Lucknow

Lucknow Lucknow
capital
Government
• Mayor	Dinesh Sharma
Population  (2006)
• Total	2,541,101
Website	lucknow.nic.in

Lucknow (, Hindi: लखनऊ, Urdu: لکھنؤ, Lakhnaū) is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India. It had a population of 2,541,101 in 2006. Lucknow is also the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division.

Located in what was historically known as the Awadh region, Lucknow has always been a multicultural city. Courtly manners, beautiful gardens, poetry, music, and fine cuisine patronized by the Nawabs are well known among Indians and students of South Asian culture and history. Lucknow is popularly known as the The City of Nawabs. It is also known as the Golden City of the East, Shiraz-i-Hind and The Constantinople of India.

Today, Lucknow is a vibrant city that is witnessing an economic boom and is among the top ten fastest growing non-metropolitan cities of India. The unique combination of its cultured grace and newly acquired pace is its most promising feature that augurs well for the future.

History

The Chhota Imambara in Lucknow

Gateway to Bara Imambara

The ancient history of Lucknow is believed to begin after the Suryawanshi king Lord Rama ordered his younger brother Lakshman to establish a town at the present site of Lakshman Tila. Lucknow was named Lakshmanpuri or Lakhanpuri after him. Slowly the name Lakhanpuri became 'Lakhnau' and then named 'Lucknow' by the British. After 1300 AD the Lucknow and parts of Awadh region have been under the rule of the Delhi Sultanate ,the Mughal Empire, the Nawabs of Awadh, the East India Company and the British Raj. Lucknow has been one of the major centers of First War of Independence, participated actively in India’s Independence movement, and after Independence has emerged as an important city of North India.

Until 1819, subah of Awadh was a province of the Mughal Empire administered by a Governor appointed by the Emperor. Saadat Khan also called Burhan-ul-Mulk a Persian adventurer was appointed the Nazim of Awadh in 1722 and he established his court in Faizabad [1] near Lucknow.

Awadh was known as the granary of India and was important strategically for the control of the Doaba, the fertile plain between the Ganga and the Yamuna rivers. It was a wealthy kingdom, able to maintain its independence against threats from the Marathas, the British and the Afghans. The third Nawab, Shuja-ud-Daula fell out with the British after aiding Mir Qasim, the fugitive Nawab of Bengal. He was comprehensively defeated in the Battle of Buxar by the East India Company, after which he was forced to pay heavy penalties and cede parts of his territory. The British appointed a resident in 1773, and over time gained control of more territory and authority in the state. They were disinclined to capture Awadh outright, because that would bring them face to face with the Marathas and the remnants of the Mughal Empire.

Lucknow's rise to growth and fame begins with its elevation as capital of Awadh by Nawab Asaf-Ud-Dowlah. He was a great philanthropist and gave Lucknow a unique and enduring legacy. The architectural contributions of these Awadh rulers include several imposing monuments. Of the monuments standing today, the Bara Imambara, the Chhota Imambara, and the Roomi Darwaza are notable examples. One of the more lasting contributions by the Nawabs is the syncretic composite culture that has come to be known as the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb..

In 1798, the fifth Nawab Wazir Ali Shah alienated both his people and the British, and was forced to abdicate. The British then helped Saadat Ali Khan to the throne. Saadat Ali Khan was a puppet king, who in the treaty of 1801 ceded half of Awadh to the British East India Company and also agreed to disband his troops in favor of a hugely expensive, British-run army. This treaty effectively made the state of Awadh a vassal to the British East India Company, though it notionally continued to be part of the Mughal Empire in name until 1819.

The treaty of 1801 formed an arrangement that was very beneficial to the Company. They were able to use Awadh's vast treasuries, repeatedly digging into them for loans at reduced rates. In addition, the revenues from running Awadh's armed forces brought them useful revenues while it acted as a buffer state. The Nawabs were ceremonial kings, busy with pomp and show but with little influence over matters of state. By the mid-nineteenth century, however, the British had grown impatient with the arrangement and wanted direct control of Awadh.

