Kharagpur, Industrial city in West Bengal, India
Kharagpur lies on the plains of West Bengal and spreads across several sectors with extensive rail yards and industrial zones. The city sits flat, and large parts of the terrain are occupied by workshops, warehouses and technical facilities.
The area was once a small village in the forest before a major railway station was built in 1898. The rail yards and workshops drew workers and engineers, and within a few decades a busy town emerged.
The name comes from the Bengali word for shoes, while today different communities celebrate their festivals and rituals in separate neighborhoods. Street markets offer local textiles and household goods, where residents shop and meet after work.
The city is best reached by train, as the main railway station offers connections in many directions. Within the city, buses and auto-rickshaws run through the different sectors, so you can move around without your own vehicle.
The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur was founded in 1951 as the first institute of its kind in the country and sits on a sprawling campus in the south of the city. Thousands of students from all over India live and study on the campus, which includes its own libraries and sports facilities.
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