Ahmedabad
Encyclopedia
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court
has its seat in Ahmedabad. It is also financial capital of Gujarat.It is the fifth largest city and seventh largest metropolitan area of India, with a city population of approximately 5.6 million and metropolitan population of 6.4 million. In 2010, Forbes magazine rated Ahmedabad as the fastest-growing city in India, and third in the world after two Chinese cities — Chengdu
and Chongqing
. Ahmedabad is located on the banks of the River Sabarmati
, 32 km from the state capital Gandhinagar. The city is the administrative centre of Ahmedabad district and was the capital of Gujarat till 1960. In colloquial Gujarati, the city is commonly called Amdavad.
Ahmedabad was founded on February 26, 1411 by Sultan Ahmed Shah
to serve as the capital of the Gujarat Sultanate
, and was named after him. Under British rule
, a military cantonment
was established and the city infrastructure was modernized and expanded. Though incorporated into the Bombay Presidency
during British rule, Ahmedabad remained the most important city in the Gujarat region. The city established itself as the home of a booming textile industry, which earned it the nickname the "Manchester
of the East." The city was at the forefront of the Indian independence movement
in the first half of the 20th century. It was the centre of many campaigns of civil disobedience
to promote workers' rights, civil rights
, and political independence.
Since the creation of the state of Gujarat
in 1960, Ahmedabad had become a bustling metropolis with beautiful classical and colonial European styled buildings, lining the city’s thoroughfares. The city is witnessing a major construction boom and population increase. A rising centre of education, information technology
and scientific industries, Ahmedabad remains the cultural
and commercial
heart of Gujarat and much of western India.
Archaeological evidence suggests that the area around Ahmedabad has been inhabited since the 11th century, when it was known as Ashapalli or Ashaval
. At that time, Karandev I
, the Solanki
ruler of Anhilwara (modern Patan
), waged a successful war against the Bhil
king of Ashaval, and established a city called Karnavati located at the present time area of Maninagar close to the river Sabarmati. Solanki rule lasted until the 13th century, when Gujarat came under the control of the Vaghela dynasty
of Dholka
and Karnavati was conquered by the Sultanate of Delhi. In 1411, the rule of the Muzaffarid dynasty was established in Gujarat. According to legend, Sultan Ahmed Shah
, while camping on the banks of the River Sabarmati, saw a hare chasing a dog. Impressed by this act of bravery, the Sultan, who had been looking for a place to build his new capital, decided to locate the capital at this forest area close by to Karnavati right on the river bank and christened it Ahmedabad. The incident is popularly described in a one liner saying "Jab kutte pe sassa aaya, tab Badshah ne shaher basaya" (translation: Seeing the hare chasing the dog, the Emperor built the City).
In 1487, Mahmud Begada
, the grandson of Ahmed Shah, fortified
the city with an outer wall 10 km (6.2 mi) in circumference and consisting of twelve gates
, 189 bastion
s and over 6,000 battlement
s. In 1535 Humayun
briefly occupied Ahmedabad after capturing Champaner
when the ruler of Gujarat Bahadur Shah
fled to Diu. Ahmedabad was then reoccupied by the Muzaffarid
dynasty until 1573 when Gujarat was conquered by the Mughal
emperor Akbar. During the Mughal reign, Ahmedabad became one of the Empire's thriving centres of trade, mainly in textile
s, which were exported to as far as Europe. The Mughal ruler Shahjahan spent the prime of his life in the city, sponsoring the construction of the Moti Shahi Mahal in Shahibaug
. During a drought, the Deccan Famine of 1630–32 affected the city, as did famines in 1650 and 1686. Ahmedabad remained the provincial headquarter of the Mughals until 1758, when Mughals surrendered the city to the Maratha
s.
During Maratha governance, the city lost some of its past glory, and was at the center of contention between two Maratha clans—The Peshwa
of Poona and the Gaekwad
of Baroda.
On February 18, 1780, during the First Anglo-Maratha War
, a British force under James Hartley
stormed and captured Ahmedabad, but it was handed back to the Marathas at the end of the war. The British East India Company
definitely took over the city in 1818 as a part of the conquest of India. Marathas introduced girl child education in city
A military cantonment was established in 1824 and a municipal government in 1858. In 1864, a railway link between Ahmedabad and Mumbai
(then Bombay) was established by the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway
(BB&CI), making Ahmedabad an important junction in the traffic and trade between northern
and southern India
. Large number of people migrated from rural areas to work in textile mills, establishing a robust industry.
The Indian independence movement
developed strong roots in the city when, in 1915, Mahatma Gandhi
established two ashram
—the Kochrab Ashram
near Paldi
in 1915 and the Satyagraha Ashram (now Sabarmati Ashram
) on the banks of the Sabarmati in 1917—that would become centers of intense nationalist activities. During the mass protests
against the Rowlatt Act
in 1919, textile workers burned down 51 government buildings across the city in protest at a British attempt to extend wartime regulations after the First World War
. In the 1920s, textile workers and teachers went on strike, demanding civil rights and better pay and working conditions. In 1930, Gandhi initiated the Salt Satyagraha
from Ahmedabad by embarking from his ashram on the famous Dandi Salt March. The city administration and economic institutions were rendered functionless by the large masses of people who took to the streets in peaceful protests in the early 1930s, and again in 1942 during the Quit India movement
. Following independence and the partition of India
in 1947, the city was scarred by intense communal violence that broke out between Hindus
and Muslims
.
1960, Ahmedabad had become a bustling metropolis with beautiful classical and colonial European styled buildings, lining the city’s thoroughfares.Ahmedabad was chosen as the capital of Gujarat state.Ahmedabad became the capital of the new state of Gujarat after the bifurcation of the State of Bombay
on 1 May 1960. During that period, a large number of educational and research institutions were founded in the city, making it a major center of higher education
, science and technology. Ahmedabad's economic base was diversified with the establishment of heavy
and chemical industries
in its vicinity around the same period. But the growth in the next two decades was punctuated by political events in and around the city. In 1974, Ahmedabad occupied the centre stage in national politics with the launch of the Nav Nirman
agitation—a protest against a 20% hike in the hostel food fees at the L.D. College of Engineering that snowballed into a mass agitation against general corruption to remove Chimanbhai Patel
, then chief minister of Gujarat. In the 1980s, a reservation policy
was introduced in the country, which led to anti-reservation protests in 1981 and 1985. The protests witnessed violent clashes between people belonging to various castes.
On 26 January 2001 a devastating earthquake
struck the city, centred near Bhuj
, measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale
. As many as 50 multistory buildings collapsed, killing 752 people and devastating the city's infrastructure. The following year, Gurajat violence
between Hindus and Muslims spread to Ahmedabad, paralysing the city for more than two month. The crisis resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,044 people across the state. The displacement of thousands of Muslims led to the erection of refugee camps around the city. On 26 July 2008 a series of seventeen bomb blasts
rocked the city, killing and injuring several people.
In recent years, the effects of liberalization of the Indian economy has energized the city's economy towards tertiary sector activities like commerce
, communication
, construction activities. The city has witnessed the establishment of scientific and service industries, the expansion of the information technology
sector, and significant improvements in transportation and communications. Ahmedabad's population is growing, which has resulted in a construction and housing boom.
. The steady expansion of the Rann of Kutch
threatens to increase desertification
around the city area and much of the state. Except for the small hills of Thaltej-Jodhpur Tekra
, the city is almost flat. Two lakes are within the city's limits—Kankaria Lake
and Vastrapur Lake
. Kankaria lake, in the neighbourhood of Maninagar
, is an artificial lake developed by the Sultan of Delhi, Qutb-ud-din Aybak
, in 1451. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards
, the town falls under seismic zone-III
, in a scale of I to V (in order of increasing vulnerability to earthquakes)
Ahmedabad is divided by the Sabarmati into two physically distinct eastern and western regions. The eastern bank of the river houses the old city, which includes the central town of Bhadra
. This part of Ahmedabad is characterized by packed bazaars, the clustered and barricaded pol
system of close clustered buildings, and numerous places of worship. It houses the main railway station, the General Post Office
, and few buildings of the Muzaffarid and British eras. The colonial period saw the expansion of the city to the western side of Sabarmati, facilitated by the construction of Ellis Bridge
in 1875 and later with the modern Nehru Bridge
. This part of the city houses educational institutions, modern buildings, well-planned residential areas, shopping malls, multiplexes and new business districts centred around roads such as Ashram Road
, C. G. Road
& Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway
.
BSh), with marginally less rain than required for a tropical savanna climate
. There are three main seasons: summer, monsoon
and winter. Aside from the monsoon season, the climate is extremely dry. The weather is hot through the months of March to June—the average summer maximum is 41 °C (106 °F), and the average minimum is 27 °C (80.6 °F). From November to February, the average maximum temperature is 30 °C (86 °F), the average minimum is 15 °C (59 °F), and the climate is extremely dry. Cold northerly winds are responsible for a mild chill in January. The southwest monsoon brings a humid climate from mid-June to mid-September. The average annual rainfall is about 800 millimetres (31.5 in), but infrequent heavy torrential rains cause local rivers to flood and it is not uncommon for drought
s to occur when the monsoon does not extend as far west as usual. The highest temperature recorded is 43 °C (109.4 °F) and the lowest is 5 °C (41 °F). On 21 May 2010, the mercury touched 42.8 °C (109 °F), which was the highest temperature recorded in Ahmedabad in forty years. In recent years, Ahmedabad has suffered from increasing air, water and soil pollution from neighbouring industrial areas, the city’s textile mills and lack of awareness regarding cleanliness among citizens.
history of Ahmedabad stretches across the last millennium. The Sultanate fused Hindu craftsmanship with Islamic architecture
, giving rise to the Indo-Saracenic
style. Many mosque
s in the city are built in this fashion.
After independence modern buildings came up in Ahmedabad when renowned architects were given commissions in the city like Louis Kahn
who designed the Indian Institute of Management; Le Corbusier
who designed the Shodhan and Sarabhai Villas, the Sanskar Kendra and the Mill Owner's Association; and Buckminister Fuller who designed the Calico Dome. B. V. Doshi
came to the city from Paris to supervise Le Corbusier
's works and later set up the School of Architecture. His local masterpieces include Sangath, the Doshi-Hussain Gufa and the School of Architecture. Charles Correa
, who became a partner of Doshi's, designed the Gandhi Ashram and Achyut Kanvinde
the Indian Textile Industries Research Association. Christopher Charles Benninger
's first work, the Alliance Francaise, is located in the Ellis Bridge area. Hasmukh C. Patel, and his son Dr. Bimal Patel, are renowned architects of the city having designed the St. Xavier's High School Loyola Hall
, Gujarat High Court and the Ahmedabad Management Association
. Anant Raje recently designed major additions to Louis Kahn's Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad campus, namely the Ravi Mathai Auditorium and KLMD.
owns and maintains 76 parks and gardens and 96 traffic islands. There are 9 gardens that are more than 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) in area. Ahmedabad has already been honored internationally by 'Green City Commendation Award' as a result of devoted service provided by the Government officials to ensure proper maintenance of the gardens in Ahmedabad.
The 3 most popular and most visited gardens in the city are Victoria Garden, Bal Vatika and Law Garden. Located at the southern verge of the Bhadra Fort, Victoria Garden is a one of the most popular places in the city for people who desire to unwind and chill out. The Victoria Garden contains a statue of Queen Victoria, which is a masterpiece in itself. Bal Vatika is a children's park situated on the grounds of Kankaria
Lake. Its close proximity to Kankaria lakefront makes it a wonderful spot to observe nature's splendor. The Kankaria lake got new look in 2008. Bal Vatika also houses an Amusement Park
and a Water Park
for kids. Law Garden got its name from the College of Law that is situated very close to it. It serves as a hub for those 'shopaholics', as scintillating pieces of handicrafts and a wide variety of Gujarati attires are sold here. Other main gardens in the city are Parimal Garden, Prahlad nagar Garden, Lal Darwaja Garden.
(AMC). Some of the regions surrounding the city are administered by the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority
(AUDA). The AMC was established in July 1950 under the Bombay Provincial Corporation Act, 1949. For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 43 wards. Citizens elect corporators
during civic elections. At present the corporation consists of 129 corporators elected from 43 wards. These 129 corporators elect a mayor and deputy mayor for a turn of two and a half years. Executive powers are vested in the municipal commissioner, who is an IAS
officer appointed by the Gujarat state government. The mayor is responsible for the day-to-day running of the municipal school board, the city bus service, the municipal hospital, and the city library. The city serves as the headquarters of Ahmedabad district and as the seat of the Gujarat High Court
. The Ahmedabad city police are headed by a Police Commissioner
, an Indian Police Service
officer. Ahmedabad's Kamla Nehru Zoological Park features endangered species
like flamingo
es, caracal
, Asiatic wolf
, chinkara
and many more. AMC has initiated the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project
with an objective of environmental improvement with provision of slum rehabilitation for poor living on the river banks.
Ahmedabad boasts of some of the largest number of hospitals in the country—both government and private. The Ahmedabad civil hospital
is the largest hospital in Asia. The healthcare in Ahmedabad
is one of the best in India. Electricity in the city is generated and distributed by Torrent Power
Limited owned and operated Ahmedabad Electricity Company, which was previously a state-run corporation. Ahmedabad is one of the few cities in India, where the power sector is privatized.
The city elects two members to the Lok Sabha
and seven to the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha
. Two main political parties have won a significant number of seats in elections
—the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) and the Indian National Congress
(INC). Of the thirteen assembly seats of Ahmedabad, ten were won by the BJP and three by the Congress Party during the legislative elections in 2007. In the 2005 Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation elections, the BJP won 96 seats, 32 seats went to the Congress, and one seat went to an independent candidate.
The gross domestic product of Ahmedabad metro was estimated at $16 billion in 2010. In the 19th century, the textile and garments industry received strong capital investment. On 30 May 1861 Ranchhodlal Chhotalal
founded the first Indian textile mill, the Ahmedabad Spinning and Weaving Company Limited
. This was followed by the establishment of a series of textile mills such as the Calico Mills
, Bagicha Mills and Arvind Mills
. By 1905 there were about 33 textile mills in the city. The textile industry further expanded rapidly during the First World War
, and benefited from the influence of Mahatma Gandhi's Swadeshi movement
, which promoted the purchase of Indian-made goods. Ahmedabad was known as the "Manchester of the East", for its largely expanding realms of the textile industry.
