Hyderabad has developed into one of the major hubs for the information technology industry in India which has earned it the additional sobriquet "Cyberabad". In addition to the IT industry, various biotechnology and pharmaceutics companies have set up their operations in Hyderabad owing to its established Public sector in Life Science Research and Genome Valley. The city houses the most expensive residential real estate in Andhra Pradesh in Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills. The city is home to the Telugu Film Industry, the second-largest in India, known popularly as Tollywood. Residents of Hyderabad are generally called Hyderabadis. Located at the crossroads of North & South India, Hyderabad has developed a unique culture, reflected in its language & architecture.
Etymology
Theories explaining the origins and etymology behind Hyderabad's name differ. A popular theory suggests that after founding the city, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah fell in love with and married a local nautch girl known as Bhagmathi or Bhagyavathi, and named the city Bhagyanagaram. Upon her conversion to Islam, she was given the title Hyder Mahal and thus the city was named Hyderabad, which is a two worded Urdu phrase, Hyder-A'bad, meaning 'Long live Hyder'. As per other legends, the city may be named after the son in law of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, Ali Ibn Abi Talib, whose other name was Hyder.History
Main article: History of Hyderabad (India)
Although Hyderabad was founded less than 500 years ago, archaeologists have unearthed Iron Age sites near the city that could date back to 500 BC. Approximately over 1000 years ago this region was ruled by Kakatiyas. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, a ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty (the ruling family of the Golconda, previously a feudatory of Bahmani sultanate that declared independence in 1512) founded the city of Hyderabad on the banks of the Musi River in 1591 to relieve a water shortage the dynasty had experienced at its old headquarters at Golconda. He also ordered the construction of the Charminar.The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb captured Hyderabad in 1687and, during this short Mughal rule, Mughal-appointed governors of the city soon gained autonomy. In 1724, Asaf Jah I, who was granted the title Nizam-ul-Mulk ("Governor of the country") by the Mughal emperor, defeated a rival official to establish control over Hyderabad. Thus began the Asaf Jahi dynasty that ruled Hyderabad until a year after India's independence from Britain. Asaf Jah's successors ruled as the Nizams of Hyderabad. The rule of the seven Nizams saw the growth of Hyderabad both culturally and economically. Hyderabad became the formal capital of the kingdom and Golkonda was almost abandoned. Huge reservoirs, like the Nizam Sagar, Tungabhadra, Osman Sagar, and Himayat Sagar, were built. Survey work on Nagarjuna Sagar had also begun during this time; the actual work was completed by the Government of India in 1969. The wealth and grandeur of the Nizams is demonstrated by the fabled Jewels of The Nizams, which is a tourist attraction. The state was the richest and the largest among the princely states of India. The land area of the state was 90,543 mi²; its population in 1901 was 50,073,759. It enjoyed an estimated revenue of £90,029,000.
Before 1947, Hyderabad was under the suzerainty of the British Crown but was not part of British India. In 1947, at the time of the independence of British India and its Partition into the Union of India and the new state of Pakistan, the British abandoned their claim to suzerainty over the Princely states and left them to decide their own future. The Nizam, because of Islamic leanings, wished either to remain independent or to accede to Pakistan. However, for the Indian Union, this was unacceptable from a strategic perspective. The Nizam's efforts also triggered the largest agrarian armed rebellion in modern Indian history. To deter the Nizam, Indian union chose to implement an economic blockade, which forced the state of Hyderabad to sign a Standstill Agreement with it. Eventually the Indian Union used military force against the landlocked princely state of Hyderabad. This operation, termed Operation Polo, was successful and on 17 September 1948, the Nizam signed an Instrument of Accession to the Union of India.
In 1955, Ambedkar was so impressed with amenities of Hyderabad that he argued to make Hyderabad a second capital of India. He said, "Hyderabad has all the amenities which Delhi has and it is a far better city than Delhi. It has all the grandeur which Delhi has. Buildings are going cheap and they are really beautiful buildings, far superior to those in Delhi. The only thing that is wanting is a Parliament House which the Government of India can easily build."
On 1 November 1956, the states of India were reorganized on linguistic grounds. The territories of the State of Hyderabad were divided between newly created Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai state (later Maharashtra), and Karnataka. The Telugu speaking area of Hyderabad state, also known as Telangana, was merged with the Telugu speaking state of Andhra state to create Andhra Pradesh. Thus, Hyderabad became the capital city of the new state of Andhra Pradesh.
