Edited By – Akash Goel
An IT professional, on his way to work, won’t even realize that his city Bangalore is on the top of Forbes’ list of world’s 10 most dynamic cities. Bengaluru evidently produces more GDP than the nation as a whole. Bangalore is in the southeastern part of Karnataka and is popularly known as ‘The Silicon Valley’ of India as it is very much the heart of the IT hub of India.
The city is not limited to a mere presence of large IT firms’ headquarters. It is a home to some breath-taking scenic beauties and a soothing climate. Visiting Bangalore at least once in a lifetime is on every traveler’s bucket list as no one can resist the temptation of exploring its luscious green landscapes. Along with natural landscapes, Bangalore is ahead in the race of a booming economic landscape. To remain competitive in today’s world, cities have to keep innovating and adjusting to constantly changing circumstances.
Three main factors that define a place’s dynamism are innovation, education, and technology. Becoming a truly dynamic city didn’t happen overnight for Bangalore. A lot of planning was done and a lot of credit must be given to the Central Government and the State Government of Karnataka, but most importantly to the people of the city who embraced technology with both hands.
The foundation for Bengaluru to emerge as a science and technology hub was laid out by the legendary Mysore Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar-IV and Jamsedji Tata in 1909. Later in the 1970s, Ram Krishna Baliga who was the first chairman and managing director of Karnataka Electronics or KEONICS dreamt of making Bangalore the Silicon Valley of India. In 1978, with the help of the then Chief Minister of Karnataka, Devaraj Urs set up Electronics City on the outskirts of Bangalore. In 1980s Infosys and Wipro were the first ones to setup their offices there. They needed IT professionals to employ but not many were available at that time. This gave rise to the need of producing more tech enthusiasts.
Bangalore Institute of Technology (BIT) seized the moment and introduced Computer Science as a separate branch of Engineering. This gave birth to the term ‘software engineer’. A large number of students opted for CS and the demand increased exponentially. Soon there were many engineering colleges offering CS as a branch. Now the city was ready to absorb the skilled professionals graduating every year in the numerous IT firms that were now located there.
Today, Bengaluru houses a plethora of scientists and engineers. The students who come to study there often find good employment opportunities and settle there itself. These students come from all over India and are highly technologically competent. This huge pool of young talented adults formed a base for the tremendous growth Bangalore has seen in the past two decades.
With 40% of India’s IT industry located in Bengaluru, the presence of international IT giants, together with the largest number of high-tech start-ups of any Indian city, are contributing to its entrepreneurial growth. Its economic boom is not restricted to IT: it includes the aerospace, aviation and automotive industries, the biotechnology sector, rose exports and silk manufacture. The city is truly expanding in all dimensions and depicts a true model of dynamism. Its agility and openness enable it to adapt quickly to each new wave of global change.
