Pune (pronounced, anglicised as Poona) is the seventh 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 and Mutha rivers. Pune city is the administrative capital of Pune district.
Pune is known to have existed as a town since 847 AD. Pune was originally called Punawadi. In 1730, Pune became an important political center as the seat of the Maratha Peshwa, the prime minister of the Bhonsle Chhatrapati of Satara (ruler of the Maratha Empire); it was during this era that Pune became the centre of Indian politics. After the town was annexed to British India in 1817, it served as a cantonment town and as the "monsoon capital" of the Bombay Presidency until the independence of India.
Today, Pune is known for its educational facilities and relative prosperity. Pune is the cultural capital of Maharashtra. Pune has had manufacturing, glass, sugar, and forging industries since the 1950-60s. It has a growing industrial hinterland, with information technology and automotive companies setting up factories in the district. The city is known for cultural activities like classical music, spirituality, theatre, sports, and literature. These activities and job opportunities attract migrants and students from all over India and abroad, which makes for a city of many communities and cultures.
Pune is ranked as a Gamma- Global City.
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