Panihati is a city and a municipality of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

[1] There is a legendary belief that Maharaja Chandraketu of Deganga established a garh (fort) at Panihati in the 13th century.

In the early days when river transport was the primary means of communication, Panihati was a major trading and business centre, then known as Pannyahati (Emporium for Merchandise).

Gandhi Memorial Asram or Sodepur Khadi Pratisthan was established by Satish Chandra Dasgupta in 1921 at Panihati.

Panihati is bounded by Bandipur, Iswaripur and Karna Madhabpur on the north, Manish Pota, Bilkanda, Jugberia, Muragachha and Teghari on the east, North Dumdum and Kamarhati on the south, and Khardaha on the west.

[15] As per the District Census Handbook 2011, Panihati municipal city covered an area of 19.38 km2.

Amongst the social, recreational and cultural facilities it had 1 orphanage home, 1 stadium, 3 cinema/ theatres, 10 auditorium/ community halls, 78 public libraries and 20 reading rooms.

[31] The famous scientist Kishori Mohan Bandyopadhyay who had assisted Ronald Ross in his malaria research work and was awarded a gold medal in 1903 for his pioneering work by King Edward VII of Britain was a resident of Panihati.

It offers honours courses in Bengali, English, Sanskrit, history, philosophy, political science, education, geography, physics, chemistry, mathematics, zoology, food & nutrition, computer science, commerce and general courses in BA, B Sc and B Com.

[32][33] Guru Nanak Institute of Technology, a private engineering college, was established, near Sodepur in 2003.

[34] Narula Institute of Technology, a private engineering college, was established at Agarpara in 2001.