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There is also Hyderabad, Pakistan, a city in Sindh province in Pakistan.

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Hyderabad (హైదరాబాద in Telugu, حیدراباد in Urdu), the 5th largest metropolis of India [1], is the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is known for its rich history and culture with monuments, mosques, temples, and a rich and varied heritage in arts, crafts and dance. Hyderabad and Secunderabad are twin cities, separated by Hussain Sagar (also known as Tank Bund), an artificial lake constructed during the time of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Wali in 1562.

Origin of name

Hyderabad was named by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, then a prince(later king) in the Qutb Shahi Dynasty. He named it after a Hindu danseuse (devadasi) named Bhagmathi, who he fell in love with and married despite opposition from his father, the king. When he ascended the throne, he named the city Bhagyanagar in her honour. Eventually she converted to Islam and changed her name to "Hyder Begum", and the city's name was updated to match it - it has been called Hyderabad ever since.

History

The city is more than 400 years old and is noted for its many mosques, temples, minarets, bazaars, and beautiful geography. It lies on the Deccan (Dakkan) plateau, 541 meters (1776 feet) above sea level, and sprawls over an area of 260 km² (100 mile²). A multitude of influences have shaped the character of the city. Its palaces and buildings, houses and tenements, gardens and streets have a history and an architectural individuality of their own. This land of 75 million people has a heritage dating back to times immemorial.

The area around Hyderabad was once part of Ashoka's Empire in the 3rd century BC. Various Hindu kingdoms like the Kakatiyas ruled the area for many centuries, and the region was claimed by both Hindu and Muslim leaders until the late 14th century, when Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah consolidated power and established the fortress city of Golconda nearby.

Hyderabad was founded by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah on the Musi River five miles east of Golconda in 1591-92. Quli Qutb Shah also ordered the construction of the Char Minar, one of the most famous monuments in the city, in 1591. The Qutb Shahi dynasty founded and ruled the Kingdom of Golconda, one of the five kingdoms that emerged after the break up of the Bahmani Sultanate. All seven Qutb Shahi sultans were patrons of learning and were great builders. They contributed to the growth and development of Indo-Persian and Indo-Islamic literature and culture in Hyderabad. During the Qutb Shahi reign Golconda became one of the leading markets in the world for diamonds, pearls, steel, arms, and also printed fabric. In the 16th century the city grew to accommodate the surplus population of Golconda and was the capital of the Qutb Shahi rulers.

File:CharminarStreet.jpg
Charminar thru a narrow street.

In 1687 the Golconda sultanate was conquered by the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, and Hyderabad became part of the Mughal Empire. As the empire weakened in the 18th century, provincial officials gained greater autonomy. In 1724, Asif Jah, who had already been granted the title Nizam al Mulk by the Mughal emperor, defeated a rival official to take control of Hyderabad province, and established his independence from the Mughals. His successors ruled as Nizams of Hyderabad. The rule of the seven Nizams saw the growth of Hyderabad both culturally and economically. Huge reservoirs, like the Nizam Sagar, Tungabadra, Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar, and others were built. Survey work on Nagarjuna Sagar had also begun during this time.

When the British and the French spread their hold over the country, the Nizam won their friendship without bequeathing his power. The title "Faithful Ally of the British Government" was bestowed on Nizam VII. The British stationed a Resident at Hyderabad, but the state continued to be ruled by the Nizam. Hyderabad, under the Nizams, was the largest princely state in India, with an area larger than England and Scotland put together. The State had its own currency, mint, railways, and postal system. There was no income tax.

Soon after India gained independence, it forcefully annexed Hyderabad through Operation Polo, and became an Indian state. On November 1, 1956, the map of India was redrawn into linguistic states, and Hyderabad state was divided between Andhra Pradesh, Bombay state (present-day Maharashtra), and Mysore state (present-day Karnataka). Hyderabad and the surrounding area were added to Andhra Pradesh based on Telugu linguistic majority, and Hyderabad became the capital of the state.

Geography

Hyderabad is located in the center of Andhra Pradesh, in the region of Telangana part of Ranga Reddy district.