Since liberalisation in the 1990s, Hyderabad has become one of the major hubs of the IT industry. The growth in the IT sector and opening of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport attracted activity in other economic sectors like real estate in the 2000s. However, the Global financial crisis of 2008–2009 has had a significant impact on construction activity.
Geography
Main article: Geography of Hyderabad
Situated on the Deccan Plateau, Hyderabad has an average elevation of about 536 metres above sea level (1,607 ft). Most of the area has a rocky terrain and some areas are hilly. Crops are commonly grown in the surrounding paddy fields.The original city of Hyderabad was founded on the banks of river Musi. Now known as the historic Old City, home to the Charminar and Mecca Masjid, it lies on the southern bank of the river. The heart of the city saw a shift to the north of the river, with the construction of many government buildings and landmarks there, especially south of the Hussain Sagar lake. The rapid growth of the city, along with the merging of Hyderabad, 12 municipal circles and the Cantonment has resulted in a large, united and populous area. Still so many villages near by are getting a facelift to merge in the twin cities in the near future.
Climate
Hyderabad has a tropical wet and dry climate that borders on a semi-arid climate, with hot summers from late February to early June, the monsoon seaso from late June to early October and a pleasant winter from late October to early February. In the evenings and mornings, the climate is generally cooler because of the city's good elevation. Hyderabad gets about 32 inches (about 810 mm) of rain every year, almost all of it concentrated in the monsoon months. The highest maximum (day) temperature ever recorded was 45.5 °C (113.9 °F) on 2 June 1966, while the lowest minimum (night) recorded temperature was 6.1 °C (43 °F) on 8 January 1946.Climate data for Hyderabad India(1951–1980) | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Average high °C (°F) | 28.6 (83.5) | 31.8 (89.2) | 35.2 (95.4) | 37.6 (99.7) | 38.8 (101.8) | 34.4 (93.9) | 30.5 (86.9) | 29.6 (85.3) | 30.1 (86.2) | 30.4 (86.7) | 28.8 (83.8) | 27.8 (82) | 32.0 (89.6) |
Average low °C (°F) | 14.7 (58.5) | 17.0 (62.6) | 20.3 (68.5) | 24.1 (75.4) | 26.0 (78.8) | 23.9 (75) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.0 (71.6) | 21.7 (71.1) | 20.0 (68) | 16.4 (61.5) | 14.1 (57.4) | 20.2 (68.4) |
Precipitation mm (inches) | 3.2 (0.126) | 5.2 (0.205) | 12.0 (0.472) | 21.0 (0.827) | 37.3 (1.469) | 96.1 (3.783) | 163.9 (6.453) | 171.1 (6.736) | 185.5 (7.303) | 90.9 (3.579) | 16.2 (0.638) | 6.1 (0.24) | 812.5 (31.988) |
Demographics
Hyderabad Population |
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Telugu and Urdu are the principal languages spoken in the city, while English, Hindi & Marathi are also widely spoken. Urdu spoken here has influences of Turkish, Persian, Hindi and Telugu, giving rise to a dialect sometimes called Hyderabadi Urdu or Deccani. The official language, Telugu, varies a little across the state but the core language remains the same
Administration
Main articles: Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority
The city is administered by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) which came into existence in 2007 after merging 12 municipalities with the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH). The titular head of GHMC is the Mayor of Hyderabad who has few executive powers. In the past, the mayor was earlier chosen by the legislative body of the municipal corporations. The state government modified the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 1955, to stipulate that the mayoral election be held directly and simultaneously with the corporation elections. The real executive power of the corporation is vested in the Municipal Commissioner, an IAS officer appointed by the Andhra Pradesh state government.The GHMC is in charge of the civic needs and the infrastructure of the city. Hyderabad is divided into 150 municipal wards, each overseen by a corporator. The corporators of the administration are elected through popular vote, and almost all the political parties field candidates. The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad are spread over three districts, Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medak. The District collectors also oversees the elections held in the city.
Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), is the urban planning agency of Hyderabad, India. It was formed in 2008 by expanding the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority. It contains the entire area of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and its suburbs. The enlarged jurisdiction of HUDA now extends to 54 Mandals located in five districts with a total area of nearly 6300 km².
