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Pune

geography Maturity 7-9 Next article →

Pune is a large and busy city in Western India. It sits on the Deccan Plateau in the state of Maharashtra.

Kharadi Skyline
Kharadi Skyline

The city covers a huge area of 516.18 square kilometers. This makes it the largest city in Maharashtra by land size. However, it is not the most crowded city in the state. Mumbai has more people living there than Pune does.

Pune Poona 1911 map
Pune Poona 1911 map

The Pune Metropolitan Region is home to about 7.2 million people. This makes it the seventh-most populous metropolitan area in all of India.

Today, Pune is a very important place for work and learning. It is one of the biggest hubs for IT in India. This means many people work with computer technology there.

World-Trade-Center-Pune
World-Trade-Center-Pune

The city is also a major center for making cars and other machines.

Tata motors Pune plant 1315
Tata motors Pune plant 1315

Many people call Pune the "Oxford of the East." They say this because the city has so many great schools. It has even been named the most liveable city in India several times.

University of Pune, Pune
University of Pune, Pune

The history of Pune goes back many hundreds of years. Very early records from the year 937 CE mention the town.

Pataleshwar cave complex Pune
Pataleshwar cave complex Pune

In those early days, the Rashtrakuta dynasty ruled the region. They built the Pataleshwar rock-cut temple complex. Later, different groups like the Mughals and the Adil Shahi dynasty held power. In the 1700s, Pune became the seat of the Peshwas. The Peshwas were the prime ministers of the strong Maratha Empire.

Shinde Chattri Temple
Shinde Chattri Temple

They built many things, like the Shaniwar Wada palace near the Mutha River.

In 1818, the British East India Company took control of the city. For a long time, the English called the city "Poona."

Dapoorie viaduct, Poona, 1858
Dapoorie viaduct, Poona, 1858

They built a large military area called a cantonment to the east. This area helped the city grow in a different way. The city also became a center for people fighting for Indian independence. Famous leaders like Gopal Krishna Gokhale worked there.

KITLV 100100 - Unknown - Deccan College in Poona in India - Around 1875
KITLV 100100 - Unknown - Deccan College in Poona in India - Around 1875

The name was finally changed back to Pune in 1978.

Since India became independent in 1947, Pune has grown even more. It has changed from an old town into a modern metropolis.

Pune Municipal Corporation building in October 2023
Pune Municipal Corporation building in October 2023

New industries like engineering and software brought many new people to the city. This growth helped create new suburbs and housing areas. The city even hosted the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2008.

Today, Pune links its deep history with a very bright, high-tech future.

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🖼️ Images & Media (31)
File:Pataleshwar cave complex Pune.jpg
Pataleshwar cave complex Pune.jpg
File:Sinhagad 2010.JPG
Sinhagad 2010.JPG
File:Pune Poona 1911 map.jpg
Pune Poona 1911 map.jpg
File:Dapoorie viaduct, Poona, 1858.jpg
Dapoorie viaduct, Poona, 1858.jpg
KITLV 100100 - Unknown - Deccan College...
File:Vetal hill range panorama.jpg
Vetal hill range panorama.jpg
File:Kharadi Skyline.jpg
Kharadi Skyline.jpg
File:Pune Municipal Corporation building in October 2023.jpg
Pune Municipal Corporation building in...
File:Khadakwasla Dam image.JPG
Khadakwasla Dam image.JPG
File:New building of Sassoon Hospital, Pune.jpg
New building of Sassoon Hospital, Pune.jpg
File:World-Trade-Center-Pune.jpg
World-Trade-Center-Pune.jpg
File:Tata motors Pune plant 1315.jpg
Tata motors Pune plant 1315.jpg

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