Economy & IT Industry

Hyderabad is also known as the second Silicon Valley [2] in India after Bangalore. Hyderabad's IT exports exceeded the $1 billion mark in 2004[3]. Hyderabad has made heavy investments in digital infrastructure and is well known throughout India for its technology sector. In the late 1990s and the early years of the 21st century, the increasing numbers of IT and ITES companies located here - both home-grown ones as well as offshoots of multinational companies - have led civic boosters to call their city "Cyberabad".

File:CyberTowers.jpg
Cyber Towers IT Park, Hyderabad on a clear evening sky.

India's fourth largest software company Satyam is headquartered here. Hyderabad has several software technology campuses with leading companies like Infosys, Microsoft, CSC, Oracle, Wipro, Kanbay, GE, ADP, Dell, Deloitte, HSBC, SumTotal, Intergraph, Analog Devices, IBM, Keane, Baan, Tata Consultancy Services, Amazon and Google having established centers in the city.

Apart from the software, Hyderabad is also a major center for pharmaceuticals with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, an emerging global pharmaceutical company listed on the NYSE, being headquartered here. The entertainment industry also has a big presence in the city with the Ramoji Film City (entered in the Guinness book of world records as the world's largest film studio) being located here.

Hyderabad is also the city of pearls and pearl ornaments with the famous pearl market situated near Charminar. silverware, saris, 'Nirmal' and 'Kalamkari' paintings and artefacts, unique 'Bidri' handicraft items, lacquer bangles studded with stones, and silk and cotton, handloom clothing materials are some other products made in the city.

IT bigwigs speak about Hyderabad

Hyderabad IT Industry recent developments

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  • "Infosys plans major expansion in Hyderabad". The HINDU. August 13. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)

Bio-technology Hub "Genome Valley"

Hyderabad has become a major biotechnology capital with the presence of several leading scientific research organizations and biotech companies.

'Genome Valley' near Hyderabad—a state-of-the-art biotech cluster providing world-class facilities to over 100 biotech companies. The Genome Valley is a 200 acre Knowledge Park(KP) which is a joint initiative of ICICI Bank and the Andhra Pradesh government. KP is the first of its kind knowledge-nurturing centre for the Indian companies and a knowledge gateway for multinational companies. Spread over 600 sq. kms, covering the mandals of Shamirpet, Medchal, Keesra and Uppal in Ranga Reddy District, the Genome Valley has developed as a natural cluster for biotech research, training and manufacturing activities.

File:GenomeValley2.jpg
Map of Genome Valley near Hyderabad

It is the home of some of the leading institutions like

which have proved to be strong partners for Andhra’s biotech sector.

The Knowledge Park has five Innovation Corridors on its agenda. The first phase of Innovation Corridor I, comprising 10 laboratories, each of about 3,000 sq. ft, is operational and fully occupied. The second phase of Innovation Corridor I, comprising 16 laboratory modules of 1,700 sq. ft each, is ready for operation.

Genome Valley BioCluster comprises of the following

Genome Valley references

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Nano-technology Park "Rajiv Gandhi Nano-Tech Park"

File:8 wafer.gif
An 8" wafer being produced at the Nano-Tech Park

The Nano-technology Park is coming up in the sprawling 350-acres Hardware Technology Park, near the new International Airport, Shamshabad, in Andhra Pradesh, the project is slated to be ready within the next 15 to 18 months from now.

Titled Rajiv Gandhi Nano-Tech Silicon India (NTSI), the mega fab unit will be developed in two phases; phase I, a logic semiconductor fab will incur investments of $ 600 million and will develop wafers with a capacity of 30,000 units per month. Phase II is expected to incur investments of $ 2.5 billion.

Civic Administration

The city is administered by a municipal corporation Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad(MCH), whose titular head is the Mayor who has few executive powers. The real executive power of the corporation is vested in the Municipal Commissioner, an IAS officer appointed by the state government. The MCH is in charge of the civic needs and infrastructure of the metropolis. Hyderabad is divided into hundred municipal wards, each overseen by a corporator. The corporators of the administration are voted through a popular vote and almost all the state political parties field their candidates.

The metropolis is composed of one district in Andhra Pradesh, it comes under the jurisprudence of the District Collector. The collectors are in charge of property records and revenue collection for the Central government. They also oversee the national elections held in the city.

