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Book stacks, National Library of India, Kolkata
Book stacks, National Library of India, Kolkata. Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Book stacks, National Library of India, Kolkata. Photo: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/), via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ashutosh_Collection_02291.JPG
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National Library of India

Kolkata, India, 1836 (Calcutta Public Library); National Library of India from 1953

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The record

Worth knowing

  • National Library of India, worth knowing: A Grammar of the Bengal Language (1778) by Nathaniel Brassey Halhed, the earliest printed book in Bengali, is in the Bengali collection.

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    National Library of India, worth knowing: A Grammar of the Bengal Language (1778) by Nathaniel Brassey Halhed, the earliest printed book in Bengali, is in the Bengali collection.
Source: https://nationallibrary.gov.in/home/collection
Evidence tier: primary
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#f-0vvjzbw
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  • National Library of India, worth knowing: The Bengali collection holds 154 letters from Subhas Chandra Bose to his nephew Asok Nath Bose.

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    National Library of India, worth knowing: The Bengali collection holds 154 letters from Subhas Chandra Bose to his nephew Asok Nath Bose.
Source: https://nationallibrary.gov.in/home/collection
Evidence tier: primary
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#f-0ra74zr
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  • National Library of India, worth knowing: The library holds 190 first editions of Rabindranath Tagore's works.

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    National Library of India, worth knowing: The library holds 190 first editions of Rabindranath Tagore's works.
Source: https://nationallibrary.gov.in/home/collection
Evidence tier: primary
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#f-19dx2eh
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  • National Library of India, worth knowing: The rare collection keeps xylographs presented by the Dalai Lama.

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    National Library of India, worth knowing: The rare collection keeps xylographs presented by the Dalai Lama.
Source: https://nationallibrary.gov.in/home/rare_other_collections
Evidence tier: primary
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#f-10s76uw
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Location

  • National Library of India, location: Belvedere Estate: Belvedere House and 30 acres of grounds in Alipore, Kolkata

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    National Library of India, location: Belvedere Estate: Belvedere House and 30 acres of grounds in Alipore, Kolkata
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belvedere_Estate
Evidence tier: wikipedia
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#f-12647mq
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Collection

  • National Library of India, collection: Lord Metcalf transferred 4,675 volumes from the library of the College of Fort William

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    National Library of India, collection: Lord Metcalf transferred 4,675 volumes from the library of the College of Fort William
Source: https://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/home/history
Evidence tier: primary
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#f-1y22bvb
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  • National Library of India, collection: Collection in excess of 2.5 million books and records, the largest in the country

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    National Library of India, collection: Collection in excess of 2.5 million books and records, the largest in the country
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Library_of_India
Evidence tier: wikipedia
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#f-1482x83
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  • National Library of India, collection: 86,000 maps and 3,200 manuscripts

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    National Library of India, collection: 86,000 maps and 3,200 manuscripts
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Library_of_India
Evidence tier: wikipedia
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#f-1i8r1cr
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Status today

  • National Library of India, status today: Calcutta Public Library established 1836 on a proprietary basis; not a Government institution

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    National Library of India, status today: Calcutta Public Library established 1836 on a proprietary basis; not a Government institution
Source: https://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/home/history
Evidence tier: primary
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#f-1ncxga4
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  • National Library of India, status today: Imperial Library founded 1891 by combining a number of Secretariat libraries, chiefly the Home Department library

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    National Library of India, status today: Imperial Library founded 1891 by combining a number of Secretariat libraries, chiefly the Home Department library
Source: https://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/home/history
Evidence tier: primary
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#f-0ynkbjh
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  • National Library of India, status today: Imperial Library formally opened to the public on 30 January 1903 at Metcalf Hall, Kolkata

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    National Library of India, status today: Imperial Library formally opened to the public on 30 January 1903 at Metcalf Hall, Kolkata
Source: https://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/home/history
Evidence tier: primary
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#f-158va04
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  • National Library of India, status today: National Library opened to the public on 1 February 1953, inaugurated by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

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    National Library of India, status today: National Library opened to the public on 1 February 1953, inaugurated by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Source: https://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/home/history
Evidence tier: primary
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#f-1b15wxg
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What happened here

  1. 1836National Library of India, opened, 1836: Calcutta Public Library opened (21 March 1836)

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    National Library of India, opened, 1836: Calcutta Public Library opened (21 March 1836)
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Library_of_India
Evidence tier: wikipedia
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#e-07lix5x
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  2. 1891National Library of India, founded, 1891: Imperial Library founded from Secretariat libraries

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    National Library of India, founded, 1891: Imperial Library founded from Secretariat libraries
Source: https://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/home/history
Evidence tier: primary
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#e-02setde
    Dispute#

  3. 1903National Library of India, opened, 1903: Imperial Library opened to the public at Metcalf Hall (30 Jan 1903)

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    Cite
    National Library of India, opened, 1903: Imperial Library opened to the public at Metcalf Hall (30 Jan 1903)
Source: https://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/home/history
Evidence tier: primary
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#e-0m82ioz
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  4. 1953National Library of India, opened, 1953: National Library opened to the public at Belvedere Estate (1 Feb 1953)

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    National Library of India, opened, 1953: National Library opened to the public at Belvedere Estate (1 Feb 1953)
Source: https://www.nationallibrary.gov.in/home/history
Evidence tier: primary
Last checked: 2026-11-11
WorldLibs: https://worldlibs.pages.dev/libraries/nli/#e-0fno6yp
    Dispute#

Photographs

Main reading room of Bhasha Bhavan, National Library of India, Kolkata
Main reading room of Bhasha Bhavan, National Library of India, Kolkata. Eigng, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Main reading room of Bhasha Bhavan, National Library of India, Kolkata. Photo: Eigng, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bhasha_Bhavan,_Main_Reading_Room_%26_Office.jpg
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Belvedere building, National Library of India, Kolkata
Belvedere building, National Library of India, Kolkata. Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0
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Belvedere building, National Library of India, Kolkata. Photo: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Belvedere_Building_-_Indian_National_Library_-_Belvedere_Estate_-_Kolkata_2014-05-02_4742.JPG
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National Library of India, Kolkata
National Library of India, Kolkata. Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY-SA 3.0
Use this photo
National Library of India, Kolkata. Photo: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/), via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:National_Library_of_India_02303.JPG
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Gateway at Belvedere Estate, National Library, Kolkata
Gateway at Belvedere Estate, National Library, Kolkata. Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0
Use this photo
Gateway at Belvedere Estate, National Library, Kolkata. Photo: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gateway_-_Rear_View_-_Indian_National_Library_-_Belvedere_Estate_-_Kolkata_2014-05-02_4769.JPG
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Books from this library

Sources