French

The state of West Bengal, a center for east India’s trade, commerce, culture and education, has a past that goes way back into the pages of history. Ruled by several powerful dynasties, the state was also an established colony of the French, British, Dutch and Portuguese traders.

The French like the other foreigners arrived in India to further their commercial interests and set up their industrial enterprises in the bustling lands of Bengal. In the year 1673, the French established their colony at Chandernagore or as the current name goes Chandannagar, having sought permission from Nawab Shaista Khan, the erstwhile Mughal governor of Bengal. Those were the French days of glory when all they touched turned to gold. In 1816, after the remarkable French victory against the renowned Napoleon Bonaparte, the five former colonies of Chandranagore, Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam and the loges at Machilipattnam, Kozhikode and Surat were restored to France.

Chandernagore then became a flourishing commercial hub. Trade and commerce was facilitated by its close proximity to Kolkata, the present capital of West Bengal. Since then the fate of Chandernagore was radically transformed and the town moved on towards progress. Post Independence, the former French territories in India was combined with the newly liberated country. In the year 1948, the French and Indian governments concurred to stage an election that would decide the political future of the French in India.

On 2nd May 1950, Chandergore breathed the refreshing air of freedom as it was handed over to the Indian subcontinent. Five years hence, Chandernagore was consolidated with West Bengal on 2nd October 1955.