Category Archives: City Profiles

Pune City Profile

May 18, 2011 by 123outsource
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Pune City Profile
 
Pune is a bustling medium sized city in Maharashtria, roughly 99 miles Southeast of Mumbai.  There is a highway and railway connecting Mumbai and Pune, and both arteries go all the way down to various parts of South India. Pune is famous for its IT industry.  New IT parks have blossomed in the last decade or so, with new IT companies opening up daily offering various software servicies and other services as well.   Pune is not as well connected by air as their airport does not have regular flights to foreign countries — yet. It seems, as Pune is one of the fastest developing cities in India, that flights to Singapore, and possibly to UAE will eventually be available. 
 
West and South
Pune is a relatively small, yet very comfortable city.  You can walk from one end to the other.  On the Northwest, the road to Lonavala leads into the hills.  There is a large IT park in that vicinity, and some nice residential areas where you can purchase a 2BHK (two bedroom) dwelling and live in comfort.  The pleasures of urban life are not too convenient to the Northwest yet, but as time passes, perhaps things will evolve.  To the South, a highway that is several years old stretches around the city.  This highway is less than optimally efficient with pedestrians crossing, and slow vehicles clogging up both lanes. Perhaps they should consider having a fast lane and a slow lane, and have a speed minimum in the fast lane. It wouldn’t cost much to create a system like that.  Deccan Gymkhana is one of the relatively exciting parts of town.  There is a law University in that general area, as well as the Pyramid mall which is an exciting place to spend a few hours on a Sunday.  There is another huge University on Ferguson Road which is an area wiht a real College flavor, and lots of cafes and restaurants lining the road. 
 
East Pune
To the East, there is the train station, and famous Koregaon Park where the blast occured in the German Bakery. Koregaon Park is a wonderful place to take a stroll, and engage in a nice Chinese, Iranian, or other international meal.  There is a cafe on every block, and the locals are very cosmopolitan and friendly.  Hard Rock Cafe is one of the more recent players in Koregaon Park near the outskirts of town.  Enjoy a glass of imported wine, or a beer, and listen to your favorite 80’s hits from America!  The SOB burger is the best burger in the world for beef eaters out there. For vegetarians, there are many choices too (although the choices are not anywhere as good as the burger).   Camp is another hip area of town.  There are cafes, night clubs, restaurants, Islamic tea houses and more!  
 
Museums
The Raja Dinkar Kelkar museum has wonderful artifacts and a breathtaking courtyard.  The Pataleswar Cave Museum has some caves, and a temple.  Its worth a quick trip, but don’t expect too much here. There is a good kabob restaurant around the corner from them, so go with an appetite. Shaniwar Wada is another worthwhile to go for about half an hour. Walk around the humongous inner gardens and tour the palace.  Honesly, Agra, Hyderabad, Darjeeling, and Rajastan  are much better tourist destinations than Pune, but Pune is a great place to live and work.

Hyderabad City Profile

May 16, 2011 by 123outsource
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Hyderabad City Profile
 
Hyderabad is the third most important city in South India and the sixth most important city in India.  Hyderabad has a thriving IT industry and is the second most popular  software hub in the country with Bangalore as the first and Pune as the third (although these titles could change at any time).  In addition to having a great software IT park near Banjara Hills, Hyderabad has many other things to offer.  Hyderabad has museums, landmarks, pubs, restaurants, spas, and more!
 
Attractions
The Salar Jung museum has many historical artifacts including swords, antiquated pictures, and much more.  It is worth spending about 90 minutes there, and then enjoying some lemon rice in the snack bar.  Char Minar is another fantastic place to visit.   Enjoy some tea from a tea stall, and then climb the stairs of the famous Islamic landmark located next to an equally beautiful masjeed (mosque).  Gol Konda is the best place to go in Hyderabad and is the Western part of town.  It is a huge Islamic fort, and you can find a choice of independent tour guides there for an affordable price.  One part of the fort allows you to hear the echo of what is going on in a very distant place due to superior engineering that happened hundreds of years ago.  Film City, or as the locals call it “Filim City” is a wonderful place with at least a dozen gardens, and all types of film sets of all varieties.  You could spend hours there, and it is fun every minute of the way.  Just get on the tour bus, and away you go. This is the Indian equivalent of Universal Studios. Last, but not least, try an Ayervedic spa.   Aalankrita, located in the outskirts of the city offers a lovely resort spa with Ayervedic massage, great food, and more. Just tell them to take it easy on the air conditioning or you will freeze and turn into a popsical for sure.
 
Transportation
Traffic is bad in Hyderabad, but not worse than any other Indian metro. Cabs are not cheap, but are more likely to stick to the meter there. The airport and connect you with other parts of India easily, but international flights to Singapore, UAE, Europe, and other important destinations are not yet possible.  Maybe soon they will have a few flights. 
 