In 1856 the East India Company first moved its troops to the border, then annexed the state, which was placed under a chief commissioner - Sir Henry Lawrence. Wajid Ali Shah, the then Nawab, was imprisoned, and then exiled by the Company to Calcutta. In the subsequent Revolt of 1857 his 14-year old son Birjis Qadr son of Begum Hazrat Mahal was crowned ruler, and Sir Henry Lawrence killed in the hostilities. Following the rebellion's defeat, Begum Hazrat Mahal and other rebel leaders obtained asylum in Nepal.

Wajid Ali Shah

Those company troops who were recruited from the state, along with some of the nobility of the state, were major players in the events of 1857. The rebels took control of Awadh, and it took the British 18 months to reconquer the region, months which included the famous Siege of Lucknow. Oudh was placed back under a chief commissioner, and was governed as a British province. In 1877 the offices of lieutenant-governor of the North-Western Provinces and chief commissioner of Oudh were combined in the same person; and in 1902, when the new name of United Provinces of Agra and Oudh was introduced, the title of chief commissioner was dropped, though Oudh still retained some marks of its former independence.

The province of Awadh (anglicized to Oudh) was annexed by the East India Company in 1856 and placed under the control of a chief commissioner. In the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (also known as the First War of Indian Independence and the Indian Mutiny), the garrison based at the Residency in Lucknow was besieged by rebel forces. The famous Siege of Lucknow was relieved first by forces under the command of Sir Henry Havelock and Sir James Outram, followed by a stronger force under Sir Colin Campbell. Today, the ruins of the Residency, and the picturesque Shaheed Smarak offer reminiscences of Lucknow's role in the stirring events of 1857.

Siege Relief Plan

In 1902, Lucknow was included in the territory of the new United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. However, it became the provincial capital in 1920 when the seat of government was moved from Allahabad. Upon Indian independence in 1947, Lucknow became the capital of Uttar Pradesh.

During the period 17th century A.D. and the 20th century A.D., Lucknow was a seat of learning of Muslim theology and rational sciences. Lucknow was, and still is the home of the Ulama-e-Firangi Mahal. The premier, and world renowned religious school was founded in early 18th century in a fort ([ haveli] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help)), vacated by European traders who were expelled from India by the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb Alamgeer. One of the most well known figures in modern Indian freedom struggle is Maulana Abdul Bari Firangi Mahali who in the first half of the 20th century A.D., together with Mahatama Gandhi and Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar worked in the freedom struggle against the British Raj.

The religious school of Firangi Mahal is located close to the Gomti River bank in the Chowk area of Lucknow.

Geography and climate

Situated in the heart of the great Gangetic plain, Lucknow city is surrounded by its rural towns and villages like the orchard town of Malihabad, historic Kakori, Mohanlalganj, Gosainganj, Chinhat, Itaunja. On its eastern side lies Barabanki District, on the western side is Unnao District, on the southern side Raebareli District, and on the northern side the Sitapur and Hardoi districts.

File:Lucknow 80.92169E 26.85143N.jpg

Sattelite Imagery of Lucknow

The Gomti River, the chief geographical feature, meanders through the city, dividing it into the Trans-Gomti and Cis-Gomti regions.

Lucknow city is located in the seismic zone III .

Climate

Lucknow has a warm subtropical climate with cool dry winters from December to February and dry hot summers from April to June. The rainy season is from mid-June to mid-September. The most pleasant weather is between October and February. In winter the maximum temperature is around 24 degrees Celsius and the minimum is in the 3-4 degrees range. Fog is quite common from late December to late January. Summers are quite hot with temperature hovering in the 40-45 degree Celsius range.

Lucknow gets an average rainfall of 101 cms mostly from the south-west monsoon winds between June and September.