Gujarat under the rule of Mr.Narendra Modi
has witnessed a rise in its Real Estate Sector. And Ahmedabad has become a hot spot for real estate development many developers are eyeing the Ahmedabad market for development of residential property.Recently Tata Housing Development Company
entered into a JV with Arvind Ltd for development of residential property. This is the largest development that TATA Housing will be undertaking.Ahmedabad will be next detroit of east, after TATA Nano project FORD,SUZUKI, Peugeot will establish their plant near ahmedabad.
It is believed that all governments of Gujarat chose to develop economy in Gandhinagar and thus neglected Ahmedabad in many ways. More over time to time riots, revolutions, movements slowed down the economic growth of Ahmedabad.
Ahmedabad is a thriving center for Chemical
and Pharmaceutical industries. Two of the biggest pharmaceutical companies of India—Zydus Cadila and Torrent Pharmaceuticals
—are based in the city. The city serves as the corporate headquarters of the Adani Group
, which is a leading multinational trading and infrastructure development company. The Ahmedabad Stock Exchange
is located at Ambavadi area in the city. It is Ahmedabad's oldest and only Stock Exchange. The Nirma
group of industries, which runs a large number of detergent and chemical industrial units, has its corporate headquarters in the city. In recent year many foreign companies have set up their sales offices and production facilities in Ahmedabad. Amongst them are Bosch Rexroth
, Germany (hydraulic components); Stork
, Netherlands (textile machinery; joint venture with ATE, India's leading textile equipment trading house); Rollepaal
, Netherlands (pipe extrusion equipment); and Johnson Pumps, Sweden.
The completion and operation of the Sardar Sarovar Project of dams and canals has improved the supply of potable water and electricity for the city. In recent years, the Gujarat government has increased investment in the modernisation of the city's infrastructure, providing for the construction of larger roads and improvements to water supply, electricity and communications. The information technology
industry has developed significantly in Ahmedabad like Tata Consultancy Services
opening its offices in the city as well as in Gandhinagar. A NASSCOM
survey in 2002 on the "Super Nine Indian Destinations" for IT-enabled services ranked Ahmedabad fifth among the top nine most competitive cities in the country. City is the largest supplier of denim
and one of the largest exporters of Gemstone
and Jewellery
in India.
GDP of Ahmedabad was 59 billion USD in 2010. The Government has started vibrant Gujarat program to attract more foreign investment. The states is fastest growing state in India at present. A diverse labour force of migrant workers from different parts of Gujarat and neighbouring states is integral to the economy of the city. These workers provide vital household labour and services for the city's large middle class. Ahmedabad plays a strong and significant role in providing commercial resources and market access for the economies of neighbouring cities. A majority of the working-age citizens of Ahmedabad are traders and business people. This has led to the creation of major mercantile corporations and Artisan
guild
s that are a key influence on the economic life of Gujarat. The city's educational and industrial institutions have attracted students and young skilled workers from the rest of India.
of 79.89%, which is the Second highest in Gujarat After Gandhinagar With 87.11%; 87.81% males and 71.12% females are literate. According to the census for the Ninth Plan
, there are 30,737 rural families living in Ahmedabad. Of those, 5.41% (1663 families) live below the poverty line
. Approximately 440,000 people live in slum
s within the city. Ahmedabad is home to a large population of Vanias (i.e., traders), belonging to the Vaishnava sect of Hinduism and the sects of Jainism
. Most of the residents of Ahmedabad are native Gujaratis
.
Over 12% of the population is Muslim, numbering over 600 000 in the 2001 census.
Although Gujarati is spoken, Hindi
is very commonly spoken, especially in commerce, education, politics, government, shops, and road signs. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report of 2003, Ahmedabad ranks 1st in the list of 35 Indian cities with a population of more than 10 lakh in the crime rate ratio and now ahmeda. City's main jail is Sabarmati Central Jail.
bad is also known as detroit of the east.
Since its initial founding, the city has attracted migrant workers from other areas of Gujarat, including Kutch
and Saurashtra, and from the neighbouring states of Rajasthan
and Maharashtra
as well as Hindus from the Pakistani province of Sindh
. There is a sizeable population of Punjabis
, Marathis
, Telugu
, Tamils
, Sindhis
, Malayali
s and Marwaris
, who bring their native language and culture to the city. The most recent arrivals are people from Bihar
who mainly work as labourers and are attracted to Gujarat due to greater industrialisation and more employment than their native states. In addition to this, the city is home to some 2000 Parsis and some 300 members of Bene Israel
Jews community.
There are 2273 registered NRI's from Ahmedabad.
Slightly less than half of all real estate in Ahmedabad is owned by "community organizations" (i.e. cooperatives), and "the spatial growth of the city is to the extent contribution of these organizations." Ahmedabad Cantonment
also provides residential zones for Indian Army
officials.
—an annual kite-flying day on 14 and 15 January. The nine nights of Navratri are celebrated with people performing Garba
—the folk dance of Gujarat—at venues across the city. The festival of lights—Deepavali
is celebrated with the lighting of lamps in every house, the decorating the floors with the rangoli
and the bursting of firecrackers. Other festivals such as Holi
, Ganesh Chaturthi
, Gudi Padwa
, Eid ul-Fitr
and Christmas
are celebrated with enthusiasm. The annual Rath Yatra
procession on the Ashadh-sud-bij date of the Hindu calendar
and the procession of Tajia during the Muslim holy month of Muharram
are integral parts of the city's culture.
. The most popular form of meal—a typical Gujarati thali—consists of rotli
, dal
, rice and shaak (cooked vegetables, sometimes with curry
), with accompaniments of pickles and roasted papads. Popular beverages include buttermilk
and tea; sweet dishes include laddoos
and mango
. There are many restaurants, which serve a wide array of Indian and international cuisines.
Most of the food outlets serve only vegetarian food, as a strong tradition of vegetarianism
is maintained by the city's Jain and Hindu communities. The first all-vegetarian Pizza Hut
in the world opened in Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad is only city where Marriott group hotel has exclusive veg restaurant in the world. Before McDonald restaurant opened in Ahmedabad, the company called Gujarati journalists to Mumbai and convinced them that McDonald would use separate kitchen for veg and non-veg food in its Gujarat outlets.
Manek Chowk
bustling open square near the center of the city functions as a vegetable market in the morning and a jewellery market in the afternoon. However, it is most famous for its food stalls that start to emerge around 8 in the evening, with various local street snacks and goodies. Out of all Pineapple
Sandwich
& Gwalia Dhosa are world famous.
Ahmedabad has quite a few good restaurants serving typical Mughlai non-vegetarian food in the old city areas like Bhatiyar Gali, Kalupur and Jamalpur. The old city has bakeries well known for making all kind of nankhatais (cookies) and very good naan (bread). In the new city, one can also find the North American restaurants like McDonald's and Subway.
and Saurashtra regions. The artisans of Rangeela pol
are famous for making bandhinis (tie and dye work), while the cobbler shops of Madhupura sell traditional mojri footwear. High-quality idols of Ganesha
and other religious icons are made in huge numbers in the Gulbai Tekra area. The shops at the Law Garden
are famous for their mirror work handicraft. Victorian architecture
is showcased in most college, railway station and government buildings, mainly constructed during the colonial period.
Many Gujarati intellectuals migrated to Ahmedabad due to its prosperity. Three main literary institutions were established in Ahmedabad for the promotion of Gujarati literature
—Gujarat Vidhya Sabha
, Gujarati Sahitya Parishad
and Gujarat Sahitya Sabha
. Musicians and instrumentalists from across the world come to perform at the popular classical music festival held each 1 January by the Saptak School of Music
. The Sanskar Kendra
—one of the many buildings in Ahmedabad designed by Le Corbusier
—is a city museum depicting history, art, culture and architecture of Ahmedabad. The Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya
and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial
have a permanent display of photographs, documents and other articles of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. The Calico Museum of Textiles
has a large collection of Indian and international fabrics, garments and textiles. Ahmedabad maintains a strong popular literary tradition in large public libraries maintained by the literary societies, research and government institutions and colleges. The Hazrat Pir Mohammad Shah Library
has a collection of rare original manuscripts in Arabic
, Persian
, Urdu
, Sindhi
and Turkish language
s.
is the most popular sport in the city. Sardar Patel Stadium
, built in 1982, hosts both One Day Internationals and test matches
. The stadium also hosted the 1987, 1996 and 2011 Cricket World Cup
s. Ahmedabad also has a second cricket stadium at the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's Sports Club of Gujarat
which is the home ground of the Gujarat cricket team
that plays in domestic tournament of Ranji Trophy
. City is represented by Ahmedabad Rockets
in Indian Cricket League
which is played in Twenty20
format of the game. Other sports gaining popularity are field hockey
, badminton
, tennis
, and squash
. Ahmedabad currently has three golf course
s. Mithakhali Multi Sports Complex is being developed by the AMC to promote various indoor sports. There has been a significant increase in recent years in the number of private sports clubs, gymkhana
s, gymnasia and sports teams sponsored by corporations, private associations, schools and colleges. Young people congregate in the evenings to play cricket and football at numerous public and neighbourhood grounds. Recently Ahmedabad hosted national level games for roller skating
and Table Tennis
. Kart racing
is fast gaining popularity in the city, with facility of 380 meter long track based on Formula One
concept. In 2007, Ahmedabad hosted the 51st national level shooting
games. Geet Sethi
, a five-time winner of the World Professional Billiards Championship
and a recipient of India's highest sporting award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
, hails from Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad has produced cricketer such as Parthiv Patel
who have been members of the Indian cricket team. Tejas Bakre, a chess grandmaster, is from Ahmedabad.
is located 15 km from the city centre and 8 km from Ahmedabad Railway station and Bus stand. It serves both domestic and international flights to and from Ahmedabad and the neighboring cities of Surendranagar, Mehsana
, and Nadiad
. The airport connects the city with destinations across India and the world (Abu Dhabi
, Doha
, Jeddah
, Dubai
, Bangkok
, Frankfurt
, Kabul
, Kuwait
, London
, Muscat
, Newark
, Chicago
, Singapore
, Sharjah
, Dammam
, Riyadh
, Hongkong, Paris
, Shanghai
).
It is the busiest airport in Gujarat, and the eighth busiest in India with an average of 250 aircraft movements a day. In 2008 the airport served 5,372,259 passengers. It is expected to handle six million passengers in 2010 and nine million in 2012, including both domestic and international passengers. Nearly all domestic airlines serve Ahmedabad, as do several international ones. A new international terminal coast of $31.6 million has been built to handle increased international air traffic.
. Railway lines connect the city to all towns in Gujarat and other major Indian cities like Delhi
, Mumbai
, Kolkata
, Chennai
, Pune
, Indore
, Bhopal, Lucknow
, Jaipur
, Jabalpur, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad
, Vadodara
, Surat
, Rajkot, Thiruvananthapuram
, Hyderabad, Nagpur
etc. The Ahmedabad Railway Station
, locally known as Kalupur Station is the city's main terminus; Ahmedabad's other stations are Maninagar
, Vatva, Gandhigram, Asarva, Chandlodia, Kali gam, Vastrapur, Sabarmati, Sarkhej, Naroda, Aamli.
With the help of Ministry of Railways
, state government has planned a sub-urban rail system for Ahmedabad on the existing lines of Indian Railways
between Barjedi in south to Kalol in north and from Kalupur to Naroda.
, linking Delhi
to Mumbai
, passes though Ahmedabad connecting it with Gandhinagar, Delhi
and Mumbai
. The National Highway 8C
links Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar. It is connected to Vadodara
through National Expressway 1, a 94 km (58.4 mi) long highway with only two exits. This expressway is part of the Golden Quadrilateral
project.
Ahmedabad's main traffic arteries are the Ashram Road
, C. G. Road
, Relief Road and SG Highway. The SG Highway or Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway
is also known as Ahmedabad's growth symbol. Transportation For Gandhinagar is available for 24 hours from SG highway. Auto rickshaw
s, Share Autos and buses are the most popular forms of public transport. The Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service
(AMTS) runs the local bus service in the city. In 2005, AMTS began a drive to convert all of its petrol and diesel engine buses to run on compressed natural gas
engines to reduce the effects of air pollution. AMTS runs 750 buses. Bicycles and motorcycles are a popular medium of transport with the city's young people and students.
In 2001, Ahmedabad was ranked as the topmost polluted city in India, out of 85 cities, by the Central Pollution Control Board. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board
gave auto rickshaw drivers an incentive of Rs. 10,000 to convert all 37,733 auto rickshaws in Ahmedabad to cleaner burning compressed natural gas
to reduce pollution. As a result, in 2008, Ahmedabad was ranked as 50th most polluted city in India.
is a Bus rapid transit
system for the city, maintained by the Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL). Ahmedabad BRTS is the most successful BRTS project in India compare to Delhi and Pune. Ahmedabad BRTS
wins the 2010 Most Sustainable Transport Award in the world. A part of the first phase connecting RTO to Pirana was inaugurated by Chief Minister Narendra Modi
on 14 October 2009 and the second half of the first phase connecting Chandranagar to Pushpa Kunj gate at Kankaria
was inaugurated on 25 December 2009. Remaining phases are under construction and will be operational by mid 2010.
The BRTS is modelled on the international standards and proved to be highly affordable and effective in operation. It has revolutionised the system of public transport in the city. The buses are comfortable and technically advanced. The system has dedicated corridors running along the middle of the city roads in which no other vehicles are allowed.
feasibility study.
As per latest development, the state government has proposed that 10.9 KM East-West metro line will be shifted from Income Tax—Shahpur Darwaza—Delhi Darwaza—Prem Darwaza—Kalupur Line towards Relief Road and wants it to be underground. Special Hydraulic platform with a small gradient that would gradually take a stationary metro train to the tunnel level on Relief Road—Kalupur stretch is also being proposed for this line.
