Kanpur (/kɑːnˈpʊər/ⓘ,Hindi pronunciation:[kaːn̪.pʊɾ]), originally namedKanhapur[10] and formerly anglicized asCawnpore, is the largest city of the Indianstate ofUttar Pradesh. Founded byRajput ruler Hindu Singh Chandel, Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations ofBritish Raj.[11][12]
The city is home to historical monuments such as the Jajmau Ghat which dates back to the 17th century AD. Kanpur is also home to several historical sites such as theKanpur Museum,Bhitargaon Temple, European Cemetery andNanarao Park.
It was the most populous urban city in the 2011 Indian census and the largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh, while the population of city and its suburbs were around 5 million, making it theeighth-most populous metropolitan area in India.
The city of Kanpur is widely believed to have been founded byRaja Hindu Singh Chandel of the Sachendi state. Its original name was Kanhpur,[13][14][15] possibly derived from Kanhiyapur or established to commemorate the Kanhaiya Ashtam festival, a day the Raja considered auspicious. An alternative theory suggests the name is a variation of Karnapur, linking it to theMahabharata character,Karna. In its early stages, Kanpur was a collection of smaller villages, including Patkapura, Kuraswam, Juhi, and Seesamau.[15]
The strategic importance of the area was recognized by the British following their victory overShuja-ud-Daula, theNawab of Awadh, nearJajmau in May 1765. Although Kanpur remained part of theOudh Kingdom until 1801, a British military camp was established there as early as 1778.[16]
The official transfer to British control occurred through the Treaty of 1801 with NawabSaadat Ali Khan. This marked a turning point in Kanpur's history, as the British began to develop it into a major hub. Leveraging its strategic location on the banks of theGanges, theEast India Company initiated anindigo trade. The city's growth was further accelerated by major infrastructure projects, including the construction of theGrand Trunk Road in 1832 and the addition of roads connecting it toLucknow and Kalpi in 1864.[16]
In the 19th century, Cawnpore was an importantBritish garrison with barracks for 7,000 soldiers. During theIndian Rebellion of 1857, 900 British men, women and childrenwere besieged in the fortifications for 22 days by rebels underNana Sahib. They surrendered on the agreement that they would get safe passage to the nearbySati Chaura Ghat whereupon they would board barges and be allowed to go by river toAllahabad.[17]
Though controversy surrounds what exactly happened at the Sati Chaura Ghat and who fired the first shot, it is known that soon afterwards the departing British were shot at by thesepoys and were either killed or captured. Some of the British officers later claimed that the sepoys had, on purpose, placed the boats as high in the mud as possible, to cause delay. They also claimed that Sahib's camp had previously arranged for the sepoys to fire upon and to kill all of the English. Although the East India Company later accused Sahib of betrayal and murder of innocent people, no evidence has ever been found to prove that he planned or ordered the massacre. Some historians believe that the Sati Chaura Ghat massacre was the result of confusion and not of any plan implemented by Sahib or his associates. Lieutenant Mowbray Thomson, one of the four male survivors of the massacre, believed that the rank-and-file sepoys who spoke to him did not know of the killing to come.[18]
Many were killed and the remaining 200 British women and children were brought back to shore and sent to a building called theBibighar ('House of the Ladies'). After some time, the commanders of the rebels decided to kill their hostages. The rebel soldiers refused to carry out orders and butchers from the nearby town were brought in to kill the hostages three days before the British entered the city on 18 July. The dismembered bodies were thrown into a deep well nearby. The British, underGeneral Neill, retook the city and committed a series of retaliations against the rebel sepoys and those civilians caught in the area, including women, children and old men. TheCawnpore Massacre, as well as similar events elsewhere, were seen by the British as justification for unrestrained vengeance.[19] "Remember Cawnpore" became a British war cry for the rest of the war.
Situated in the flatIndo-Gangetic Plains, Kanpur has an average elevation of 318 metres (1,043 ft) above sea level.[20] TheGanga flows by the city and severalghats are located on its banks, notably theSati Chaura Ghat and Sarsaiya Ghat. The Brahmavart Ghat located atBithoor (25 km northwards) is another ghat of religious importance.
Several parks and recreational areas are located in Kanpur.Nana Rao Park andPhool Bagh are among the prominent parks in city that have existed from the time of the British Raj. TheMoti Jheel, a rectangular lake, was originally developed as a drinking water reservoir. The lake has now been developed as a recreational area with a landscaped garden and a children's park.Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary is also located near Kanpur.
Like most of lowland northern India, Kanpur has a monsoon-influencedhumid subtropical climate (Cwa) bordering on ahot semi-arid climate (BSh) under theKöppen climate classification. Kanpur sees an annual precipitation of 865–900 mm (34.1–35.4 in). Thesouthwest monsoon enters around 20–23 June, and total precipitation from the monsoon is 750–800 mm (30–31 in). Southwest monsoon withdrawal takes place generally between the last week of September and the first week of October. The month of October saw heavy monsoon rains in the years 1971 (133 mm), 1985 (367 mm), 1999 (137 mm), 2013 (143 mm), and 2022 (225 mm), and 2024.
