SPORTS
Sourav Ganguly
The biggest sporting success story from the city in modern times, Behala boy Sourav Ganguly has long transcended the realm of being just a superstar cricketer hailing from Bengal. He is an emotion for Bengalis and an inspiration for thousands of budding cricketers all over the country. Known as the God of off-side for his elegant cover drives, he is truly the Prince of Calcutta. Nicknamed as Dada by his fellow team members, Ganguly’s captaincy redefined Team India’s approach to the game.
His journey to the top began with a stunning century on debut at Lord’s in London in 1996, and from there, he never looked back. As captain, Ganguly instilled confidence in young players and fearlessness in the team. Under his leadership, India reached the 2003 World Cup final, challenged Australia’s dominance in 2001, and made historic overseas victories. Dada also played a crucial role in popularising day-night Test matches in India, ensuring the game evolved with time.
His comeback after being dropped from the team proved his resilience, cementing his legendary status. Today, as an administrator, he continues to shape Indian cricket. From the iconic shirt-waving celebration at Lord’s to redefining one of the best eras of Indian cricket, Sourav Ganguly is a legend who makes us Calcuttans proud.
Leander Paes
He left Calcutta on May 12, 1986, as a 11-year-old to embark on his dream of being an Olympic athlete. He retired from tennis, on March 7, 2020, “having travelled across the world for the last 31 years”. The first Asian to clinch a bronze in tennis at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, India’s first individual medal after KD Jadhav’s bronze in wrestling in 1952. Leander Paes, who was born in Calcutta and grew up on Park Street, is an inspiration. He holds an enviable record in doubles and mixed doubles at the Grand Slams and Davis Cup.
Arjuna Award, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, 20 Grand Slam wins, seven Olympics in a row, “the most decorated Asian athlete with nine medals”, Leander has had 164 men’s doubles partners and 26 mixed doubles partners in his tennis career. “I found out recently that Sir Rod Laver and myself are the only two athletes to win Wimbledon in three decades. I also found out that I have also won the French Open in three different decades — 1999 with Mahesh (Bhupathi), 2001 with Mahesh, 2010 with Lukas Dlouhy, 2016 with Martina Hingis... just insane stats,” Leander had told t2.
Staggering statistics that talk of hard work and self-belief. He is also the first Indian elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the player category. “Coming out of a cancer hospital in 2003 and winning more Grand Slams after that and playing more Olympics after that than I did before. Insane stuff,” he told t2 once. Salute!
Jhulan Goswami
Fondly known as the Chakda Express, Jhulan Goswami hails from Chakdaha, a small town in West Bengal. Inspired by the 1992 and 1997 Cricket World Cups, she developed a passion for cricket and started playing at the age of 15. Since her hometown lacked cricket facilities, she travelled to Calcutta to train under Swapan Sadhu at Vivekananda Park and created a special bond with the City of Joy.
Her dedication paid off when she made her international debut in 2002 against England. With her lethal pace and fiery deliveries, she soon became a key player in the Indian national women’s team. In 2006, Jhulan was named vice-captain and played a crucial role in India’s Test series victory against England in the 2006–07 season. The same year, she became the first Indian woman to win the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year award. A record-breaker, with her fiery fast pace, she became the highest wicket-taker in Women’s World Cup history in 2017.
Jhulan was also honoured with a stand at Eden Gardens, celebrating her incredible 20-year international cricket career. Honoured with the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri, Jhulan remains an inspiration for aspiring cricketers, proving that dreams can be chased with passion and perseverance.
Sourav Kothari
He almost lost his cue on the way to the 2018 World Billiards Championship in Leeds, but all’s well that ends well. La Martiniere boy Sourav Kothari will remember 2018 for the rest of his life. The year he won his first World Billiards Championship trophy, 28 years after his father Manoj Kothari had won it. “I’d have been gutted had this been my third world final loss in three successive years. It’s back-breaking. So, this is a huge monkey off my back,” Sourav had told t2 in a chat, right after.
Post that, Sourav has had a series of memorable highs at the international billiards circuit. He began the new year on a winning note by bagging the trophy of the National Billiards Champion, beating Pankaj Advani.
Saurav Ghosal
He eats, sleeps, dreams squash and has been synonymous with Indian squash for two decades. Anyone who knows him will vouch for his passion and relentless pursuit of excellence. Calcutta boy Saurav Ghosal, an alumnus of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy, has innumerable national titles to his name, 10 PSA titles, and several Asian Games and Commonwealth Games triumphs in his kitty. He led India to an Asian Games team gold in 2014.