Hyderabad voters send 24 members to the Legislative Assembly, whose constituencies come under 5 Lok Sabha segments. The new Assembly segments and their respective parliamentary constituencies(PC) are: Malkajgiri, Kukatpally, Uppal, Lal Bahadur Nagar (LB Nagar), Secunderabad Cantonment, Quthbullapur under Malkajgiri PC; Musheerabad, Amberpet, Khairatabad, Jubilee Hills, Sanathnagar, Nampally, Secunderabad under Secunderabad PC; Malakpet, Karwan, Goshamahal, Yakutpura, Charminar, Chandrayanagutta, Bahadurpura under Hyderabad PC; Maheswaram, Rajendranagar, Serilingampally under Chevella PC and Patancheru under Medak PC.
The city is divided by the state police into Hyderabad Police and Cyberabad Police which come under the state Home Ministry and are headed by Police Commissioners, who are IPS officers. Basheerbagh houses important government offices such as the Police Commissioner's office, Police Control room, Income tax Commissioner's office, Central Excise and customs office, Central Reservation office etc. The city is divided into five police zones, each headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police. The Traffic Police is a semi-autonomous body under the Hyderabad and Cyberabad commissionerates.
Hyderabad is the seat of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, and also has two lower courts – the Small Causes Court for civil matters and the Sessions Court for criminal cases. The High Court and Legislature are heritage buildings built by Nizam.
Economy
Main page: Industries in Hyderabad, India
See also: Companies based in Hyderabad, India
Hyderabad is the financial, economic and political capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. The city is the largest contributor to the state's gross domestic product, state tax and excise revenues. Hyderabad ranks 93rd (as of 2008) in the List of richest cities in the world by GDP (PPP) with US$60 bn and sixth in India. In terms of GDP per capita (PPP), Hyderabad ranks 4th in India with US$6,428. The workforce participation is about 29.55%. Starting in the 1990s, the economic pattern of the city has changed from being a primarily service city to being one with a more diversified spectrum, including trade, transport, commerce, storage, communication etc. Service industry is the major contributor, with urban workforce constituting 90% of the total workforce. Hyderabad was ranked the 2nd best Indian city for doing business in 2009.Hyderabad is known as the city of pearls, lakes and, lately, for its IT companies. The bangles market known as Laad Bazaar is situated near Charminar. Products such as silverware, saris, Nirmal and Kalamkari paintings and artifacts, unique Bidri handcrafted items, lacquer bangles studded with stones,silk ware, cotton ware and handloom-based clothing materials are made and traded through the city for centuries.
Hyderabad is a major centre for pharmaceuticals with companies such as Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Matrix Laboratories, Hetero Drugs Limited, Divis Labs, Aurobindo Pharma Limited, Lee Pharma and Vimta Labs being housed in the city. Initiatives such as Genome Valley, Fab City and the Nano Technology park are expected to create extensive infrastructure in bio-technology.
Like many Indian cities, Hyderabad has witnessed a high growth in the real estate business,thanks to an information-technology-driven boom in the 1990s and the retail industry growth over the last few years which have spurred hectic commercial activity. A number of mega malls have come up or are being built in the city. Real estate demand in the suburban and rural areas surrounding Hyderabad has gone up exponentially leading to a rapid increase in prices over the past few years. Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills and Himayath Nagar areas are considered the posh residential areas of Hyderabad.
The retail industry in Hyderabad is on the rise. Many international and national brands have set up retail chains here. The city has multiple Central Business Districts (CBDs) spread across the city. There are many major business/commercial districts from the older Charminar area to newer Kothaguda. For the advancement of infrastructure in the city, the government is building a skyscraper business district at Manchirevula, near Rajendranagar with a 450 m supertall structure APIIC Tower at its centre. Also, the Lanco Hills near Gachibowli presents the tallest structure in India for residential and commercial purposes.
The largest employers in Hyderabad are the Andhra Pradesh Government and the Government of India with 113,098 and 85,155 employees respectively.
Information technology industry
Hyderabad has established itself as the leading destination for IT and IT-enabled services, pharmaceuticals call centres and entertainment industries. Many computer software companies, software consulting firms, business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, dealing with IT and other technological services firms have established their offices and facilities in the city since the 1990s.The development of a township with related technological infrastructure called HITEC City prompted several IT and ITES companies to set up operations in the city. An aggressive promotion of growth in this area has led civic boosters to call the city Cyberabad. There have been extensive investments in digital infrastructure within the city promoting the setting up of several campuses by a vast array of companies within the city. This list includes several multinational corporations having established their development centres in the city. Major areas where such campuses have been set up are Madhapur, Kondapur, Gachibowli and Uppal.
