Bengaluru (formerly known as Bangalore) is the capital city of the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, it is the largest city in the state and one of the most populous metropolitan areas in India. Bengaluru is widely regarded as the technology hub of India and is often referred to as the "Silicon Valley of India" due to its concentration of information technology and software companies.
| Name | Bengaluru |
|---|---|
| Former name | Bangalore (officially renamed in 2014) |
| State | Karnataka |
| Country | India |
| Region | Deccan Plateau, South India |
| Status | State capital |
| Civic body | Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) |
| Official language | Kannada |
| Common epithets | Silicon Valley of India, Garden City of India |
Bengaluru lies on the Mysore Plateau, a part of the larger Deccan Plateau, at an average elevation of around 900 metres above mean sea level. This altitude contributes to its relatively moderate climate compared with much of peninsular India. The terrain is gently undulating, and the city historically featured a network of man-made tanks (lakes) built for water storage, several of which still survive within the urban area.
The founding of the modern city is traditionally attributed to Kempe Gowda I, a feudal ruler under the Vijayanagara Empire, in 1537. Kempe Gowda built a mud fort and laid out the early settlement, which grew around markets (petes) that still lend their names to neighbourhoods such as Chickpet and Balepet.
After the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire, Bengaluru passed through the hands of several powers, including the Adil Shahis of Bijapur, the Mughals, and the Wodeyars of Mysore. In the 18th century, it came under the control of Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan, who developed the city's fort and the Lal Bagh gardens.
Following the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799, the British took control of the region. Bengaluru developed in two distinct parts: the older "City" area and the British-developed "Cantonment" to the east, which served as a major military station of the Madras Presidency. This dual character continues to influence the city's urban fabric.
After Indian independence in 1947, Bengaluru became the capital of Mysore State, which was reorganised and renamed Karnataka in 1973. The post-Independence decades saw the establishment of major public-sector industries such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Indian Telephone Industries (ITI), and Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT), giving the city a strong industrial and engineering base.
From the 1980s onwards, Bengaluru emerged as the centre of India's IT industry. Infosys and Wipro grew into major global software firms based in the city, and Electronics City was established as a planned IT hub. The city subsequently attracted multinational technology firms, research and development centres, and a substantial start-up ecosystem.
In 2014, the Government of India approved the official change of the city's English name from Bangalore to Bengaluru, aligning it with the Kannada pronunciation that had long been used locally.
Civic administration is carried out by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the municipal corporation responsible for the greater Bengaluru area. Other key agencies include the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), which handles planning and layouts, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), and the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) for public bus transport. Law and order are managed by the Bengaluru City Police.
Bengaluru is one of India's most important economic centres. Its economy is anchored by: