Lascar War Memorial

The Lascar War Memorial is a war memorial located on Napier Road in the Hastings area of the Maidan in Kolkata, West Bengal. Erected in 1924, it commemorates 896 Indian lascars (sailors) who died serving on British ships during World War I. Built in Indo-Mughal style with four columns and ship prows, it stands in an open green space near the Hooghly River and Prinsep Ghat, and is a notable colonial-era heritage landmark.

Visitors can expect an open-air memorial set in the green expanse of the Maidan near the Hooghly River. The structure features four tall columns joined by a dome-like canopy in Indo-Mughal style, with prows of ships carved at the base. The site is surrounded by lawns and trees with views of Prinsep Ghat and Vidyasagar Setu. It is an uncrowded, quiet spot suitable for sightseeing, photography and brief heritage walks.

Erected in 1924 and unveiled by Lord Lytton, then Governor of Bengal, the memorial commemorates 896 lascars (Indian sailors) from Bengal, Assam and other regions who lost their lives while serving on British ships and vessels during World War I (1914-1918). It was designed by William Ingram Keir and built in Indo-Mughal style as a colonial-era war memorial.

The memorial is a tribute to the contribution of Indian seafarers to maritime service during World War I and is recognized as a heritage landmark of Kolkata's Maidan area, reflecting colonial commemorative architecture and remembrance traditions.