Calcutta’s packed calendar of events has taken a hit after the terror strike in Mumbai.

Organisers have been forced to either cancel or postpone programmes as delegates and guests are jittery about visiting India in the aftermath of the Mumbai siege.

The Marketing Expo, an event organised by the International School of Business, was slated to begin on December 6 but was rescheduled to January 22, 2009, because of security worries.

Eleven foreign delegates scheduled to participate in the fifth World Shakespeare Conference in Calcutta from December 14 to 17 have decided to give the event a miss as they feel this is not a safe time to visit the city.

But security officials insist the fear factor is being blown out of proportion.

“Foreigners visiting the city either as tourists or for official work have nothing to fear. We have taken adequate measures to tackle any eventuality,” a senior police officer said.

The Marketing Expo had to be postponed after more than 50 per cent of the invited delegates backed out. “It is a financial blow to us,” said one of the organisers.

The World Shakespeare Conference, a biennial event in Calcutta, will be held as scheduled despite the pullout. But the organisers admit it won’t be the same. The conference combines academic discussion with a carnival that aims to take Shakespeare to the masses.

Not every foreigner is jittery about setting foot in town. Alessandra Marino, 25, a scholar and teacher from Naples in Italy, arrived in Calcutta on October 17 and remains unfazed by the prospect of terrorists striking.

“International participation in events like these is vital because it is a way of building positive transnational bonds, which is crucial in the wake of a terror attack like the one Mumbai faced,” insisted Marino.