Schools in Ahmedabad are run either by the municipal corporation, or privately by entities, trusts and corporations. Most schools are affiliated with the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board
. A few schools are affiliated to the Central Board for Secondary Education, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
, International Baccalaureate
and National Institute of Open School
. Among them prominent ones are H.B.Kapadia, Delhi Public School, AIS etc. A large number of colleges in the city are affiliated with Gujarat University
. Other deemed universities
in Ahmedabad include the Nirma University of Science & Technology
and the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University
. The Gujarat Vidyapith
was established in 1920 by Mahatma Gandhi
without a charter from the British Raj
and became a deemed university
in 1963. Other institutions such as the Indian Institute of Management
, the Adani Institute of Infrastructure Management
, the National Institute of Design
, the Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University
, the Mudra Institute of Communications
, the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India
, B.J. Medical College
, NHL Municipal Medical College are located in Ahmedabad.
L.D. College of Engineering
is a premier engineering college in Gujarat State, set with the objectives of imparting higher education in various fields of engineering. At present it runs 14 undergraduate, 12-post graduate and 4 part-time programs.
Center for Environmental Planning and Technology
is a premier academic institute located in Ahmedabad. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in the areas of natural and built environment and related disciplines. Recognised as one of the finest institutes of learning in the country, CEPT University currently offers three undergraduate degree programs and nineteen postgraduate programs in the fields of design and architecture, planning and public policy, arts and humanities, technology, geomatics and space applications, environment and climate change studies,Infrastructure Engineering and Management (www.cept.ac.in/miem).
Many national academic and scientific institutions, such as the Physical Research Laboratory
, the Indian Space Research Organisation
, were established in the 1960s largely through the efforts of prominent astrophysicist and industrialist Vikram Sarabhai
. The Ahmedabad Management Association
is a notable institution established to impart management training and experience to young students and professionals. The campus was opened with a plan to offer 100 courses in various technical disciplines. The Indian Institute of Public Health offers in-service training and courses in public health besides assisting the government in health related activities.
The National Institute of Design
(NID) is internationally acclaimed as one of the foremost multi-disciplinary institutions in the field of design education and research. NID has been a pioneer in industrial design education after Bauhaus and Ulm in Germany and is known for its pursuit of design excellence to make Designed in India, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
(also known as IIMA), was ranked as the top business school in India according to the Business Today. B-School Rankings in 2007-08 and the ET B-school Survey 2007. It is now labelled as the toughest MBA programmes in the world to gain admission to as over 200,000 people apply each year for the entrance exam to get into roughly 250 places.
, Indian Express, DNA, The Economic Times
and The Financial Express, AM. Newspapers in vernacular languages (Gujarati and Hindi) include Divya Bhaskar
, Gujarat Samachar
, Sandesh
, Rajasthan Patrika
and Metro. A large number of magazines, periodicals and journals are published from Ahmedabad. The city is home to the historic Navajivan Publishing House
—founded in 1919 by Mahatma Gandhi. The Gujarat film
and television
industry has a small but significant presence in the city.
The state-owned All India Radio Ahmedabad is broadcast both on the medium wave and FM bands in the city. It competes with six private local FM stations—Radio Mirchi
(98.3 MHz), Radio City
(91.1 MHz), My fm (94.3 MHz), Radio One (95.0 MHz), Gyan Vaani (104.5 MHz) and S FM (93.51 MHz). Satellite radio
was launched in the city by WorldSpace
in 2005. The state-owned television broadcaster Doordarshan
provides free terrestrial channels, while two multi system operator
—InCablenet
and Siti Cable
—provide a mix of Gujarati, Hindi, English, and other regional channels via cable
. Direct broadcast satellite
is yet to gain popularity in Ahmedabad. A network of optical fibre
cables connects almost the entire city. The city's telephone services are provided by landline and mobile operators such as BSNL
, Reliance CDMA & Reliance GSM
, Airtel
, Uninor
, Docomo
, Videocon
, Aircel
, Vodafone
, Idea
and Tata Indicom. Broadband Internet services are provided in most parts of the city by the telecom companies.
Ahmedabad is also home to many publications and print houses.
Gujarat High Court
The Gujarat High Court is the High Court of the state of Gujarat. It was established on 1 May 1960 under the Bombay Re-organisation Act, 1960 after the state split from Bombay State.The seat of the court is Ahmedabad...
has its seat in Ahmedabad. It is also financial capital of Gujarat.It is the fifth largest city and seventh largest metropolitan area of India, with a city population of approximately 5.6 million and metropolitan population of 6.4 million. In 2010, Forbes magazine rated Ahmedabad as the fastest-growing city in India, and third in the world after two Chinese cities — Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
and Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
. Ahmedabad is located on the banks of the River Sabarmati
Sabarmati River
The Sabarmati River is a river in western India and one of the biggest rivers of north Gujarat. River Sabarmati is one of the major West flowing river of Gujarat which originates from Dhebar lake in Aravalli Range of the Udaipur District of Rajasthan and meets the Gulf of Cambay of Arabian Sea...
, 32 km from the state capital Gandhinagar. The city is the administrative centre of Ahmedabad district and was the capital of Gujarat till 1960. In colloquial Gujarati, the city is commonly called Amdavad.
Ahmedabad was founded on February 26, 1411 by Sultan Ahmed Shah
Ahmed Shah of Gujarat
Ahmed Shah of Gujarat was a sultan of Gujarat's ruling Muzaffarid dynasty from 1411 until his death in 1442. Today, he is famously known as Ahmed Shah Badshah of Ahmedabad....
to serve as the capital of the Gujarat Sultanate
Gujarat Sultanate
The Gujarat Sultanate was an independent kingdom established in the early 15th century in Gujarat. The founder of the ruling Muzaffarid dynasty, Zafar Khan was appointed as governor of Gujarat by Nasir-ud-Din Muhammad bin Tughluq IV in 1391, the ruler of the principal state in north India at the...
, and was named after him. Under British rule
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, a military cantonment
Cantonment
A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
was established and the city infrastructure was modernized and expanded. Though incorporated into the Bombay Presidency
Bombay Presidency
The Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...
during British rule, Ahmedabad remained the most important city in the Gujarat region. The city established itself as the home of a booming textile industry, which earned it the nickname the "Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
of the East." The city was at the forefront of the Indian independence movement
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
in the first half of the 20th century. It was the centre of many campaigns of civil disobedience
Civil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. Civil disobedience is commonly, though not always, defined as being nonviolent resistance. It is one form of civil resistance...
to promote workers' rights, civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
, and political independence.
Since the creation of the state of Gujarat
States Reorganisation Act
The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 was a major reform of the boundaries and governance of India's states and territories. The act reorganised the boundaries of India's states along linguistic lines, and amended the Indian Constitution to replace the three types of states, known as Parts A, B,...
in 1960, Ahmedabad had become a bustling metropolis with beautiful classical and colonial European styled buildings, lining the city’s thoroughfares. The city is witnessing a major construction boom and population increase. A rising centre of education, information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
and scientific industries, Ahmedabad remains the cultural
Culture of India
India's languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food and customs differ from place to place within the country, but nevertheless possess a commonality....
and commercial
Economy of India
The Economy of India is the ninth largest in the world by nominal GDP and the fourth largest by purchasing power parity . The country is a part of the G-20 major economies and the BRICS, in addition to being partners of the ASEAN. India has a per capita GDP of $3,608 as per 2010 figures, making it...
heart of Gujarat and much of western India.
History
Ashaval
Archaeological evidence suggests that the area around Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, India has been inhabited since the 11th century, when it was known as Ashapalli or Ashaval. The city of Ashaval was located on the east of River Sabarmati. The city was ruled by a Bhil king who was overthrown...
. At that time, Karandev I
Karandev I
Karandev I was a Solanki ruler credited with laying the foundation of the city of Karnavati, an old name for the city of Ahmedabad in western India. He waged a successful war against the Bhil king of Ashaval and soon after the victory established Karnavati on the banks of the Sabarmati river at the...
, the Solanki
Solanki
The Solanki was a royal Hindu Indian dynasty that ruled parts of western and central India between the 10th to 13th centuries. A number of scholars including V. A. Smith assign them Gurjar origin....
ruler of Anhilwara (modern Patan
Patan, Gujarat
Patan was a capital of Gujarat in medieval times. It is the administrative seat of Patan District in the Indian state of Gujarat and administered by municipality. The city contains many Hindu and Jain temples as well as few mosques, dargahs and rojas...
), waged a successful war against the Bhil
Bhil
Bhils are primarily an Adivasi people of Central India. Bhils are also settled in the Tharparkar District of Sindh, Pakistan. They speak the Bhil languages, a subgroup of the Western Zone of the Indo-Aryan languages....
king of Ashaval, and established a city called Karnavati located at the present time area of Maninagar close to the river Sabarmati. Solanki rule lasted until the 13th century, when Gujarat came under the control of the Vaghela dynasty
Vaghela dynasty
The Vaghela dynasty was a short-lived Indian Rajput dynasty who ruled Gujarat at the second half of the 13th century.-History:The Vaghelas were a branch and feudatories of the Solanki dynasty, who ruled Gujarat from the 10th to the 13th centuries. The Solanki went into decline in the thirteenth...
of Dholka
Dholka
Dholka is a city and municipality in the Ahmedabad District of the Indian state of Gujarat. With an average elevation of , Dholka is considered "India's first municipality".-History:...
and Karnavati was conquered by the Sultanate of Delhi. In 1411, the rule of the Muzaffarid dynasty was established in Gujarat. According to legend, Sultan Ahmed Shah
Ahmed Shah of Gujarat
Ahmed Shah of Gujarat was a sultan of Gujarat's ruling Muzaffarid dynasty from 1411 until his death in 1442. Today, he is famously known as Ahmed Shah Badshah of Ahmedabad....
, while camping on the banks of the River Sabarmati, saw a hare chasing a dog. Impressed by this act of bravery, the Sultan, who had been looking for a place to build his new capital, decided to locate the capital at this forest area close by to Karnavati right on the river bank and christened it Ahmedabad. The incident is popularly described in a one liner saying "Jab kutte pe sassa aaya, tab Badshah ne shaher basaya" (translation: Seeing the hare chasing the dog, the Emperor built the City).
In 1487, Mahmud Begada
Mahmud Begada
Sultan Abu'l Fath Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah I, popularly known as Mahmud Begada was the most prominent sultan of Gujarat. He was the great-grandson of Ahmad Shah I, the founder of the Muzaffarid dynasty, and of the city of Ahmedabad in the present-day state of Gujarat, India. He was known to be...
, the grandson of Ahmed Shah, fortified
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
the city with an outer wall 10 km (6.2 mi) in circumference and consisting of twelve gates
Ahmedabad's Darwajas
Old Ahmedabad city, Gujarat's commercial and financial centre, was encompassed within a fort. This Bhadra fort had 12 darwajas . Each of the darwaja has beautiful carvings, calligraphy and some of them even balconies....
, 189 bastion
Bastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
s and over 6,000 battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
s. In 1535 Humayun
Humayun
Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one...
briefly occupied Ahmedabad after capturing Champaner
Champaner
Champaner चंमपानेर شمبنر is a historical city in the state of Gujarat, in western India. It is located in Panchmahal district, 47 kilometres from the city of Vadodara. The city was briefly the capital of Gujarat....
when the ruler of Gujarat Bahadur Shah
Bahadur Shah
Bahadur Shah may refer to*Bahadur Shah of Gujarat *Bahadur Shah I , Mughal Emperor*Bahadur Shah II , the last Mughal Emperor and final ruler of the Timurid dynasty...
fled to Diu. Ahmedabad was then reoccupied by the Muzaffarid
Muzaffarid
Muzaffarids or Muzaffarid dynasty may refer to* Muzaffarid dynasty of Gujarat - Medieval Muslim dynasty in Gujarat* Muzaffarids of Iran - A Muslim state in Fars created during the breakup of the Il-Khanate...
dynasty until 1573 when Gujarat was conquered by the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
emperor Akbar. During the Mughal reign, Ahmedabad became one of the Empire's thriving centres of trade, mainly in textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
s, which were exported to as far as Europe. The Mughal ruler Shahjahan spent the prime of his life in the city, sponsoring the construction of the Moti Shahi Mahal in Shahibaug
Shahibaug
Shahibaug is a locality of the city of Ahmedabad, where amongst other colonial and Mughal-era monuments stands the Moti Shahi Mahal. It is also famous for Hathisingh na Dera. It also has the Ahmedabad Cantonment. This area is famous for its Camp Hanuman Temple and also for one of the most visited...
. During a drought, the Deccan Famine of 1630–32 affected the city, as did famines in 1650 and 1686. Ahmedabad remained the provincial headquarter of the Mughals until 1758, when Mughals surrendered the city to the Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
s.
During Maratha governance, the city lost some of its past glory, and was at the center of contention between two Maratha clans—The Peshwa
Peshwa
A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...
of Poona and the Gaekwad
Gaekwad
The Gaekwad or Gaikwad was a Maratha dynasty that ruled the princely state of Baroda in western India from the mid-18th century until 1947...
of Baroda.
On February 18, 1780, during the First Anglo-Maratha War
First Anglo-Maratha War
The First Anglo-Maratha War was the first of three Anglo-Maratha wars fought between the British East India Company and Maratha Empire in India. The war began with the Treaty of Surat and ended with the Treaty of Salbai.-Background:...
, a British force under James Hartley
James Hartley (Indian Army officer)
James Hartley , was a British officer in the service of the East India Company, whose service involved mainly wars against the Maratha Empire and against Tipu Sultan of the Kingdom of Mysore.-Start of military career in India:...
stormed and captured Ahmedabad, but it was handed back to the Marathas at the end of the war. The British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
definitely took over the city in 1818 as a part of the conquest of India. Marathas introduced girl child education in city
A military cantonment was established in 1824 and a municipal government in 1858. In 1864, a railway link between Ahmedabad and Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
(then Bombay) was established by the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway
Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway
The Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway was a company incorporated in 1855 to undertake the task of constructing a railway line between Bombay and Vadodara in India. BB&CI completed the work in 1864...
(BB&CI), making Ahmedabad an important junction in the traffic and trade between northern
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
and southern India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. Large number of people migrated from rural areas to work in textile mills, establishing a robust industry.
