Breaking The Myth: “No One Can Do Business In West Bengal”

 

The bold statement “no one can do business in West Bengal” is not entirely without substance. It's a myth. The more nuanced truth might be that Bengalis living in Bengal often don’t, or struggle to, do business there. Let's delve into some deeply embedded cultural, psychological, educational, and systemic issues that could explain this pattern.

As a Bengali, born and brought up in Kolkata and being a Gen X individual, I have witnessed the transition periods almost every time they occurred in our society. The most horrifying was the early 80s, when rampant trade union strikes by the left front government's supporters in the industrial districts of West Bengal led to closures of several factories and a steady decline of industrialisation in the state. In the later years, the trend continued, and thus the statement started being thrown around, especially in political debates or by disgruntled investors.

Bengalis from across the world have long raised a hue and cry over the state’s industrial decline, first under the prolonged rule of the Left Front, and now under the current government. Since the de-industrialisation started, many left West Bengal in search of better opportunities, settled elsewhere, built successful careers, and from a safe distance, continued to criticise the local government for its failure to revive industry and create jobs. 

The Biswa Bangla Sammelan, launched in 2015 with the grand vision of converging Bengal’s global pride, culture, business potential, and a platform to attract investments, became a flop show. What was intended to be a catalyst for economic revival and entrepreneurial momentum ended up doing little to address the state's dwindling industrial landscape and investor confidence.

For over four decades, I have observed these changes happening around me and myself struggling to cope with the situation, just like other fellow Bengalis - looking for jobs and trying to learn the nasty corporate politics to retain them, even if it is not financially yielding. We hoped for a better opportunity to crop up somewhere in the city. But, alas! A decade has passed since the Biswa Bangla initiative began, and still, nothing substantial has materialised.

Then, I began to notice a recurring pattern in our society - one that clearly underscores the reasons why Bengalis and West Bengal have repeatedly failed to reverse the course of history over the years. They are the deep-rooted vices of the so-called "intellectual Bengali community" that have held us back from progress, despite our immense potential. 

Here is a list of the deep-rooted psychological legacies that shaped the Bengali society:-

1. The Obsession with Sarkari Naukri (Government Job): 

Bengal was the intellectual petri dish of the British Raj during colonial rule. The British Blueprint of creating a class of obedient, English-educated, Westernised Indians who could administer the empire without threatening it, turned the Bengalis into hardcore bureaucracy-loving, obedience-driven, rule-respecting creatures (Government employees) who are trained to function best within hierarchies, not outside them. 

Over time, this created a class of highly literate, politically aware, but economically risk-averse Bengalis. They prefer:-

• Stability Over Risk: A steady monthly salary from a government job without having to take any risk is the utmost bliss for any educated Bengali.
• Title Over Impact: To any Bengali, the designation matters more than the work itself, even if the job pays peanuts.
• Process Over Productivity: The Bengalis worship system, even if it’s outdated.
• Comfort Over Creation: The Bengali Babus prefer the comfort of the AC chamber, the leisurely tea breaks, the slow mornings with The Telegraph over hard deadlines, accountability, and hustle culture. In other words, they prefer a stress-free life.

Landing a job under the British administration was not just about employment - it was about identity, class, and respectability. If someone failed, whispers would go around like wildfire, “What was the point of all that education if he couldn’t get a proper job?” A graduate trying to step into the murky waters of business was laughed at, dismissed as impractical, and treated as though he had "fallen from grace". The trend continued even after independence, which is aptly tagged as "the colonial mindset of the Bengalis". 

2. Preferring Westernised Intellect Over Local Enterprise

This mindset is again the outcome of a cleverly planned British strategy: to encourage Bengali cultural refinement through westernisation, while denying the region industrial investment, post-Partition. The Bengalis gladly swallowed the "funda" that they are the "intellectually superior race" among the Indians. They proudly grew their aesthetic sensibility by chanting Tagore, Wordsworth or Milton, but forgot the real fact that shallow economic muscle cannot help pursue aesthetics for long. They are unable to turn their rich cultural heritage into real-world capital. 

3. Business is for Banias, not Bhadraloks

There was an invisible dictate in the Bengali society: "Bhadro barir chhelera byabsa korey khayna," which implies that a well-educated young Bengali from a good family should never indulge in business activities. Commerce was never meant for the bhadralok, the so-called "refined gentleman" class. That domain belonged to the Banias - the trading communities from Gujarat, Bihar, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Maharashtra. They were seen as shrewd, money-minded, and somehow morally inferior in the eyes of the Bengali intelligentsia. To the Bengalis, money was not to be made, but to be discussed in philosophical terms over tea and Tagore.

