Kharagpur is a city in the Paschim Medinipur district of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is best known as the location of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, the first of the IITs, and as a major junction on the Indian Railways network. The city historically had one of the longest railway platforms in the world.
Key facts
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | West Bengal |
| District | Paschim Medinipur |
| Civic body | Kharagpur Municipality |
| Languages | Bengali, Hindi, Odia, English |
| Known for | IIT Kharagpur, South Eastern Railway division, railway workshops |
Geography
Kharagpur lies in the south-western part of West Bengal, on the lateritic terrain that extends from the Chota Nagpur plateau into the Bengal plains. The Kasai (Kangsabati) river flows in the vicinity. The city is situated near the older town of Midnapore, which serves as the district headquarters, and is connected to Kolkata by road and rail at a distance of roughly 120 km.
History
Kharagpur grew rapidly with the arrival of the Bengal Nagpur Railway (BNR) in the early twentieth century. The BNR established large workshops and a marshalling yard here, which transformed the small settlement into an important industrial and railway township. Workers and their families migrated from Odisha, Bihar, Andhra and other regions, giving the city a distinctly multilingual and multi-ethnic character that survives to the present day.
After Independence, the campus of the Hijli Detention Camp — a British-era political prison near the railway colony — was selected for the new Indian Institute of Technology. IIT Kharagpur was inaugurated in 1951 as the first institute in the IIT system; it was formally declared an Institution of National Importance through the Indian Institutes of Technology Act in 1956.
Railways
Kharagpur Junction is the headquarters of the Kharagpur railway division of the South Eastern Railway zone. It is a major junction on the Howrah–Chennai main line, with branches towards Tatanagar and Adra. The station has long been noted for the great length of its main platform, which for many decades was cited as one of the longest railway platforms in the world. The Kharagpur railway workshop, dating from the BNR era, is among the oldest and largest in eastern India.
Education and research
Kharagpur's most prominent institution is IIT Kharagpur, which occupies a large campus on the site of the former Hijli jail. The institute has produced significant alumni in science, technology, business and public life, and has expanded over the decades to include schools of management, medical sciences and law. The city also has several engineering and general degree colleges, and schools serving railway and IIT employees.
Economy
The local economy is anchored by the railways, the IIT and associated services. The Vidyasagar Industrial Park and other industrial areas in the surrounding region host steel, cement and engineering units. Trade and small-scale manufacturing serve the district hinterland, while the institute and the railway colony support a substantial service sector.
Demographics and culture
Kharagpur is one of the more linguistically diverse cities in West Bengal, with sizeable Bengali, Odia, Telugu, Hindi-speaking and Anglo-Indian communities, the last associated with the railway colony. Festivals such as Durga Puja, Chhath, Ganesh Chaturthi and Christmas are widely observed, reflecting this mix.
Transport
Apart from the railway junction, Kharagpur is served by National Highway 16 (the old NH 6) on the Kolkata–Mumbai corridor and by National Highway 60 towards Odisha. The Kolaghat–Kharagpur–Baleswar road and rail axis makes the city an important node between Kolkata and the eastern coast.
Related topics
References
- Wikidata: Q588477
- Government of West Bengal, Paschim Medinipur district administration.