The Indian independence movement
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
developed strong roots in the city when, in 1915, Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
established two ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
—the Kochrab Ashram
Kochrab Ashram
The Kochrab Ashram was the first ashram organized by Mohandas Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement. Founded in 1918, it was located near the city of Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat...
near Paldi
Paldi
Paldi is an affluent area located in South Western Ahmedabad, India. Corporate offices & City centres of many national & international companies like ICICI Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland, Religare, , , are located within Paldi. It accommodates Sanskar Kendra museum by the renowned architect Le...
in 1915 and the Satyagraha Ashram (now Sabarmati Ashram
Sabarmati Ashram
Sabarmati Ashram is located in the Ahmedabad suburb of Sabarmati adjoining to famous Ashram Road, at the bank of River Sabarmati, 4 miles from the town hall. This was one of the residences of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi...
) on the banks of the Sabarmati in 1917—that would become centers of intense nationalist activities. During the mass protests
Non-cooperation movement
The non-cooperation movement was a significant phase of the Indian struggle for freedom from British rule which lasted for years. This movement, which lasted from September 1920 to February 1922 and was led by Mohandas Gandhi, and supported by the Indian National Congress. It aimed to resist...
against the Rowlatt Act
Rowlatt Act
The Rowlatt Act was a law passed by the British in colonial India in March 1919, indefinitely extending "emergency measures" enacted during the First World War in order to control public unrest and root out conspiracy...
in 1919, textile workers burned down 51 government buildings across the city in protest at a British attempt to extend wartime regulations after the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In the 1920s, textile workers and teachers went on strike, demanding civil rights and better pay and working conditions. In 1930, Gandhi initiated the Salt Satyagraha
Salt Satyagraha
The Salt March, also known as the Salt Satyagrahah began with the Dandi March on March 12, 1930, and was an important part of the Indian independence movement. It was a campaign of tax resistance and nonviolent protest against the British salt monopoly in colonial India, and triggered the wider...
from Ahmedabad by embarking from his ashram on the famous Dandi Salt March. The city administration and economic institutions were rendered functionless by the large masses of people who took to the streets in peaceful protests in the early 1930s, and again in 1942 during the Quit India movement
Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement , or the August Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
. Following independence and the partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947, the city was scarred by intense communal violence that broke out between Hindus
Hinduism in India
Hinduism is a religious tradition of India, with 80.5% of the population identifying themselves as Hindus. The vast majority of Hindus in India belong to Vaishnavite and Shaivite denominations.The Vedic culture originated in India between 2000 and 1500 BC...
and Muslims
Islam in India
Islam is the second-most practiced religion in the Republic of India after Hinduism, with more than 13.4% of the country's population ....
.
1960, Ahmedabad had become a bustling metropolis with beautiful classical and colonial European styled buildings, lining the city’s thoroughfares.Ahmedabad was chosen as the capital of Gujarat state.Ahmedabad became the capital of the new state of Gujarat after the bifurcation of the State of Bombay
Bombay State
The Bombay State was a state of India, dissolved with the formation of Maharashtra and Gujarat states on May 1, 1960.-History:During British rule, portions of the western coast of India under direct British rule were part of the Bombay Presidency...
on 1 May 1960. During that period, a large number of educational and research institutions were founded in the city, making it a major center of higher education
Education in India
Education in India is provided by the public sector as well as the private sector, with control and funding coming from three levels: federal, state, and local. Child education is compulsory. The Nalanda University was the oldest university-system of education in the world...
, science and technology. Ahmedabad's economic base was diversified with the establishment of heavy
Heavy industry
Heavy industry does not have a single fixed meaning as compared to light industry. It can mean production of products which are either heavy in weight or in the processes leading to their production. In general, it is a popular term used within the name of many Japanese and Korean firms, meaning...
and chemical industries
Chemical industry
The chemical industry comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. Central to the modern world economy, it converts raw materials into more than 70,000 different products.-Products:...
in its vicinity around the same period. But the growth in the next two decades was punctuated by political events in and around the city. In 1974, Ahmedabad occupied the centre stage in national politics with the launch of the Nav Nirman
Nav Nirman
The Nav Nirman movement was a socio-political movement that occurred in 1974 in Gujarat. It started of as an argument over a 20% hike in hostel food bill in the L.E...
agitation—a protest against a 20% hike in the hostel food fees at the L.D. College of Engineering that snowballed into a mass agitation against general corruption to remove Chimanbhai Patel
Chimanbhai Patel
-Education:He born on 3 June 1929 in Chikodra village of Sankheda Tehsil in Vadodara district. He was elected the first president of student union of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Vadodara in 1950. He has done Masters in Economics from that university.-Political career:He has been...
, then chief minister of Gujarat. In the 1980s, a reservation policy
Reservation in India
Reservation in India is a form of affirmative action designed to improve the well being of socially backward and underrepresented communities of citizens in India. There are laws in place, wherein a certain percentage of total available slots in Jobs and Education are set aside for people from...
was introduced in the country, which led to anti-reservation protests in 1981 and 1985. The protests witnessed violent clashes between people belonging to various castes.
On 26 January 2001 a devastating earthquake
2001 Gujarat earthquake
The 2001 Gujarat earthquake occurred on January 26, 2001, India's 52nd Republic Day, at 08:46 AM local time and lasted for over two minutes. The epicentre was about 9 km south-southwest of the village of Chobari in Bhachau Taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat, India...
struck the city, centred near Bhuj
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
, measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
. As many as 50 multistory buildings collapsed, killing 752 people and devastating the city's infrastructure. The following year, Gurajat violence
2002 Gujarat violence
The 2002 Gujarat violence describes the Godhra train burning and resulting communal riots between Hindus and Muslims. On 27 February 2002 at Godhra City in the state of Gujarat, the Sabarmati Express train was attacked by a large Muslim mob in a conspiracy. But some authentic sources deny the claim...
between Hindus and Muslims spread to Ahmedabad, paralysing the city for more than two month. The crisis resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,044 people across the state. The displacement of thousands of Muslims led to the erection of refugee camps around the city. On 26 July 2008 a series of seventeen bomb blasts
2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts
The 2008 Ahmedabad bombings were a series of 21 bomb blasts that hit Ahmedabad, India, on 26 July 2008, within a span of 70 minutes. 56 people were killed and over 200 people were injured. Ahmedabad is the cultural and commercial heart of Gujarat state, and a large part of...
rocked the city, killing and injuring several people.
In recent years, the effects of liberalization of the Indian economy has energized the city's economy towards tertiary sector activities like commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
, communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
, construction activities. The city has witnessed the establishment of scientific and service industries, the expansion of the information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
sector, and significant improvements in transportation and communications. Ahmedabad's population is growing, which has resulted in a construction and housing boom.
Geography
Ahmedabad is located at 23.03°N 72.58°E in western India at an elevation of 53 metres (174 ft)from MSL Mean Sea Level. The city sits on the banks of the River Sabarmati, in north-central Gujarat. It spans an area of 205 km² (79.2 sq mi). The Sabarmati frequently dries up in the summer, leaving only a small stream of water. The city is located in a sandy and dry area. Many of the localities and roads are often spread in sand, reflecting the intensifying fallout caused by deforestationDeforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
. The steady expansion of the Rann of Kutch
Rann of Kutch
The Great Rann of Kutch, also called Greater Rann of Kutch or just Rann of Kutch , is a seasonal salt marsh located in the Thar Desert in the Kutch District of Gujarat, India and the Sindh province of Pakistan....
threatens to increase desertification
Desertification
Desertification is the degradation of land in drylands. Caused by a variety of factors, such as climate change and human activities, desertification is one of the most significant global environmental problems.-Definitions:...
around the city area and much of the state. Except for the small hills of Thaltej-Jodhpur Tekra
Thaltej-Jodhpur Tekra
The Jodhpur Tekra are a small group of hills located in the western part of Ahmedabad in India. These hills are named after 'jodhpur state'in Rajasthan. During Maharaja Abhay Singhji's time, Jodhpur state army attacked Ahmedabad city and captured it from Muslim rulers...
, the city is almost flat. Two lakes are within the city's limits—Kankaria Lake
Kankaria
Kankaria is the biggest lake in Ahmedabad . Many kings, or badshah, used to bathe in this lake. With an approximate circumference of 1.4 miles , it represents the regale history of Ahmedabad...
and Vastrapur Lake
Vastrapur Lake
The Vastrapur Lake is a lake situated in the city of Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat in western India. It is located in the western part of the city in the Vastrapur area. The lake was beautified by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation after 2002 and has since become a popular spot in the city....
. Kankaria lake, in the neighbourhood of Maninagar
Maninagar
Maninagar is an area of Ahmedabad city, Gujarat, India. It is located in the southern part of the city. It can be divided into two regions - Maninagar East and Maninagar West, separated by the Maninagar Railway Station. Its pincode is 380008.-Location:...
, is an artificial lake developed by the Sultan of Delhi, Qutb-ud-din Aybak
Qutb-ud-din Aybak
Qutb-ud-din Aibak was a Turkic king of Northwest India who ruled from his capital in Delhi where he built the Qutub Minar and the Quwwat Al Islam mosque. He was of Turkic descent from central Asia, the first Sultan of Delhi and founder of the Slave dynasty of India. He ruled for only four years,...
, in 1451. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards
Bureau of Indian Standards
The Bureau of Indian Standards is the national Standards Body of India working under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 which came into effect on 23 December 1986...
, the town falls under seismic zone-III
Earthquake hazard zoning of India
The Indian subcontinent has a history of devastating earthquakes. The major reason for the high frequency and intensity of the earthquakes is that India is driving into Asia at a rate of approximately 47 mm/year. Geographical statistics of India show that almost 54% of the land is vulnerable...
, in a scale of I to V (in order of increasing vulnerability to earthquakes)
Ahmedabad is divided by the Sabarmati into two physically distinct eastern and western regions. The eastern bank of the river houses the old city, which includes the central town of Bhadra
Bhadra
In Hinduism, Bhadra is a goddess of the hunt and one of Shiva's servants....
. This part of Ahmedabad is characterized by packed bazaars, the clustered and barricaded pol
Pol (housing)
A pol is a housing cluster which comprises many families of a particular group, linked by caste, profession, or religion. Pols are typical of urban centres in Gujarat especially of Ahmedabad....
system of close clustered buildings, and numerous places of worship. It houses the main railway station, the General Post Office
General Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
, and few buildings of the Muzaffarid and British eras. The colonial period saw the expansion of the city to the western side of Sabarmati, facilitated by the construction of Ellis Bridge
Ellis Bridge
The Ellis Bridge is a major landmark structure in the city of Ahmedabad, as well as an artery of public transport across the river Sabarmati. Constructed in 1870, the original bridge constructed by British engineers had a wooden structure, which was replaced by steel in 1882. The original bridge...
in 1875 and later with the modern Nehru Bridge
Nehru Bridge
The Nehru Bridge is a major bridge over the river Sabarmati, and serves as an artery of major public transport for the city of Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, India...
. This part of the city houses educational institutions, modern buildings, well-planned residential areas, shopping malls, multiplexes and new business districts centred around roads such as Ashram Road
Ashram Road
The Ashram Road is one of the major roads in the city of Ahmedabad in India. A major portion of the road runs parallel to the Sabarmati. The road is a major financial hub of the city with the offices of the Reserve Bank of India and the Income Tax department located on the road...
, C. G. Road
C. G. Road
The Chiman Lal Girdhar Lal Road, colloquially the C. G. Road, is one of the main & posh roads of Ahmedabad. It has been ranked as the costliest retail location in the city....
& Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway
Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway
The Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, colloquially the "S.G. Road", connects the city of Ahmedabad with Gandhinagar, the capital of the state of Gujarat, India. It forms the major part of NH 8C that connects Sarkhej with Chiloda near Gandhinagar. It is a major artery of commerce and public transport,...
.
Climate
Ahmedabad has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSh), with marginally less rain than required for a tropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories "Aw" and '"As."...
. There are three main seasons: summer, monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
and winter. Aside from the monsoon season, the climate is extremely dry. The weather is hot through the months of March to June—the average summer maximum is 41 °C (106 °F), and the average minimum is 27 °C (80.6 °F). From November to February, the average maximum temperature is 30 °C (86 °F), the average minimum is 15 °C (59 °F), and the climate is extremely dry. Cold northerly winds are responsible for a mild chill in January. The southwest monsoon brings a humid climate from mid-June to mid-September. The average annual rainfall is about 800 millimetres (31.5 in), but infrequent heavy torrential rains cause local rivers to flood and it is not uncommon for drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
s to occur when the monsoon does not extend as far west as usual. The highest temperature recorded is 43 °C (109.4 °F) and the lowest is 5 °C (41 °F). On 21 May 2010, the mercury touched 42.8 °C (109 °F), which was the highest temperature recorded in Ahmedabad in forty years. In recent years, Ahmedabad has suffered from increasing air, water and soil pollution from neighbouring industrial areas, the city’s textile mills and lack of awareness regarding cleanliness among citizens.
Cityscape
Architecture
The architecturalIndian architecture
The architecture of India is rooted in its history, culture and religion. Indian architecture progressed with time and assimilated the many influences that came as a result of India's global discourse with other regions of the world throughout its millennia-old past...
history of Ahmedabad stretches across the last millennium. The Sultanate fused Hindu craftsmanship with Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....
, giving rise to the Indo-Saracenic
Indo-Saracenic
The Indo-Saracenic Revival was an architectural style movement by British architects in the late 19th century in British India...
style. Many mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s in the city are built in this fashion.
After independence modern buildings came up in Ahmedabad when renowned architects were given commissions in the city like Louis Kahn
Louis Kahn
Louis Isadore Kahn was an American architect, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. After working in various capacities for several firms in Philadelphia, he founded his own atelier in 1935...
who designed the Indian Institute of Management; Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
who designed the Shodhan and Sarabhai Villas, the Sanskar Kendra and the Mill Owner's Association; and Buckminister Fuller who designed the Calico Dome. B. V. Doshi
B. V. Doshi
Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi is an Indian architect.-Early life:B. V. Doshi was born in Pune, India. He studied at the J. J. School of Architecture, Mumbai.-Career:...
came to the city from Paris to supervise Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
's works and later set up the School of Architecture. His local masterpieces include Sangath, the Doshi-Hussain Gufa and the School of Architecture. Charles Correa
Charles Correa
Charles Correa is an Indian architect, planner and activist.-Early life:Charles Correa was born in Hyderabad, India...