Lifestyle
While in Hyderabad, you can sample a few hip bars and nightspots.  There are also many decent restaurants offering local cuisine.  Hyderabad, although located in the South of India, is very dominated by Muslims who have their language and ancestry in Northern India, but with a lot of Persian and Pakistani influence. This influences the language (many speak Urdu in additon to the state language of Telegu), but the food has a definitive Moghlai influence.  You can enjoy a spicy Hyderabadi chicken dish with a splended blend of spices, and a tablespoon or two of yogurt to balance it off in the recipe.  Or enjoy some kabobs.  Biryani is a famous dish of Hyderabad, but Biryani is not Indian in origin.  Biryani is a Saudi Arabian dish called Kabsa which was slightly adapted when it came to India with the Muslims.  Chicken, lamb, and vegetarian biryani are all popular dishes and it should be a legal requirement to try one while you are in town.

Mumbai City Profile

April 14, 2011 by 123outsource
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Mumbai City Profile
 
Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is a peninsula located on the coast of Western Maharashtria and is the most populated city in India.  People stream into this city from all parts of India with aspirations of striking it rich, or at least making a living wage.  Many do not have proper work skills and end of living in slums on the outskirts of the city, while others who have better work skills, work hard and prosper.   Its a common myth among countryside people, that everyone in the city is rich, and that its easy to make money there.  It is true that there are numerous jobs in the city, but people work twelve hours a day and put up with horrendous commutes just to get by with modest salaries.  Big city life is not for everyone.
 
History
Mumbai was historically a fishing colony, and the decendants of the original fishermen are still living there in Mumbai, but their population has been dwarfed by the huge influx of roughly 20 million other human beings from all over.  Mumbai was under the control of various local empires, and then colonized by Portugal, and later by Britain.  It is now the economic capital of India, or the “New York” of India, as well as being the film capital of India with its huge Bollywood film industry.
 
Outsourcing
We have outsourcing listings for many types of companies in Mumbai.  Companies tend to be more business oriented, but less technically oriented as the technical specialties are better represented in South Indian cities and Pune.
BPO  
Call Centers
Data Entry
 
Economy & Transportation
Bombay residents have higher salaries than in most other parts of India. Major banks, airlines, and other large companies will typically have a head office in Mumbai.  The Bombay stock exchange not surprisingly also has its head in Mumbai as well as the national stock exchange of India.  However, the cost of living, especially the rent is murderous, leaving many large families living in a single room.  They live, cook, eat, and sleep in that same room.  The train or local railway (as they call it) is the pulse of the city, connecting people from very far away at rapid speeds.  Its common to travel 25 kms to work everyday in a crowded train.  The problem is that the trains are so packed, the only way to breathe is to tilt your head up.  And if the train jerks to a stop, don’t worry about falling, there will be at least two dozen soft bodies to cushion your fall.  Squeezing in the train is another mystery of the East, but all you need is a few square inches to plant one of your feet and something to hang onto and you’ll be fine.  Auto rick shaws are only allowed to operate in Northern Mumbai while South Mumbai uses only cabs.
 
Architecture
Mumbai hosts some beautiful architecture, especially in the Southern parts of town like Nariman Point and Fort.  You can see some hybrid British / Indian architecture that doesn’t exist in any other part of the world.  Victoria Terminus which is currently known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminous is a beautiful architectural feat and worth a visit.  Gateway to India is another famous landmark in Nariman point thats worth seeing.
 
Ports
Mumbai has two major ports including: Mumbai Port Trust and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust which handles 55-60% of the countries container cargo.
 
Culture
The majority of Mumbaikars (local Mumbai people) are Marathi in origin.  Some are indiginous to the local area, while others are from the various rural parts of the state, or Pune, Nasik, or Nagpur. The second most populous ethnic group are Gujarathis which is not surprising as Gujarat is Maharashtrias neighbor to the North.  These two groups make up roughly half of Mumbais population and are generally conversant in Hindi. The rest of the population is from all over. Keralites, Biharis, Tamils, Bengalis, and people from many other states inhabit Mumbai.  It is noteworthy that there are very few Asiatic looking Indans from the Northeastern states as they prefer to go to Bangalore or Delhi if they leave their homeland.  Additionally, there are very few Sikhs in Mumbai too as they prefer to stick to places like Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi.  
 
Religion
There are people of a wide variety of religions in Mumbai.  Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians are in large numbers. The Fort area has many Zoroastrians too, and this religion is practiced by Parsis who are people who fled Iran more than one thousand years ago and have been living in India ever since.  Mumbai even has had a Jewish population for over one thousand years!
 
