Make Calcutta Relevant Again

Tangra was once known for violence, neglect, and lost futures. Today, it tells a different story — because of music. In this powerful conversation, we meet Sanjay Mondal, a cultural activist and musician who has spent over 15 years transforming the lives of children from one of Kolkata’s most stigmatized neighborhoods. Using discarded materials to create musical instruments, Sanjay built a movemen...

In this powerful episode of Make Calcutta Relevant Again, we sit down with Rahul Roy—global entrepreneur, process innovation pioneer, and mentor to multiple billion-dollar businesses. From arriving in the US with no money to building breakthrough solutions across technology, semiconductor safety, printing, networking, and data systems, Rahul shares how problem-solving, mindset, and process innovat...

Join Meghdut for a delightful and heartwarming conversation with Anindya Chatterjee, the celebrated lyricist and singer of the iconic Chandrabindu band, as they wander through the sweet streets of Kolkata, savoring the city’s most beloved mishti. Over the aroma and taste of these sweets, Anindya shares personal anecdotes from his childhood and formative years, revealing how these flavors are deepl...

Join Meghdut for a candid fireside chat with Professor Subhasis Chaudhuri, the visionary figure who transitioned from leading IIT Bombay as its Director to chairing the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), sharing the remarkable story of his journey from a small Bengali-medium school to the highest echelons of Indian academia and finance, and dissecting the fundamental connection between his two roles: te...

Join Meghdut with Dr. Michelle Harrison, an American physician who founded Shishur Shebai, an inclusive home for girls in Calcutta. She shares the incredible story of her "spiritual calling," why she decided to never leave India (and still sleeps on the floor with her girls), and the immense danger she faced fighting corruption and death threats in Behala. Learn about her deep Bengali co...

Join Meghdut on Make Calcutta Relevant Again as he speaks with Sunil Bhandari, the corporate leader, podcaster, and Chair of Social Venture Partners (SVP) Calcutta. From hosting Uncut Poetry—a global podcast heard in 70+ countries—to his strict 4:30 AM writing routine, Sunil shares the unusual creative process that fuels his life. He dives deep into engaged philanthropy and reveals how his team is...

Join Meghdut Roy Chowdhury (now known as Hiji Biji to his young friends) as he hosts a special episode of Make Calcutta Relevant Again with a bright, fearless group of students from Teach For India (TFI). Hear the emotional journey of growing up in Kolkata's underserved communities, where the conversation seamlessly shifts from the fun of learning songs on Instagram Reels and the chaos of send...

Join Meghdut on Make Calcutta Relevant Again as he speaks with Dr. Sumantra Chatterjee, the scientist behind Chinta, a 35,000 sq. ft. Kolkata lab where he’s building human mini-brains to study Indian-specific medical challenges. From IIT Kanpur to working with Francis Crick, Dr. Chatterjee shares his breakthroughs on how stress rewires the brain, and explains his mission to tackle SCA12, a rare ge...

Join Meghdut as he hosts on Make Calcutta Relevant Again with Rewant and Shuli Ghosh, the visionary couple behind Sienna Cafe, one of India’s Top 5 Restaurants. Hear the emotional journey of building a culinary and design empire, starting from a small storefront selling ceramics to managing a 125-person team today. Revant and Shiuli share the harrowing yet humbling experience of working as "e...

Join Meghdut as he hosts on Make Calcutta Relevant Again with Sumanta Chattopadhyay—an advertising honcho, celebrated content creator, and the "English Nut"—on a mission to challenge the city's self-perception. From his sharp declaration that AI is an "existential threat" to legacy ad agencies to his dissection of the famous Bengal Tourism ad, Sumanta reveals the creative w...

Join Meghdut as he hosts on Make Calcutta Relevant Again with Mr. Pawan Agarwal—real estate leader, philanthropist, and first-time podcast guest—on a mission to reshape Calcutta’s story. From rebuilding N.K. Realtors at 55 to redefining how NGOs market their impact, Agarwal reveals the power of patience, values, and purpose. Hear how his father’s morning paper rounds at Victoria Memorial sparked b...

The UN has a plan to change Durga Puja forever. Join Meghdut as he hosts this session with the UN Resident Coordinator in India , as he exposes the radical new guidelines making the world's largest public art festival fully accessible. This conversation connects a disabled person's job dream to a national challenge and reveals why India’s lack of Universal Design is costing the country bil...

