিকাতা).[26]
Although the city's name has always been pronounced Kolkata [ˈkolˌkat̪a] (Bengali: কলকাতা) or Kôlikata [ˈkɔliˌkat̪a] (Bengali: কলিকাতা) in Bengali, the anglicised form Calcutta was the official name until 2001, when it was changed to Kolkata in order to match Bengali pronunciation.[28]
The discovery and archaeological study of Chandraketugarh, 35 kilometres (22 mi) north of Kolkata, provide evidence that the region in which the city stands has been inhabited for over two millennia.[29][30] Kolkata's recorded history began in 1690 with the arrival of the English East India Company, which was consolidating its trade business in Bengal. Job Charnock, an administrator who worked for the company, was formerly credited as the founder of the city;[31] In response to a public petition,[32] the Calcutta High Court ruled in 2003 that the city does not have a founder.[33] The area occupied by the present-day city encompassed three villages: Kalikata, Gobindapur, and Sutanuti. Kalikata was a fishing village; Sutanuti was a riverside weavers' village. They were part of an estate belonging to the Mughal emperor; the jagirdari (a land grant bestowed by a king on his noblemen) taxation rights to the villages were held by the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family of landowners, or zamindars. These rights were transferred to the East India Company in 1698.[34]:1
In 1712, the British completed the construction of Fort William, located on the east bank of the Hooghly River to protect their trading factory.[35] Facing frequent skirmishes with French forces, 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; he captured Fort William which led to the killings of several East India company officials in the Black Hole of Calcutta.[36] A force of Company soldiers (sepoys) and British troops led by Robert Clive recaptured the city the following year.[36] 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.[37] Declared a presidency city, Calcutta became the headquarters of the East India Company by 1773.[38] In 1793, ruling power of 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.[39] Throughout the late 18th and 19th century, the city was a centre of the East India Company's opium trade.[40] A census in 1837 records the population of the city proper as 229,700, of which the British residents made up only 3,138.[41] 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.[42]
Panoramic view of Kolkata (Calcutta) from the Shaheed Minar (Octerlony Monument), 1832, drawn by Jacob Janssen
By 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.[43] 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 railway station. The coalescence of British and Indian culture resulted in 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.[44] 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, the first avowed nationalist organisation in India.[45]
Bengali billboards on Harrison Street. Calcutta was the largest commercial centre in British India.
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.[56] The Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 led to a massive influx of thousands of refugees, many of them penniless, that strained Kolkata's infrastructure.[57] 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.[58] In the period 1977–2011, West Bengal was governed from Kolkata by 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.[59][60][61] In the 2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, Left Front was defeated by the Trinamool Congress. 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 is also experiencing marked growth in its manufacturing base.[62]
Spread roughly north–south 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 is 1.5–9 m (5–30 ft).[63] Much of the city was originally a wetland that was reclaimed over the decades to accommodate a burgeoning population.[64] The remaining undeveloped areas, known as the East Kolkata Wetlands, were designated a "wetland of international importance" by the Ramsar Convention (1975).[65] As with most of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the soil and water are predominantly alluvial in origin. Kolkata is located over the "Bengal basin", a pericratonic tertiary basin.[66] 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.[66] The shelf and hinge zones have many faults, among them some are active. Total thickness of sediment below Kolkata 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-CarboniferousGondwana rocks.[66] The quaternary sediments consist of clay, silt, and several grades of sand and gravel. These sediments are sandwiched between two clay beds: 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.[67] 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.[68]
Urban structure
The Kolkata metropolitan area is spread over 1,886.67 km2 (728.45 sq mi)[69]:7 and comprises 3 municipal corporations (including Kolkata Municipal Corporation), 37 local municipalities and 24 panchayat samitis, as of 2011.[69]:7 The urban agglomeration encompassed 72 cities and 527 towns and villages, as of 2006.[70] Suburban areas in the Kolkata metropolitan area incorporate parts of the following districts: North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, and Nadia.[71]:15 Kolkata, which is under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation ( KMC), has an area of 205 km2 (79 sq mi).[70] 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).[72] The north–south distance is greater, and its axis is used to section the city into North, Central, South and East Kolkata.
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.[24][77] In the 2000s, Sector V in Bidhannagar developed into a business hub for information technology and telecommunication companies.[78][79] Both Bidhannagar and New Town are situated outside the Kolkata Municipal Corporation limits, in their own municipalities.[77]
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 often exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in May and June.[80] Winter lasts for roughly two-and-a-half months, with seasonal lows dipping to 9–11 °C (48–52 °F) in December and January. May 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).[80] The winter is mild and very comfortable weather pertains over the city throughout this season.