Like other metropolises in India, the Hyderabad Police is headed by a Police Commissioner, an IPS officer. The Hyderabad Police comes under the state Home Ministry. Hyderabad 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 Police. Hyderabad is the seat of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which has under its jurisdiction the state of Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad also has two lower courts, the Small Causes Court, for civil matters, and the Sessions Court for criminal cases.

Hyderabad contributes two seats to the Lok Sabha (India's Lower House of Parliament) and thirteen seats to the Andhra Pradesh state assembly.

Transportation & City Infrastructure

The MMTS Necklace Road Station

The Hyderabad Airport at Begumpet is well linked to other cities in India and to international destinations including the Middle East, Southeast Asia, especially Singapore and Malaysia, and most recently to Newark, New Jersey and Chicago, Illinois, United States. A new International Airport is being constructed at Shamshabad in the outskirts of the city, and once complete, it will handle the international traffic in Hyderrabad.

During the last few years, several flyovers have been constructed in various parts of the city to ease traffic congestion and several roads have been widened to 6-lane roads (3 on either side) in order to improve the speed of traffic movement.

Road transport

Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC official web site) established in 1932 started as a unit of the Nizam State Railways-Road Transport Division with 27 Buses. Now with about 19,000 strong bus fleet, APSRTC is the largest state transport undertaking in the world and entered ‘Guinness Book of World Records.

The APSRTC operates point to point bus services which connect important places within the city, with a very good frequency. APSRTC has several kinds of services like the

  • Metro Liner,
  • Metro Express and an
  • Ordinary service.

Metro liner and Metro express are luxury and semi-luxury services respectively, and have few stops between any two points in the city. This enables passengers to commute quickly between any two places within the city. Information about APSRTC

Light rail transport

Hyderabad has a train transportation system known as the Multi Mode Transport System (MMTS) (MMTS Photo feature), which incorporates light rail. The MMTS connects various parts of the city. Hyderabad is also currently scheduled to get a Monorail system to help ease urban congestion.

Demographics

The city population is estimated at over 3.69 million (2001) while the population of the greater metropolitan area is estimated at over 6.39 million. Hyderabad has a major Hindu population and considerable Muslim population. Languages spoken include Telugu, Hindi and Urdu with a significant amount of English used in business. People from many other parts of India have adopted Hyderabad as their hometown.

Culture

People in Hyderabad practice Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. They speak Telugu, Hindi, Urdu and English. Hindus and Christians usually speak Telugu and the Muslims tend to speak Urdu, although members of both groups speak the other. All Hyderabadis generally understand and communicate in Telugu and Hindi.

Women of all faiths in Hyderabad typically wear the traditional Indian (Sari) or Shalwar Kameez. As a sign of public modesty, a large number of Muslim women in Hyderabad additionally wear either the burqa or the Hijab.

Cuisine

Hyderabadi cuisine is very distinct from the rest of the Indian cuisine. It is a blend of heavy Mughal influences and some elements of Telangana cuisine, the surrounding region of Andhra Pradesh.

There are several star hotels in Hyderabad which serve several different cuisines

  • 5 Star Hotels
    • Taj Krishna
    • Ramada Manohar
    • Hotel Viceroy
    • Sheraton Kakatiya Hotel & Towers
    • Taj Residency
    • Best Western Amrutha Castle
    • Taj Banjara
  • 3 Star Hotels
    • The Green Park
    • Park Inn Aditya
    • The Viceroy Hotel
    • Comfort Inn Woodbridge

Among the famous restaurants in Hyderabad is the Bawarchi, which specializes in Biryani. People used to say as Bawarchi Biryani. Some of the other famous dishes include Veg Biryani, Baghare Baygan, Khubani ka Meetha and Double Ka Meetha, as well as Hyderabad-style Halim (a slang word for Haris), a meat dish resembling oatmeal traditionally eaten by Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan. As many Hyderabadis have been traveling to the Middle East in search for employment opportunities, particularly to the Gulf regions of Dubai, Qatar and Bahrain,the Halim dish is also gaining recognition in those regions. Local chains that serve the Halim and other Hyderabadi specialties in Hyderabad are Yusufain Pista House, Madina Hotel, Café Bahar and Hyderabad House.