Climate Table

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Mean daily maximum temperature (°C)	23	26	32	38	40	37	33	32	33	32	28	24
Mean daily temperature (°C)	15	18	24	29	32	32	32	29	29	25	20	16
Mean daily minimum temperature (°C)	8	10	16	21	25	27	26	26	25	19	12	8
Mean total rainfall (mm)	10	10	0	0	10	110	300	290	180	30	0	0
Mean number of rainy days	1	1	0	0	1	6	14	14	7	2	0	0
Source: Weatherbase

Economy and business

Lucknow is not only a major market in Northern India but is also an emerging hub for producers of goods and services with very promising potential. Being the capital the Government departments, the public sector undertakings are the principal employers of the salaried middle class. Liberalization has created many more opportunities in the business and service sector and self-employed professionals are burgeoning in the city.

Lucknow also provides a good catchment area for the recruitment of quality personnel by information technology companies for the BPO hubs of Noida, Gurgaon, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

Large numbers of expatriate labour and NRIs from Lucknow serve in the Gulf and Middle East countries who send considerable remittances to their families back home.

The city is the headquarters of both the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and the Pradeshiya Industial and Investment Corporation of Uttar Pradesh (PICUP). The Regional office of the Uttar Pradesh State Industries Development Corporation (UPSIDC) is also located here.

The other business-promoting institutions that have a presence in Lucknow are the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII).

Traditional trade

Traditionally, Lucknow has been a mandi town of mangoes, melons, and grains grown in the surrounding areas. Sugarcane-growing plantations and sugar industries are also in close proximity. This attracted Mohan Meakin Brewery to set up a unit based on molasses in the city. Meakins was incorporated in 1855 and is Asia's first commercial brewery.

Lucknow also has been identified with Chikan, a unique embroidery handicraft which has now caught the fancy of the fashion designers in Bollywood and abroad. Lakhnawi Zardozi, form of embroidery, and Chikan are significant foreign exchange earners. Now information technology is being introduced to the Chikan industry to increase productivity with the help of the World Bank funded projects. Chikan and Zardozi are the major small-scale industries in the city.

During the period of the nawabs, kite-making reached a high level of artistry, and is still a small-scale industry. Lucknow has also been an industrial producer of tobacco products like 'Kivam' and edible fragrances like 'attars' and handicrafts such as pottery, earthen toys, silver and gold foil work, and bone carving products.

Manufacturing and processing

The city had a big paper mill, one of the oldest in the country.

Among the bigger manufacturing units, Lucknow has Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Tata Motors, Eveready Industries and Scooters India Limited. Processing industries like milk production, steel-rolling units and LPG bottling are also operating.

The city's small-scale and medium-scale industrial units are located in the industrial enclaves of Aishbagh, Talkatora and Amousi.

See also: List of companies in Lucknow

Emerging businesses

Lucknow. with its excellent educational, commercial, banking and legal infrastructure, is witnessing rapid growth in information technology, banking, retailing, construction and other service sectors. Private coaching institutions for preparing aspirants of competitive exams and services is another business that is flourishing in Lucknow.

All the major public and private sector banks of India, Reserve Bank of India RBI and foreign banks like Citibank, Standard & Chartered, ABN-AMRO and HSBC have their presence in the city. The big oil marketing companies like Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum,Bharat Petroleum and Reliance have their offices in Lucknow.

Leading IT companies like TCS and IBM are also operating in Lucknow.

Insurance companies, both public and private, as well as leading cellular phone companies are present in the city as well.

Currently, biotechnology and information technology are the two focus areas to promote economic development in and around the city. The Ministry of Science and Technology (India) is setting up a biotech park in the city. Lucknow is also one of the selected cities for the Smart City project of STPI, under which IT is being used to promote economic development.

Government and politics

Lucknow is the political and administrative capital of Uttar Pradesh. The UP Governor is T. V. Rajeshwar and Mayawati is the present Chief Minister. Dinesh Sharma is the Mayor of Lucknow. Moreover, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is the sitting MP for the Lucknow Parliamentary constituency.

