What makes Calcutta timeless?

In this episode of Make Calcutta Relevant Again, Dr. Debanjan Chakrabarti talks about Sukumar Roy as a meta-modernist, how Satyajit Ray shaped our childhoods, and why humility is India’s most overlooked cultural strength. We also explore how Kolkata remains a global city, the beating heart of cosmopolitanism, and a hub for science and culture today.
A conversation about Calcutta’s past, present, and why it still matters.

Before he ever picked up a camera, he was learning the rhythm of the city through classical music.
Trained by the maestro Tanmoy Bose, Pubarun Basu brings a rhythmic, human-centric approach to his photography. In this sit-down, he reveals how his father’s advice to "connect before you click" shaped his career.
We explore a range of "Calcutta realities" from why the riverfront is the ultimate sanctuary for lovers and friends, to the uncomfortable truth about our air pollution being ignored in favor of more 'marketable' environmental causes. This is a conversation about seeing the city for what it truly is, beyond the filters.

What does it really take to change a city?
In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Make Kolkata Relevant Again, we sit down for the second time with Mudhar Patherya — widely known as Kolkata’s Lover-in-Chief — the man behind the citizen-led illumination of over 145 heritage buildings across the city.
This is not a story about awards, applause, or grandstanding.
It’s about accountability, collaboration, and getting your hands dirty.
From lighting up Raj Bhavan, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Victoria Memorial’s Angel of Victory, and the GPO, to dancing on the streets to celebrate employment for persons with disabilities — this episode captures how real civic change actually happens.