Business conferences are an integral cog in the development wheel of a state. Touted as the largest business convention centre of Eastern India, Biswa Bangla Convention Centre is a majestic masterpiece of modern architecture. Set up in a 10 acre plot adjacent to HIDCO Bhavan in New Town, this Convention Centre hosts world class amenities that can rival the best in the world. With Kolkata gearing up to host the Bengal Global Business Summit in 2018, the venue could not have been any better to welcome guests from all over the world 

If you are a motorist, frequenting New Town, the grand façade of Biswa Bangla Convention Centre on Biswa Bangla Sarani near Eco Tourism Park must have made you stop in your stride and gawk at its supreme demeanour. All along, the city was deprived of a proper business conference centre. This problem was, however, resolved in 2014, as preparations went underway to build an iconic edifice in New Town. 
Designed by architect Dulal Mukherjee and constructed by Larsen and Toubro, the Convention Centre is seven stories tall. The most striking feature of the entire façade is the upper wing-like trajectory that holds an auditorium with a total seating capacity of 3,200 – almost 1000 more than Science City’s grand theatre hall. Nothing short of an architectural marvel, both the exterior and the interiors of the Convention Centre is on a league of its own. 

THE EXTERIOR
It is fair to say that even before completion, Biswa Bangla Convention Centre had an air of majesty surrounding it. The structure has an imposing presence that commands attention and respect and the surroundings have been planned immaculately to justify it. The main convention building sits atop a humongous podium like structure that is quite a marvel in its own right. The flooring of the frontyard is done in black granite with pockets of green spaces. There are three glass prism-like structures that span the length of the periphery with three shallow water bodies in between. Underneath the Convention Centre, there’s a multi-level car parking that can hold up to 600 cars – a fascinating figure by any stretch of imagination. An annexe hotel, housing accommodation for 110 people is being constructed at the backyard and would be maintained by the Apeejay group – owner of Park Hotels. 

THE INTERIORS
The entrance to the convention centre is on the second floor. No sooner than you set foot inside, its pristine decor would charm you with a welcoming gaze. The colour tone with the combination of white and wooden brown, with golden hued lights beaming down reflects warmth and invites you to be audience to its splendour. The design is exclusive and oozes luxurious grace and artistic charm while the walls are adorned with Chhau masks and various other relics collected from the Biswa Bangla Haat. The mazy stairway leading to the first floor has a surreal vibe to it with its serrated edges. There are hollow ring-like lights extended by wires from the ceiling and they make quite a spectacle. All the floors are connected via glass chamber elevators that run along the front face of the building. 

Auditoriums and Conference Halls
The main 3200 seater auditorium covering the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh floor of the Convention Centre is the icing on the cake. Garnished with crème and chocolate wooden interiors, this mammoth auditorium is testimony to the hard work that has gone into building this masterpiece. The bottom tier of the auditorium is fitted with 2000 seats while the remaining 1200 are on its top tier. Each seat inside the auditorium has an USB 2.0 port and a water bottle holder. The main stage makes a splendid panoramic view of both the tiers. Along with the main auditorium, the convention centre also has two mini 400-seater auditoriums. 
There are 4 conference halls on the first and second floor of the convention centre with spacious exhibition spaces on both the floors. The main conference hall is also garnished with crème and chocolate wooden interiors and can accommodate up to 270 people while the fourth and the smallest conference hall has a capacity of accommodating 72 people. 
At present, the convention centre hosts small scale conferences. With time drawing near, the centre is warming up to host corporate juggernauts to participate in the 4th Global Bengal Business Summit scheduled to be held on 16th and 17th January 2018. 
The Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, with its magnificent demeanour would certainly add a new zeal to the Business Summit and we hope it opens up various business opportunities for the state to further prosper and develop.