Bengal Rose Society (BRS) has been invited to organize the Indian Rose Convention & All India Rose Show in Kolkata by the Indian Rose Federation (IRF), the premier organization for rose cultivation and promotion. In cooperation with Lions Safari Park (a project of the Lions Club of North Calcutta), BRS suggests holding the event from January 3–5, 2026, at Rabindra Sarobar, Gate #10. The event will be inaugurated by Shri Arup Roy, MIC, Food Processing Industries & Horticulture, Government of West Bengal. The Government of West Bengal has decided to have Shri Pradip K. Mazumdar, MIC, Panchayats, Rural Development & Cooperation, as a Guest of Honour. The event has already attracted over 250 delegates from throughout India.

The All India Rose Show, where rosarians from all over the nation are anticipated to display their homegrown roses for competition, is the event’s main draw. Approximately 2500 cut rose exhibits will be on display at the Rose Show this year. The pot-grown roses, which are probably going to be transported in from Kolkata and beyond, will be a big draw at the show in addition to the cut rose flowers. Bengali gardeners have developed the process for generating these pot-grown roses, which can produce over 100 flowers at once. The organizers anticipate having around 700 pots on display this year. A panel of distinguished specialists will evaluate each display.

The Technical part of the Indian Rose Convention will be on Day 2 (4th January). Famous rose experts from India are expected to share their expertise and experiences with the delegates. Director of the ICAR Directorate of Floricultural Research, Pune; Managing Director & CEO of a major agritech enterprise (Pallishree Limited); and an eminent upcoming rose breeder from Bengal, will share their vast knowledge on this day.  There will be a presentation on the preparations and vision for the 21st World Rose Convention of the World Federation of Rose Societies (WFRS), being held in Bhopal in January 2028. 

A Special Number of the “Bengal Rose Annual”, a publication with articles on rose culture and science written by renowned rosarians worldwide, as well as a booklet on “Kolkata’s Pot Rose Culture – its Process & Cultural Significance” and “Preparations for Rose Competition”, will be distributed to each delegate, according to BRS’s proposal. Additionally, a coffee table book titled “Roses from Bengal” is also being prepared.

Every year, the Society hosts the Annual Rose Show, where rosarians from the state and abroad present their exquisite displays. The Bengal Rose Society has hosted 35 rose shows thus far. The only rose society in India to get the 2020 Bronze Medal from the World Federation of Rose Societies (WFRS) is the Bengal Rose Society. The Indian Rose Federation has recently honored ten Bengali rose growers with the coveted Shri Vijay Pokarna Gold Medal.

Priyanka Dutta