, who became a partner of Doshi's, designed the Gandhi Ashram and Achyut Kanvinde
Achyut Kanvinde
Padma Shri Achyut P. Kanvinde is considered as one of forefathers of modern Indian architecture.-Early life and education:...
the Indian Textile Industries Research Association. Christopher Charles Benninger
Christopher Charles Benninger
Christopher Charles Benninger is an American-Indian architect and planner born in the United States in 1942. He studied urban planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and architecture at Harvard's Graduate School of Design, where he later taught .Benninger studied under Josep Lluis...
's first work, the Alliance Francaise, is located in the Ellis Bridge area. Hasmukh C. Patel, and his son Dr. Bimal Patel, are renowned architects of the city having designed the St. Xavier's High School Loyola Hall
St. Xavier's High School Loyola Hall
St. Xavier's High School, Loyola Hall is an English-Gujarati medium primary and secondary school located at Navrangpura in Ahmedabad, India. The school is spread over a site of about 4 acres .-History:...
, Gujarat High Court and the Ahmedabad Management Association
Ahmedabad Management Association
The Ahmedabad Management Association or AMA is located in Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, India. It is an approved Institution for Management Training by the Government of Gujarat. It is a recognized scientific and industrial research organization under Department of Scientific and Industrial...
. Anant Raje recently designed major additions to Louis Kahn's Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad campus, namely the Ravi Mathai Auditorium and KLMD.
Gardens and parks
There is a wide spectrum of gardens in Ahmedabad that exhilarate the gleam and appeal of the city. The AMCAhmedabad Municipal Corporation
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation or the AMC, established in July 1950 under the Bombay Provincial Corporation Act, 1949, is responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the city of Ahmedabad.-Vision:...
owns and maintains 76 parks and gardens and 96 traffic islands. There are 9 gardens that are more than 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) in area. Ahmedabad has already been honored internationally by 'Green City Commendation Award' as a result of devoted service provided by the Government officials to ensure proper maintenance of the gardens in Ahmedabad.
The 3 most popular and most visited gardens in the city are Victoria Garden, Bal Vatika and Law Garden. Located at the southern verge of the Bhadra Fort, Victoria Garden is a one of the most popular places in the city for people who desire to unwind and chill out. The Victoria Garden contains a statue of Queen Victoria, which is a masterpiece in itself. Bal Vatika is a children's park situated on the grounds of Kankaria
Kankaria
Kankaria is the biggest lake in Ahmedabad . Many kings, or badshah, used to bathe in this lake. With an approximate circumference of 1.4 miles , it represents the regale history of Ahmedabad...
Lake. Its close proximity to Kankaria lakefront makes it a wonderful spot to observe nature's splendor. The Kankaria lake got new look in 2008. Bal Vatika also houses an Amusement Park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
and a Water Park
Water park
A waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...
for kids. Law Garden got its name from the College of Law that is situated very close to it. It serves as a hub for those 'shopaholics', as scintillating pieces of handicrafts and a wide variety of Gujarati attires are sold here. Other main gardens in the city are Parimal Garden, Prahlad nagar Garden, Lal Darwaja Garden.
Civic administration
Ahmedabad is administered by the Ahmedabad Municipal CorporationAhmedabad Municipal Corporation
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation or the AMC, established in July 1950 under the Bombay Provincial Corporation Act, 1949, is responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the city of Ahmedabad.-Vision:...
(AMC). Some of the regions surrounding the city are administered by the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority
Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority
The Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority is a civilian government body responsible for overseeing and sanctioning construction and infrastructure development across the suburbs of the city of Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat in India. The office of AUDA is at Usmanpura, Ashram Road, Ahmedabad...
(AUDA). The AMC was established in July 1950 under the Bombay Provincial Corporation Act, 1949. For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 43 wards. Citizens elect corporators
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
during civic elections. At present the corporation consists of 129 corporators elected from 43 wards. These 129 corporators elect a mayor and deputy mayor for a turn of two and a half years. Executive powers are vested in the municipal commissioner, who is an IAS
Indian Administrative Service
The Indian Administrative Service is the administrative civil service of the Government of India. It is one of the three All India Services....
officer appointed by the Gujarat state government. The mayor is responsible for the day-to-day running of the municipal school board, the city bus service, the municipal hospital, and the city library. The city serves as the headquarters of Ahmedabad district and as the seat of the Gujarat High Court
Gujarat High Court
The Gujarat High Court is the High Court of the state of Gujarat. It was established on 1 May 1960 under the Bombay Re-organisation Act, 1960 after the state split from Bombay State.The seat of the court is Ahmedabad...
. The Ahmedabad city police are headed by a Police Commissioner
Police commissioner
Commissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer. In these circumstances, there is often a...
, an Indian Police Service
Indian Police Service
The Indian Police Service , simply known as Indian Police or IPS, is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India...
officer. Ahmedabad's Kamla Nehru Zoological Park features endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
like flamingo
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
es, caracal
Caracal
The caracal is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat ranging over Western Asia, South Asia and Africa.The word caracal comes from the Turkish word "karakulak", meaning "black ear". In North India and Pakistan, the caracal is locally known as syahgosh or shyahgosh, which is a Persian term...
, Asiatic wolf
Dhole
The dhole is a species of canid native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the only extant member of the genus Cuon, which differs from Canis by the reduced number of molars and greater number of teats...
, chinkara
Chinkara
The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in south Asia.-Habitat and Distribution:It lives in grasslands and desert areas in India, Bangladesh and parts of Iran and Pakistan...
and many more. AMC has initiated the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project
Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project
The Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project is an initiative by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to develop the Sabarmati riverfront in the city of Ahmedabad, India....
with an objective of environmental improvement with provision of slum rehabilitation for poor living on the river banks.
Ahmedabad boasts of some of the largest number of hospitals in the country—both government and private. The Ahmedabad civil hospital
Ahmedabad Civil Hospital
Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, the biggest hospital in Asia, is located in Ahmedabad, India with facilities for specialised diagnostic, therapeutic & rehabilitative patient care. Spread over of land, it houses a number of prestigious institutes and allied hospitals, the Gujarat Medical Council and...
is the largest hospital in Asia. The healthcare in Ahmedabad
Healthcare in Ahmedabad
Healthcare in Ahmedabad is provided through several hospitals and medical colleges - both government and private. Ahmedabad seeks to become a major player in medical tourism industry with this solid medical infrastructure...
is one of the best in India. Electricity in the city is generated and distributed by Torrent Power
Torrent Power
Torrent Power Limited is an India-based company engaged in the electricity generation, transmission and distribution. Its current operations are in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. It is expanding into Uttar Pradesh starting 15 August 2009...
Limited owned and operated Ahmedabad Electricity Company, which was previously a state-run corporation. Ahmedabad is one of the few cities in India, where the power sector is privatized.
The city elects two members to the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
and seven to the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha
Vidhan Sabha
The Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Assembly is the lower house or the sole house of the provincial legislature in the different states of India. The same name is also used for the lower house of the legislatures for two of the union territories, Delhi and Pondicherry...
. Two main political parties have won a significant number of seats in elections
Elections in India
India has a quasi federal government, with elected officials at the federal , state and local levels. On a national level, the head of government, the Prime Minister, is elected directly by the people, through a general election. All members of the federal legislature, the Parliament, are directly...
—the Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
(BJP) and the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
(INC). Of the thirteen assembly seats of Ahmedabad, ten were won by the BJP and three by the Congress Party during the legislative elections in 2007. In the 2005 Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation elections, the BJP won 96 seats, 32 seats went to the Congress, and one seat went to an independent candidate.
Economy
The gross domestic product of Ahmedabad metro was estimated at $16 billion in 2010. In the 19th century, the textile and garments industry received strong capital investment. On 30 May 1861 Ranchhodlal Chhotalal
Ranchhodlal Chhotalal
Ranchhodlal Chhotalal was a pioneer of the textile industry in Ahmedabad. He was awarded the title of Rao Bahadur by the British Government....
founded the first Indian textile mill, the Ahmedabad Spinning and Weaving Company Limited
Ahmedabad Spinning and Weaving Company Limited
The Ahmedabad Spinning and Weaving Company Ltd. was the first and garments company established in India on May 30, 1861....
. This was followed by the establishment of a series of textile mills such as the Calico Mills
Calico Mills
The Calico Mills is one of Ahmedabad’s earliest textile mills established in 1880.For half a century, under the stewardship of Ambalal Sarabhai, the Calico Mills became one of the most modern and extensively diversified pacesetters of the Indian cotton industry. Calico was the first Indian mill to...
, Bagicha Mills and Arvind Mills
Arvind Mills
Arvind Mills, the flagship company of the Lalbhai Group, is one of India's leading composite manufacturer of textiles. Its headquarters is in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It manufactures a range of cotton shirting, denim, knits and bottomweights fabrics. It is India's largest denim manufacturer ...
. By 1905 there were about 33 textile mills in the city. The textile industry further expanded rapidly during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and benefited from the influence of Mahatma Gandhi's Swadeshi movement
Swadeshi movement
The Swadeshi movement, part of the Indian independence movement, was an economic strategy aimed at removing the British Empire from power and improving economic conditions in India by following the principles of swadeshi , which had some success...
, which promoted the purchase of Indian-made goods. Ahmedabad was known as the "Manchester of the East", for its largely expanding realms of the textile industry.
Gujarat under the rule of Mr.Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi is the current Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat.He was born in a middle class family in Vadnagar; and is a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh since childhood, as also an active politician since early in life. He holds a masters degree in political...
has witnessed a rise in its Real Estate Sector. And Ahmedabad has become a hot spot for real estate development many developers are eyeing the Ahmedabad market for development of residential property.Recently Tata Housing Development Company
Tata Housing Development Company
Tata Housing Development Company is a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, a holding company of the Tata Group. Established in the year 1984 by the late JRD Tata. The company was revived in 2006 under the leadership of Brotin Banerjee, MD & CEO of Tata Housing Development Company Limited...
entered into a JV with Arvind Ltd for development of residential property. This is the largest development that TATA Housing will be undertaking.Ahmedabad will be next detroit of east, after TATA Nano project FORD,SUZUKI, Peugeot will establish their plant near ahmedabad.
It is believed that all governments of Gujarat chose to develop economy in Gandhinagar and thus neglected Ahmedabad in many ways. More over time to time riots, revolutions, movements slowed down the economic growth of Ahmedabad.
Ahmedabad is a thriving center for Chemical
Chemical industry
The chemical industry comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. Central to the modern world economy, it converts raw materials into more than 70,000 different products.-Products:...
and Pharmaceutical industries. Two of the biggest pharmaceutical companies of India—Zydus Cadila and Torrent Pharmaceuticals
Torrent Pharmaceuticals
Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is the flagship company of the Torrent Group. Based in Ahmedabad, it was promoted by U. N. Mehta initially as Trinity Laboratories Ltd. and was later renamed to its current name Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd....
—are based in the city. The city serves as the corporate headquarters of the Adani Group
Adani Group
The Adani Group is a Gujarat based Indian conglomerate with the industrialist Gautam Adani as its CMD and promoter. The core business of the group is Commodities Trading, edible oil Manufacturing, Mundra port operations and distribution of Natural Gas. Adani group has more than 50 companies under...
, which is a leading multinational trading and infrastructure development company. The Ahmedabad Stock Exchange
Ahmedabad Stock Exchange
Ahmedabad Stock Exchange or ASE is the second oldest exchange of India located in the city of Ahmedabad in the western part of the country. It is recognized by Securities Contract Act, 1956 as permanent stock exchange...
is located at Ambavadi area in the city. It is Ahmedabad's oldest and only Stock Exchange. The Nirma
Nirma
Nirma is a group of companies based in the city of Ahmedabad in western India that manufactures products ranging from cosmetics, soaps, detergents, salt, soda ash, LAB and Injectibles. Karsanbhai Patel, a well known entrepreneur and philanthropist of Gujarat, started Nirma as a one-man operation....
group of industries, which runs a large number of detergent and chemical industrial units, has its corporate headquarters in the city. In recent year many foreign companies have set up their sales offices and production facilities in Ahmedabad. Amongst them are Bosch Rexroth
Robert Bosch GmbH
Robert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
, Germany (hydraulic components); Stork
Stork N.V.
Stork B.V. is a Dutch manufacturing and service providing company with its headquarters in Naarden. It was founded in 1868 by Charles Theodoor Stork, although in the 20th century the company merged other companies some, including Werkspoor, founded in 1827 as Nederlandse Fabriek van Werktuigen en...
, Netherlands (textile machinery; joint venture with ATE, India's leading textile equipment trading house); Rollepaal
Rollepaal
Rollepaal BV is a Dutch manufacturer of pipe extrusion equipment .Originally Rollepaal was part of Wavin but independent since 2001 from Wavin....
, Netherlands (pipe extrusion equipment); and Johnson Pumps, Sweden.
The completion and operation of the Sardar Sarovar Project of dams and canals has improved the supply of potable water and electricity for the city. In recent years, the Gujarat government has increased investment in the modernisation of the city's infrastructure, providing for the construction of larger roads and improvements to water supply, electricity and communications. The information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
industry has developed significantly in Ahmedabad like Tata Consultancy Services
Tata Consultancy Services
Tata Consultancy Services Limited is a global IT services, business solutions and outsourcing company headquartered in Mumbai, India. It is the largest provider of information technology in Asia and second largest provider of business process outsourcing services in India...
opening its offices in the city as well as in Gandhinagar. A NASSCOM
NASSCOM
The National Association of Software and Services Companies of IT software and services related activities for use of both the software developers as well as interested companies overseas....
survey in 2002 on the "Super Nine Indian Destinations" for IT-enabled services ranked Ahmedabad fifth among the top nine most competitive cities in the country. City is the largest supplier of denim
Denim
Denim is a rugged cotton twill textile, in which the weft passes under two or more warp threads. This produces the familiar diagonal ribbing identifiable on the reverse of the fabric, which distinguishes denim from cotton duck. Denim has been in American usage since the late 18th century...
and one of the largest exporters of Gemstone
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
and Jewellery
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
in India.