At 35, Saurav made his way to history books when he won India’s first-ever singles medal in squash at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, in 2022. He beat former world No. 1 James Willstrop of England to clinch bronze in men’s singles.
Saurav registered a career-high international ranking World No. 10 in April 2019.
Mild-mannered and a Calcuttan at heart, Saurav retired from professional squash last year.
ECONOMISTS
Amartya Sen
Amartya Sen’s contributions to welfare economics have become part of almost every graduate student’s training in economic theory. He “restored an ethical dimension to the discussion of vital economic problems”, the Nobel citation said. The 91-year-old continues to inspire youngsters to pursue the subject.
The first Asian to win the Nobel for Economics can never be seen in isolation from his childhood playground — Santiniketan. His early training in Santiniketan was deeply rooted in tradition. It was here, in the distinctive ambience created by Rabindranath Tagore, which was still vibrant when Sen was a schoolboy and teenager, that he was introduced to economics. Of course, then came his life at Presidency College and then at Trinity College in Cambridge.
“My planned field of study varied a good deal in my younger years, and between the ages of three and 17, I seriously flirted, in turn, with Sanskrit, mathematics, and physics, before settling for the eccentric charms of economics,” the man has told the Nobel Foundation.
Abhijit Banerjee
Earning global recognition with the Nobel Prize, Abhijit Banerjee cemented his position as a leading voice in economics. His partnership with Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer, with whom he shared the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2019, has yielded significant insights into developmental economics. Banerjee’s research focuses on poverty alleviation, economic development, and the design of effective policies. ]
is work has had a significant impact on global economic policy, particularly in the areas of microfinance, education, and healthcare. Co-founder and co-director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), a global research centre based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that promotes the use of scientific evidence to inform poverty alleviation strategies, he has also authored books such as Poor Economics (with Esther Duflo), Making Aid Work, A Short History of Poverty Measurements, Good Economics for Hard Times (with Duflo), Cooking to Save Life and Chhaunk, the last two being cookbook-cum-memoirs that meld his love for the culinary art with economics.
STAGE & SCREEN
Mithun Chakraborty
From the bylanes of north Calcutta rose a youngster who danced his way into the hearts of fans worldwide. An unlikely Bollywood leading man — but one who challenged the reign of Amitabh Bachchan at the top for many years — Gourango Chakraborty became Mithun Chakraborty, the ‘Disco Dancer’, for an entire generation and beyond.
Victor Banerjee, Mithun Chakraborty
Even as Mithun’s popularity in India grew as he delivered one superhit after another in the ‘80s, the tall, dark and handsome hero carved out a new fan base for himself in the Soviet Union. Disco Dancer became a blockbuster there, with Jimmy Jimmy being played at weddings and on the streets. The legion of Mithun fans in erstwhile USSR swelled — they called themselves ‘Mithunists’ and claimed him as their own — and other Asian countries. Even today, women young and old in Russia and the countries that formed the Soviet Union claim they want to “marry” the 74-year-old actor.
Beyond his popularity with Bollywood cinema, Mithun became known for being a consummate performer. A National Award-winning actor on debut with the Mrinal Sen classic Mrigaya, Mithun’s films travelled across the world, winning praise and plaudits at film festivals globally.
Victor Banerjee
With names like Roman Polanski, James Ivory, David Lean, Jerry London, Ronald Neame, Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Shyam Benegal on his filmography, Victor Banerjee has left his stamp on the collective consciousness of cinephiles across the globe.
Victor broke into Hollywood in the mid-80s with David Lean’s iconic film A Passage to India, which not only brought him to the attention of Western audiences, but also earned him a BAFTA nomination. He went on to win the Evening Standard British Film Award and NBR Award (National Board Review, USA) for the film. In 1985, Banerjee received the “Show-a-Rama Award” from the Motion Picture Association of America which crowned him ‘New International Star’.
Thereafter, it was one prestigious Merchant Ivory production after another (Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie’s Pictures are top notch) and, of course, films with Satyajit Ray, Shyam Benegal and Mrinal Sen that also put him on the map as an internationally acclaimed actor. Besides meaty parts in cinema, he also broke into theatres outside the country. One of his most prominent parts was the critically acclaimed role of Jesus in the 1988 production of the York Mystery Plays, by director Steven Pimlott.