Transport

Local

Auto Rickshaws

The available multiple modes of public transport in the cty are Taxis, City Buses, Cycle rickshaws, Auto rickshaws, and Vikram-Tempos. The fares are affordable. CNG(Compressed Natural Gas) has been introduced recently as an auto fuel to keep the air pollution in control. The city bus service is run by Lucknow Mahanagar Parivahan Sewa a division of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC).

Inter-city/inter-state travel

Lucknow has good road, rail and air links with the rest of the country.

Road

From Hazratganj intersection in Lucknow city Four Indian National Highways originate, viz, NH-24 to Delhi, NH-25 to Raksa (M.P. Border), NH-56 to Varanasi and NH-28 to Mokama (Bihar).

There are three bus stations. The inter-state terminal is opposite the Charbagh Railway Station while the intra-state terminal is at Qaiserbagh. One more inter-state bus terminal has become operational in Alambagh on Lucknow-Kanpur road to reduce the burden on the busy Charbagh bus terminal. UPSRTC is the principal public road transporter of the passenger traffic. Now inter- city travel in private cars is also becoming very common.

Rail

The main railway station is Charbagh Railway Station at Charbagh. It is an imposing structure. The main terminal belongs to Northern Railway(NR) division of Indian Railways and the second terminal is run by the North Eastern Railway(NER). Lucknow is a major junction with links to all major cities of the state and country. Lucknow has a further nine railway stations viz. Dilkhusha, Gomatinagar, Badshahnagar, Aishbagh, Lucknow City, Daliganj, Manak Nagar, Amausi and Mohibullapur. The first three stations cater for broad gauge only whereas the others have meter gauge as well. All the stations are within city limits and are well connected with each other via road networks and public road transport. The Barabanki-Lucknow-Kanpur track (101 Kms.) is electrified. Its electrification was done in 2002-03 when Shri. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister of India and he was MP from Lucknow.

Air

Lucknow is directly connected by air with New Delhi, Patna,Kolkata, and Mumbai and other major Indian cities . The Lucknow Airport at Amausi is located around 20 kms from the city centre. It is an international airport and is the 13^th online station for Air India. International destinations include Dubai, Jeddah, Muscat and Sharjah. Flights to London, Bangkok and Hong Kong may also commence soon. During Haj special flights are also operated from Lucknow.

Language and poetry

Lucknow's reputation owes largely to the polite language and clear diction of its citizens.

Both Hindi and Urdu are spoken in Lucknow but Hindustani has been the lingua franca here for over two centuries. Day-to-day transactions in the city are typically performed in Urdu/Hindi or English. Hinglish is also very popular with the young generation.

Under the rule of Nawabs, Urdu flourished and turned into one of the most refined languages. Hindu and Muslim poets like Brij Narayan Chakbast, Khwaja Haidar Ali Atish, Amir Meenai,Mirza Hadi Ruswa, Nasikh, Daya Shankar Kaul Nasim, Musahafi, Insha, Safi Lakhnavi, and the great Meer Taqi Meer took Urdu poetry to dizzy heights and established the laknavi form of the language..

In Lucknow the two great poets, Mir Anis and Mirza Dabeer, became legendary exponents of a unique genre of elegiacal poetry called Marsia centred on Husayn bin Ali's supreme sacrifice in the battle of Karbala which is commemorated during the annual observance of Muharram. Lucknow has on most best significance and famous world wide during the processions of [Muharram http://husainichannel.com] in [Lucknow] http://husainichannel.com.

In recent years the use of Urdu has become significantly reduced but Lucknowites are still known for their polite and polished way of speaking which is noticed by visitors to this charming city. The revolutionary Ram Prasad Bismil, who was hanged by the British at Kakori near Lucknow, was largely influenced by poetry and wrote verses under the pen name of "Bismil".

The surrounding towns like Kakori, Daryabad,Barabanki Rudauli and Malihabad produced many eminent poets and literateurs of Urdu like Mohsin Kakorvi, Majaz, Khumar Barabankvi and Josh Malihabadi.