GDP of Ahmedabad was 59 billion USD in 2010. The Government has started vibrant Gujarat program to attract more foreign investment. The states is fastest growing state in India at present. A diverse labour force of migrant workers from different parts of Gujarat and neighbouring states is integral to the economy of the city. These workers provide vital household labour and services for the city's large middle class. Ahmedabad plays a strong and significant role in providing commercial resources and market access for the economies of neighbouring cities. A majority of the working-age citizens of Ahmedabad are traders and business people. This has led to the creation of major mercantile corporations and Artisan
Artisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
s that are a key influence on the economic life of Gujarat. The city's educational and industrial institutions have attracted students and young skilled workers from the rest of India.
Demographics
As per the 2001 Indian census, the area under Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has a population of 3,520,085. The population of the Ahmedabad urban agglomeration (which includes the region governed by AUDA) was 4,525,013. Ahmedabad has a literacy rateLiteracy in India
Literacy in India is key for socio-economic progress, and the Indian literacy rate grew to 74.04% in 2011 from 12% at the end of British rule in 1947. Although this was a greater than sixfold improvement, the level is well below the world average literacy rate of 84%, and India currently has the...
of 79.89%, which is the Second highest in Gujarat After Gandhinagar With 87.11%; 87.81% males and 71.12% females are literate. According to the census for the Ninth Plan
Five-Year Plans of India
The economy of India is based in part on planning through its five-year plans, which are developed, executed and monitored by the Planning Commission. The tenth plan completed its term in March 2007 and the eleventh plan is currently underway...
, there are 30,737 rural families living in Ahmedabad. Of those, 5.41% (1663 families) live below the poverty line
Poverty threshold
The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country...
. Approximately 440,000 people live in slum
Slum
A slum, as defined by United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the...
s within the city. Ahmedabad is home to a large population of Vanias (i.e., traders), belonging to the Vaishnava sect of Hinduism and the sects of Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
. Most of the residents of Ahmedabad are native Gujaratis
Gujarati people
Gujarati people , or Gujaratis are an ethnic group that is traditionally Gujarati-speaking and can trace their ancestry to the state of Gujarat in western India...
.
Over 12% of the population is Muslim, numbering over 600 000 in the 2001 census.
Although Gujarati is spoken, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
is very commonly spoken, especially in commerce, education, politics, government, shops, and road signs. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report of 2003, Ahmedabad ranks 1st in the list of 35 Indian cities with a population of more than 10 lakh in the crime rate ratio and now ahmeda. City's main jail is Sabarmati Central Jail.
bad is also known as detroit of the east.
Since its initial founding, the city has attracted migrant workers from other areas of Gujarat, including Kutch
Kutch District
Kutch district is a district of Gujarat state in western India. Covering an area of 45,652 km², it is the largest district of India....
and Saurashtra, and from the neighbouring states of Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
and Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
as well as Hindus from the Pakistani province of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
. There is a sizeable population of Punjabis
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
, Marathis
Marathi people
The Marathi people or Maharashtrians are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, that inhabit the Maharashtra region and state of western India. Their language Marathi is part of the southern group of Indo-Aryan languages...
, Telugu
Telugu people
The Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
, Tamils
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
, Sindhis
Sindhi people
Sindhis are a Sindhi speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating from Sindh, a province Formerly of British India, now in Pakistan. Today Sindhis that live in Pakistan belong to various religious denominations including Islam, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity...
, Malayali
Malayali
Malayali is the term used to refer to the native speakers of Malayalam, originating from the Indian state of Kerala...
s and Marwaris
Marwaris
Marwari or Marwadi or Rajasthani people are Indian ethnic group, that inhabit the Rajasthan region of India. Their language Rajasthani is a part of the western group of Indo-Aryan languages....
, who bring their native language and culture to the city. The most recent arrivals are people from Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
who mainly work as labourers and are attracted to Gujarat due to greater industrialisation and more employment than their native states. In addition to this, the city is home to some 2000 Parsis and some 300 members of Bene Israel
Bene Israel
The Bene Israel are a group of Jews who migrated in the 19th century from villages in the Konkan area to the nearby Indian cities, primarily Mumbai, but also to Pune, and Ahmedabad. Prior to these waves of emigrations and to this day, the Bene Israel formed the largest sector of the subcontinent's...
Jews community.
There are 2273 registered NRI's from Ahmedabad.
Slightly less than half of all real estate in Ahmedabad is owned by "community organizations" (i.e. cooperatives), and "the spatial growth of the city is to the extent contribution of these organizations." Ahmedabad Cantonment
Ahmedabad Cantonment
Ahmedabad Cantonment is a cantonment town of the city of Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat in India. It serves as a military base and residential establishment. It was established by the British Indian Army in 19th century British India, and taken over by the Indian Army in 1947...
also provides residential zones for Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
officials.
Festivals
Ahmedabad enjoys a thriving cultural tradition, being the centre of Gujarati cultural activities and diverse traditions of different ethnic and religious communities. Popular celebrations and observances include UttarayanUttarayana
Uttarāyaṇa , or Uttarayana, is the six-month period between Makar Sankranti and Karka Sankranti , when the sun travels towards the north on the celestial sphere. The name Uttarayana comes from joining two different Sanskrit words "Uttara" and "ayana"...
—an annual kite-flying day on 14 and 15 January. The nine nights of Navratri are celebrated with people performing Garba
Garba (dance)
Garba is an Indian form of dance that originated in the Gujarat region. The name garba comes from the Sanskrit term Garbha and Deep . Many traditional garbas are performed around a central lit lamp or picture/statues of different avatars of Goddess Shakti...
—the folk dance of Gujarat—at venues across the city. The festival of lights—Deepavali
Diwali
Diwali or DeepavaliThe name of the festival in various regional languages include:, , , , , , , , , , , , , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-December for different reasons...
is celebrated with the lighting of lamps in every house, the decorating the floors with the rangoli
Rangoli
Rangoli is a traditional decorative folk art from India. These are decorative designs made on floors of living rooms and courtyards during Hindu festivals and are meant as sacred welcoming areas for the Hindu deities. The ancient symbols have been passed on through the ages, from each generation to...
and the bursting of firecrackers. Other festivals such as Holi
Holi
Holi , is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. Holi is also known as festival of Colours. It is primarily observed in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and countries with large Indic diaspora populations following Hinduism, such as Suriname, Malaysia, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad, United...
, Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi , also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is the Hindu festival of Ganesha also called Vinayagar in Tamil Nadu, the son of Shiva and Parvati, who is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival...
, Gudi Padwa
Gudi Padwa
Gudi Padwa or Gudhi Padwa , is the Marathi name for the Hindu holiday of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. It is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month to mark the beginning of the New year according to the lunisolar Hindu calendar...
, Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
and Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
are celebrated with enthusiasm. The annual Rath Yatra
Rath Yatra
Ratha Yatra is a huge Hindu festival associated with Lord Jagannath held at Puri in the state of Orissa, India during the months of June or July. Most of the city's society is based around the worship of Jagannath with the ancient temple being the fulcrum of the area...
procession on the Ashadh-sud-bij date of the Hindu calendar
Hindu calendar
The hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization, and today there are several regional Indian calendars, as well as an Indian national calendar. Nepali calendar, Bengali calendar, Malayalam calendar, Tamil calendar, Telugu calendar, Kannada...
and the procession of Tajia during the Muslim holy month of Muharram
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
are integral parts of the city's culture.
Cuisine
The people of Ahmedabad are fond of eating and enjoy rich culinary traditionsIndian cuisine
Indian cuisine consists of thousands of regional cuisines which date back thousands of years. The dishes of India are characterised by the extensive use of various Indian spices, herbs, vegetables and fruit. Indian cuisine is also known for the widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society...
. The most popular form of meal—a typical Gujarati thali—consists of rotli
Roti
Roti is generally a South Asian bread made from stoneground wholemeal flour, traditionally known as atta flour, that originated and is consumed in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It is also consumed in parts of the Southern Caribbean, particularly in Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and...
, dal
Dal
Dal is a preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi cuisine...
, rice and shaak (cooked vegetables, sometimes with curry
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
), with accompaniments of pickles and roasted papads. Popular beverages include buttermilk
Buttermilk
Buttermilk refers to a number of dairy drinks. Originally, buttermilk was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cream. It also refers to a range of fermented milk drinks, common in warm climates where unrefrigerated fresh milk otherwise sours quickly...
and tea; sweet dishes include laddoos
Laddu
Laddu or Laddoo is a ball-shaped sweet popular in South Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh as well as countries with immigrants from South Asia. Laddu is made of flour and sugar with other ingredients that vary by recipe...
and mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
. There are many restaurants, which serve a wide array of Indian and international cuisines.
Most of the food outlets serve only vegetarian food, as a strong tradition of vegetarianism
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
is maintained by the city's Jain and Hindu communities. The first all-vegetarian Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
in the world opened in Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad is only city where Marriott group hotel has exclusive veg restaurant in the world. Before McDonald restaurant opened in Ahmedabad, the company called Gujarati journalists to Mumbai and convinced them that McDonald would use separate kitchen for veg and non-veg food in its Gujarat outlets.
Manek Chowk
Manek Chowk
Manek Chowk is bustling open square near the center of Ahmedabad, functions as a vegetable market in the morning and a jewellery market in the afternoon, the second biggest in India, at an apparently 3 million rupees of annual turnover...
bustling open square near the center of the city functions as a vegetable market in the morning and a jewellery market in the afternoon. However, it is most famous for its food stalls that start to emerge around 8 in the evening, with various local street snacks and goodies. Out of all Pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
Sandwich
Sandwich
A sandwich is a food item, typically consisting of two or more slices of :bread with one or more fillings between them, or one slice of bread with a topping or toppings, commonly called an open sandwich. Sandwiches are a widely popular type of lunch food, typically taken to work or school, or...
& Gwalia Dhosa are world famous.
Ahmedabad has quite a few good restaurants serving typical Mughlai non-vegetarian food in the old city areas like Bhatiyar Gali, Kalupur and Jamalpur. The old city has bakeries well known for making all kind of nankhatais (cookies) and very good naan (bread). In the new city, one can also find the North American restaurants like McDonald's and Subway.
Art and Literature
Parts of Ahmedabad are known for their speciality of folk art. The Paldi area is famous for shops selling works of embroidery from the KutchKutch District
Kutch district is a district of Gujarat state in western India. Covering an area of 45,652 km², it is the largest district of India....
and Saurashtra regions. The artisans of Rangeela pol
Pol (housing)
A pol is a housing cluster which comprises many families of a particular group, linked by caste, profession, or religion. Pols are typical of urban centres in Gujarat especially of Ahmedabad....
are famous for making bandhinis (tie and dye work), while the cobbler shops of Madhupura sell traditional mojri footwear. High-quality idols of Ganesha
Ganesha
Ganesha , also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh, also known as Ganapati , Vinayaka , and Pillaiyar , is one of the deities best-known and most widely worshipped in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India and Nepal. Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations...
and other religious icons are made in huge numbers in the Gulbai Tekra area. The shops at the Law Garden
Law Garden
Law Garden is a public garden in the city of Ahmedabad, India. The market outside the garden is very famous for the handicraft goods sold by local people. The road at the side of the garden is filled with street hawkers selling all kinds of food items....
are famous for their mirror work handicraft. Victorian architecture
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
is showcased in most college, railway station and government buildings, mainly constructed during the colonial period.
Many Gujarati intellectuals migrated to Ahmedabad due to its prosperity. Three main literary institutions were established in Ahmedabad for the promotion of Gujarati literature
Gujarati literature
The history of Gujarati literature may be traced to 1000 AD, and this literature has flourished since then to the present. It is unique in having almost no patronage from a ruling dynasty, other than its composers...
—Gujarat Vidhya Sabha
Gujarat Vidhya Sabha
Gujarat Vidhya Sabha, originally called The Gujarat Vernacular Society is a literary institution for the promotion of Gujarati literature located in the city of Ahmedabad, India. It was founded by a British judge Alexander Forbes in 1848...
, Gujarati Sahitya Parishad
Gujarati Sahitya Parishad
Gujarati Sahitya Parishad is a literary institution for the promotion of Gujarati literature located in the city of Ahmedabad, India. It was founded by Ranjitram Mehta with an aim of creating literature appealing to all classes of the society and cultivate a literary sense among the people...
and Gujarat Sahitya Sabha
Gujarat Sahitya Sabha
Gujarat Sahitya Sabha, originally called the Social and Literary Association is a literary institution for the promotion of Gujarati literature located in the city of Ahmedabad, India. It was founded by Ranjitram Vavabhai Mehta in 1898...
. Musicians and instrumentalists from across the world come to perform at the popular classical music festival held each 1 January by the Saptak School of Music
Saptak School of Music
The Saptak School of Music is a major institution in Ahmedabad, India, imparting classical music and performing arts education.- External links :*...
. The Sanskar Kendra
Sanskar Kendra
Sanskar Kendra is a museum located in the city of Ahmedabad in India. Designed by the renowned architect Le Corbusier, it is a city museum depicting history, art, culture and architecture of Ahmedabad. The campus is located at the junction of Sardar Bridge and the River Sabarmati.The museum rests...
—one of the many buildings in Ahmedabad designed by Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
—is a city museum depicting history, art, culture and architecture of Ahmedabad. The Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya
Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya
The Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya is a museum and public service institution dedicated to preserve the work and memory and commemorate the life of Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. It is located in Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, as well as in the state of West Bengal...
and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial
The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial is a museum and exhibition centre dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, an Indian independence activist and political leader, at the Moti Shahi Mahal, located in Shahibaug, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The Moti Shahi Mahal is surrounded by the Sardar Open...
have a permanent display of photographs, documents and other articles of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. The Calico Museum of Textiles
Calico Museum of Textiles
The Calico Museum of Textiles is located in the city of Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat in western India.The museum is managed by the Sarabhai Foundation and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ahmedabad.-History:...
has a large collection of Indian and international fabrics, garments and textiles. Ahmedabad maintains a strong popular literary tradition in large public libraries maintained by the literary societies, research and government institutions and colleges. The Hazrat Pir Mohammad Shah Library
Hazrat Pir Mohammad Shah Library
The Hazrat Pir Mohammed Shah Library is located in Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, India. One of the oldest libraries in India, it has a collection of rare original manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Sindhi and Turkish languages....
has a collection of rare original manuscripts in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, Sindhi
Sindhi language
Sindhi is the language of the Sindh region of Pakistan that is spoken by the Sindhi people. In India, it is among 22 constitutionally recognized languages, where Sindhis are a sizeable minority. It is spoken by 53,410,910 people in Pakistan, according to the national government's Statistics Division...
and Turkish language
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
s.
