Bangalore, city in southern India, capital of Karnataka State, one of India's largest cities and chief industrial centers. It is located on the Mysore Plateau at an elevation of 949 m (3113 ft) and is known for its mild climate. Many retired people live in the modern residential sections surrounding the congested inner city. Since 1947, Bangalore has also developed into a major transportation and manufacturing center, with industries producing communications equipment, machine tools, aircraft, electric motors, printed materials, textiles, footwear, and timepieces. Bangalore is the base of India's space program. Since the late 1970s it has also been developing as a computer software production center, home to more than 100 software and hardware companies. Bangalore University (1964) is located here; other significant educational and research institutes include the noted Indian Institute of Science (1909) and the University of Agricultural Sciences (1964). The old palace of the maharaja of Mysore is an important landmark.
Bangalore grew around a fort established in 1537. It was a British administrative center from 1831 to 1881, when it was returned to the maharaja of Mysore. Population (1991) 2,660,088.