Cityscape

Places to see

File:Roomigate.JPG

Roomi Gate:View from Asafi Imambara

The Asafi Imambara (popularly known as Bara Imambara), the Chhota Imambara, Residency, and Shah Najaf are monuments of architectual importance at Lucknow. The famous 'Bhul Bhulaiyan' (Labyrinth) is part of Asafi Imambara complex. Some other places of interest are the Picture Gallery, Chattar Manzil, State Museum/Lucknow Zoo, Shaheed Smarak, Dilkusha, Ambedkar Memorial, Planetarium, and Ram Krishna Math.

File:Babyelephant lko zoo.JPG

Lucknow Zoo

The British-built architectural sights in Lucknow include the Vidhan Sabha (State Legislative Assembly ), the Clock Tower and the Charbagh Railway Station, with its distinctive domes, arches and pillars.

Husainabad Clock Tower

Two of the oldest schools in the India are also situated in Lucknow: La Martiniere Lucknow and the Colvin Taluqdar's College. Both of these schools have produced many eminent personalities.

Ambedkar Memorial

Lucknow has several well-kept parks that attract the citizenry in large numbers on evenings, holidays and weekends. The bigger parks are Ambedkar Memorial and Lohia park in Gomtinagar, Swarn Jayanti park in Indiranagar, Dilkusha Park, Begum Hazrat Mahal Park, Globe Park, Mukherjee Phuhaar, Haathi Park, Buddha park, and Neebu Park. The sprawling National Botanical Garden at Sikandarbagh on the banks of Gomti river is also worth visiting.

The city also has the Kukrail Reserve Forest(a picnic spot and Gharial rehablitaion centre)[2].Moosa Bagh and Utretia are other popular picnic spots.

Natural attractions accessible from Lucknow are Katarnia Ghat, Dudhwa National Park, Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary and Samaspur Bird Sanctuary.

Shopping

Aminabad, a quaint bazaar like Delhi's Chandni Chowk, is situated in the heart of the city. It is a large shopping centre that caters to a wide variety of consumers.

The Hazratganj area also has an upscale shopping market with colonial- style buildings. Interestingly, a popular pastime among the locals is window-shopping in the Hazratganj market. It is popularly referred to in Hinglish as Ganjing. The Janpath market, Rovers, Lovers Lane, Mayfair building, Kwality, and Universal book store are some popular landmarks of the market.

Lucknowites are now experiencing the new waves of shopping malls and multiplex culture in India. The first shopping mall-cum-multiplex to open in Lucknow was the East End Mall (Wave Cinemas) in Gomti Nagar. Soon came the much anticipated Sahara Ganj mall, which also houses a PVR multiplex. Sahara Ganj is a project of Sahara India Pariwar, one of India's biggest business conglomerates. The most recent addition to Lucknow's growing list of big shopping malls is Fun Republic.

Chowk and Nakhhas are markets in the old Lucknow area where you can get a feel of traditional Lucknow. Some other important shopping centres are Alambagh, Kapoorthala, Indiranagar, Mahanagar, and Nishatganj.

Cuisine

When it comes to dining, Lucknow is a culinary delight as the Awadh region has its own distinct Nawabi style cuisine, with various kinds of biryanis ,kebabs and breads like 'sheermal' / 'roomali roti' all very popular delicacies.

Seekh Kababs

Lucknow has also pioneered the slow-fire cooking called Dum Pukht. The world-famous chef Imtiaz Qureishi hails from Lucknow.

The city has a range of fine restaurants catering to all tastes and budgets.

From 'Oudhyana' 'Zaika' 'Royal Cafe'and 'Falaknuma' to fastfood joints like Pizza Hut, McDonalds to traditional eateries like 'Tundeys' and 'Rahims' in the Akbari Gate area the choice is wide.

Makkhan Malai, 'malai gilori' of Chowk , the famous Tundey Kebabs, named after the one-armed chef Haji Murad Ali, and 'Kakori kebabs' are very popular with food lovers.