Sports
CricketCricket in India
Cricket is the most popular sport in India; it is played by many people in open spaces throughout the country though it is not the nation's official national sport . The India national cricket team won the 1983 Cricket World Cup, the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, and the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and...
is the most popular sport in the city. Sardar Patel Stadium
Sardar Patel Stadium
Sardar Patel Stadium is one of the premier Cricket stadiums of India located in the Motera locality of Ahmedabad. Because of its location, the stadium is commonly called Motera Stadium to avoid confusion with another stadium of the same name in Navrangpura locality of Ahmedabad. Sardar Patel...
, built in 1982, hosts both One Day Internationals and test matches
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
. The stadium also hosted the 1987, 1996 and 2011 Cricket World Cup
Cricket World Cup
The ICC Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of men's One Day International cricket. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council , with preliminary qualification rounds leading up to a finals tournament which is held every four years...
s. Ahmedabad also has a second cricket stadium at the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's Sports Club of Gujarat
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad
Sardar Patel Stadium is an Indian sports stadium located in the Navrangpura locality of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It is sometimes referred as Sports Club of Gujarat Stadium. The stadium holds the honor of hosting the first ever One Day International match played in India...
which is the home ground of the Gujarat cricket team
Gujarat cricket team
The Gujarat cricket team is one of three Ranji Trophy cricket teams representing the state of Gujarat . It was in the Elite Group of the Ranji Trophy although it has had very little success. There have, however, been many cricketers that have passed through its ranks and gone on to play for the...
that plays in domestic tournament of Ranji Trophy
Ranji Trophy
The Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between different city and state sides, equivalent to the County Championship in England and the Sheffield Shield in Australia...
. City is represented by Ahmedabad Rockets
Ahmedabad Rockets
Ahmedabad Rockets was one of the nine teams played in the defunct Indian Cricket League. The captain is former Australian international batsman Damien Martyn...
in Indian Cricket League
Indian Cricket League
The Indian Cricket League was a private cricket league funded by Zee Entertainment Enterprises that operated between 2007 and 2009 in India...
which is played in Twenty20
Twenty20
Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in England for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2003. A Twenty20 game involves two teams, each has a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. Twenty20 cricket is also known as T20 cricket...
format of the game. Other sports gaining popularity are field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
. Ahmedabad currently has three golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s. Mithakhali Multi Sports Complex is being developed by the AMC to promote various indoor sports. There has been a significant increase in recent years in the number of private sports clubs, gymkhana
Gymkhana
Gymkhana is a typical Anglo-Indian expression, which is derived from the Hindi-Urdu word for "racket court," is an Indian term which originally referred to a place where sporting events take place. The meaning then altered to denote a place where skill-based contests were held...
s, gymnasia and sports teams sponsored by corporations, private associations, schools and colleges. Young people congregate in the evenings to play cricket and football at numerous public and neighbourhood grounds. Recently Ahmedabad hosted national level games for roller skating
Roller skating
Roller skating is the traveling on smooth surfaces with roller skates. It is a form of recreation as well as a sport, and can also be a form of transportation. Skates generally come in two basic varieties: quad roller skates and inline skates or blades, though some have experimented with a...
and Table Tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
. Kart racing
Kart racing
Kart racing or karting is a variant of open-wheel motorsport with small, open, four-wheeled vehicles called karts, go-karts, or gearbox/shifter karts depending on the design. They are usually raced on scaled-down circuits...
is fast gaining popularity in the city, with facility of 380 meter long track based on Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
concept. In 2007, Ahmedabad hosted the 51st national level shooting
Shooting sports
A shooting sport is a competitive sport involving tests of proficiency using various types of guns such as firearms and airguns . Hunting is also a shooting sport, and indeed shooting live pigeons was an Olympic event...
games. Geet Sethi
Geet Sethi
Geet Siriram Sethi of India is a professional player of English billiards who dominated the sport throughout much of the 1990s, and a notable amateur snooker player. He is a six-time winner of the professional-level and a three-time winner of the amateur World Championships, and holder of two...
, a five-time winner of the World Professional Billiards Championship
World Professional Billiards Championship
The World Billiards Championship is an international cue sports tournament in the discipline of English billiards. It has been played annually since 1980, is one of the oldest sporting World Championships in the world, dating in earnest to the mid-19th century...
and a recipient of India's highest sporting award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna is India’s highest honour given for achievement in sports. The words "Khel Ratna" literally mean "Sports Gem" in Hindi. The award is named after the late Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India. It carries a medal, a scroll of honour and a substantial cash...
, hails from Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad has produced cricketer such as Parthiv Patel
Parthiv Patel
Parthiv Ajay Patel is an Indian cricketer, wicketkeeper-batsman, and a member of the Indian national cricket team. He is a left-handed batsman. He got married in 2008 to Avni Zaveri.- ODI career :...
who have been members of the Indian cricket team. Tejas Bakre, a chess grandmaster, is from Ahmedabad.
Air
The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International AirportSardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is India's eighth busiest airport with an average of 250 aircraft movements a day. It services the metropolitan areas of two cities in the State of Gujarat - Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. The airport is located from the Ahmedabad Railway Station. It is...
is located 15 km from the city centre and 8 km from Ahmedabad Railway station and Bus stand. It serves both domestic and international flights to and from Ahmedabad and the neighboring cities of Surendranagar, Mehsana
Mehsana
Mahesana is a city and municipality in Mehsana district, in the Indian state of Gujarat.-City and surrounding area:Situated near Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, Mehsana is one of the largest cities in North Gujarat; followed by Patan and Palanpur. A number of primary industries including dairy, oil...
, and Nadiad
Nadiad
Nadiad is a city and an administrative center of the Kheda district in the Indian state of Gujarat.The city is famous for its socio-educational-religious humanitarian services led by Santram Mandir and supported by institutions of higher learning such as Dharamsinh Desai University, Muljibhai...
. The airport connects the city with destinations across India and the world (Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
, Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Sharjah
Sharjah (city)
Sharjah is the third largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula.Sharjah is the seat of government of the emirate of Sharjah...
, Dammam
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
, Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
, Hongkong, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
).
It is the busiest airport in Gujarat, and the eighth busiest in India with an average of 250 aircraft movements a day. In 2008 the airport served 5,372,259 passengers. It is expected to handle six million passengers in 2010 and nine million in 2012, including both domestic and international passengers. Nearly all domestic airlines serve Ahmedabad, as do several international ones. A new international terminal coast of $31.6 million has been built to handle increased international air traffic.
Rail
Ahmedabad is one of the six operating divisions of the Western RailwayWestern Railway (India)
The Western Railway is one of the 16 zones of Indian Railways, and is among the busiest railway networks in India. The major railway routes of Indian Railways which come under Western Railways are: Ratlam - Mumbai Central, Surat - Mumbai, Surat - Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad - Vadodara and Palanpur -...
. Railway lines connect the city to all towns in Gujarat and other major Indian cities like Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
, Bhopal, Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
, Jabalpur, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad
Dhanbad
Dhanbad features climate that is transitional between a humid subtropical climate and a tropical wet and dry climate. Summer starts from last week of March and ends in mid-June. Peak temperature in summer can reach 47oC. Dhanbad also receives heavy rainfall...
, Vadodara
Vadodara
Vadodara formerly known as Baroda is the third most populated city in the Indian State of Gujarat . It is one of the four cities with the population of over 1 million...
, Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
, Rajkot, Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
, Hyderabad, Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
etc. The Ahmedabad Railway Station
Ahmedabad Railway Station
Ahmedabad Railway Station is the main railway station of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is also the biggest & busiest railway station within Gujarat...
, locally known as Kalupur Station is the city's main terminus; Ahmedabad's other stations are Maninagar
Maninagar Railway Station
The Maninagar Railway Station is a major railway station in Ahmedabad, India....
, Vatva, Gandhigram, Asarva, Chandlodia, Kali gam, Vastrapur, Sabarmati, Sarkhej, Naroda, Aamli.
With the help of Ministry of Railways
Ministry of Railways (India)
The Ministry of Railways in India is in charge of the Indian Railways, an organisation that operates as a monopoly in rail transport in India. Dinesh Trivedi is the current minister responsible for railways....
, state government has planned a sub-urban rail system for Ahmedabad on the existing lines of Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
between Barjedi in south to Kalol in north and from Kalupur to Naroda.
Road
National Highway 8Indian National Highway 8
National Highway 8 , is a National Highway in India that connects the Indian capital city of New Delhi with the Indian Financial capital city of Mumbai. The highway passes through the State capitals of Gandhinagar and Jaipur, as well as important cities like Gurgaon, Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara....
, linking Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, passes though Ahmedabad connecting it with Gandhinagar, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. The National Highway 8C
National Highway 8C (India)
National Highway 8C is a short Indian National Highway entirely within the state of Gujarat. NH 8C links Chiloda with Sarkhej and is long.-See also:...
links Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar. It is connected to Vadodara
Vadodara
Vadodara formerly known as Baroda is the third most populated city in the Indian State of Gujarat . It is one of the four cities with the population of over 1 million...
through National Expressway 1, a 94 km (58.4 mi) long highway with only two exits. This expressway is part of the Golden Quadrilateral
Golden Quadrilateral
The Golden Quadrilateral is a highway network connecting India's four largest metropolises: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, thus forming a quadrilateral of sorts. Four other top ten metropolises: Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Surat, are also served by the network...
project.
Ahmedabad's main traffic arteries are the Ashram Road
Ashram Road
The Ashram Road is one of the major roads in the city of Ahmedabad in India. A major portion of the road runs parallel to the Sabarmati. The road is a major financial hub of the city with the offices of the Reserve Bank of India and the Income Tax department located on the road...
, C. G. Road
C. G. Road
The Chiman Lal Girdhar Lal Road, colloquially the C. G. Road, is one of the main & posh roads of Ahmedabad. It has been ranked as the costliest retail location in the city....
, Relief Road and SG Highway. The SG Highway or Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway
Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway
The Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, colloquially the "S.G. Road", connects the city of Ahmedabad with Gandhinagar, the capital of the state of Gujarat, India. It forms the major part of NH 8C that connects Sarkhej with Chiloda near Gandhinagar. It is a major artery of commerce and public transport,...
is also known as Ahmedabad's growth symbol. Transportation For Gandhinagar is available for 24 hours from SG highway. Auto rickshaw
Auto rickshaw
An auto rickshaw or three-wheeler is a usually three-wheeled cabin cycle for private use and as a vehicle for hire. It is a motorized version of the traditional pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw...
s, Share Autos and buses are the most popular forms of public transport. The Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service
Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service
Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service or AMTS runs the public bus service in the city of Ahmedabad in India. At present, AMTS has 750 buses servicing the city. In addition AMTS is also responsible for 50 BRTS buses, and 100 feeder buses...
(AMTS) runs the local bus service in the city. In 2005, AMTS began a drive to convert all of its petrol and diesel engine buses to run on compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill...
engines to reduce the effects of air pollution. AMTS runs 750 buses. Bicycles and motorcycles are a popular medium of transport with the city's young people and students.
In 2001, Ahmedabad was ranked as the topmost polluted city in India, out of 85 cities, by the Central Pollution Control Board. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board
Gujarat Pollution Control Board
The Government of Gujarat constituted the Gujarat Pollution Control Board on October 15, 1974 with a view to protect the environment, prevent and control the pollution of water in the State of Gujarat, that occupies a prominent niche in progressive and industrial development of the country...
gave auto rickshaw drivers an incentive of Rs. 10,000 to convert all 37,733 auto rickshaws in Ahmedabad to cleaner burning compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill...
to reduce pollution. As a result, in 2008, Ahmedabad was ranked as 50th most polluted city in India.
Ahmedabad BRTS
Ahmedabad BRTSAhmedabad BRTS
Ahmedabad BRTS is a highly ambitious rapid transport system developed by Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board for the city of Ahmedabad, recognizing that no single mode would cater to the mobility needs of the city and that ‘Bus’ forms the most critical segment of the public transport system...
is a Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
system for the city, maintained by the Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL). Ahmedabad BRTS is the most successful BRTS project in India compare to Delhi and Pune. Ahmedabad BRTS
Ahmedabad BRTS
Ahmedabad BRTS is a highly ambitious rapid transport system developed by Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board for the city of Ahmedabad, recognizing that no single mode would cater to the mobility needs of the city and that ‘Bus’ forms the most critical segment of the public transport system...
wins the 2010 Most Sustainable Transport Award in the world. A part of the first phase connecting RTO to Pirana was inaugurated by Chief Minister Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi is the current Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat.He was born in a middle class family in Vadnagar; and is a member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh since childhood, as also an active politician since early in life. He holds a masters degree in political...
on 14 October 2009 and the second half of the first phase connecting Chandranagar to Pushpa Kunj gate at Kankaria
Kankaria
Kankaria is the biggest lake in Ahmedabad . Many kings, or badshah, used to bathe in this lake. With an approximate circumference of 1.4 miles , it represents the regale history of Ahmedabad...
was inaugurated on 25 December 2009. Remaining phases are under construction and will be operational by mid 2010.
The BRTS is modelled on the international standards and proved to be highly affordable and effective in operation. It has revolutionised the system of public transport in the city. The buses are comfortable and technically advanced. The system has dedicated corridors running along the middle of the city roads in which no other vehicles are allowed.
Ahmedabad Metro
Gujarat Government and Ahmedabad Mahanagar Sevasadan had initiated the Ahmedabad MetroAhmedabad Metro
Metrolink Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad is the proposed mass-transit rail system for the cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, India....
feasibility study.
As per latest development, the state government has proposed that 10.9 KM East-West metro line will be shifted from Income Tax—Shahpur Darwaza—Delhi Darwaza—Prem Darwaza—Kalupur Line towards Relief Road and wants it to be underground. Special Hydraulic platform with a small gradient that would gradually take a stationary metro train to the tunnel level on Relief Road—Kalupur stretch is also being proposed for this line.
