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Pune (Marathi pronunciation: [puɳe]; English: /ˈpuːnə/;^[19][20]), formerly spelled Poona (1857-1978),^[21][22][23] is the second largest city in the Indian state of Maharashtra after Mumbai. It is the ninth most populous city in the country with an estimated population of 3.13 million.^[24] Along with its industrial twin Pimpri-Chinchwad as well as the three cantonment areas of Pune, Khadki and Dehu Road, Pune forms the urban core of the eponymous Pune Metropolitan Region.^[25][26] According to the 2011 census, the urban area has a combined population of 5.05 million while the population of the metropolitan region is estimated at 7.27 million.^[26][27] Situated 560 metres (1,837 feet) above sea level on the Deccan plateau on the right bank of the Mutha river,^[28] Pune is also the administrative headquarters of its namesake district. In the 18th century, the city was the seat of the Peshwas, the prime ministers of the Maratha Empire and hence, one of the most important political centers on the Indian subcontinent.^[29]

Considered to be the cultural capital of Maharashtra,^{[30][better source needed]} Pune is known as "Oxford of the East" due to the presence of several well-known educational institutions.^[31][32] The city has emerged as a major educational hub in recent decades, with nearly half of the total international students in the country studying in Pune.^[33][34] Since the 1950s and 1960s, Pune has had a traditional old-economic base as most of the old industries continue to grow. The city is known for its manufacturing and automobile industries, as well as for research institutes of information technology (IT), education, management and training, which attracts students and professionals from India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.^{[citation needed]} Several colleges in Pune have student-exchange programs with colleges in Europe.^[35] The game of Badminton was developed in Pune and the game's earlier name was Poona.^[36][37]

The ‘Mercer 2017 Quality of Living Rankings’ evaluated living conditions in more than 440 cities around the world and ranked Pune at 145, second in India after Hyderabad at 144.^[38] The same source highlights Pune among evolving business centres and nine emerging cities around the world with the citation "Hosts IT and automotive companies".^[39] The 2017 Annual Survey of India’s City-Systems (ASICS) report release by Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, adjudged Pune as the best governed city amongst 23 major cities across 20 states ^[40].