Strategically located close to the commercial capital of India, Pune – the second largest city of Maharashtra – has come a long way from being a tranquil weekend destination to one of the fastest growing industrial hubs of the country.
With its mix of tradition and modernity, spiritualism and capitalism, enriching history of music, theater, crafts, and arts and a glorious present of thriving industrial activities, Pune exemplifies ‘New India’ and has earned many sobriquets, including The Cultural capital of Maharashtra, Pensioners’ Paradise, Queen of the Deccan, Detroit of India, and Oxford of the East.
According to a recent “Quality of Living” survey by a global human resources consulting firm, Pune is the second best city to live in India. The city beats even the top metropolis like New Delhi and Mumbai, in terms of political stability, healthcare facilities, transportation facilities, law enforcement, education and public security. The per capita GDP of the city, at Rs. 1.2 lakh per year, is around 50 percent higher than that of the average Indian city, according to statistics from the Pune Municipal Corporation.
Key Industries and Job Opportunities
Proximity to Mumbai, abundance of natural resources, pleasant climate, and easy availability of workforce attract many leading national and international companies to invest in Pune. Over the past six decades, the city has been the nerve-center of mechanical engineering industries in India. However, past two decades have seen the city’s economy become more diversified, with the focus shifting to education, insurance, banking, pharmaceutical, hospitality, and information technology sectors. While being one of the country’s largest exporters of sugar, glass, agricultural and consumer goods, the city is also home to the Marathi film industry and a growing center for the food processing industry. With the presence of top automobile, engineering, manufacturing, and IT firms, Pune has the capacity to provide high paying job opportunities to engineers, researchers, web developers, software developers, chartered accountants, business developers, and project managers.Engineering and Automobiles
Industrial activities in Pune gained momentum in the 1960s with some mechanical engineering firms like Kirloskar Group, Tata Motors, Hindustan Antibiotics, and Cummins opening manufacturing units in the city. Over the years, the city has evolved into one of the largest hubs for automobile industries in the country, earning the nickname “Motor City.” Today, Pune houses manufacturing and R&D centers of many acclaimed automotive companies, including Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Kinetic Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, General Motors, and Tata Motors. The city also accommodates the auto testing agency of the Indian government – the Automotive Research Association of India. Pune’s automotive sector offers hundreds of jobs to automotive designers, engineers, technicians, assembly line workers, electroplaters, metal finishers, test drivers, die makers, and painters.Information Technology
Pune, with annual export of more than US$2 billion, is one of the largest exporters of Information Technology (IT) and Information Technology Enabled Service (ITeS) in the country. Compared to many other Indian cities, Pune offers quite competitive compensation and up to 30 percent annual hike to IT professionals, reports The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) of the Government of India. Many leading software companies, including Infosys, Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services, Accenture, IBM, and Cognizant have campuses in The Rajiv Gandhi InfoTech Park at Hinjewadi and other parts of the city. Microsoft is planning to invest US$7 billion for a new project in Hinjewadi. With the presence of so many IT companies, the city provides ample job opportunities to both fresher and experienced IT professionals, including IT managers, operation managers, IT security executives, system administrators, web application developers and IT business analysts.Education
Pune has always been a major education hub of India, providing quality education to students from different background and fields of study. The city houses hundreds of schools, colleges and some renowned universities and research centers. The University of Pune is the second largest university of India, offering nearly 50 graduate programs. Research centers of the city, including The Indian Institute for Science Education and Research, The Centre for Development Studies and Activities, The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), and The National Chemical Laboratory offer several employment opportunity to scientists, researchers, professors and fresh graduates.
Working in Pune could be a rewarding experience to both new and experienced professionals, thanks to the city’s growing job market and thriving local economy. Whether you are looking for your first job or planning to step up in your existing career, Pune might be the place for you!