Urban growth
These days, the city is growing outward.  The land in Mumbai has been used, and Navi Mumbai across the bridge is being quickly developed with lots of new construction and roads being built.  Thane and the area north of it are developing too.  It looks like there will be a solid wall of civilization streaming out of Mumbai for hundreds of Kms one day soon if the population there keeps growing.  The new trend in India is to try to build industry in remote areas. The land is cheaper, and this will slow down the huge national migration to large cities which causes overcrowding, crime and other serious problems.

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Singapore Country Profile

September 22, 2010 by 123outsource
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Singapore country profile
 
Singapore is a beautiful tiny city-state country in Southeast Asia sandwiched between Malaysia and Indonesia.  You can look across the channel to Malaysia and there are Indonesian islands just a short boat ride away. The national language(s) consist of Malay, Chinese, English, and Tamil which is a South Indian language spoken in Tamil Nadu.  Additionally, there are many Islamic Indians who speak Urdu who live in Singapore.  They are famous for their fluffy parathas which seem identical to Kerela parathas. 
 
Singapore has one of the busiest posts in all of asia and trade is their forte.  The country is filled with high rise office buildings, and the standard of living is the highest in all of Asia by far. It seems that the business of Singapore is business.  Many believe that Singapore is protected by magical dragon spirits that contribute to it’s good fortune as well.
 
Religion
There are a wide variety of religions in Singapore with Chinese Buddhism at the top of the list.  There are many Christians, Muslims, and Hindus as well along with Taoists of Chinese descent as well. Please be informed that in Chinese culture, Buddhism, Taoism, and traditional animist and ancestor worshipping traditions all get merged into a conglomeration in many cases.  The ethnic groups in Singapore are predominantly Chinese, with a minority of Malays who were the original inhabitants, and immigrants from India.  However, throughout Singapore, you will see white people from Australia, America, and Europe there for travel and business as well.  Many Westerners also live in Singapore as it is the most comfortable place for a Westerner to live in All of Asia.    
 
Language
English is the primary language of Singapore, but most of the locals will know Mandarin and perhaps some Cantonese or Fukienese dialects as well.  But, the place names are mostly Malay or British sounding names.
 
Architecture
The architecture in this modern city is refreshing because a heavy emphasis is put on design, and the local style is very charming as well. There is a heavy Balinesian influence on the more modern local architecture, and its worth seeing.
 
Transportation
Transportation is fun in Singapore.  Take a bus, a subway, or hop in a luxury Mercedes cab as well.  They were S$35 when I was there and it was a flat fee. The regular cabs charged by the KM and were much cheaper.  Flights are available to four destinations in India, many parts of Indonesia, Asia, America, Australia, and Europe as well. The airport in Singapore is one of the most modern and efficient in the world.  You can go to a lounge between flights and watch movies or take a nap.  Get a massage or take a shower too!  This is a great way to arrive feeling fresh when you get to your final destination which usually involves a lot of jet lag.  
 
Cuisine
Singaporeans are famous for noodles, but what American menus entitle “Singapore noodles” is really not at all similar to what is available on street corners in Singapore.  You can find little noodle shops everywhere.  You can get thin noodles, flat noodles, and there are usually at least six types of noodles plus maybe some chicken wings, fish cakes, and other Chinese looking dishes.  To me it looks like Fujianese, Cantonese, or Thai cooking, but this is their daily food, and its delicious, and costs very little.  While you are in town, also try a Singapore sling (mixed drink that tastes like spiked hawaiian punch) and some famous Singaporean crab. Crab is avialable at the zoo, and perhaps in Chinatown as well, but not available at most restaurants despite the fact that it’s Singapore’s most famous dish!
 
Arab Street
Ironically, there are no Arabs to speak of on Arab street. However, there are mostly muslims there and they specialize in carpets, food, more carpets, a mosque at the end of the street, even more carpets, a few good halal restaurants, and yet a few more carpets. Unfortunately, to my dismay, none of the carpets were flying carpets.  Singapore is a friendly place in general, but the folks on Arab street are even more friendly.  On my brief visit I met Moroccans, Afghanis, Persians, Pakistanis, Indians, An African-American muslim girl (convert), and Indonesians there.  Virtually everyone on this street engaged me in a conversation for at least five minutes. One lady took a boat to Singapore just to buy a few carpets and bring them back to Indonesia.

New Delhi City Profile

September 15, 2010 by 123outsource
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New Delhi City Profile
New Delhi is the largest city in India as well as the political hub. The IT business is not so fast in Delhi, but Legal Process Outsourcing and Call Centers thrive there. Culturally, Delhi is quite a mix with a large population of Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, and even a few folks from the Asiatic parts of India such as Manipur (which is near Burma).

