Namesake...Calcutta ... Kolkata

Why do i think that this is the right time for Calcutta to show up in the world map, why do i think it's now or never.

Football WorldCup is over, France is defeated and we can blame Zidane for this. His presence in the penalty shootout could have saved France. But i guess he'll be in the news for his bull head hit quite more than his head goal against Italy. This WorldCup must have surged the economy of Germany in spikes with a hope of bringing the new industrial investments to the host country. But it's been turning good and hopeful for india also, with some companies ready to sponsor our local football clubs and they want to see india qualifying in the 2010 WorldCup.
The BL-block field in SaltLake, Calcutta was glittering in flood lights this evening and I could read a big yellow banner "YUVA Champions Football League". One team was dressed in Netherland's "Orange" and other in Brazil's "Greenish Yellow". I just stopped by the fence in the local crowd of young guys screaming hysterically to cheer up their teams. I could smell the teen spirit, the spirit of football, more than just a game. When it rains, people come out of their houses and all the local fields are filled up with young guys shooting the ball from the midfields, as if they are the peacocks of this grand gaming spirit. And when the companies are thinking to sponsor indian football clubs, i imagine the birth of another "Juventus" in Calcutta, another "Real Madrid" or another "Milan" or "Florentina". When it comes to Football, it's Calcutta and only Calcutta that's the name we know. I don't see any other city or state in India where Football is a name. So, here is the opportunity for Calcutta to make it big. It might not be in the first 3 software exporters' list in the country till now, and might not have attracted foreign investments, but this is the chance it can use to take herself to the top. All Calcutta needs is the perfect marketing strategy to advertise herself to make herself known in the map. Recently, i visited a Caribbean Island as my official trip which has more of the American Culture. All i felt that Calcutta is nowhere in picture, they knew Bombay, B'lore, Delhi, but none of my group members knew any Calcutta, and that filled me up with disgust and shame. I am not from Calcutta, but being here for the last five years and spending the best of my days, i feel myself attached to this place. If we talk about infrastructure, Bangalore is struggling with the overburden of the investments and Bombay has just too many slums. So the right choice is Calcutta, but the problem is nobody knows there is this cool city in the eastern part of india. Bangalore sells because of it's packaging and branding. That branding is required for Calcutta and i guess enough of atmosphere has been created for this Football crazy city and infrastructural promising hub. So this is the right time to hit the chord to create a melody note and the only way i can see to do this is to advertize, to market herself. WorldCup 2006 has brought colored opportunities to this city of joy and we need to recognize that and build upon that. I don't know why calcutta is infamous for her Bandhs. I can hardly find my office shutting the doors because of that. It's the new face of Calcutta which is brave and honest and intelligent and we can find a cross culture getting developed. We got to bring in the talent from across the state borders.It's our onus to take Calcutta into the goals with a header of marketing and to picture it in the world map. And I am sure, once this could be done our Calcutta will surely be the picture in the frame of india. The state government is selling the Rajarhat land in some Rs. 2.4 crores for few acres which is just too high with respect to the rate in other competing hubs. I believe in the fact that we cannot create an asset while we are growing and this is the growing phase for Calcutta. We gotta liberalize in every respect and once this branding is done we sure can go ahead with whatever be our ambitions. So lets hope the government understands this prerequisities of a developed and shining Calcutta. May God Bless Calcutta!! Amen!!!