Anasuya Sengupta
The Calcutta girl, a La Martiniere for Girls and Jadavpur University alumnus, became an overnight sensation after winning the best actress award in the Un Certain Regard category at Cannes Film Festival last year, the first Indian to do so, for her brilliant turn in Konstantin Bojanov’s The Shameless. “At one level, I think and this is something I felt even while I was there, that the time is potent for more female voices in cinema and outside of cinema. What happened with my win and recognition is that I feel I am still processing it, but when I observe what other people are feeling, it gives hope to a certain kind of voice to be amplified more. So, I am excited for that and personally raring to make more and more work, tell more and more stories, act in all kinds of roles, be all kinds of characters, not just someone so iconic... I am almost scared because Renuka was so iconic to me, but people write such excellent parts, I feel it’ll all roll out,” Anasuya told t2 in an exclusive chat at her Goa home after her historic win.
Mahira Kakkar
Based in New York, Mahira was born and brought up in Calcutta, studying at Modern High School for Girls, La Martiniere for Girls and Jadavpur University, moving on to become the first person of Indian origin to attend the prestigious Juilliard School’s Drama Division in New York.
In the last 16 years, Mahira has acted on stage, and in television and films, with appearances in Orange is the New Black, New Amsterdam, Louie, A Suitable Boy and Manifest. A “true Calcuttan at heart” — as she has told t2 in the past — Mahira also made her Broadway debut with the critically acclaimed Life of Pi. Even as she expands her acting footprint globally, Mahira’s heart beats for her city. And, of course, its alur dom and phuchka!
FASHION DESIGNERS
Sabyasachi Mukherjee
A graduate of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Calcutta, designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee is perhaps one of the biggest success stories from the city in recent times. Born and brought up in Chandannagar, he came to Calcutta during his college days at St. Xavier’s, and has since called the city home. A fairy-tale success story of a middle-class Bengali boy who dared to dream big, Sabyasachi has conquered the world with his signature sartorial sensibilities, but his heart remains in Calcutta. The city is also at the very core of the identity of his brand, Sabyasachi Calcutta, that bears the Bengal Tiger as its logo.
Sabya’s first global glory came in the year 2004, when he became the first Indian designer to show at Milan Fashion Week. His Spring/Summer 2005 collection Frog Princess got him his first ever international store display — Browns in London. His next collection after that was Snail in Autumn/Winter 2006, with which he had the opportunity of showing at New York Fashion Week.
From having entire sections dedicated for Sabyasachi pop-ups at globally renowned mega stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman, to dressing up royal families all over the globe. From designing the Cinema Suite at Taj 51 Buckingham Gate in London, to designing an autorickshaw for the streets of London, to raise funds for a cause. From making King Charles III and Queen Camilla wear masks made of the humble shola work of Bengal, to opening a much-talked-about flagship store in New York. From dressing up Hollywood A-listers to being the only Indian designer to be invited to make an appearance at the Met Gala. From collaborating with global brands such as William Sonomas and Christian Louboutin, to foraying into beauty with an Estee Lauder line of lipsicks. Today, Sabyasachi’s international feats are too many to be listed, yet his craft retains an Indian soul. He has undoubtedly taken Indian fashion to a place of global glory that few others have. And his latest showcase in Mumbai on January 25, celebrating 25 years of his brand, further cements his growing global status in the world of fashion.
Anamika Khanna
Another Calcutta designer who has captured the attention of the global fashion audience is Anamika Khanna. A self-taught designer who never set foot in a design school, Anamika’s unique design handwriting that fuses Indian craftsmanship with avant-garde silhouettes, has often found favour with global fashion icons and fashionistas across the world.
Her first global glory came when she participated at the London Fashion Week in 2005, followed by another consecutive season. Being the first Indian woman designer to showcase at the Paris Fashion Week in 2007 was another feat Anamika achieved early on in her career. These shows brought her into the global fashion spotlight and helped her bag an exclusive contract with Harrods in London. While these early shows and the stint at Harrods helped her gain a foothold in global fashion, Anamika has achieved a lot more in the subsequent years in the way of a strong international clientele, so much so that she has launched an exclusive international label, Ana Mika.
In October last year, Anamika launched her pret line AKlOK at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York, creating quite a stir in the international fashion circuit.
Anamika has also collaborated with global brands such as Bvlgari and H&M, and her latest collab is with Starbucks for which she has designed an exclusive range inspired by the “spirit of Mumbai”.
INDUSTRIALIST
Lakshmi Mittal
A success story like no other, Lakshmi Mittal’s private jet may fly him to different countries in a week but somewhere deep down, his memories are punctuated by the time spent in Calcutta. He was born in Rajasthan in 1950 and educated at St. Xavier’s College in Calcutta.