Often, in April–June, 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.[81]
Rainfall
Rains brought by the Bay of Bengal branch of the south-west summer monsoon[82] 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 a stall for the city dwellers. The city receives 2,107 hours of sunshine per year, with maximum sunlight exposure occurring in April.[83] Kolkata has been hit by several cyclones; these include systems occurring in 1737 and 1864 that killed thousands.[84][85]
Pollution is a major concern in Kolkata. As of 2008[update], 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.[90][91] Severe air pollution in the city has caused a rise in pollution-related respiratory ailments, such as lung cancer.[92]
Kolkata is the commercial and financial hub of East and North-East India[71] and home to the Calcutta Stock Exchange.[93][94] It is a major commercial and military port, and is the only city in eastern India, apart from Bhubaneswar to have an international airport. Once India's leading city, Kolkata experienced 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.[62] From the 1960s to the late 1990s, several factories were closed and businesses relocated.[62] The lack of capital and resources added to the depressed state of the city's economy and gave rise to an unwelcome sobriquet: the "dying city".[95] 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.[62]
Panoramic view of the Downtown Sector V one of the major IT hubs of Kolkata as seen from the lakes surrounding Bidhannagar. Major Buildings such as Technopolis, Godrej Waterside, TCS Lords, Eden and Wanderers Park, Gobsyn Crystal, South City Pinnacle, RDB Boulevard, West Bengal Electronics Industry Development Corporation (WEBEL) Bhawan can be seen.
The demonym for residents of Kolkata are Calcuttan and Kolkatan.[107][108] According to provisional results of the 2011 national census, Kolkata district, which occupies an area of 185 km2 (71 sq mi), had a population of
4,486,679;[109] its population density was 24,252/km2 (62,810/sq mi).[109] 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.[110] The ratio is depressed by the influx of working males from surrounding rural areas, from the rest of West Bengal; these men commonly leave their families behind.[111] Kolkata's literacy rate of 87.14%[110] exceeds the national average of 74%.[112] The final population totals of census 2011 stated the population of city as 4,496,694.[12] The urban agglomeration had a population of 14,112,536 in 2011.[13]
Bengali, the official state language, is the dominant language in Kolkata.[120] English is also used, particularly by the white-collar workforce. Hindi and Urdu are spoken by a sizeable minority.[121][122] According to the 2011 census, 76.51% of the population is Hindu, 20.60% Muslim, 0.88% Christian, and 0.47% Jain.[123] The remainder of the population includes Sikhs, Buddhists, and other religions which accounts for 0.45% of the population; 1.09% did not state a religion in the census.[123] Kolkata reported 67.6% of Special and Local Laws crimes registered in 35 large Indian cities during 2004.[124] The Kolkata police district registered 15,510 Indian Penal Code cases in 2010, the 8th-highest total in the country.[125] In 2010, the crime rate was 117.3 per 100,000, below the national rate of 187.6; it was the lowest rate among India's largest cities.[126]
As of 2003[update], about one-third of the population, or 1.5 million people, lived in 3,500 unregistered squatter-occupied and 2,011 registered slums.[97]:4[127]:92 The authorised slums (with access to basic services like water, latrines, trash removal by 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.[127][97]:5 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.[127]:92[97]:5 According to 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.[128]:23Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding and working with the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata—an organisation "whose primary task was to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after".[129]
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.[120] Each ward elects 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.[130] 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 the KMC.[131] The functions of the KMC include water supply, drainage and sewerage, sanitation, solid waste management, street lighting, and building regulation.[130]
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation was ranked 1st out of 21 Cities for best governance & administrative practices in India in 2014. It scored 4.0 on 10 compared to the national average of 3.3.[132]
The Kolkata Port Trust, an agency of the central government, manages the city's river port. As of 2012[update], the All India Trinamool Congress controls the KMC; the mayor is Firhad Hakim, while the deputy mayor is Atin Ghosh.[133] The city has an apolitical titular post, that of the Sheriff of Kolkata, which presides over various city-related functions and conferences.[134]
A telecommunications tower belonging to services provider Tata Communications
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation supplies the city with potable water that is sourced from the Hooghly River;[143] most of it is treated and purified at the Palta pumping station located in North 24 Parganas district.[144] Roughly 95% of the 4,000 tonnes of refuse produced daily by the city is transported to the dumping grounds in Dhapa, which is east of the town.[145][146] To promote the recycling of garbage and sewer water, agriculture is encouraged on the dumping grounds.[147] Parts of the city lack proper sewerage, leading to unsanitary methods of waste disposal.[83]
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 the East Indian Railway Company responsible for building the first railway 541 miles from Howrah to Varanasi (then Benares).