Annual precipitation reached at least 1,000 mm (39 in) in 2008, 2010, 2013, 2018–2022 and 2024.
Climate data forKanpur Airport (1991–2020, extremes 1901–present)
Kanpur has been ranked the fifth bestNational Clean Air City in India under Category 1 (cities with populations greater than 1,000,000) by theCentral Pollution Control Board.[22]
As per the provisional results of the 2011 census,Kanpur Nagar district has a population of 4,581,000.[24][25] The literacy rate was 79.65 per cent and the sex ratio was 862.[24][26] There are 35Parsis in Kanpur with theirfire temple atThe Mall.[27] Hinduism is the majority religion in Kanpur with a sizeable minority ofMuslims. Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists are below 2% combined.[23]
Although final 2023 census data is yet to be declared,[when?] the population of Kanpur Nagar district is projected to be 6,367,963 in 2023 (peraadhaar data).
As per the 2011 census, the population of Kanpur city and its suburbs was 3,015,645, making it the largest urban agglomeration of Uttar Pradesh. Thereafter, the urban area of Kanpur city has expanded to a large extent. However, the official limits of the area are still pending approval by the Government. Tentatively, the population of Kanpur city and Kanpur metropolitan area in 2024 are projected as 3,926,000 and 5,100,000 respectively as per available data.
Hindi andUrdu are the predominant languages in the city.Punjabi is spoken by 1.25%, whileBengali is spoken by over 11,000 people in the city.[28]
High-rise buildings of KanpurIIT Kanpur campusKanpur Metro Station
The metropolitan region includes Kanpur Nagar Nigam (KNN), 8 kilometres around the KNN boundary, and 47 villages ofUnnao district. On the northeastern side it extends to Murtaza Nagar, in the west its limit isAkbarpur, Kanpur Dehat, and the eastern limit has been expanded to the road leading to Fatehpur. The metropolitan region includes the areas ofShuklaganj Municipal Committee (Nagar Palika), Unnao Municipal Committee (Nagar Palika), Akbarpur Village Authority (Nagar Panchayat) andBithoor Village Authority (Nagar Panchayat).[40]
Kanpur district administration is headed by thedistrict magistrate (DM) of Kanpur, anIAS officer. The DM is in charge of property records and revenue collection for the central government, oversees cityelections, and is also responsible for maintaining law and order.[41][45][46][47] The DM is assisted by a chief development officer; four district magistrates for finance/revenue, city, land acquisition, and civil supply; and eight city magistrates.[48] The district has fourtehsils viz. Sadar, Bilhaur, Ghatampur and Narwal, each headed by asub-divisional magistrate.[48] The current DM is Mr. Rakesh Kumar Singh.[29][30][31]
Kanpur municipality was established on 22 November 1861, and was upgraded to a municipal corporation in 1959.[49]
The area under the municipal limits of Kanpur city, orKanpur Municipal Corporation, is spread over an area of 403 square km.[24][50] It oversees civic activities in the city. The head of the corporation is the mayor, but the executive and administration of the corporation are the responsibility of themunicipal commissioner, who is an IAS officer.[37] The executive wing is headed by municipal commissioner, Sudhir Kumar,[36][38] and has the following departments: Revenue, City Cleansing, Engineering, Marg Prakash,Health, Accounts, Personnel/HRD, Swasthya Vibhag, Education, Mukya Nagar Lekha Vibhag, Pariyojna, Udyan Vibhag, Chikitsa Vibhag, Encroachment & Cattle Catching Department.[51] There is also an executive committee present in the city.[52][53]
The development of infrastructure in the city is overseen byKanpur Development Authority (KDA), which comes under the Housing Department ofUttar Pradesh government. Thedivisional commissioner of Kanpur acts as theex-officio Chairman of KDA, whereas a vice chairperson, a government-appointedIAS officer, looks after the daily matters of the authority.[54] The current vice-chairman of Kanpur Development Authority is Shri Madan Singh Garbyal.[55]
The municipality receives revenue from general tax, advertisement tax, income from municipal properties, and grants from state government.[56]
The Kanpur District Court is headed by thedistrict judge of Kanpur, who is assisted by numerous additional district judges, civil judges (senior division) and additional civil judges. Kanpur is a notified metropolitan area by UP Government underCode of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and therefore has a chief metropolitan magistrate, who is assisted by several metropolitan magistrates. The district judge is Shri Pradeep Kumar Singh,[39] and the chief metropolitan magistrate was Shri Sushil Kumar Singh.[39]
Kanpur Nagar police administration is headed by a Commissioner of Police which is an IPS officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Uttar Pradesh Police. The present Police Commissioner of Kanpur Nagar is Shri Akhil Kumar, who is assisted by an additional Commissioner, a Joint Commissioner and several Deputy Commissioners, additional Deputy Commissioners, and Assistant Commissioners of Police who are either IPS officers orProvincial Police Service (PPS) officers.[57] Each of the several police circles is headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police in the rank of deputy superintendent of police.[57]
The city is divided into six zones and 110wards with a ward population range of 19,000 to 26,000 and 110corporators directly elected from each ward.[49][58] As mandated by the 74th constitutional amendment, there were 11 ward committees in Kanpur municipal corporation in 1991.[59] Local elections were last held in 2022, when the mayor,Pramila Pandey from the BJP, was re-elected.[60] The previous mayor had been Captain (retired)Jagatvir Singh Drona.[36] As of 2006, Kanpur Municipal Council has an elected mayor-in-council system.[61]
