Bata, the Czech shoe company, established its first industrial township in India, Batanagar, in West Bengal in 1934. The pioneering township was modelled after Zlin in the Czech Republic and inspired by British urban planner Ebenezer Howard’s concept of a ‘garden city.’ An experiment in creating an urban utopia, Batanagar was built on a foundation of social welfare, industrial innovation and collaborative living. It fostered a strong sense of community, cosmopolitanism and identity among its residents, highlighting the multinational corporation’s decision to adapt and assimilate completely with the local population. At our Online Talk #BataNagar, author and former resident Paramita Sen shines a light on her former hometown, and traces its journey from its founding in 1934 to present times as it’s being demolished to make way for a stalled residential project. She reminds us that Bata’s legacy in India lies beyond its innovative footwear.
About the speaker
Born in India, Paramita Sen has lived across the United States – Providence, Washington DC, Miami on the eastern seaboard and Orange County, California on the west coast. She spent six years in Tokyo and two in Sydney. She’s a writer, traveller, kinkeeper and teaches English to adult immigrants. She has a Master’s degree in Journalism from The American University in Washington DC and has written two books for children, Noah: The Friendly Computer Virus and Noah to the Rescue. She is also the author of Batanagar - A Personal History of India’s Forgotten Company Town, published by Pan Macmillan, India. She lives in Miami and Washington, DC.
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