State's stalwarts set to spotlight ET's Bengal summit

Kolkata: The Economic Times is set to host Bengal Ascends, a grand summit that showcases the potential that West Bengal offers for manufacturing and services as the government aims to restore the shine of what was once the beating heart of Indian industry.

Bengal Ascends will bring together industrialists, investors, economists and policy makers under one roof on November 24 at the ITC Sonar in Kolkata to lay down the economic road map for a state that was, among other things, formerly home to the nation's biggest lender, State Bank of India.

Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, minister of public enterprises and industrial reconstruction Tapas Roy and finance minister Swapan Dasgupta-key decision makers in the state government-will not only share their vision for the state but also seek inputs from industry leaders on how to tailor policies to their needs.


Economist and member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister Sanjeev Sanyal and ITC Chairman Sanjiv Puri will share their perspectives and prescriptions in fireside chats.

Deliberations will include how to re-industrialise the state that used to be reputed for its jute and textile industries, and utilise the abundant tech talent pool in the era of GCCs and AI.

The flagship summit arrives amid a newfound energy in the state's corporate environment and the rollout of an industrial policy aimed at reviving West Bengal's economic glory.

Through curated sessions, business chiefs will also provide actionable feedback on single-window clearance mechanisms, land availability and infrastructure priorities while mapping out greenfield and brownfield investments. Bengal Ascends will act as a catalyst, aligning India Inc.'s capital with the dawn of a new economic era in the state under new leadership.