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| Lascar War Memorial, Calcutta.wikipedia.org |
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| Lascar War Memorial, Calcutta.flickr.com |
Above image: The word lascar (Lashkar, Laskar, Persian in origin; al-askar in Arabic meaning a guard or soldier refers to a a sailor or militiaman from the Indian Subcontinent or other countries east of the Cape of Good Hope, employed on European ships from the 16th century until the beginning of the 20th century........
The Lascar War Memorial stands in the Hastings area of Kolkata, on Napier Road at the southern edge of the Maidan, close to Prinsep Ghat and adjacent to the Indian Navy’s INS Netaji Subhas premises. This 100-foot-high monument was erected to honor the memory of 896 lascars (sailors of the Indian subcontinent) who perished while serving on British merchant and naval ships during the First World War (1914–1918).
In the aftermath of the 1857 uprising, India was placed under the direct rule of the British Crown, and when the First World War broke out, many Indians were recruited into British forces, including the British Indian merchant navy and naval auxiliaries. The term “lascar” (derived from Persian lashkar, meaning soldier) was historically used to designate sailors or militiamen from the subcontinent who served aboard European ships.
The memorial’s design was selected through a competition, and architect William Ingram Keir won the contest (earning a prize of Rs. 500) for his proposal.
Keir, a British architect active in India, is also credited with designing buildings in Bengal Engineering College (Shibpur), Kharagpur, Islamia College, and for replacing the spire of St. Paul’s Cathedral (after the 1934 earthquake)
The monument draws inspiration from Indo-Mughal and “Oriental” motifs. It is constructed as a four-sided column, each side featuring a projecting prow reminiscent of an ancient galley. Near its upper portion are four small minarets, surmounted by a large gilt dome. The façade includes wavy lines beneath a projected balcony—symbols evoking the motion of waves—and incorporates chhajjas and trellis elements for a distinctively Indian aesthetic.
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| Inside the Lascar War Memorial, Kolkata. Plagues.en.wikipedia.org |
Above image: Lascar War Memorial, situated at the southern end of the Maidan, on Naiper Road, Hastings, near Prinsep Ghat in the Hastings area of Kolkata, is dedicated to the memory of 896 Lascars (sailor or militiaman from Indian subcontinent), who gave their lives, fighting for the British Navy during the Great War of 1914 – 18........
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| Lascar War Memorial, Kolkata. www.lascarwarmemorial.com |
Above image: The memorial has a huge entrance door way and has three plagues inside the building. First plaque is about the unveiling of the memorial by Lord Lytton (Feb, 1924), then Governor of Bengal.......
The memorial was formally unveiled by Lord Lytton, then Governor of Bengal, on 6 February 1924. Inside the monument are three plaques: one marks the unveiling by Lord Lytton; another states that the shipping and mercantile community erected the monument in memory of the 896 seamen (without explicitly using the term “lascar”); the third plaque references the renovation and installation of lighting.
Over time, the memorial fell into neglect. By the early 1990s, its environs were overgrown and its structural surfaces were damaged. In January 1994, Commodore B. K. Mohanti (then Naval Officer in Charge, Kolkata) rediscovered the monument during a morning walk, resolved to restore it, and through efforts including securing funds, engaging contractors, and installing lighting (with trials carried out in conjunction with Philips India), oversaw its rehabilitation.
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| Renovation Plaque,Laskar War Memorial,Kolkata en.wikipedia.org |
The restored memorial was re-inaugurated by December 1994, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of INS Netaji Subhas (formerly INS Hooghly). In recent decades the Indian Navy has assumed custodianship of the site. The memorial is maintained, the surrounding lawns and pathways are kept in order, and the structure is illuminated at night (with changing color lighting) to enhance its visual prominence as seen from Vidyasagar Setu and adjacent roads.
National Navy Day (4 December) is regularly commemorated here with ceremonies, including naval band concerts and wreath-laying—an effort to draw public attention and pay homage to the little-known seamen who served in colonial-era maritime services.
Though still one of Kolkata’s least-visited monuments, the Lascar Memorial is gaining renewed interest. Writers and heritage activists note its obscurity and advocate for greater public awareness of the contributions of Indian maritime personnel in world conflicts.
In 2025, the Indian Navy announced plans to mark the centenary (100 years) of the memorial with special events including talks on maritime history, art and philately exhibitions, cultural performances like Odissi recitals and Hornpipe dance, with the West Bengal Governor to be chief guest.
Access to the memorial is somewhat restricted because it lies within a naval area. Visitors may have to obtain permission or be accompanied by naval personnel. Thus, while it still remains behind the scenes for many, the Lascar War Memorial endures as a poignant tribute to forgotten maritime bodies, a rare colonial memorial dedicated not to generals or princes, but to subaltern sailors whose service spanned oceans under the imperial flag.
https://calcuttachronicle.co.in/lascar-war-memorial-in-memoriam/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://www.navrangindia.blogspot..in/2017/11/lascar-war-memorial-kolkata-dedicated.html
https://amitavghosh.com/the-lascar-war-memorial-kolkata-guest-post/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