A street food court with a number of street-side restaurants and eating joints are also present in China Bazaar (near Tulsi theatre) serving affordable Avadhi-Mughlai cuisine.

The Chaat in Lucknow is on a par with the best you will get anywhere in the country. There are quite a few places serving outstanding chaat, like Shukla Chaat, Moti Mahal, and Chhappan Bhog. Actually, you can pretty much have chaat in any corner of Lucknow and never be disappointed.

Paan Shop

After a delicious dinner, one can have Paan from the shops near K.D. Singh Babu Stadium and the State Bank of India.

Localities

The urban sprawl is spread equally on both sides of the Gomti River. The colonies and residential settlements in the Cis-Gomti area are Hazratganj, Alambagh, Charbagh, Aminaabad, Husainganj, Lal Bagh, Golaganj, Wazirganj, Rajendra Nagar, Malviya Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Aishbagh, Rajajipuram, Chowk, and Saadatganj.

The residential settlements in the Trans-Gomti area are Nirala Nagar, Aliganj, Daliganj, Mahanagar, Old and New Hyderabad, Nishatganj, Indira Nagar, Gomti Nagar, Vikas Nagar and Janakipuram.

Culture

File:Saswati002.jpeg

File:Umrao Jaan movie poster.jpg

Lucknow is bravely struggling to retain its old world charm while at the same time acquiring a modern lifestyle. Regarded as one of the finest cities of India, Lucknow represents a culture that combines emotional warmth, a high degree of sophistication, courtesy, and a love for gracious living. The Pehle-Aap (after you) culture, popularised as a tagline for the society of Lucknow, is waning. But a small part of Lucknow's society still possesses such etiquettes. This sublime cultural richness famous as Lakhnawi tehzeeb blends the cultures of two communities living side by side for centuries, sharing similar interests and speaking a common language.

Many of the cultural traits and customs peculiar to Lucknow have become living legends today. The credit for this goes to the secular and syncretic traditions of the Nawabs of Awadh, who took a keen interest in every walk of life, and encouraged the traditions to attain a rare degree of sophistication.

Dance and music

Kathak, the classical Indian dance form took shape here. Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, was a great patron and a passionate champion of Kathak. Lachhu Maharaj and Birju Maharaj have kept this tradition alive.

Lucknow is also the city of eminent Ghazal singer Begum Akhtar. She was a pioneer in Ghazal singing and took this aspect of music to amazing heights. "Ae Mohabbat Tere anjaam pe rona aaya" is one of her best musical renditions of all times.

The Bhatkande music university at Lucknow is named after the great musician Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande.

Lucknow has given music legends like Naushad Ali, Talat Mehmood, Anup Jalota and Baba Sehgal to the entertainment industry. It is also incidentally the birthplace of British pop legend Sir Cliff Richard.

An inspiration for films

Lucknow has been a great influence on the Hindi film industry of India and it would be true to say that without the Lakhnavi touch, Bollywood would not have been what it is today. Many script writers and lyricists hailing from Awadh like Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kaifi Azmi, Javed Akhtar Ali Raza, Bhagwati Charan Verma, Wajahat Mirza (writer of Mother India and Ganga Jamuna), Amritlal Nagar, Ali Sardar Jafri and K.P.Saxena have enriched Indian Cinema.

Moreover, several famous movies have used Lucknow as their backdrop, such as Shashi Kapoor's Junoon, Muzaffar Ali's Umrao Jaan and Gaman, Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khiladi. Ismail Merchant's Shakespearewallah was also partly shot in Lucknow.

Bahu Begum, Mehboob ki Mehndi, Mere Huzur, Mere Mehboob, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Pakeezah, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Saher, and many more films have either been shot in Lucknow or have Lakhnavi backdrops.

Education and Research

Further information: List of educational institutes in Lucknow

Lucknow is a hub of education and research with many premier institutions.

