Hyderabad belongs to the league of major Indian cities, holding a place of pride on the world map for a host of reasons. The fifth largest city in India, Hyderabad, is the capital city of the third largest Indian state, Andhra Pradesh. With a population of over 50 lakhs and a total area of about 727 square kilometers, Hyderabad is geographically a part of the Deccan Plateau. With a weather that is pleasant most of the year, the climate varies from around 22 degree centigrade in winter to nearly 42 degree centigrade during summer.

The city, nicknamed as “Cyberabad”, ranks as one of the best cities to live in, a most desirable destination for software companies, a hub for biotechnology, a haven for business investors, and a launch pad for skilled professionals, thanks to the state’s emphasis on quality manpower. Acknowledged by many to be India’s most wired city, Hyderabad scores the highest in infrastructure, policy, and cleanliness. With investments pouring in from all fields, especially IT, the city stands optimally poised to usurp Bangalore’s title of being India’s Silicon Valley. Brimming with life and vigor, Hyderabad houses art exhibitions, galleries, gardens, parks, leisure stores, museums, movies, dance, shows, theatre, water rides, pubs, music, book reading clubs, luxurious resorts for weekend getaways, and world class places to stay and dine. A number of restaurants and hotels in the city offer international cuisine, while never failing to dish out the tasty and iconic Hyderabadi Biryani. Hyderabad cuisine has the flavor of the Mughlai and the Peshawari, the South Indian, the Punjabi, the Chinese, the European, the Mexican and the Italian. The thriving cosmopolitan culture is reflected in the city’s rocking nightlife. The pubs and bars in the city offer live entertainment to attract partygoers, and sprightly young adults.

Well-connected to all major international and national destinations, the city airways operate all world-class air carriers. Hyderabad has got all the means to evolve as a major transit hub in South Asia, with the central location of the city rendering it an ideal stopover for international travelers. Even with all the necessary and inevitable evils that are associated with the fast pace of development that the city has been witnessing, Hyderabad stands apart in the heart of India as a city with a unique blend of multiple cultures, with a dialect, which is a rich mixture of Urdu, Marathi, Telugu, Persian, Turkish, and Arabic, and with a population that is trustworthy and friendly.

Home to an increasingly diverse crowd of population, the city figures in the itinerary of national and international travelers, and is an ideal destination for professionals, students and industrialists alike. Hyderabad houses internationally known educational and research institutions and much sought after medical care centers and specialty hospitals. The educational temples of the city attract students from all over the world. In business education, technical education and other streams of education, the institutions score high with up-to-date syllabi, expert faculty, excellent infrastructure and brilliant students.

Hyderabad, of late, has emerged into an epicenter of Information Technology (IT) evolution and development, challenging the hitherto dominance of Bangalore in this regard, thanks to the proactive state government’s policies, which have opened up foreign investments flowing into the city. Global IT majors are lining up for establishing their development centers in this very industry friendly city. The overpowering magnitude of investments injected into developing the city’s digital infrastructure has earned the city a reputation of being the second Silicon Valley of India next to Bangalore. In addition to IT, the city has become a gateway of knowledge to Indian and multinational companies in the field of pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. Several pharma majors, such as, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Aurobindo Pharma, Divi’s Lab and Matrix Laboratories, have established research and production units in Hyderabad. The Genome Valley houses over 100 biotech companies, and institutions engaged in research, training and manufacturing pharmaceuticals and biotechnology products. The myriad industries in manufacturing, service, and research offer lucrative job opportunities for professionals on the prowl for a fulfilling, and contemporary work culture and environment.

In addition to its evolving cosmopolitan charm, and highflying corporatism dictated by booming IT, pharma, real estate, and retail companies, Hyderabad also flaunts a rich history replete with cultural legacies, and is today famous for its reminiscent oriental glory of the Indo-Muslim culture. Hyderabad is popularly known as the city of love, and aptly so as it emerged out of the love between a young king Mohd Quli Qutub Shah, and a village belle Bhagmathi. Named in eternal tribute to Bhagmathi, who was named Begum Hyder Mahal, after she entered the Royal house as the queen of Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah the 5th, the city today flaunts a rich mixture of old world charms, traditions and the new world ebullience of technology, growth and enterprise.

With a princely history of over 400 years, Hyderabad has treasured royal patronage, and rich lifestyles, which have nourished the growth of arts, and crafts, attracting craftsmen especially from the Arabian Gulf. A modern shopper’s paradise, the city’s textiles, apparels, furniture and furnishings, jewelry, craftwork, and food, among others, are reminiscent of the royal Nawabs, who possessed a flair for fine living and opulence. Today, the city is famous for its stunning teardrop shaped rare original pearls, minarets, bangles, and the much sought after Hyderabadi cuisine. Harmony, and peace beguiles every tourist and resident making this city one of the most enchanting places in the world. Ancient architectural monuments in their ageless splendor, and rustic charm, harmoniously blends with modern sky rise buildings reflective of the city’s technological prowess, and its spirited voyage into a promising future.

The city is rightly an extension of the personalities of its residents, their networked families and work culture. Lesser populated, and polluted than most other metro cities, with affordable cost of living, well developed communication and transportation infrastructure, lesser traffic congestion thanks to well planned wide roads and strategically located flyovers, and modern real estate properties, among others, help make living in Hyderabad a regal experience.