Former Infosys CFO T.V. Mohandas Pai, a Padma Shri awardee, has landed in Kolkata — not for a meeting or a TED talk but to experience the city’s Durga Puja vibe in the flesh.
Pai, currently the chairman of Manipal Global Education Services and Aarin Capital, said he was spellbound by some of the Puja pandals he visited in the city ahead of Mahalaya. His experience at Kendua Shanti Sangha, Alipore Sarbajanin, and Pratapaditya Road Tricone Park, left an indelible mark on him, said the business guru.
The pandals that took his breath away
“I was floored by the pandal at Kendua Shanti Sangha,” Pai said. “Whoever designed it (Susanta Shibani Paul) is a genius. The way things have been done and put into place reminds me of Salvador Dali’s Surrealism. Your mind questions you inside the pandal, even the Durga is there in a very different way.”
Susanta Shibani Paul's artwork at Kendua Shanti Sangha took Pai's breath away Soumyajit Dey
The interplay of light, space, and form in the pandal, he said, is an immersive, almost three-dimensional experience.
At Alipore Sarbajanin and Pratapaditya Road Tricone Park, too, the artistry, the devotion, the creative energy — artifacts, music, lighting, ambience — offer a complete experience, said Pai.
Life beyond business: How Kolkata’s culture influenced him
Beyond the pandals, Pai has been soaking in the little joys of Kolkata: the club culture, the camaraderie, the way the city lives.
Having already visited Tollygunge Club and Calcutta Cricket and Football Club, he said, “Kolkata has clubs like nowhere else, the club facilities, how people come together — it’s not just about work or making money. Life is living. And in Kolkata, people do that well.”
A clarion call to capitalise on art
Pai believes Durga Puja should not be reduced to a local marvel. “It needs to be marketed better. All of India and the world should come here for Puja, participate, go around. This is a world heritage festival — you must experience this at least once in a lifetime.”
Pai with his pandal hopping troupe at Alipore Sarbajanin
If Kolkata’s creativity is shown, its roads and infrastructure improved, its heritage celebrated, then Bengal can see a boom in jobs and art.
Pai’s vision for Kolkata
For Pai, Kolkata isn’t just another Indian city: “If Calcutta comes up, the whole of the east will boom. The east is lagging. But Bengal growing means eastern India prospering.”
He is here not only to witness but also to gather facts about India as a startup nation — about how technology, education, regulation, ecosystems are advancing.
In this Puja week, Pai finds in Kolkata more than ritual: he finds inspiration, artistry, energy, and the seeds of a future where culture and commerce walk together.