Bangalore, officially known as Bengaluru is the capital of Karnataka, a South Indian state. Its population is 8.2 Million residents and is located on Deccan Plateau at the height of over 3000 ft above the sea level. Its elevation makes it the highest city among large major cities of India. It is known for its pleasant climate throughout the year. The city has a lot of history attached to it. Local dynasties like Gangas, Cholas and Hoysalas, ruled this city till 1537. In 1638 Marathas captured and ruled the city for the next 50 years. Later it came under Mughals who sold it to Wadiyars of Mysore Dynasty. It was captured by British after fourth Anglo? Mysore war and administrative control of the city was passed on to the Maharaja of Mysore. In 1947 after India’s independence from the British Empire the city became the capital of State of Mysore until 1956 when the state of Karnataka was formed.
Modern-day Bangalore is known as Silicon Valley of India as it is the leading exporter of IT services and has become a major outsourcing centre. It is home to many governments and private research institutions and is a major educational hub in South India. Both Infosys and Wipro are headquartered here. Because of the recent spread of IT industry, Bangalore has a large migrant population and the city has acquired a cosmopolitan character. It is the fourth fastest growing city in India and with an annual GDP of $ 83 Billion it comes just after Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata for its revenue contribution to Indian economy.
What Bangalore has to offer as a Startup Ecosystem
In the past one decade or so, Bangalore has emerged very strongly as Startup capital of India. The city is home to around 4900 active High Technology startups. The city’s startup scene has attracted the eyeballs worldwide and has the second highest growth rate for exit volume and VC investments. Bangalore’s VC investment in 2014 was close to $ 2.25 Billion having grown four times over the previous year.
Historically Bangalore was known as ?the world’s back office? due to the presence of a large number of BPO companies which were given outsourced work from multinational corporations. However, that was the past, and today Bangalore reflects a high ?octane environment that sees early-stage startup companies turning into billion dollar ones in short time frames. Some of the recent success stories from Bangalore are Flipkart and InMobi both of which are in unicorn club with valuations above a billion dollars. Their success has inspired a horde of entrepreneurs and investors alike. The international investor community has finally taken note of Bangalore’s emergence as a startup ecosystem and has made their presence felt in term of a number of investments made. Bangalore has an abundance of engineering talent, and it takes very less time to hire an engineer here compared to other places. The average salary of tech talent is less than $ 25,000, which makes it very cost effective to set up operations here.
In India, long term employment visa along with residence permit can obtain from the Foreign Regional Registration Office. One has to report to this office within 14 days of arrival in India. A certificate of registration will be issued once the procedure is complete, which can then be used to get Residence Permit. A residence permit is a must if you are seeking employment in India. Bangalore is well developed and fully functional locale which boasts of one the best facilities in India. Be it shopping, entertainment or clubbing, the city has to offer something for everybody’s taste.
Sporting Facilities
If you are a sports aficionado, then you have many major sporting arenas in Bangalore,
1, Central College Ground
2, Gymkhana Club
3, M Chinnaswamy Stadium
There are a lot of clubs for almost all the major sports located in Bangalore. There are a lot of hiking getaways in and around Bangalore, should you like outdoors and hiking.
1, Kunti Betta ? It is around 123 Kms from Bangalore and presents a fantastic terrain for hiking. It is very popular with residents of Bangalore for its granite boulders, grasslands and rocky terrain. Kunti Betta has an elevation of 950 Meters and offers a smooth hike however there might be some patches where tricky footwork may be required.
2, Savandurga Hills ? Located just 63 Kms from Bangalore, Savandurga Hills are a very popular trek for the residents of Bangalore. Situated at an elevation of 1226 Meters, the Savandurga Hills presents a very serene and sublime atmosphere for hikers. Savandurga Hills are the highest Monoliths of Asia.
River Rafting near Bangalore
One has the option of white water rafting at Bheemeshwari ? Cauvery river just at a distance of 100 Kms from Bangalore. This site is a 3-hour drive from Bangalore, and last 10 Kms pass through dense forests.
Travel and Connectivity
Bangalore is well connected by Highways, Rail and Air. It has one domestic cum international airport and recently launched a metro rail network for local commute. However, road traffic is a problem area of Bangalore and one need to time their travel as distances may be small but travel times are usually high.
Night Life in Bangalore
Bangalore’s nightlife offers plenty of entertainment options, whether its pubs, night clubs or late-night eateries. In Bangalore, the nightlife is mainly concentrated in MG Road and Brigade Road. In this city, Koshy’s Cafe is one buzzing place one cannot miss.