Guten Tag, liebe Leserinnen und Leser,

It is a privilege to represent my country in West Bengal in particular, which, with its capital Calcutta, has long played a prominent role in relations between Indian and German intellectuals. But our consular district also includes the states of Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand, as well as the “Seven Sisters”, the seven smaller Indian states, in the very east of the country.

You may visit our Website here today for various reasons: information about current affairs in Germany; activities of the German missions in India and of this Consulate in particular; for job, study and travel opportunities in Germany or, as a German citizen, for consular assistance. During the current Corona-pandemic you might also search for specific information about travel restrictions or limitations in the services our mission can provide.

It was particularly sad for me to arrive in India at a time when so many of the connections and personal contacts I had hoped to establish right at the beginning of my posting had to be postponed or could only take place  in “virtual” format as we are still subject to severe restrictions. The dramatic images of the 2nd Corona wave in India, which brought immeasurable suffering, are still too well remembered. The Consulate General was able to contribute to alleviating the distress with some selective measures. Even though the situation in India has eased since the summer, our opportunities for personal encounters still remain limited. This does not only affect the members of the Consulate General but also travellers and students who are affected by necessary but also cumbersome rules.

Nevertheless or precisely for this reason, I would like to encourage you to follow us on twitter and facebook, as well as to follow the social media of Goethe-Institut/ Max Muller Bhawan in Kolkata, our cultural institute. Furthermore, The Indo-German Chamber of Commerce is the contact point for anyone interested in business exchange.

In this spirit, I wish you all the best for 2022. Stay healthy and please help to keep the pandemic under control by your behaviour.

With warm regards,
yours,

Manfred Auster
Consul-General