'Punaka' is the name by which Pune was known in the ancient times. The word may have been derived from the Sanskrit verb 'poo', meaning, "to purify". Pune has an established history of about 1000 years. Pune is now known by a plethora of sobriquets, popular among them: Jewel of the Deccan, 'cultural capital' of Maharashtra and 'Oxford of the East'. Pune has a glorious past and is metamorphing into a center of cutting edge innovation in IT, automotive technology, manufacturing and biotechnology. 

Pune is increasingly taking centre stage as a city of thought leaders having acclaimed centres of learning with over 5 lac students. It has a plethora of activities and facilities amenable to a younger populace and is host to a large expatriate population.

Pune city has developed into a metropolitan area equal in area to Greater Mumbai with a population of 4 million residents. It is surrounded by hills and historical forts at a MSL of 559 meters, with a temperate climate. Pune though amongst the greenest urban areas in the country has an ever increasing density of vehicles consequent on its growing prosperity, leading to high polution levels in some congested areas of the city.

Pune is very well connected by road to Mumbai (2.5 hrs by expressway), by National Highways to Bangalore, Hyderabad, Nashik and Aurangabad. It is on express train routes to all important cities in North, West, East and Southern india. It has excellent air connectivity to major airports of India by all large airlines.