Stretching from the lofty peaks of the Himalayas in the North to the quaint greenery of Kerala in the South, and from the sacred Ganges in the East to the sand dunes of the Thar Desert in the West, India encompasses unrivaled variety. Home to the most populous democracy in the world, once you walk the streets of an Indian city you’ll come to see people representing several of the world's great faiths. In fact, being the birthplace to four of the world’s major religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism), India offers an unmatched spiritual experience.

If you’re a tourist willing to explore, India is the place to be in. Be it the elaborate temple rituals that have been performed since the time of the Egyptian Pharaohs, the historic mosques and monuments erected centuries before the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort, or echoes of the British Raj, still heard on virtually every corner, India is special and unique in her own way.

Being the world's seventh-largest country, covering more than 3 million square kilometres, India is second only to China in terms of population which currently stands at over 1.21 billion. India offers an unmatched experience to visitors. A pluralistic, multilingual, and multiethnic society where over 400 languages are spoken, India is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats.

India is also an economic and industrial powerhouse in Asia, with the economy being the world's eleventh largest economy by nominal GDP and the fourth largest by purchasing power parity. Since the reforms of 1991, India has become one of the fastest growing major economies in the world.

Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) is the capital of West Bengal and the economic hub of Eastern India. Located on the banks of the Hooghly River, Kolkata is the 8th largest urban agglomeration in the world. The city served as the capital of India during the British Raj till 1911 and is a major Industrial centre of India.

Considered by many as the intellectual capital of India, Kolkata serves as the home for reputed educational institutions, including - IIM Calcutta, the Indian Statistical Institute, Presidency College, along with Shantiniketan (which has produced 2 Nobel Laureates from India) and the well-known IIT Kharagpur close by.

During 5th-13th century AD, eastern India's ancient university of Nalanda was home to students from all over the world. Years later, the tradition of academic excellence is continued and today India is a centre of educational brilliance and a lodestone for students from all over the world. A welcoming atmosphere, non-discriminative approach, a great learning environment coupled with a chance to witness India’s growth story firsthand is what awaits you when you visit us and be a part of our exchange program.