Several Fortune 500 corporations, mostly related to IT or BPO services industry. Microsoft (with its largest R&D campus outside the US), Oracle Corporation etc. have set up operations in Hyderabad. For a more comprehensive list of IT companies in Hyderabad, refer to Software industry in Andhra Pradesh.
Transport
Main article: Transport in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Roads
Hyderabad is connected to the rest of the country by National Highways—NH-7, NH-9 and NH-202. Hyderabad is also well connected to the remaining parts of the state. Like other cities, Hyderabad suffers from traffic congestion. Completion of the Inner Ring Road and construction of the Outer Ring Road encircling Hyderabad city is also underway and is touted to make travel in the city easier. Many flyovers and underpasses are also being constructed to ease traffic congestion in the city.Local transport
The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation runs a fleet of 19,000 buses, the largest in the world. Hyderabad has the third largest bus station facility in Asia, with 72 platforms for 89 buses to load passengers at a time. Officially named as the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, it is locally known as the Imlibun Bus Station, Jubilee Bus Station at Secunderabad runs buses to various parts of the state and to some parts of South India.The yellow colored Auto Rickshaw usually referred to as an auto, is the most widely used transport service and has flag down minimum fare of Rs 12 for first 1.5 km and then Rs 7 per km. Radio Taxis and cabs by private players have provided an easy travel in the city.
Rail
Railways were first introduced in the city in the year 1869 with the commencement of Secunderabad–Wadi line of Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway. Secunderabad Railway Station is the headquarters of the South Central Railway zone of the Indian Railways and is the largest railway station serving Hyderabad. The other major railway stations serving the city are Hyderabad Deccan Station (Nampally), Kachiguda Railway Station and Begumpet Railway Station. These stations provide connectivity within the city and the rest of the country.Hyderabad has a light rail transportation system known as the MultiModal Transport System (MMTS) which offers connectivity between rail and road transport for the facility of the commuters. MMTS provides connectivity to quite a few parts of the city, and is not much suitable for exploring the city. MMTS is now geared up for a big leap with the Phase 2 of the project getting the official nod. The SCR plans to incorporate more rakes and hence more services in the next few months to augment the services to areas beyond the city limits. Hyderabad Metro is the proposed rapid transit for the city. The deadline of the bidding process has been delayed consistently.
Air
There has been an unprecedented increase in the number of passengers leading to increased air trafficThe Airport at Begumpet was unable to cope up with the situation and was shut down on 2008-03-22.The new Rajiv Gandhi International Airport was opened in March 2008 by Sonia Gandhi at Shamshabad, southwest of the city The airport has the longest runway in India and caters to the high passenger and cargo volumes it experiences. It is a hub for Jet Lite, SpiceJet and IndiGo. On 16 February 2010, Hyderabad International Airport was ranked fifth Best Airports Globally by Airports Council International. The airport has been named as the number one airport in 5–15 million passenger category by the Airport Council International in a worldwide conducted survey. 29 October 2009, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), has bagged the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation’s (CAPA) newly instituted award in the category, “Best Airport Environmental Performance of the Year”. Hyderabad international airport has been named amongst the world's top five in the annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) passenger survey along with the ones at Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing. The airport is the largest in terms of area and will provide world-class facilities among all airports in India. It is said to There are flights to many destinations, both domestic and international from this airport.The PV Narasimha Rao Expressway was constructed at an elevated level from Mehdipatnam to Rajendranagar along with an underpass and trumpet interchange for providing dedicated high speed travel to the airport. It is the longest flyover in India. There are three wide roads leading to the new airport from the city and modern taxis and buses can shuttle passengers between the city and the airport. The Nehru Outer Ring Road serves as an expressway between Gachibowli and Shamshabad. The other airports located here are Dundigul Air Force Academy, Nadirgul Airport and Hakimpet Airport.
Culture
See also: Muslim culture of Hyderabad
Historically, Hyderabad has been the city where distinct cultural and linguistic traditions of North India and South India meet. Hyderabadis, as residents of the city are known, have developed a distinctive culture which is a mixture of Hindu and Muslim traditions. A typical Hyderabadi could be either a Telugu or a Urdu-speaking person that has decided to make Hyderabad his/her home.Women of all cultures and faiths in Hyderabad typically wear either the traditional Indian dress, the sari, or, increasingly, the Salwar kameez especially among the younger population. The traditional Hyderabadi garb for females are the Khara Dupatta, the Salwar kameez and the Burqa (religious). For males the traditional garb is the Sherwani. This is one of the more visible cultural attributes of Hyderabad.