Education
Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board
The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board or GSEB is a government of Gujarat body responsible for determining the policy-related, administrative, cognitive, and intellectual direction the state's higher educational system takes....
. A few schools are affiliated to the Central Board for Secondary Education, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations is a private, non-governmental board of school education in India. It conducts two examinations in India: the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education and the Indian School Certificate...
, International Baccalaureate
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
and National Institute of Open School
National Institute of Open Schooling
The National Institute of Open Schooling , is the Board of Education for open schools in India. It was established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government of India in 1989 to provide education inexpensively to remote areas...
. Among them prominent ones are H.B.Kapadia, Delhi Public School, AIS etc. A large number of colleges in the city are affiliated with Gujarat University
Gujarat University
The Gujarat University is the statewide institution affiliating many reputed colleges across the state of Gujarat, India. It has been given a B++ ranking by National Assessment and Accreditation Council .-History:...
. Other deemed universities
Deemed University
Deemed university is a status of autonomy granted to high performing institutes and departments of various universities in India. This status of ‘Deemed-to-be-University’, is granted by Department of Higher Education, Union Human Resource Development Ministry, on the advice of the University Grants...
in Ahmedabad include the Nirma University of Science & Technology
Nirma University of Science & Technology
Nirma University of Science and Technology popularly known as NU is an autonomous university located in Ahmedabad, India. It functions under the aegis of Nirma Education and Research Foundation .-History:...
and the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University is a public institution of higher learning in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It provides courses and degree programs through distance education mode and other flexible mediums for its students. It is named after Indian political leader Dr...
. The Gujarat Vidyapith
Gujarat Vidyapith
The Gujarat Vidyapith is a major university located in Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat in India. It was founded in 1920 by Mohandas Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement...
was established in 1920 by Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
without a charter from the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
and became a deemed university
Deemed University
Deemed university is a status of autonomy granted to high performing institutes and departments of various universities in India. This status of ‘Deemed-to-be-University’, is granted by Department of Higher Education, Union Human Resource Development Ministry, on the advice of the University Grants...
in 1963. Other institutions such as the Indian Institute of Management
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad , better known as IIM Ahmedabad or simply IIM-A, is a business school located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is the second Indian Institute of Management to be established, in 1961.-History:...
, the Adani Institute of Infrastructure Management
Adani Institute of Infrastructure Management
AIIM campus is on Sarkhej-Gandhinagar highway near Ahmedabad .-Programme in infrastructure management:...
, the National Institute of Design
National Institute of Design
The article for the postgraduate campus can be found at National Institute of Design Gandhinagar and National Institute of Design BangaloreNational Institute of Design is a design school in India. The institute functions as an autonomous body under the Department of Industrial Policy and...
, the Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University
Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University
Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University is a private university established by Gujarat Energy Research & Management Institute through a State Act. At present, the university has in total six schools and two centres: The current Director General of PDPU is Prof...
, the Mudra Institute of Communications
Mudra Institute of Communications Ahmedabad
Mudra Institute of Communications Ahmedabad is an academic institution for professional communications management skills in India. Established in 1991, it is located on the outskirts of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad and is known to be one of the most prestigious institutes offering the...
, the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India
Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India
The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India , an autonomous and not-for-profit Institute, set up in 1983, is sponsored by apex financial institutions - the IDBI Bank Ltd., IFCI Ltd., ICICI Bank Ltd. and State Bank of India...
, B.J. Medical College
B.J. Medical College
B.J. Medical College is a premier medical college in Ahmedabad, India. There is also a BJ Medical College in Pune, India. It was originally founded as Ahmedabad Medical School in 1871. But, after the donation of Sir Byramjee Jeejeebhoy in 1879, the school was renamed as B.J. Medical School...
, NHL Municipal Medical College are located in Ahmedabad.
Lalbhai Dalpatram College of Engineering
Lalbhai Dalpatbhai College of Engineering , located in Ahmedabad, is an engineering college in India . It was established in 1948 by Kasturbhai Lalbhai, and is named after his father. It is administered by the Department of Technical Education Government of Gujarat...
is a premier engineering college in Gujarat State, set with the objectives of imparting higher education in various fields of engineering. At present it runs 14 undergraduate, 12-post graduate and 4 part-time programs.
Center for Environmental Planning and Technology
Center for Environmental Planning and Technology
Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology University is an academic institution located in Ahmedabad, India offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in areas of natural and developed environment of human society and related disciplines.-History:The , a premier educational body...
is a premier academic institute located in Ahmedabad. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in the areas of natural and built environment and related disciplines. Recognised as one of the finest institutes of learning in the country, CEPT University currently offers three undergraduate degree programs and nineteen postgraduate programs in the fields of design and architecture, planning and public policy, arts and humanities, technology, geomatics and space applications, environment and climate change studies,Infrastructure Engineering and Management (www.cept.ac.in/miem).
Many national academic and scientific institutions, such as the Physical Research Laboratory
Physical Research Laboratory
The Physical Research Laboratory is a national Research Institute for space and allied sciences, supported mainly by Department of Space, Government of India. This research laboratory has ongoing research programmes in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Sciences and Aeronomy, Earth Sciences,...
, the Indian Space Research Organisation
Indian Space Research Organisation
The Indian Space Research Organisation is an independent Indian governmental agency established in 1969 for the research and development of vehicles and activities for the exploration of space within and outside of Earth’s atmosphere. Headquartered in Bangalore...
, were established in the 1960s largely through the efforts of prominent astrophysicist and industrialist Vikram Sarabhai
Vikram Sarabhai
Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was an Indian physicist. He is considered to be the father of the Indian space program; legendary Homi Bhabha’s successor as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission; and was as at home in the world of the arts as in his favourite laboratory. His interests were vast and...
. The Ahmedabad Management Association
Ahmedabad Management Association
The Ahmedabad Management Association or AMA is located in Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, India. It is an approved Institution for Management Training by the Government of Gujarat. It is a recognized scientific and industrial research organization under Department of Scientific and Industrial...
is a notable institution established to impart management training and experience to young students and professionals. The campus was opened with a plan to offer 100 courses in various technical disciplines. The Indian Institute of Public Health offers in-service training and courses in public health besides assisting the government in health related activities.
The National Institute of Design
National Institute of Design
The article for the postgraduate campus can be found at National Institute of Design Gandhinagar and National Institute of Design BangaloreNational Institute of Design is a design school in India. The institute functions as an autonomous body under the Department of Industrial Policy and...
(NID) is internationally acclaimed as one of the foremost multi-disciplinary institutions in the field of design education and research. NID has been a pioneer in industrial design education after Bauhaus and Ulm in Germany and is known for its pursuit of design excellence to make Designed in India, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad , better known as IIM Ahmedabad or simply IIM-A, is a business school located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. It is the second Indian Institute of Management to be established, in 1961.-History:...
(also known as IIMA), was ranked as the top business school in India according to the Business Today. B-School Rankings in 2007-08 and the ET B-school Survey 2007. It is now labelled as the toughest MBA programmes in the world to gain admission to as over 200,000 people apply each year for the entrance exam to get into roughly 250 places.
Media
Newspapers in Ahmedabad include Hindi dailies as Herald Young Leader, Metro Herald, and English dailies such as The Times of IndiaThe Times of India
The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
, Indian Express, DNA, The Economic Times
The Economic Times
The Economic Times is an English-language Indian daily newspaper published by the Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.. The Economic Times was started in 1961. It is the most popular and widely read financial daily in India, read by more than 8 lakh people...
and The Financial Express, AM. Newspapers in vernacular languages (Gujarati and Hindi) include Divya Bhaskar
Divya Bhaskar
Divya Bhaskar is a Gujarati newspaper in Gujarat, India, owned by D B Corp Ltd.. It is the largest circulated Gujarati daily, with the most number of editions in Gujarat.- Launch :...
, Gujarat Samachar
Gujarat Samachar
Gujarat Samachar is the numero uno daily newspaper in Gujarat. It is published in Gujarati and its main office is in Ahmedabad. It has one branch in Surat as well.-External links:*...
, Sandesh
Sandesh (newspaper)
Sandesh is a Leading daily newspaper in Gujarat. It is published in Gujarati. Sandesh started its journey in the world of Journalism in 1923. Since then, it has flourished into 5 editions and has played a critical and vital role in the upliftment and welfare of five crore Gujaratis. It covers the...
, Rajasthan Patrika
Rajasthan Patrika
Rajasthan Patrika is a Hindi language daily newspaper published from Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Udaipur, Kota and other cities of Rajasthan and from major Indian cities such as Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur , Raipur, Ahmedabad, Gwalior, Kolkata, Chennai, New Delhi and Bangalore.-History:Rajasthan...
and Metro. A large number of magazines, periodicals and journals are published from Ahmedabad. The city is home to the historic Navajivan Publishing House
Navajivan Trust
Navajivan Trust is a publishing house based out of Ahmedabad, India. It was founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1929 and has published more than 800 titles in English, Gujarati, Hindi and other languages to date....
—founded in 1919 by Mahatma Gandhi. The Gujarat film
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
and television
Television in India
Television is one of the major mass media of India and is a huge industry and has thousands of programmes in all the states of India. The small screen has produced numerous celebrities of their own kind some even attaining national fame. TV soaps are extremely popular with housewives as well as...
industry has a small but significant presence in the city.
The state-owned All India Radio Ahmedabad is broadcast both on the medium wave and FM bands in the city. It competes with six private local FM stations—Radio Mirchi
Radio Mirchi
Radio Mirchi is a nationwide network of private FM radio stations in India. It is owned by the Entertainment Network India Ltd , which is one of the subsidiaries of The Times Group....
(98.3 MHz), Radio City
Radio City
Radio City can refer to several things:* Radio City , 1974 album by Big Star* Radio City * Radio City 96.7, an independent radio station in Liverpool** Radio City Tower, a radio and observation tower in Liverpool...
(91.1 MHz), My fm (94.3 MHz), Radio One (95.0 MHz), Gyan Vaani (104.5 MHz) and S FM (93.51 MHz). Satellite radio
Satellite radio
Satellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...
was launched in the city by WorldSpace
WorldSpace
1worldspace, formerly known as 'WorldSpace', is a currently defunct satellite radio network that provided service to over 170,000 subscribers in eastern and southern Africa, the Middle East, and much of Asia with 96% coming from India...
in 2005. The state-owned television broadcaster Doordarshan
DoorDarshan
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
provides free terrestrial channels, while two multi system operator
Multi system operator
A Multiple System Operator or Multi System Operator is an operator of multiple cable television systems. A cable system in the United States, by Federal Communications Commission definition, is a facility serving a single community or a distinct governmental entity, each with its own franchise...
—InCablenet
InCablenet
InCablenet is one of the largest cable broadcasting companies in India. It provides cable television, internet, and telecommunications services for major cities such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Delhi. InCablenet is part of the Media division in Hinduja Group called IndusInd Media & Communications Ltd....
and Siti Cable
Siti Cable
Siti Cable is a major cable broadcasting and telecommunications company in India, which provides cable television, cell phone and internet services in major cities such as Kolkata, Mumbai, Banglore, Ahmedabad, Kochi and Trivandrum...
—provide a mix of Gujarati, Hindi, English, and other regional channels via cable
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
. Direct broadcast satellite
Direct broadcast satellite
Direct broadcast satellite is a term used to refer to satellite television broadcasts intended for home reception.A designation broader than DBS would be direct-to-home signals, or DTH. This has initially distinguished the transmissions directly intended for home viewers from cable television...
is yet to gain popularity in Ahmedabad. A network of optical fibre
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
cables connects almost the entire city. The city's telephone services are provided by landline and mobile operators such as BSNL
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited is a state-owned telecommunications company headquartered in New Delhi, India. It is the largest provider of fixed telephony and fourth largest mobile telephony provider in India, and is also a provider of broadband services...
, Reliance CDMA & Reliance GSM
Reliance Communications
Reliance Communications Ltd. is an Indian broadband and telecommunications company headquartered in Navi Mumbai, India. RCOM is the world's 16th largest mobile phone operator with over 144 million subscribers. Established on 2004, a subsidiary of the Reliance Group...
, Airtel
Bharti Airtel
Bharti Airtel Limited , commonly known as Airtel, is an Indian telecommunications company that operates in 20 countries across South Asia, Africa and the Channel Islands. It operates a GSM network in all countries, providing 2G or 3G services depending upon the country of operation...
, Uninor
Uninor
Uninor is a mobile operator in India. The company holds Unified Access Service licences to offer mobile telephony services in each of India’s 22 telecom circles, and has received spectrum to roll out services in 21 of these...
, Docomo
DoCoMo
DoCoMo is a trademark of the NTT DoCoMo corporation of Japan, used in its home market and in India in partnership with Tata Teleservices. It is an acronym of the phrase "Do communications over the mobile network."See also the following mobile phone operators:...
, Videocon
Videocon
Videocon is an industrial conglomerate with interests all over the world, and is a Indian multinational company. The group has 17 manufacturing sites in India and plants in China, Poland, Italy and Mexico. It is also the third largest picture tube manufacturer in the world...
, Aircel
Aircel
Aircel group is a mobile phone service provider in India. It offers both prepaid and postpaid GSM cellular phone coverage throughout India. The Aircel group is a joint venture between Maxis Communications Berhad of Malaysia and Sindya Securities & Investments Private Limited, whose current...
, Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
, Idea
Idea cellular
Idea Cellular, usually referred to as Idea, is an Indian wireless telecom company based in Mumbai, India. Idea is the 3rd largest mobile services operator in India, in revenue terms, and recorded of over 98.4 million customers as of August 2011....
and Tata Indicom. Broadband Internet services are provided in most parts of the city by the telecom companies.
Ahmedabad is also home to many publications and print houses.
See also
- Ahmedabad district
- DD Gujarati
- Historical timeline of AhmedabadHistorical timeline of AhmedabadThis page provides a Historical timeline of Ahmedabad, the sixth largest city in India.For an overview, see History of Ahmedabad.-Up to 15th century:* 1074 – Karnadeva won Aashavalli and established Karnavati....
- List of most populous cities in India