Mr Sourav Ganguly, President, Cricket Association of Bengal and former Captain, India men’s national cricket team, set an inspiring tone at the CII West Bengal Annual Meeting & Conference held in Kolkata on Monday. Drawing parallels between sports and enterprise, Mr Ganguly said, “Both sport and business are ultimately about the team. The people you work with are the most important part of any journey. The best investment, beyond assets, is in people and the employees who help an institution grow. Always believe in yourself and your ability to deliver in life. Life is about taking risks, and no work is ever small. Life is a continuous cycle of success and failure, and one must never be perturbed by setbacks.”
The CII West Bengal Annual Meeting & Conference, themed West Bengal: Poised to Lead – Riding the Next Growth Wave, brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on the State’s emerging growth drivers. Discussions focused on strengthening entrepreneurship, boosting the rolling stock ecosystem, and accelerating infrastructure development. The deliberations underlined West Bengal’s strategic location, skilled workforce, and strong industrial base as critical enablers for becoming a leading growth engine in the coming decade.
“All essential facilities are available in Durgapur, from reliable electricity to abundant mineral resources. As a planned city, it offers strong infrastructure support, ease of doing business, and access to abundant natural resources. I encourage investors to consider Durgapur and Asansol region as a preferred destination for new ventures and long-term growth,” said Mr Kabi Dutta, Chairman, Asansol Durgapur Development Council.
“We are building a data centre worth Rs 2,000 crore in the Bengal Silicon Valley, which will house AI infrastructure and significantly contribute to West Bengal’s economy. True legacy lies in empowering individuals and creating opportunities for growth. There is immense potential for deeper Singapore–Bengal cooperation, and meaningful partnerships can further strengthen economic ties,” stated Mr Prasoon Mukherjee, Chairman, Universal Success Enterprises Pvt Ltd and Chairman, Singapore Business Federation, India Business Committee.
Addressing the gathering, Mr Mehul Mohanka, Deputy Chairman, CII Eastern Region and Group CEO & Managing Director, Tega Industries Ltd said, “First, with a population of over 10 crore and a rising middle class, West Bengal offers both demand depth and product diversity. Second, the strategic geographical location of West Bengal, serving as the gateway to the Northeast and South-East Asia, gives entrepreneurs a natural logistical advantage. With the robust supply chain infrastructure, our state stands poised to become a leading trade corridor in eastern India. It is projected to account for nearly one-fifth of the country’s national income by 2029–30. This opens immense opportunity for West Bengal’s entrepreneurs to leverage digital tools across sectors from manufacturing analytics to e-commerce and digitally enabled MSMEs.”
“West Bengal is open for business, and we are ready to lead. Continuous improvements in ease of doing business and progressive policy reforms have created a supportive environment for industry. Bengal rewards patience and genuine service. My vision for the State is ‘Amar Bangla, Agamir Bangla’. The customer base here is educated, discerning, and vast, making it a strong market for growth. We are investing over Rs 1,000 crore in the healthcare sector in West Bengal and aim to create more than 5,000 jobs by 2030. With immense support from the Government for investments, I firmly believe that 21st-century business transformation will begin from West Bengal,” noted Mr Jayanta Roy, Managing Director, Peerless General Finance & Investment Co. Ltd.
“Inclusiveness in entrepreneurship must be actively encouraged. Building trust is fundamental to creating strong institutions, and branding, along with legacy, plays a crucial role in sustaining long-term growth,” highlighted Mr C S Ghosh, Chairman, Bandhan Group.
Additionally, the event also witnessed two key sessions on Global Capability Centres (GCC), and rollick stock, infrastructure and sustainable mobility.