A question arises in my mind often: What's the point of having Tagore in our hearts, but no startups in our hands and money in our pockets?

In post-independence Bengal, particularly in Kolkata, a curious phenomenon unfolded. As the Bengali bhadralok clung to their books, debated ideology over cups of tea, and recited Tagore with divine reverence, and the educated youth prepared for civil service examinations struggled to secure a government job, the non-Bengali communities quietly set up shops all over the place. 

The Marwaris, Gujaratis, Punjabis, Jains- they didn’t need validation through English fluency or civil service exams.

They came with:

• A clear focus on business and brand building
• Tight-knit community support for thriving
• Zero shame in profit-making

While the left-minded Bengalis were busy sabotaging their own prospects, either by lazing around, clinging to hollow intellectual superiority, or getting caught up in politically motivated self-destruction, these so-called outsiders were building empires in textiles, jute, steel, FMCG, cinema halls, retail chains and more. They made the city their home, nurtured it with enterprises, and quietly kept its economy alive. 

The “uneducated” youths from Bihar and other economically backwards regions of the country, whom many looked down upon, arrived in Kolkata with nothing but grit and a will to survive. And survive they did, by doing the work no Bengali wanted to on their own motherland for their community. But the outsiders did it with persistence and got integrated into our society.

• They pulled rickshaws through flooded lanes.
• They opened humble thaylawala stalls selling everything from moori to plastic goods.
• They became the trusted ironing man ("istriwala") on the corner of your para.
• They manned laundries, drove taxis, repaired bicycles, and ran shops
• They worked as labourers in the shops of Burrabazar and other establishments.

These people eventually proved to be more hardworking and obedient than the average Bengali youth. 

How many of you have ever seen a Bengali youth, from the 1950s through the 1990s, humbly doing the kind of everyday, honest work that the outsiders did in our neighbourhoods?

Running a roadside tea stall, pulling a rickshaw, ironing clothes at a street corner, managing a small laundry or setting up a makeshift shop were never seen as "respectable" jobs for the Bengali youth, brought up on a diet of Tagore, job dreams, and bhadralok pride. They were seen as degrading, almost embarrassing. All they want is a "sarkari chakri" in their pocket and a fixed monthly income to support a family and boast about.

In a bid to establish themselves as a superior race, the Bengalis conveniently forgot some of the most fundamental truths rooted in our tradition.

We forgot that labour, no matter how small, humble, or unglamorous, is not something to be scorned. It is worship. It is karma. And Lakshmi resides where there is effort, not apathy.

So, what’s the difference in their approaches?

• The Bengalis boasted about their culture, while the non-Bengalis built capital. 
• The Bengalis wasted hours in endless addas and debates, while the non-Bengalis quietly built businesses.
• The Bengalis competed with each other, whereas the non-Bengalis collaborated to thrive. 
• The Bengalis dismantled job opportunities with politics, trade unions, and inaction; the non-Bengalis created jobs for those who chose work over idleness.
• The Bengali landlords sold their crumbling rajbaris and ancestral homes to Marwari businessmen for extra money, and the non-Bengalis consolidated properties in the heart of the city, thereby wiping out the Bengali heritage one by one.

Over time, these patterns have not only eroded the spirit of entrepreneurship but have also sabotaged the community’s financial stability.

There are certainly a few Bengali-led small and medium-sized enterprises that have thrived and continue to grow, including a new wave of startups that reflect the entrepreneurial spirit of the modern Bengali. However, a pervasive scepticism still exists among many Bengalis, who continue to believe that West Bengal is not a conducive environment for business investment.

If West Bengal Isn’t for Investors, Then How Are These Enterprises Thriving? 

If West Bengal is truly hostile to investment and entrepreneurship, as claimed by many, then how do we explain the thriving businesses across sectors?