Major schools at Lucknow

La Martinière College

Central Academy,Indira nagar branch

St. Fidelis College

Emma Thompson School

Primary and secondary education are both of the highest quality with most schools affiliated to the ICSE or the UP Board though a few offer theCBSE programme as well. Some of the major schools in Lucknow are:

1. La Martiniere College - Boys' School[3]
2. La Martiniere College - Girls' School[4]
3. Loreto Convent
4. City Montessori School [5]
5. Emma Thompson School - Girls' School
6. St. Francis College, Lucknow
7. Central Academy Senior Secondary School
8. Govt. Jublee Inter College
9. St. Dominic Savio College
10. Seth M.R. Jaipuria College
11. Delhi Public School
12. Colvin Taluqdar's College
13. Study Hall, Lucknow
14. Mahanagar Boys Inter College
15. Rani Laxmi Bai Memorial Senior Secondary School
16. Modern School, Lucknow
17. St. Agnes Girls School
18. St. Fidelis College
19. The Army Public School
20. Maharishi Vidya Mandir
21. Bal Vidya Mandir
22. The Cathedral, Lucknow
23. Mount Carmel
24. U.P. Sainik School
25. Shia PG College
26. Unity Public School
27. Aamir The Greate Public University
28. Lucknow Public School
29. St. Teresa's Day School & College
30. D.A.V College
31. St. Paul's College
32. Saint John Bosco College
33. Christ Chruch College

Universities at Lucknow

Lucknow is home to a number of Universities offering courses on campus. These universities are:-

1. University of Lucknow[6]
2. Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National University
3. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Central University
4. Amity University, Uttar Pradesh
5. Integral University

University of Lucknow, also known as Lucknow University, was founded in 1921. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in India. The motto of the university is "Light and Learning". It has produced many luminaries in all walks of national life. Some of its most well known departments are Sociology, Business Administration, Botany, Geology, Chemistry, Western History and Economics. The university has a beautiful campus in an area called Badshah Bagh. The famous Tagore Library of the university overlooks a green park and an artificial canal, which gives the university a very grand ambience.

Medical Institues at Lucknow

1. Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS)
2. King George Medical University, also known as KGMU (Recently UP Assembley has passed a motion to rename KGMU as Chhatrapati Shahu ji Maharaj Medical University [7]. Although rated very high in survey of India Today, the KGMU is always in center of politics among various Governements in the UP, with every change in Govt its name undergoes change etc. Further there is a serious issue of Private practice by its faculty members. The standard of medical care at KGMU is debatable.

Management Institutes at Lucknow

IIM Lucknow

1. Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow [8]
2. Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow [9]

Technology Institues at Lucknow

1. Uttar Pradesh Technical University[10]

National Level Research Institutes

Besides having prestigious educational and coaching institutions,Lucknow is also home to some of the country's best research institutions--the Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, ITRC, which is the only institution of its kind in South-East Asia.

1. National Botanical Reasearch Institute (NBRI)
2. Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI)
3. Industial Toxicology Research Centre (ITRC)
4. Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR)
5. National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR)
6. Central Institute for Sub-Tropical Horticulture(CISH) (Popularly known as Mango Research)
7. Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP)
8. Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany
9. Institute of Judicial Training and Research
10. Railway Design & Standards Organization

Central Drug Research Institute,CDRI which is involved in biomedical research and claims to have the infrastructure and skills to develop a drug "right from concept to market".It is involved in basic and applied reeach related to metabolic disorders as well as tropical illnesses like malaria ,filaria and leishmaniasis.The organisation's R& D division includes fields like Biochemistry,parasitology,Molecular and Structural Biology and Pharmacokinetics.

Both these institutions help establish Lucknow on the world's Biotechnology map.It offers Phd degree in association with JNU,New Delhi.Post-Doctoral training as well as M.Sc.(Summer)training are also offered.Students from all over India come to conduct research(PHd) at CDRI and ITRC.

