Locating Bengaluru as India’s Silicon Valley

Abstract

Bengaluru is one of the fastest growing cities in India. This paper traces the emergence of Bengaluru as one of the leading hubs of Information and CommunicationTechnology as well as Research and Development in India. This is rooted in a complex combination of historical forces such as leadership during the colonial and post-independence periods, the influence of the city‟scolonial past, infrastructure development, as well as the impact of policy, and shifts in the same in independent India. Some of the more recent forces that have helped to shape the city have been the investment in educational and research institutions of high repute as well as in Public Sector Undertakings which resulted in the unique character of the city and its culture. These, along with a favourable policy climate, have been influential in the emergence of the city as a global leader in the field ofResearch and Development and Information Technology which has earned it its nickname of the „Silicon Valley of India‟