• Burrabazar - The Marwari Empire: Possibly India’s largest wholesale market, built and dominated by the Marwari community. Marwari-owned trading houses have controlled supply chains of textiles, garments, paper, grains, spices, electronics, and plastic goods for decades, not just in Kolkata, but across eastern India. One can hardly find a Bengali business thriving in that area.
• Emami Group (Agarwal Family - Marwari): A leading name in FMCG, healthcare, and personal care products.
• Shrachi Group (Jain Community): A diversified conglomerate in real estate, infrastructure, and agro-machinery.
• Keventer Group (Keventer Agro - Baid Family): Major player in dairy, processed foods, and beverages like Frooti, Appy, Appy Fizz in Eastern India. 
• Vishal Mega Mart: Retail outlets like Vishal Mega Mart and Bazaar Kolkata are led by business minds mostly from North Indian or Jain backgrounds.
• S.R. Group: A significant player in Kolkata's real estate sector, the S.R. Group has developed numerous residential and commercial projects across the city.
• Ambuja Neotia Group: Led by Harshavardhan Neotia, this conglomerate is known for its contributions to urban development and social housing in Kolkata.
• S.K. Bajoria Group: Headed by Shishir Bajoria, this diversified group operates in sectors like textiles, engineering, and infrastructure.
• Rupa & Company: Founded by Prahalad Rai Agarwala, this company is a leading manufacturer of hosiery products, including innerwear and thermals.
• Chhappan Bhog: A renowned sweet shop in Kolkata, specialising in Marwari and Rajasthani sweets.
• Haldiram: Famous for sweets, snacks, and traditional Indian food items.
• Big Bazaar: A part of the Future Group and one of the largest retail chains in India.
• SVF (Shree Venkatesh Films): Founded by Shree Venkatesh, one of the largest Bengali film production and distribution companies. 
• The Anandabazar Patrika (ABP Group): One of the largest and most influential Bengali-language newspapers in India, ABP Group has a strong Bengali identity.
• Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.: Founded in 1892, this was the first pharmaceutical company in India, led by a Bengali entrepreneur.
• Sampath Group: A Kolkata-based company involved in real estate development, the Sampath Group is an example of a Bengali-led company in the real estate industry.

To get an answer to this question, we need to understand how the ultra-superior colonial mindset of the Bengalis gave birth to another series of habits and attitudes that have proven deeply detrimental to the progress of the Bengali business community. 

Let's delve into those issues that act as a toxic chain reaction:- 

• Laid back attitude:- A defining trait of the cultural psyche of the Bengalis, and a major hindrance to business and entrepreneurial ventures. The same attitude has morphed into a lethargic corporate mindset for many employees in Kolkata and West Bengal.
• Lethargic corporate mindset:- Seeped into the corporate world of Kolkata and manifested as a lack of urgency, low productivity, and a resistance to change. 
• Growing a sense of passivity:- Reluctance to take initiative, challenge the status quo, or actively push for progress hinders overall growth in both private and public sectors.
• Playing politics to retain chair:- Bengalis are notoriously famous for playing politics in and outside the office. Fear of losing jobs leads to another set of toxic corporate chain reactions. Instead of improving performance, many resort to office politics, bootlicking, and sabotaging others just to survive in the system. 
• Silent saboteurs within an organisation:- It is often seen that the Bengali employees prioritise ego battles, groupism, flattery, and blame games over performance and innovation. This behaviour stems from their deep-rooted conditioning in the Babu culture, obviously a colonial legacy that they proudly carry. Instead of working towards collective growth, they invest energy in internal power plays to demoralise the workforce. Over time, it weakens the foundation of the business, causing stagnation, client dissatisfaction, and ultimately, the downfall of the enterprise.

This vicious cycle portrays one side of the coin. The other side is more ferocious: a deep-seated resentment towards those who dare to break the mould. Consider you're a Bengali, an outlier, who chooses risk over routine. You left the safe cocoon of cushy jobs and babugiri culture and decided to build something of your own. You are bound to face resistance from your fellow Bengalis in the following ways:-

