ABOUT
PUNE
With a population of 4 million and a surface area of about
138 square kilometers, Pune is a major city in the State of
Maharashtra in India. It is
located on the Mutha River, 559 meters above mean sea level, and lies
approximately 160 kilometers away from Mumbai. Marathi is the official language, although Hindi and English are
also widely spoken. Gujarati
and other regional Indian languages are also spoken and understood in many
parts. Throughout the year,
the climate ranges from wet to humid to dry, and the temperature varies
from 15 to 25 degrees Celsius.
Pune is one of the historical cities of India, home to many
fascinating archaeological sites and historical buildings including
temples and palaces. Some
records stretch back over 100 000 years. Prior to the 17 century, it was ruled by a series of Hindu
dynasties, following, which the Muslim tradition came to dominate until
the time of British rule. Following independence from the British Empire,
Pune has earned a reputation as an industrial city, supporting paint,
nylon, automotive and agriculture-related industries. It also supports a strong business community including the Pune
Stock Exchange, and major branches of all of India’s largest banks. Pune is also famous for its museums, libraries, exhibitions and
music, and supports a budding sporting community that is highlighted by
the Balewadi Sports Complex, the International Marathon and the Pune-Mumbai
Cycle Race.
There are a number of educational institutions including
high schools, colleges and universities located in Pune, and the learning
centers of the city attract large numbers of students from all over India
seeking an education. The
University of Pune was established in the 1940’s and several other
institutions have gained recognition as Deemed Universities and Colleges
in the last 50 years, including Tilak
Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Bharati Vidyapeeth, Deccan College, Gokhale and
the Institute of Politics and Economics.
