Chanakya was a statesman and the chief architect behind the success of the Maurya dynasty. He was also a noted economist at that time leading to his being also referred to as Kautilya.
He was a professor of the Taxila University, also called Takshashila. But Chanakya was better known as a master strategist, a person who also successfully wore the hat of a clever diplomat.
Delhi’s Chanakyapuri is so named as a tribute to this great personality, and aptly the place is home to the diplomatic missions of nearly every foreign government. Now Kolkata is slated to have its own enclave in New Town that will house foreign consular offices.
According to the TT news, the US embassy wants a suitable plot in New Town to have the city consular office located there comfortably. And indeed so too are about 40 other foreign missions in the city.
Douglas G. Kelly, the director of the American Center in Kolkata, has said to the TT, “We are aware of the government’s plan to come up with a diplomatic area… We are interested in shifting there, though we are yet to get all the details of the proposed diplomatic area.”
New Town is lucrative because it is well planned and uncluttered. And yes it is close to the airport.
Meanwhile China has decided to open its consular office somewhere in Salt Lake. Since the place is to be finalized yet, the Chinese consul-general to the city, Mao Siwei, is presently operating from a 5-star hotel.
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