Bangalore is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the Mysore Plateau in south-western Karnataka, Bangalore has an estimated metropolitan population of 6.1 million (61 lakh), making it India's third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area.

After India gained independence in 1947, Bangalore evolved into a manufacturing hub for public sector heavy industries—particularly aerospace, telecommunications, machine tools, heavy equipment, space and defence. The establishment and success of business software services firms in Bangalore after the liberalisation of India's economy has led to the growth of India's information technology industry. Home to impressive colleges and research institutions, the city has the second-highest literacy rate among the metropolitan cities in the nation. However, as a large and growing metropolis in the developing world, Bangalore continues to struggle with problems such as air pollution, traffic jam, and crime.