Bengaluru (also called Bangalore) is the capital of India's southern Karnataka state. It has a population of over ten million,[9] making it a megacity and the third most populous city and fifth most populous urban agglomeration in India. It is located in southern India on the Deccan Plateau. Its elevation is over 900 m (3,000 ft) above sea level, the highest of India's major cities.
Once called the "Garden City of India" and the "Pensioner's Paradise", these epithets no longer apply to Bangalore, which is now a large, cosmopolitan city with diminishing green spaces and a large working population. Bangalore is the major center of India's IT industry, popularly known as the Silicon Valley of India. Bangalore is called as the Silicon Valley of India because of the large number of information technology companies located in the city which contributed 33% of India's ₹1,442 billion (US$22 billion) IT exports in 2006–07.
IT moguls like Wipro and Infosys have their headquarters in the city. The bustling cosmopolitan city with an all-year-round pleasant climate has many cafes, shopping malls and restaurants for a luxurious and upscale lifestyle.
There are many notable institutions located in the city such as Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Indian Institute of Science (IIS), Indian Institute of Management (IIMB), National Aeronautics Laboratory (NAL) and National Law School.
The center of India's high-tech industry, the city is also known for its parks and nightlife.
The city also has some wonderful tourist hotspots like the Bangalore Palace, Lal Bagh, Bannerghatta National Park, Innovative Film City and Cubbon Park.By Cubbon Park, Vidhana Soudha is a Neo-Dravidian legislative building. Former royal residences include 19th-century Bangalore Palace, modeled after England’s Windsor Castle, and Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, an 18th-century teak structure.
Connectivity
Bangalore is served by Kempegowda International Airport, located at Devanahalli, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the city centre. It was formerly called Bengaluru International Airport.
A rapid transit system called the Namma Metro is being built in stages. Initially opened with the 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) stretch from Baiyappanahalli to MG Road in 2011, phase 1 covering a distance of 42.30 kilometres (26.28 mi) for the North-South and East-West lines was made operational by June 2017. Phase 2 of the metro covering 72.1 kilometres (44.8 mi) is under construction and includes two new lines along with the extension of the existing North-South and East-West lines.There are also plans to extend the North-South line to the airport, covering a distance of 29.6 kilometres (18.4 mi). It is expected to be operational by 2021.
Bangalore is a divisional headquarters in the South Western Railway zone of the Indian Railways. There are four major railway stations in the city.