Kanpur

Kanpur, also known as Cawnpore, is a major city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Kanpur Nagar district and Kanpur division. Located on the western banks of the River Ganges, it lies about 80 kilometers southwest of Lucknow and is one of the largest urban centers in the state.

Historically, Kanpur developed as a commercial and manufacturing center during the 18th and 19th centuries and played a significant role during the British colonial period, including the Siege of Cawnpore in 1857. The city became a hub for leather production and other industries, building a diversified industrial base.

Kanpur remains an important industrial city with a large leather goods sector, along with engineering, chemical, and textile industries. The leather industry in particular has given Kanpur the nickname Leather Capital of the World.

The city hosts premier institutions such as the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, established in 1959, and Kanpur University (Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University). It is also home to numerous colleges and research institutes, contributing to the region's education infrastructure.

Kanpur lies on the Indo-Gangetic plain and experiences a humid subtropical climate with hot summers, a monsoon season, and cool winters. The city is a major rail junction, with Kanpur Central Railway Station serving as a key transit hub; road networks link it with major cities across northern India.

Official language is Hindi, with Urdu widely used; Kanauji is a regional dialect. The population is diverse with multiple communities.