West Bengal is a state situated in eastern India and shares its borders with Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Sikkim and the Bay of Bengal washes its southern frontiers. Bengal also shares international borders with Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan.
The state capital is Kolkata and Asansol, Siliguri, Durgapur, Howrah, Baharampur, Jalpaiguri are some of the other major cities in the state. It is the fourth-largest state in population and the fourteenth-largest state by area in India. Bengali is the main language of the state and is spoken by the majority of the population. Other languages include Hindi, Santali, Urdu and Nepali (largely spoken in the Darjeeling area).
The state is the largest producer of rice in the country and is the second-largest tea-producing state. West Bengal is also a major producer of fish.
The main river in West Bengal is the Ganga, which further divides into two branches. Other rivers to flow through Bengal are the Hooghly, Bhagirathi, Teesta, Torsa, Mahananda, Kangsabati. The state also includes the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region which is home to the globally acclaimed Darjeeling tea variety. The main seasons witnessed by the state are summer, monsoon, short autumn and winter.
West Bengal houses distinct natural attractions including an impressive mountain range, variety of wildlife, verdant tea gardens and the world's largest mangrove forests, the Sunderbans. In addition to this, the state also has a rich tradition of art, craft, culture and cuisine. Durga Puja is the biggest, most popular and widely celebrated festival in West Bengal. The colourful and auspicious Hindu festival includes intense celebration, big pandals and transformation across the state.
Newly sworn-in West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who is in the national capital for his first official visit since assuming office, met President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He will also meet Prime Minister Modi later today.
A political row has erupted in West Bengal after the Suvendu Adhikari-led government made the recitation of Vande Mataram compulsory in madrasas and schools.
The Calcutta High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to form a three-member Special Investigation Team to probe allegations of evidence tampering in the RG Kar doctor assault and murder case.
The West Bengal government has issued a formal notification making it mandatory to sing the national song before classes begin across all state-run and state-aided madrassas.
Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan has withdrawn from the upcoming repolling in the Falta constituency, scheduled for May 21.
The Bengal government has constituted two separate commissions to investigate allegations of institutional corruption and atrocities against women that occurred after the elections in 2021.
The West Bengal government has announced the discontinuation of religion-based assistance schemes previously operating under the state's Madarsa and Information and Cultural Affairs departments.
A nationwide fuel price hike has seen petrol and diesel increase by three rupees per litre and CNG by two rupees per kilogram, sparking criticism from the Tamil Nadu government regarding the financial impact on the middle class.
The West Bengal government has suspended three senior IPS officers, including the former Kolkata Police Commissioner, over alleged lapses in the RG Kar case investigation.
The Bengal police have launched targeted search operations across the state, cracking down on illegal slaughterhouses, unauthorised toll plazas, and parking lots. During these raids, authorities discovered a hidden subterranean chamber inside the residence of a TMC leader who is currently evading arrest following post-poll violence.
The edition of India First covers significant global and domestic developments. At the BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting in Delhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised the necessity of unimpeded maritime flows through the Strait of Hormuz and criticised unilateral sanctions.
Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has decided to retain the Bhabanipur assembly constituency while vacating the Nandigram seat.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate examination has been cancelled following a widespread paper leak, prompting a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate 2026 has been cancelled following a widespread paper leak involving a multi-state organised network. Investigations reveal the paper circulated fifteen days prior to the exam, leading the Central Bureau of Investigation to take over the probe.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to the public for the adoption of several austerity measures to mitigate the economic impact of the West Asia crisis has sparked a political confrontation. He urged citizens to reduce fuel consumption, utilise public transport, and limit gold purchases to preserve foreign exchange reserves. Opposition leaders criticised the appeal, questioning the continuation of large-scale political roadshows and demanding a special parliament session to address inflation and fuel taxes. During televised debates, ruling party representatives defended the nation's economic stability, while analysts highlighted structural financial strains. Simultaneously, West Bengal announced an administrative reshuffle, appointing the former Chief Electoral Officer as Chief Secretary and the Special Observer as Chief Adviser to the Chief Minister. In Kerala, the Congress high command continues deliberations over the next Chief Minister. Key contenders include the former leader of the opposition and a prominent organisational strategist. Former state party presidents have been summoned to the national capital for consultations as the party evaluates legislative support and ally preferences before making a final announcement.
Yogi Adityanath on Saturday presented a saffron gamcha to Suvendu Adhikari, shortly after the latter took oath as the first BJP Chief Minister of West Bengal. The crowd also erupted into a loud cheer as the scene unfolded at the swearing-in ceremony in Kolkata. This was at least the second such instance in recent weeks when the duo's bonhomie was witnessed publicly. Earlier, during the election campaign in the state, a powerful scene was witnessed when Adhikari bowed down at the feet of the UP Chief Minister as a mark of respect.
The political landscape of West Bengal witnesses a major transition as the newly appointed Chief Minister takes the oath of office and secrecy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hugged and honoured 98-year-old Makhanlal Sarkar, one of the earliest and senior most members of the BJP. The scene unfolded on the stage ahead of Suvendu Adhikari's swearing-in as West Bengal's Chief Minister in Kolkata. PM Modi also touched Sarkar's feet and presented a shawl to him as a mark of respect. In 1952, Sarkar was arrested in Kashmir while he was accompanying Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee as the latter was marching to hoist the tricolour there. BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya described the elderly party leader as "one of the earliest grassroots figures associated with the nationalist movement in post-Independence India."
This India Today special broadcast covers significant political shifts following the latest assembly election results in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari will be sworn in as the next Chief Minister of West Bengal in Kolkata tomorrow.