One of Hyderabad's public carnivals is the annual immersion of Lord Ganesh idols after the 10 day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations on Ananta Chaturdashi (locally known as the Ganesh Nimajjanam). Bonalu is a vernacular festival that is celebrated with great fervour.The Muslims fast for 30 days during their holy month of Ramzan, observed in piety and charity,and celebrated at the end by Eid ul-Fitr, three days of festivities with greetings and joy by everyone. At Eid a traditional sweet is made known as Sheer Qorma. An annual procession takes place every 10th Muharram (1st month of Islamic calendar)by the Shia Muslims at Charminar where participants mourn through self-flagellation.
Cuisine
Main article: Hyderabadi cuisine
Hyderabadi cuisine is a blend of Traditional South Indian Mughal and Persian cuisine. Hyderabadi Biryani is an iconic dish of the region. Other native preparations include Qubani ka meetha, Double ka meetha, Phirni, Nahari Kulche also known as paya and Haleem (a meat dish traditionally eaten during the holy month of Ramzan), Kaddu Ki Kheer (a sweet porridge made with sweet gourd), Sheer Qorma (a sweet liquid dish cooked with vermicelli and milk), Mirchi ka saalan, Bagaare baigan, Khatti dal, Khichdi and Khatta, Til ki chutney, baigan ki chutney, Til ka khatta, Aam ka achaar, Gosht ka achaar, Peosi (a sweet prepared with egg whites and milk), Shahi tukde, Kheema aaloo etc.Hyderabadi sweets are known for their ghee-based items. Famous sweet shops include the traditionally made. Pulla Reddy and Rami Reddy sweets are the two famous Pure Ghee Sweet Multi location chain in Hyderabad. Widely found on street-corners are Irani café's that offer Irani chai, Irani samosa and Osmania biscuit.
Italian, Mexican, Chinese and Continental cuisine are all popular in the city along with typical Andhra and other South Indian cuisine. Pubs are also getting popular in Hyderabad.
Education and research
Main article: Education in Hyderabad, India
See also: List of institutions based in Hyderabad, India
Schools in Hyderabad are affiliated to either CBSE, AP State Board or ICSE. Schools are run by either state government, local governing bodies, private individuals, missionaries or other agencies. Children in Hyderabad schools have to study for ten years in schools, followed by two years in junior college before becoming eligible to enroll for graduation programme in a college. In schools the medium of instruction is either English, Telugu or UrduColleges in Hyderabad are generally affiliated to Osmania University. In addition to various colleges, the city is home to three central universities, two deemed universities, and six state universities. Osmania University, established in 1917, is the seventh oldest university in India and the third oldest in South India. Indian School of Business an international business school ranked number 12 in global MBA rankings by the Financial Times of London in 2010 established by a group of Fortune 500 CEOs in collaboration with AP Government is also located in Hyderabad.
Colleges in Hyderabad offer graduation and post graduation and post graduation programmes in science, arts, commerce, law & medicine. College of Engineering – Osmania University, International Institute of Information Technology, Birla Institute of Technology and Science – Hyderabad , Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Indian Institute of Technology, etc. are some of the famous engineering colleges in Hyderabad. In addition to engineering colleges, various institutes know as polytechnics offer a three year course in engineering. However,this does not lead to complete graduation.Gandhi Medical College and Osmania Medical College are the centres of medical education in Hyderabad. Admissions to professional colleges in Hyderbad is through EAMCET.Colleges and universities in Hyderabad are run by either by state government, central government or private individuals or agencies.
Research institutions
Hyderabad is the home to various research institutes such as Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics CDFD, National Geophysical Research Institute(NGRI)(NGRI),National Institute of Nutrition(NIN),Central For Food Technological Research Institute(CFTRI),National Mineral Development Corpation(NMDC), IRISET for railway signal engineering and ICRISAT. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) labs like ANURAG, DMRL, DRDL and DERL has research centres in Hyderabad to develop communication and radar systems and for the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Nuclear energy sector has a large presence with three organisations under Department of Atomic Energy (India) including the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL).Hyderabad has been chosen to host the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM),in August 2010. It is expected that more than 4000 Mathematicians from all over world will be participating in this conference.
Hyderabad is also hosting the International World Wide Web (WWW) conference in the first-half of 2011.
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