When you think of Mittal, you think of ArcelorMittal. The multi-billionaire is also an active philanthropist engaged in the fields of education and child health.
He started his career working in his family’s steelmaking business in India before moving to Indonesia in the 1970s to set up a small steel company that grew to become ArcelorMittal, a leading steel and mining company. He is widely recognised for the role he played in restructuring the steel industry towards a more consolidated and globalised model.
AUTHORS
Amit Chaudhuri
Amit Chaudhuri, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
A critically acclaimed author, poet, and essayist, Amit Chaudhuri’s writing is characterised by its lyricism, subtlety, and depth, which reflect his influences from Bengali literature and poetry. Author of eight novels, the latest of which is Sojourn, he has received numerous awards, including the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and the Sahitya Akademi Award.
A professor of creative writing and director of the Centre for the Creative and Critical at Ashoka University, he was professor of Contemporary Literature at the University of East Anglia from 2006-2021. He has been on the jury of prestigious awards in literature, including the Man Booker International Prize, the PEN Nabokov Prize, the IMPAC Dublin Prize, the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize, and the Windham-Campbell Awards.
Chaudhuri is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and an honorary fellow of the Modern Language Association of America. Since 2023, he edits the Literary Activism imprint, a publishing partnership between the CCC and Westland Books. Beyond literary work, his interest spills on to music and in 2018, he received the Sangeet Samman from the West Bengal government for his contribution to North Indian classical music.
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Born and brought up in Calcutta and a graduate from Calcutta University, Indian-American author and poet Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni has been garnering acclaim in the Indian literary landscape for the past many years. Having shot to literary stardom primarily for her feminist retellings of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata (The Forest of Enchantments, through the eyes of Sita, and The Palace of Illusions, through the eyes of Draupadi, respectively), Banerjee’s works hold up mirrors to the universal unmitigated pain of being a woman, centering on their experiences and exploring their strength, resilience, and struggle to survive in patriarchal societies.
Beyond mythology, Divakaruni has also highlighted the immigrant experience in her writing, portraying the challenges of navigating cultural identity and assimilation, especially for Indian-Americans. Her internationally bestselling novels The Mistress of Spices and Queen of Dreams combine magical realism with extremely lyrical prose. A professor of creative writing at the University of Houston, Divakaruni has received numerous awards for her work, which resonates with readers worldwide for its nuanced portrayal of culture, gender, and human relationships.
MAGICIAN
P.C. Sorcar Jr
Following in the footsteps of his father, the legendary P.C. Sorcar, who is still regarded as one of the greatest magicians in history, P.C. Sorcar Jr has catapulted Indian magic to unprecedented heights. He has been instrumental not only in reconstructing conceptions around Indian magic but also making it globally relevant. Having adapted his shows for television and live audiences worldwide, he has brought Indian magic to millions.
Most famous among his feats are his performances of vanishing the Taj Mahal and sawing people in half, which have brought him universal acclaim. He is also extremely inspiring in his efforts to promote Indian artistry, especially the legacy of his family, with it being common knowledge that he had said his father was the greatest when asked if Sorcar was great. Through his dedication to preserving his family’s legacy, Sorcar has ensured that Indian magic continues to entertain audiences worldwide, securing his place as a true maestro of the craft.
RESTAURATEUR
Anjan Chatterjee
The big boss of F&B in India, Anjan Chatterjee pursued his passion for food to chart out a career path out of it, and in the process create a culinary empire. Born and raised in Calcutta, Chatterjee spent the early days of his career in the city too, working in advertising. Till one fine day he decided to follow his passion for food and venture into the culinary world. He opened his first restaurant, Only Fish, in Mumbai in 1992, his very first foray into the world of food. And the rest, as they say, is history.
His company, Speciality Restaurants Ltd, now owns 125 restaurants in India and beyond, covering a wide array of cuisines under its various brands. Besides all major cities of India, Chatterjee has forayed into Middle-East and even London with his culinary ventures. He opened his first international restaurant with Asia Kitchen by Mainland China in Dubai in 2018, followed by another one in Dubai in 2021, and one more outlet of the same brand in Muscat in 2024.
In October 2021, Chatterjee realised a long-cherished dream of opening a Calcutta-themed restaurant in the heart of London, and thus was born Chourangi, near Oxford Circus. Celebrating Calcutta cuisine, Chourangi has not only captured the hearts of the Indian diaspora in London, but has caught the fancy of the local population too.
With an undying desire to serve good food sans any drama, and curate impeccable hospitality experiences, Chatterjee is carving out a culinary legacy that would leave an indelible mark in India’s culinary scene.