According to a 2013 survey conducted by the International Association of Public Transport, in terms of a public transport system, Kolkata ranks among the top of the six Indian cities surveyed.[159][160] The Kolkata Metro, in operation since 1984, is the oldest underground mass transit system in India.[161] It spans the north–south length of the city and Salt Lake, and covers a distance of 33.02 km (21 mi). As of 2020[update], four Metro rail lines were under construction.[162] Kolkata has four long-distance railway stations, located at Howrah (the largest railway complex in India), Sealdah, Chitpur and Shalimar, which connect Kolkata by rail to most cities in West Bengal and to other major cities in India.[163] The city serves as the headquarters of three railway Zone out of Seventeen of the Indian Railways regional divisions—the Kolkata Metro Railways, Eastern Railway and the South-Eastern Railway.[164] Kolkata has rail and road connectivity with Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.[165][166][167]
The yellow taxi remains a favourite despite the foray of rideshare companies in the transport market
Buses, which are the most commonly used mode of transport, are run by government agencies and private operators.[168] Kolkata is the only Indian city with a tram network, which is operated by the Calcutta Tramways Company.[169] The slow-moving tram services are restricted to certain areas of the city. Water-logging, caused by heavy rains that fall during the summer monsoon, can interrupt transportation networks.[170][171] Hired public conveyances include auto rickshaws, which often ply specific routes, and yellow metered taxis. Almost all of Kolkata's taxis are antiquated Hindustan Ambassadors by make; newer air-conditioned radio taxis are in service as well.[172][173] In parts of the city, cycle rickshaws and hand-pulled rickshaws are patronised by the public for short trips.[174]
Due to its diverse and abundant public transportation, privately owned vehicles are not as common in Kolkata as in other major Indian cities.[175] The city has witnessed a steady increase in the number of registered vehicles; 2002 data showed an increase of 44% over a period of seven years.[176] As of 2004[update], after adjusting for population density, the city's "road space" was only 6% compared to 23% in Delhi and 17% in Mumbai.[177] The Kolkata Metro has somewhat eased traffic congestion, as has the addition of new roads and flyovers. Agencies operating long-distance bus services include the Calcutta State Transport Corporation, the South Bengal State Transport Corporation, the North Bengal State Transport Corporation, and various private operators. The city's main bus terminals are located at Esplanade and Babughat.[178] The Kolkata–Delhi and Kolkata–Chennai prongs of the Golden Quadrilateral, and National Highway 34 start from the city.[179]
As of 2011[update], the health care system in Kolkata consists of 48 government hospitals, mostly under the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal, and 366 private medical establishments;[187] these establishments provide the city with 27,687 hospital beds.[187] For every 10,000 people in the city, there are 61.7 hospital beds,[188] which is higher than the national average of 9 hospital beds per 10,000.[189] Ten medical and dental colleges are located in the Kolkata metropolitan area which act as tertiary referral hospitals in the state.[190][191] The Calcutta Medical College, founded in 1835, was the first institution in Asia to teach modern medicine.[192] However, These facilities are inadequate to meet the healthcare needs of the city.[193][194][195] More than 78% in Kolkata prefer the private medical sector over the public medical sector,[128]:109 due to the overburdening of the public health sector, the lack of a nearby facility, and excessive waiting times at government facilities.[128]:61
According to the Indian 2005 National Family Health Survey, only a small proportion of Kolkata households were covered under any health scheme or health insurance.[128]:41 The total fertility rate in Kolkata was 1.4, The lowest among the eight cities surveyed.[128]:45 In Kolkata, 77% of the married women used contraceptives, which was the highest among the cities surveyed, but use of modern contraceptive methods was the lowest (46%).[128]:47 The infant mortality rate in Kolkata was 41 per 1,000 live births, and the mortality rate for children under five was 49 per 1,000 live births.[128]:48
About 18% of the men and 30% of the women in Kolkata are obese—the majority of them belonging to the non-poor strata of society.[128]:105 In 2005, Kolkata had the highest percentage (55%) among the surveyed cities of anaemic women, while 20% of the men in Kolkata were anaemic.[128]:56–57 Diseases like diabetes, asthma, goitre and other thyroid disorders were found in large numbers of people.[128]:57–59 Tropical diseases like malaria, dengue and chikungunya are prevalent in Kolkata, though their incidence is decreasing.[196][197] Kolkata is one of the districts in India with a high number of people with AIDS; it has been designated a district prone to high risk.[198][199]
Kolkata is known for its literary, artistic, and revolutionary heritage; as the former capital of India, it was the birthplace of modern Indian literary and artistic thought.[217] Kolkata has been called the "City of Furious, Creative Energy"[218] as well as the "cultural [or literary] capital of India".[219][220] The presence of paras, which are neighbourhoods that possess a strong sense of community, is characteristic of the city.[221] Typically, each para has its own community club and, on occasion, a playing field.[221] Residents engage in addas, or leisurely chats, that often take the form of freestyle intellectual conversation.[222][223] The city has a tradition of political graffiti depicting everything from outrageous slander to witty banter and limericks, caricatures, and propaganda.[224][225]
The Indian Museum is the oldest, and one of the largest museums in India.