G. Pulla Reddy is famous for pure ghee sweets in Hyderabad and other cities abroad. Other renowned joints include Gokul Chat near Sultan Bazar, famous for its North Indian chat, which is liberally doused with spices and yogurt.

Education

Indian School of Business at an early morning.

Hyderabad is an important seat of learning in southern India. It has eight universities and many professional colleges. The famous Osmania University, the University of Hyderabad (formerly known as Hyderabad Central University), as well as the Central Institute of English & Foreign Languages (CIEFL) are just a few academic institutions that give Hyderabad a prominent place in education and technology.

In addition, Hyderabad has research centres such as the following...

  • Indian Institute of Chemical Technology,
  • International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT Hyderabad),
  • The Indian School of Business (ISB),
  • National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR),
  • The Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI)
  • Engineering Staff College of India (ESCI),
  • Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and
  • The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN)
  • The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)
  • Jami'ah Nizamiyyah, the largest Islamic University in Southern India is also located here.

Hyderabad's other well reputed schools and professional colleges including, C.B.I.T, Vasavi college of engg, Mufakhkham Jah College of Engineering and Technology, M.V.S.R. Engineering college, the Deccan Medical College, the historically acclaimed City College, Anwarul Ulum College, Madrasah-i A'izzah, Madrasah-i 'Aliyah, Sujatha High School, Little Flower High School, Rosary Convent High School, and Kennedy Vidya Bhavan School.

Media & Newsprint

Hyderabad has a well-developed communication and media infrastructure. The city is covered by a large network of optical fiber cables by Reliance Telcom Company. The city's telephone service is serviced by four landline companies: BSNL, Tata Indicom, Reliance Infocomm and Airtel. There are six mobile phone companies: BSNL, Hutch, Idea, Airtel, Tata Indicomm and Reliance Infocomm. Several phone companies also offer broadband Internet access.

Doordarshan runs several terrestrial television channels and two satellite television channels from its Hyderabad Doordasrshan centre. The city has two AM and one FM radio station, operated by All India Radio. The city also has a World Space radio network.

Telugu Television channels are classified as

  • News channels
    • ETV2
    • TV9 (A professional NEWS channel)
    • Teja News
    • DD News
  • Entertainment Channels
    • ETV
    • Maa TV
    • Teja
    • Gemini
    • Cchannel
    • Siti Cable
    • Vissa
    • Zee Telugu
    • Aditya TV

Hyderabad has about three print media groups that publish several newspapers and magazines in English, Telugu, and Urdu. The major Telugu dailies include the Eenadu, Vaartha, Andhra Jyoti, Andhra Bhoomi, Udayam and Andhra Prabha. The major Urdu dailies are, The Siasat Daily, the first Urdu newspaper in the world to go on-line. Others include, The Munsif Daily, The Rahnuma-i Deccan and The Daily Milap. The major English dailies are The Deccan Chronicle, Business Standard, The Hindu, The Times of India and The Economic Times. Besides these major newspapers, there a number of localised neighbourhood newspapers that cater to several localities. Magazines published from Hyderabad include Swati, Navya, Andhra Prabha, Andhra Jyoti, Vipula, Vanita and Chandamama. Movie magazines include Sitara, Siva Ranjani and Jyoti Chitra.

Sports

File:Gmcbalayogi.jpg
G.M.C Balayogi Stadium, Hyderabad, India
Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad, India
File:LBStadium.jpg
L.B. Stadium, Hyderabad, India
K.Vijay Bhaskar Reddy Indoor stadium, Yousufguda, Hyderabad, India
Swarnandhra Pradesh Sports Complex, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, India

Sports besides cricket are also popular in Hyderabad. In the inaugural Premiere Hockey League in 2005, Hyderabad Sultans won the championships. Hyderabad also recently got a new cricket stadium, Visakha International Cricket Stadium.

List of Stadiums in Hyderabad

Most of these stadiums were built to host the Afro Asian Games 2003 at Hyderabad.