Attractions
Red Fort is a huge attraction and you can spend a few hours perusing through this historical castle. Humayun’s tomb is another famous place to visit in Delhi too. This is the tomb of the Moghul emporer Humayun and was completed in 1571. The architecture of this building resembles other moghai sites including the Taj Mahal and Red Fort. Qutab Minar is another famous site and is a minaret that is very high — in fact, the worlds tallest brick minaret. India Gate, another famous landmark looks a bit like L’arc du Triumph in Paris, and is another popular place to visit.

Weather
Delhi gets very hot in the spring and summer, and can get nippy in the winter. Plan appropriately when traveling to this area. Rain can be excessive during the monsoon season which is in the summer and lasts for a few months. Please note that Indian nationals incorrectly use the term, “Summer”, to refer to what scientists refer to as “Spring” in the Northern hemisphere. Getting the locals to use scientifically correct language is not within the realm of possibility in India, at least during this generation. Summer officially starts on June 21st and ends on September 21st in the Northern hemisphere while Indians will try to convince you that summer starts in late march and is followed by the monsoon season which comes in early June in Delhi. Please keep in Mind, that the monsoon season starts much earlier in Kerela and Goa if you are planning on traveling to the South.

Lifestyle
Connaught place is the place to go in Delhi. It might be closed on Sundays (I don’t have access to that information, but heard through the grapevine). They have a wide variety of cuisines from around the world, and it is the place to go when in town. Five star hotels such as La Meridian are also fantastic places to go eat with a friend, as they offer the best sense of class of anywhere that you could go.

Transportation
Since Delhi is the capital of India, flights are easily available to Nepal, Bhutan, Singapore, Arabia, Europe, and many other places. This is the easiest city in India to get a wide variety of international flights. Rick shaws and cabs are also a popular choice for local transportation. However, it is not recommeneded that foreigners travel between the hours of 8pm and 6am as there are many shady characters in the cab business who might take you off course to some hoodlums who want to rob you. Delhi is the most dangerous place in India for foreigners and women, so its better to travel under the protection of a saavy local — preferably of the male gender. Also keep in mind that if there are riots, you could be stranded in this city, and riots happen on schedule every several years.

Calcutta City Profile

September 11, 2010 by 123outsource
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Calcutta City Profile
 
Calcutta is a famous city located in the Eastern part of India in West Bengal. The local language is Bengali, but Hindi and English are widely spoken.  It is a very poor city, and definately the poorest of India’s top ten cities. Calcutta does not have much of an IT or Software industry, nor does it have many call centers or other outsourcing industries.  Bicycle rick shaws and “human” rick shaws are still in existance, and prices for basics such as bottled water are lower in price than anywhere else in India. Termed “City of Joy”, this city doesn’t have any more joy than any other place in India, but does have its share of poverty and humidity.  There is so little to do here as a visitor that its not even funny.  The airport is located in the Northern part of town.  There are a few good five star hotels offering excellent meals.  Fort William and the Command Museum are  nice places to spend an hour or so. Touring the gardens and the museum is a nice way to spend an afternoon as well.
 
Local Cuisine
Bengali cuisine is unique to India and has dishes that are very different from anywhere else in the country.   They eat many fish and prawn dishes and with flavors that are very different from Goa, Kerela, or anywhere else in India that features seafood. You can not find Bengali food hardly anywhere in India, so it is suggested that you try it while in town.  Its not a cuisine that I would want to eat regularly, but its fun to try. 
 
Local Travel
Distances in the East of India are large, and its a largely impoverished area.  Bihar is the most dangerous part of Eastern India with gangs controlling all aspects of life and the economy.  Bengal is much better in terms of gangs, but is very poor, and will be more of a culture and weather shock to tourists than most other parts of India.  Going out alone at night is discouraged in Calcutta as it is in most parts of India.  Bangalore and Pune are the only parts of India where it is relatively safe for women to travel alone at night.  Calcutta is the one of the gateways to the himalayas if you are flying in.  Many people fly to Calcutta (Kolkata), and then catch an overnight train to Siliguri on their way to Darjeeling which is the jewel of the himalayas in many people’s opinion.  Kolkata is also on the way to many Eastern locations in Assam, Manipur, and other parts of India where people speak languages more resembling Southeast Asian languages, and where people look very East Asian.  The train ride to Assam is long, but its a part of India which is genuinely away from it all. Relaxed people, hills, and a unique cuisine make going to the Eastern part of India an experience.
 
International Travel
Kolkata has many international flights going to Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, and other destinations too. The airport is nowhere near as busy as Delhi or Mumbai, but it is India’s 3rd largest city, so it gets it’s fair share of flights.