Kalighat painting originated in 19th century Kolkata as a local style that reflected a variety of themes including mythology and quotidian life.[242] The Government College of Art and Craft, founded in 1864, has been the cradle as well as workplace of eminent artists including Abanindranath Tagore, Jamini Roy, and Nandalal Bose.[243] The art college was the birthplace of the Bengal school of art that arose as an avant garde and nationalist movement reacting against the prevalent academic art styles in the early 20th century.[244][245] The Academy of Fine Arts and other art galleries hold regular art exhibitions. The city is recognised for its appreciation of Rabindra sangeet (songs written by Rabindranath Tagore) and Indian classical music, with important concerts and recitals, such as Dover Lane Music Conference, being held throughout the year; Bengali popular music, including baul folk ballads, kirtans, and Gajan festival music; and modern music, including Bengali-language adhunik songs.[246][247] Since the early 1990s, new genres have emerged, including one comprising alternative folk–rock Bengali bands.[246] Another new style, jibonmukhi gaan ("songs about life"), is based on realism.[231]:105 Key elements of Kolkata's cuisine include rice and a fish curry known as machher jhol,[248] which can be accompanied by desserts such as roshogolla, sandesh, and a sweet yoghurt known as mishti dohi. Bengal's large repertoire of seafood dishes includes various preparations of ilish, a fish that is a favourite among Calcuttans. Street foods such as beguni (fried battered eggplant slices), kati roll (flatbread roll with vegetable or chicken, mutton, or egg stuffing), phuchka (a deep-fried crêpe with tamarind sauce) and Indian Chinese cuisine from Chinatown are popular.[249][250][251][252]
All India Radio, the national state-owned radio broadcaster, airs several AM radio stations in the city, like Gitanjali 657 kHz AM(200 KW Transmitter), Sanchayita 1008 kHz AM(100 KW Transmitter),Vivid Bharti 1323 kHz(20 KW Transmitter),Broadcast from Kolkata Akashbani Bhaban and Maitri Channel(Indo-Bangladesh) 594 kHz (1000 KW Transmitter) During day time and 1134 kHz During night time, broadcast from Chinsurah,Hooghly, very near to Kolkata.The Digital Radio Module (DRM) Transmitter is available for the stations, Gitanjali,Sanchayita and Maitri Channels only.[261] Kolkata has 10 local radio stations broadcasting on FM, including three from AIR.Air Channels are FM Rainbow (107 MHZ)(20 KW Transmitter),FM Gold (100.1 MHZ)(20 KW Transmitter) and Vivid Bharti(101.8 MHZ).Private Channels are Radio Mirchi (98.3 MHZ),Red FM (93.5 MHZ),Big FM(92.7 MHZ),Fever FM(104 MHZ),Friends FM(91.9 MHZ),Ishq FM(104.8 MHZ) and Radio One(94.3 MHZ).3 FM Channels have been closed. Aamar 106.2 FM(Closed on 23.1.2020),Power 107.8 FM and Gyanvani Channel 105.4.[262] India's state-owned television broadcaster, Doordarshan, provides two free-to-air terrestrial channels,[263] while a mix of Bengali, Hindi, English, and other regional channels are accessible via cable subscription, direct-broadcast satellite services, or internet-based television.[264][265][266]Bengali-language 24-hour television news channels include ABP Ananda, Tara Newz, Kolkata TV, 24 Ghanta,News 18 Bangla,Onkar News,Kolkata TV,Uttorer Khobor,Sadhana News,Bangla Time,Artage News,Calcutta News, News Time and Channel 10.[267]
The most popular sports in Kolkata are football and cricket. Unlike most parts of India, the residents show significant passion for football.[268] The city is home to top national football clubs such as Mohun Bagan A.C., East Bengal F.C., and the Mohammedan Sporting Club.[269][270]Calcutta Football League, which was started in 1898, is the oldest football league in Asia.[271] Mohun Bagan A.C., one of the oldest football clubs in Asia, is the only organisation to be dubbed a "National Club of India".[272][273] Football matches between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, dubbed as the Kolkata derby, witness large audience attendance and rivalry between patrons.[274]
As in the rest of India, cricket is popular in Kolkata and is played on grounds and in streets throughout the city.[275][276] Kolkata has the Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders; the Cricket Association of Bengal, which regulates cricket in West Bengal, is also based in the city. Kolkata also has an Indian Super League franchise known as Atlético de Kolkata. Tournaments, especially those involving cricket, football, badminton, and carrom, are regularly organised on an inter-locality or inter-club basis.[221] The Maidan, a vast field that serves as the city's largest park, hosts several minor football and cricket clubs and coaching institutes.[277]
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