The first development plan of the city was created by theKanpur Development Board in 1943. This was followed by the masterplan being designed by the Town and Country Planning Department from 1962 to 1991, which was adopted after the establishment of the Kanpur Development Authority in 1974.[62][56] The most recent masterplan is the Draft Master Plan of 2021 .[56][63]
Water supply, sewerage is done by the Jal Kal vibhag of KMC.[67] Infrastructure development and maintenance is done by the state's body, UP Jal Nigam.[68] The piped water supply of Kanpur City was started in 1892.[69] After construction of Ganga Barrage on the river, a permanent and reliable source for the water supply got available to provide 1600 mld raw water.[69] The city also receives water from the catchment areas of rivers Ganga and Pandu.[69] However, while the total water supply requirement is 600 mld only 385 mld of potable water is being supplied.[69] The city loses water due to leaky pipes and contamination of natural water sources.[69] There is a severe water crisis in Kanpur.[70]
In 2015, Ganga Pollution Control Unit in Kanpur got about Rs 200 crores to make four STPs functional.[71] The city then reported having three STPs for domestic waste.[71] In 2017, there was only one sewage treatment plant for waste from tanneries, biggest source of industrial pollution to the Ganga, was to be replaced by a newer one costing 400 cr as the old one could only treat 9 MLD at the most. 823.1 MLD of untreated sewage and 212.42 MLD of industrial effluent flow into the river.[72] In 2019, another STP costing worth Rs 816.25 was to be set up.[73] As of 2020, While the government has stopped pollution from Kanpur's biggest drain, Sishamau, of Kanpur's 48 drains, eight still have no devices to stop effluents.[74]
Solid waste management is handled by the KMC.[75] As of 2015, Kanpur generates 1,500 tonnes of solid wastes from domestic and industrial sources, 64,000 tonnes ofhazardous waste annually which includes metals and waste generated by tanneries, dye industries and chemical industries; while coal ash produced in Kanpur amounts to 71,000 tonnes per annum.[76]
Kanpur Central is a major railhead and is among the busiest railway stations in the country. Rail routes connect it to all major cities in the state and the country. It is an A-1 category railway station that comes under thePrayagraj railway division of theNorth Central Railway zone ofIndian Railways. Around 300 trains pass through it daily.[77] Kanpur has eleven railway stations in addition to the main Kanpur Central:
The city has the historically importantGrand Trunk Road which serves as the lifeline of the city. There are several important national highways and expressways that pass through and around Kanpur.
Ring road: In 2011, it was reported byThe Indian Express that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) planned to develop a four-lane outer ring road along the periphery of Kanpur with an aim to prevent traffic congestion in the city caused by long-distance heavy vehicles. The new road, which would help heavy vehicles to bypass the city, would be developed on Built, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis under the phase-VII of National Highways Development Programme (NHDP).[79]
Kanpur is an important economic center in India with a GDP of ~$9 billion.[80] According to GDP per capita, it ranks 9th in Uttar Pradesh.Noida andMeerut rank first and second,[81] while the state capitalLucknow ranks seventh.
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) is a public technical and research university located in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was established in 1959 as one of the first Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), with the assistance of a consortium of nine US research universities as part of the Kanpur Indo-American Programme (KIAP).[82][83]
Aerial view of Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University
Other educational institutions in the city include three state universities.Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University is one of the largest universities in northern India and caters to urban and rural students, offering professional and academic courses in the Arts, Science, Commerce, Law, Engineering, Biotechnology, Computer Applications, Management and Medicine.
Harcourt Butler Technical University (HBTU) offers Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral programs in engineering, as well as Masters programs in Business Administration, and Computer Applications. Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Technology for Handicapped provides technical education to specially-abled students. Inaugurated by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1997, it is also situated in Kanpur.
National Sugar Institute (NSI) is involved in research, training and advisory services to the sugar and allied industry, and functions under the Department of Food and Public Distribution of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
^Sen, Surendra Nath (1995) [1957].Eighteen Fifty-seven. Publications Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 145.ISBN978-81-230-0093-0.
^Dalrymple, W. 2007.The Last Mughal. The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857, Alfred Knopf, New York
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