ABSTRACT

This paper explores how colonial legacies shaped the course of Cold War cultural diplomacy in Calcutta during the 1950s. It argues that American public diplomacy, particularly through the United States Information Service (USIS), built upon the anglophone institutions and Western-educated elite first cultivated under British rule. To set the stage, the study examines British education policy in Bengal, which intentionally fostered an English-speaking intelligentsia to serve imperial needs. After independence, this Anglicised bhadralok class became the main target of American cultural outreach.

Focusing on USIS libraries, film screenings, Fulbright exchanges, and large-scale exhibitions, the paper shows how the United States tried to acquaint Indian elites with American values, promote an image of modernity, and counterbalance Soviet influence. Evidence from surveys and program records suggests that these efforts influenced reading habits, perceptions of American society, and scholarly exchange in Calcutta. The paper concludes that U.S. initiatives were not created in isolation, but adapted colonial strategies of shaping elite opinion to the geopolitical demands of the Cold War.