Kolkata is one of those cities that in spite of its crowded streets, busy people and fast paced life, seems amazingly charming, refreshing and lively at the same time. The ever increasing rush of tourists has made Kolkata look after its much celebrated culture and vividness. Known as the cultural and intellectual capital of India, Kolkata has left every soul that touched its ground, enchanted.

Kolkata, home to 5% of India's 70,000+ millionaires also boasts one of the lowest CMIE consumer price indices* among metros. Those who have migrated from other parts of the country is impressed by the social mix, low cost of living and saving potential, wide choice of schooling facilities, best-in-class medical facilities, and social and lifestyle opportunities thrown up by the upsurge in economy. As for lifestyle, the last few years have seen Kolkata taking a quantum leap. The city offers a variety of pubs, food courts - both Indian and international, health care centers, spas, art galleries, discotheques, cyber cafes and international fashion dens.

Multiple modes of local transport includes underground train, bus, taxi, tram, and circular railway. India's first Monorail system coming up soon. The metro transit System in India took its first bow from Bengal

Today's Kolkata is the buzzword in the nation's IT sector. Almost all the big names in the IT sector are in Kolkata today. Top US-based management consultants, neo-IT, has now ranked Kolkata among the top three global off shoring destinations in the world for the future. The primary reason why Kolkata achieved this feat is because of a favourable government attitud towards IT and Ites sector, the firm says.

Last year, a survey conducted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) placed Kolkata above the National Capital Region (NCR)/Delhi and Chennai on the Future Business Attractiveness Index (FBAI). West Bengal has transformed into a major hub for industry, trade, commerce and investment. Sceptics feel that the CII survey is flawed. However, with annual investment of Rs. 2,000 crore for the past few years, economic growth pegged at over 7 per cent and a slew of FDI projects by heavyweights like IBM, GE Capital, PepsiCo, P&O Ports, HSBC, American International Group (AIG) etc., the economic resurgence of the state is evident.