Join Meghdut as he hosts an unforgettable session with Sharbari, Rianjali, and Rusha as they drop the untold story of their three-year-long documentary, Incarnations of I. Dive into the journey of a Bengali-American woman who felt foreign in both the US and India , yet found a spiritual home in her family's 40-year-old New Jersey Durga Pujo. Hear the shocking story of how Ganga soil made it th...

Join Meghdut as he hosts an unforgettable session with all five members of Bhoomi, the iconic Bengali folk-fusion band. Dive into untold tour stories—from the hilarious reason one member is codenamed "Venue" to the time they botched a live telecast and accidentally created a new song. The band reveals the deep meaning behind hits like 'Mone Ar Nai Re' and their history-making per...

Young people in Calcutta are eager to build something new and #MakeCalcuttaRelevantAgain helps them do that.  We provide sponsorships to upcoming creators and help them showcase their work with top-notch mentors and industry experts who help them take their creations to the next level. Our aim is to bring back Calcutta's Glory and not only bring it back but take it to the next level through co...

Young people in Calcutta are eager to build something new and #MakeCalcuttaRelevantAgain helps them do that.  We provide sponsorships to upcoming creators and help them showcase their work with top-notch mentors and industry experts who help them take their creations to the next level. Our aim is to bring back Calcutta's Glory and not only bring it back but take it to the next level through co...

Join Meghdut on the MCRA Podcast as he sits down with Arjun Sen — global brand strategist, leadership advisor, and cancer survivor — whose extraordinary life inspired Shoojit Sircar to make a film starring Abhishek Bachchan. From Kolkata’s streets to boardrooms across the world, and from hospital wards to film sets, this episode dives into: – Arjun’s 20+ year battle with cancer and the philosophy...

Young people in Calcutta are eager to build something new and #MakeCalcuttaRelevantAgain helps them do that.  We provide sponsorships to upcoming creators and help them showcase their work with top-notch mentors and industry experts who help them take their creations to the next level. Our aim is to bring back Calcutta's Glory and not only bring it back but take it to the next level through co...

Young people in Calcutta are eager to build something new and #MakeCalcuttaRelevantAgain helps them do that.  We provide sponsorships to upcoming creators and help them showcase their work with top-notch mentors and industry experts who help them take their creations to the next level. Our aim is to bring back Calcutta's Glory and not only bring it back but take it to the next level through co...

Join Meghdut on the MCRA Podcast for an unfiltered, eye-opening journey across India one step at a time with environmentalist, storyteller, and barefoot changemaker Siddharth Agarwal, founder of Veditum India Foundation. In this episode, Siddharth opens up about his unusual life path cycling from Kolkata to Bombay, walking thousands of kilometres along India’s rivers, and discovering the invisible...

this episode, we bring together two incredible drummers from very different musical worlds — Sambit Chatterjee, rooted in Indian classical percussion and Nicolas Notini Wallin, a Swedish groove master with a deep love for Indian rhythms. They dive into: •⁠ ⁠How tabla training influenced Sambit's drumming technique •⁠ ⁠The cultural shift Nicolas experienced when he moved to India •⁠ ⁠Jamming ac...

Join Meghdut on the MCRA Podcast as he sits down with Sayantan Maitra Boka (MassArt) and Ushmita Sahu (Emami Art) to unpack why Durga Puja is not just a festival—but the world’s biggest public art movement. From Kolkata’s para pujos to international gallery spaces, this episode dives into: – The art economy behind Durga Puja – Breaking elitism in the gallery world – The role of patronage in revivi...

Join Meghdut on the MCRA Podcast for a fun, unfiltered journey from the bylanes of Lake Market to global campaigns with illustrator and visual storyteller Srishti Guptaroy, better known online as @srillustrator. In this episode, Srishti opens up about her unconventional path—growing up in 90s Kolkata, building her creative voice, and eventually landing collaborations with brands like Hermès and Ad...

Join Meghdut on the MCRA Podcast for an inspiring, behind-the-scenes journey from Kolkata to Hollywood with Pradipto, lead character effects artist at DreamWorks Animation. In this episode, Pradipto shares his unconventional path from doodling comics in Kolkata to animating blockbuster films in Los Angeles. With honesty and humour, he opens up about breaking away from societal expectations, naviga...

Join Meghdut on the MCRA Podcast as he walks through the layered streets of Kolkata—this time through the eyes of Chelsea McGill, founder of Immersive Trails, a storytelling-driven heritage tour company redefining how we experience the city. In this episode, Chelsea shares the journey of building Kolkata’s most thoughtfully curated walking tours—tours that go beyond guidebooks and tourist checklis...