Bhubaneswar, from village to a modern city

In Smart mode: Odisha capital has turned into a major Information Technology hub

From a small village surrounded by forests and hills to a modern city, Bhubaneswar has come a long way.

With the city occupying the first position in the list of proposed smart cities announced by the Union government on Thursday, it is expected to grow and glow further in the coming years.

Reacting to the development, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said: “Bhubaneswar would be made into a world class city with everybody’s cooperation.” The announcement triggered immediate excitement and celebrations among all sections of the people in the city. Though Odisha was a separate state in 1936, Bhubaneswar became its capital city much later.

Nearby town of Cuttack was the state capital then. The foundation stone for the city was laid much after independence by the first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The capital was shifted from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar in late 1950s.

Home to nearly 10 lakh people, Bhubaneswar is also known as the temple city of eastern India. The city has more than 100 big and small ancient temples, biggest among them being the Lingaraja temple.

The temple attracts thousands of tourists from across the country every year. The city also has historical significance. The famous Kalinga War was fought at Dhauli on the outskirts of the city between the soldiers of Kalinga and the mighty emperor Ashoka and his powerful army.

In the last few years, Bhubaneswar has turned into a major IT hub. Almost all important IT companies in the country have branches here and are expanding operations.