A study of the social and cultural context of Indian poetry in English reveals several important insights into its origin. Indian poetry in English began in Bengal, the province where the British first gained a stronghold. In addition, this poetry was a largely urban phenomenon, centered in Calcutta. _________________. Then, gradually, it moved to other urban centres such as Madras and Bombay. Even today, Indian poetry in English remains largely urban. Moreover, because English was an elite language, Indian poets writing in English came from the upper classes.

The passage outlines the beginnings of Indian poetry in English, highlighting that it originated in Bengal, especially in Calcutta, where the British impact was most prominent. Initially, this practice involved a select group of families in the city, establishing it as an elite and urban occurrence. Gradually, the movement extended to other cities such as Madras and Bombay, yet it has predominantly stayed urban, owing to the elite status of English in India.The sentence in the blank should therefore support or elaborate on the idea that poetry in English was concentrated in Calcutta in the early years; and possibly restricted in scope.

Option B  directly supports the idea that it was an urban phenomenon centered in Calcutta, and gives a concrete detail (a few families) that explains how limited and local the movement was early on; while smoothly setting up the next sentence: “Then, gradually, it moved to other urban centres…”

Option A is a wrong inference and a stretch because the passage does not mention any British decision to promote poetry in Calcutta or to reach a larger audience through it. Option C distracts from the main point and shifts focus to British poetry, which is not the topic. Option D is both logically and factually flawed. None of these ideas are supported by the text as they introduce assumptions that go beyond the scope of the passage.

Hence, option B is the correct choice.