  • G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium, Gachibowli, Hyderabad
    • 30,000 capacity ultra modern stadium with 8 line competition synthetic athletic track and 4-line synthetic practice track.
    • Latest high-mast lighting for day-night events.
    • Obstruction-free viewing for all spectators.
    • Picturesque stadium amidst breath-taking landscape.
  • Indoor Stadium A/C, Gachibowli, Hyderabad
    • 4000 capacity capacity, Fully air-conditioned, multi purpose stadium.
    • Wooden flooring approved by International Federation and up to DIN standards.
  • The Lal Bahadur Stadium, Hyderabad
    • 25,000 spectators capacity.
    • Equipped with floodlights around the field and provision of internal lights for the spectators.
    • 105m x 70m field
    • 1 inch grass turf
  • Aquatics Complex, Gachibowli, Hyderabad
    • Aquatic complex for Swimming Diving. Water Polo, and synchronized events.
    • 2000 spectator capacity.
    • Temperature controlled pools through modern heating systems.
    • Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Filters.
    • Lighting as per International T.V. requirements.
  • K.Vijay Bhaskar Reddy Indoor stadium, Yousufguda, Hyderabad
    • 2000 Spectator capacity multi purpose stadium.
    • World class wooden flooring with temperature control.
    • Lighting as per International requirements.
  • SAAP Tennis Complex, Fateh Maidan, Hyderabad
    • Central Court with 4000 spectators capacity.
    • 7 top class synthetic surfaces.
  • Shooting Range, Hyderabad Central University
    • Out Side shooting range with 600 spectators capacity.
    • Facilities for 120 competitors at a time.
    • Facilities for 15 different games at a time.
    • Latest electronic equipment targets.
  • Swarnandhra Pradesh Sports Complex, Gachibowli, Hyderabad
    • Synthetic turf with sophisticated sprinkler system for watering and drainage.
    • Galleries with RC flat slabs and unique suspended steel roof structure.
    • Pavilion housing the Federation Office and amenities including lounges for players, guests and media.

City woes

Hyderabad, like much of the rest of the Deccan Plateau, is filled with many large, reddish boulders. Many of these boulders are being blasted for construction use, which has caused consternation among conservationists. A group called the Save the Rocks Society has been formed to oppose the quarrying by lobbying and by leading walks among the rocks.

Like other places in India, communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims sometimes flare up. Since the proportions of Hindus and Muslims are relatively close, potential for violence is somewhat high, although there have been few major incidents of violence recently.

Also a active political movement in Telangana that is seeking to secede from Andhra Pradesh to form a separate state is causing handicap to the growth of the city. While the movement's popularity waxes and wanes over time, it has been enjoying something of a resurgence since the late 1990's.

Attractions

The Golconda Fort, Hyderabad, India
  • Hussain Sagar - man-made lake that separates the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
  • Golconda Fort - located on the outskirts of the city, Golconda Fort is one of the most magnificient fortress complexes in India.
  • Birla Planetarium - located in the heart of the city on the panoramic hillock of Nawbat Pahad, the Birla Planetarium is a tribute to the advances made in science and technology.
  • Chilkur Balaji- Temple of Lord Sri Venkateshwara.
  • Charminar- the major landmark in Hyderabad with four graceful minarets.
  • Laad Bazaar- directly to the west of Charminar, and known for its bangles.
  • Makkah Masjid - a stone-built mosque, immediately southwest of Charminar.
  • Public Gardens of Hyderabad- one of the best laid-out gardens in the country with buildings of the State Legislature, Jubilee Hall, etc.
  • Salar Jung Museum- houses the largest one-man collection of antiques in the world.
  • Ramoji Film City - as the name suggests a Film City on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway. Open to visitors and houses the various sets that were used in films. It has recently entered into the Guiness Book of World records for sheer size of the film city.
  • NTR Gardens - Well laid out garden on the banks of Hussain Sagar
  • Snow World - An amusement park which enables citizens of this tropical city to experience very low temperatures and snow - even if it is artificial
  • Purani Haveli - The official residence of the Nizam.
  • Falaknuma Palace - Built by Nawab Vicar-Ul-Umra, a beautiful and stunning piece of architecture.
  • Prasads IMAX Theatre - is the first IMAX theatre to open in south India.

References

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