Mumbai, previously known as Bombay,is a major metropolitan city, the state capital of Maharashtra and also the economic capital of India. It has historically evolved out of a group of seven islands in the Arabian Sea which lies off the northern Konkan coast on the west of Maharashtra. Bombay, which the king of Portugal gave as a dowry to Charles-II of England in 1661, has grown from marshy fishing village to a global cosmopolitan city. Today, it is inhabited by about 21 million people from all over the country. Mumbai’s climate is warm and humid for most part of the year. The sky remains clear duringNovember to February with temperatures generally within 15 to 25 degree Celsius. Lighter clothing suits with the weather.

Tourist attractions
The Asiatic Society of Mumbai, Bombay Natural History Museum, Bombay Stock Exchange, Elephanta Caves, Film City, Gateway of India, Haji Ali Dargah, Jehangir Art Gallery, Kanheri Caves,Marine Drive (earlier Queen’s Necklace),Chowpatty Beach, Nehru Planetarium, Iskcon Temple,Vihar Lake, ChhatrapatiShivaji Maharaj VastuSangrahalaya(formerly Prince of Wales Museum), Sanjay Gandhi National Park (formerly Borivali National Park), CST (formerly Victoria Terminus) and Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

People, Art, Cultureand Industry
A resident of Mumbai is called a Mumbaikar, Mumbaite or Bombayite. Life of an average Mumbaikar is very fast-paced. Mumbai is the birthplace of Indian cinema, with the oldest film made here in the early 20th century. The city also has a thriving theatrical tradition in Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, English and other regional languages.Contemporary art is well-represented in both government funded art spaces and private commercial galleries. The government-funded art galleries include The Jehangir Art Gallery and The National Gallery of Modern Art. Built in 1833, the Asiatic Society of Mumbaiis the oldest public library in the city. Being a cosmopolitan city both Western and Indian festivals are celebrated with great fanfare by residents of all communities and religions. Diwali, Holi, Christmas, Navratri, Good Friday, Eid, Dussera, Moharram, Ganesh Chaturthi, and MahaShivratri are some of the most popular festivals in the city. Mumbai has a vast array of different industries which include pharmaceuticals, construction, engineering, metals, silks, glassware, printing, plastics, bikes and film. However, textiles are still Mumbai’s largest industry. It also has a large petroleum industry. Nearly all of India’s petroleum is marketed through Mumbai.

Academic & Research Organizations
There are several academic and research organizations in Mumbai and these include- Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT, Bombay), Mumbai University, Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Tata Institute of Social Sciences, SNDT University, Institute of Science,Homi Bhabha National Institute,Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (CEBS),etc.