Besides these Lucknow is home to National Botanical Research Institute,NBRI,the country's premier plant sciences research centre,including plant molecular biology,biotechnology and transgenics.It conducts muti-disciplinary research on areas ranging from traditional Taxonomy to cutting edge areas of modern Biology,such as bioinformatics and 'in-'silico biology.

CIMAP,a premier plant science research institute is involved in research related to medicinal plants, bioinformatics,bioprospecting etc.It possesses superb research infrastructure on DNA Fingerprinting,Proteomics and Plant Molecular Biology.

However,the city's lack of job opportunities reults in a 'brain drain 'which means that young people leave the city for greener pastures in other places like Delhi,Bangalore and Mumbai.

Other educational bodies / Private Coaching institues at Lucknow

Lucknow is home to a large number of coaching institues offering coaching for every course available under the sky. Few popular private coaching institutes are Rubic's Rostrum, TriVaAg and Institute of Career Studies etc. These institutes train students for college entrance examinations like IIT-JEE, medical, engineering and Common Admission Test for the IIMs etc. Thousands of students from nearby towns and cities flock to Lucknow in search of guidance/coaching for such competitive examinations.Coaching is a full grown business in Lucknow. Although various coaching institutes claim very high success rates, however success of students enrolled in Coaching classes is not proven.

Media

Press

Lucknow has always been a major centre of journalism. Several daily newspapers in Hindi, Urdu, and English are published in the city. Among the Hindi papers are Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, Dainik Hindustan, Rashtriya Sahara, Jansatta, and Swatantra Bharat. The main Urdu papers are Rashtriya Sahara, Sahafat, Qaumi Khabrein, and Aag. The prominent English Dailies are The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, The Pioneer, and Indian Express.

The National Herald was also published from Lucknow and edited by the legendary Manikonda Chalapathi Rau.

The Press Trust of India and United News of India have their offices in the city and the major newspapers of the country have their correspondents/stringers in Lucknow.

Radio

One of the earliest stations of All India Radio has been operational in Lucknow.

FM radio transmission started in Lucknow in 2003, and the city today has 5 FM radio stations. -

• 90.4 MHz CMS,
• 100.7 MHz AIR,
• 91.1 MHz Radio City
• 105.6 MHz Gyan Vani
• 98.3 MHz Radio Mirchi

Electronic

The national telecaster Doordarshan came to the city in 1975. In 1982 colour transmission was started during the Asiad.

All major television channels are available in the city through private cable operators as well as individual dish receivers.

News channels have their correspondents and crew posted in the city.

Web

The city has broadband internet connectivity and video conferencing facilities.

Sports

Lucknow has traditionally been a sports-loving city.

In the past pehlwani, kabbadi, chess, kite flying, pigeon flying, and cock fighting were popular pastimes. For decades Lucknow hosted the prestigious Sheesh Mahal Cricket Tournament. Today Cricket, football, badminton, golf and Hockey are among the most popular sports in the city.

The main sports hub is the K. D. Singh Babu Stadium which also has a world-class swimming and indoor games complex. The other stadiums are at Charbagh, Mahanagar, Gomtinagar, Chowk and Sports College.

The Lucknow Golf Club, on the sprawling greens of La Martiniere College, is one of the most famous golf courses in India.

The city has a good record in modern sports and has produced several national and world-class sporting personalities. Lucknow sports hostel has produced national-level cricketers such as Suresh Raina and R. P. Singh. Other famous sports personalities nclude hockey Olympians K. D. Singh, Mohammed Shahid and Ghaus Mohammad Khan, the tennis player who became the first Indian to reach the quarter finals at Wimbledon. However offlate city has been doing less well on sports than sports politics. The State Govt is trying demolish beautiful Gomti Nagar stadium on some flimsy ground. However, High Court at Lucknow has granted stay against demolition and court proceedings are on.[11]

See also

• Awadh
• Martin Purwa
• People from Lucknow
• Architecture of Lucknow

External links

• University Of Lucknow Alumni
• Template:Wikitravel
• Lucknow at Curlie
• Lucknow
• http://www.geocities.com/apnalko

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