• You have to face your sceptical Baba or Ma and peers:-  They will consider you either a fool or just another hopeless Bengali who has lost his mind. 
• You are not going to get any seed capital from your uncle:- Unlike the non-Bengalis, you will find no financier in your family who would generously spare some seed capital and help you establish the business at the initial stage. 
• Forget about getting advice on business ventures from your peers:- With no family business inheritance, you will grope for advice, often leading to wrong moves and undertakings in your ventures.
• Wade through layers of bureaucratic red tape:- Brace yourself for government hurdles. Even in the age of digitalisation, navigating the government regulations for licensing, taxation, and permits can be frustrating and time-consuming. While other states have streamlined these processes to encourage entrepreneurship, Bengali startups often face delays in getting the necessary approvals.
• Promotion? Word-of-mouth? Nah, your friends and peers will let you struggle:- This is where it gets painful. When someone from another community starts a business, their people spread the word like wildfire, buy the product even if it’s average at first, and take pride in “one of us” making it. But with Bengalis, the attitude will be somewhat like this: "Why should I promote his business? Is he paying me extra for that?" "I don't have 'faltu' time for this. I would rather watch the India-Pakistan match and get entertained." They will find every possible excuse to avoid you.
• Your success will not be celebrated, it will be tolerated:- Don't expect instant fanfare if you get success at the initial stage. "Let’s wait and see if he fails." - This will be their initial reaction. And even if there is no chance for you to fail, your peers and associates will apply every possible means to make you fail. It’s that classic crab mentality - if one Bengali tries to climb out of the bucket, the others pull him down because they’re afraid of someone doing something they didn’t dare to try. 
• The Jhanda and the Chanda policy ruins everything:- The political scenarios in certain areas of India are notoriously detrimental to business growth, especially in West Bengal. The party cadres will find innumerable ways to extort money (chanda) from your pocket and leave you financially crippled. If not, they will resort to aggressive tactics to make you either flee from or flop in your venture. 

In other words, the financially backwards Bengali business community stands no chance against the non-Bengalis, because they run the trade networks, own the major real estate, finance the builders, and control significant parts of the informal and formal economy. The political class may rattle sabres now and then, but rarely do they cross the line. Why? Because they know where the money flows from, and more importantly, who holds the purse strings. 

Once colonised, always colonised

Undermining Local Talent

As goes the Bengali proverb, "The local monk gets no alms", so is the picture of the community. Talented Bengalis who attempt to build something from scratch often receive scepticism or discouragement, not support. But the same idea, if presented by a foreign or non-Bengali investor, is quickly accepted. This deep-rooted inferiority complex, a direct colonial hangover, prevents Bengalis from nurturing their own talent and building faith in homegrown initiatives.

Economic Dependence vs. Economic Drive

Bengal has abundant intellectual and natural resources, yet it continues to depend on external economic engines. This imbalance is often justified with colonial-rooted excuses like “we don’t have the infrastructure” or “investors don’t come here.”

Glorification of the Outsider

Now comes the hilariously ironic part of the Bengali mentality. Bengal and the Bengalis have a long history of being ruled by foreigners. The ancestors of the locals have served these foreign invaders and settlers, and that became a norm in this region. The British Raj further enhanced that stereotypicity. There’s an unconscious belief among Bengalis that if something is "imported," it must be superior, even though it is an investment. To them, employment can only be generated by outside investors, and the locals are only to serve them as obedient employees in exchange for salaries and favours.

Bengal's Economic Black Hole and The Solutions

Anyone can do business in West Bengal, only if you know how to. You just need a little zeal and a brain to do so.

The issue isn’t that Bengalis aren’t capable - they are exceptionally talented. The issue is they don’t trust each other, don’t fund each other, and don’t build together. Apart from the mindset that needs to be changed, we also require a robust and well-planned approach in the following aspects:-

• Micro-Funding Culture: Just like a young person in Marwari, Gujarati, or even Tamil communities often gets seed money from extended family, friends, or community trust groups to develop his business idea, we need to develop the micro-funding culture in the Bengali community too.
• Sense of unified approach: Even if a group is formed to run a business, it falls apart due to ego clashes, mistrust, and a lack of long-term vision. Everyone wants to be the “boss”, and no one wants to build something together. 
• Community Finance Pool: The Bengalis wait for NGOS, foreign investors, or government grants, while others create self-sustaining systems to pool funds and labour from the community. 
• Collective bargaining power: Without political unity, Bengalis have no collective voice in national or regional economic negotiations. Other communities negotiate as blocks, with lobbying power, business forums, cooperative banks, and unified demands. Bengalis, on the other hand, fight each other over ideology and personal ambition while failing to leverage their strength as a voting and intellectual force.

Left unchecked, all these above-mentioned factors risk setting Bengal on a path of slow, cultural and economic collapse - a collapse not from external forces, but from within. And it will be a matter of time before the external forces find more ways to infiltrate the land, grab the opportunities and flourish.