Lucknow

For the village in Canada, see Lucknow, Ontario.

Lucknow Lucknow
capital
Government
• Mayor	Dinesh Sharma
Population  (2006)
• Total	2,541,101
Website	lucknow.nic.in

Lucknow (, Hindi: लखनऊ, Urdu: لکھنؤ, Lakhnaū) is the capital city of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It had a population of 2,541,101 in 2006. Lucknow is also the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division.

Located in what was historically known as the Awadh region, Lucknow has always been a multicultural city. Courtly manners, beautiful gardens, poetry, music, and fine cuisine patronized by the Nawabs are well known among Indians and students of South Asian culture and history . Lucknow is famous the world over as the The City of Nawabs, the Golden City of the East, and The Constantinople of India.

Today, Lucknow is a vibrant city that is witnessing an economic boom and is among the top 10 fastest growing non metro cities of India.The unique combination of its cultured grace and newly acquired pace is its most promising feature that augurs well for the future.

Name

In ancient times, Lucknow was part of the Kosala Kingdom (modern Ayodhya) ruled by the Suryavanshi Dynasty. It is believed that the city was named after Lakshmana, the younger brother of Lord Rama.

Other stories mention that Lucknow was named after a person called Lakhana Ahir who was the chief artisan of the fort Qila Lakhan. The name Qila Lakhan later became Lucknow.

History

Till 1819, subah of Awadh was a province of the Mughal Empire administered by a Governor appointed by the Emperor. Saadat Khan also called Burhan-ul-Mulk a Persian adventurer was appointed the Nawab wazier of the Awadh in 1722 and he established his court in Faizabad [1] near Lucknow.

Awadh was known as the granary of India and was important strategically for the control of the Doaba, the fertile plain between the Ganga and the Yamuna rivers. It was a wealthy kingdom, able to maintain its independence against threats from the Marathas, the British and the Afghans. The third Nawab, Shuja-ud-Daula fell out with the British after aiding Mir Qasim the fugitive Nawab of Bengal. He was comprehensively defeated in the Battle of Buxar by the British East India Company, after which he was forced to pay heavy penalties and cede parts of his territory. The British appointed a resident in 1773, and over time gained control of more territory and authority in the state. They were disinclined to capture Awadh outright, because that would bring them face to face with the Marathas and the remnants of the Mughal Empire.

Lucknow's rise to growth and fame begins with its elevation as capital of Awadh by Nawab Asaf-Ud-Dowlah. He was a great philanthropist and gave Lucknow a unique and enduring legacy . The architectural contributions of these Awadh rulers include several imposing monuments. Of the monuments standing today, the Bara Imambara, the Chhota Imambara, and the Roomi Darwaza are notable examples. One of the more lasting contributions by the Nawabs is the syncretic composite culture that has come to be known as the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb..

In 1798, the fifth Nawab Wazir Ali Shah alienated both his people and the British, and was forced to abdicate. The British then helped Saadat Ali Khan to the throne. Saadat Ali Khan was a puppet king, who in the treaty of 1801 ceded half of Awadh to the British East India Company and also agreed to disband his troops in favor of a hugely expensive, British-run army. This treaty effectively made the state of Awadh a vassal to the British East India Company, though it notionally continued to be part of the Mughal Empire in name till 1819.

The treaty of 1801 formed an arrangement that was very beneficial to the Company. They were able to use Awadh's vast treasuries, repeatedly digging into them for loans at reduced rates. In addition, the revenues from running Awadh's armed forces brought them useful revenues while it acted as a buffer state. The Nawabs were ceremonial kings, busy with pomp and show but with little influence over matters of state. By the mid-nineteenth century, however, the British had grown impatient with the arrangement and wanted direct control of Awadh.

In 1856 the East India Company first moved its troops to the border, then annexed the state, which was placed under a chief commissioner - Sir Henry Lawrence. Wajid Ali Shah, the then Nawab, was imprisoned, and then exiled by the Company to Calcutta. In the subsequent Revolt of 1857 his 14 year old son Birjis Qadr son of Begum Hazrat Mahal was crowned ruler, and Sir Henry Lawrence killed in the hostilities. Following the rebellion's defeat, Begum Hazrat Mahal and other rebel leaders obtained asylum in Nepal.

Those company troops who were recruited from the state, along with some of the nobility of the state, were major players in the events of 1857. The rebels took control of Awadh, and it took the British 18 months to reconquer the region, months which included the famous Siege of Lucknow. Oudh was placed back under a chief commissioner, and was governed as a British province. In 1877 the offices of lieutenant-governor of the North-Western Provinces and chief commissioner of Oudh were combined in the same person; and in 1902, when the new name of United Provinces of Agra and Oudh was introduced, the title of chief commissioner was dropped, though Oudh still retained some marks of its former independence.

The province of Awadh (anglicized to Oudh) was annexed by the British East India Company in 1856 and placed under the control of a chief commissioner. In the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (also known as First War of Indian Independence and the Indian Mutiny), the garrison based at the Residency in Lucknow was besieged by rebel forces. The famous Siege of Lucknow was relieved first by forces under the command of Sir Henry Havelock and Sir James Outram, followed by a stronger force under Sir Colin Campbell. Today, the ruins of the Residency, and the picturesque Shaheed Smarak offer reminiscences of Lucknow's role in the stirring events of 1857.

During the siege of the Residency, the staff and students of La Martiniere College also participated in the defense of the Residency. For this bravery, the La Martiniere College in Lucknow was awarded the Battle honours of the British Empire, thus making it the only school to receive such honors.

In 1902, Lucknow was included in the territory of the new United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. However, it became the provincial capital in 1920 when the seat of government was moved from Allahabad. Upon Indian independence in 1947, Lucknow became the capital of Uttar Pradesh.

Geography & Climate

Situated in the heart of the gangetic plain, Lucknow is surrounded on the eastern side by Barabanki District, on the western side by Unnao District, on the southern side by Raebareli District, and on the northern side by the Sitapur and Hardoi districts.

The Gomti River flows through the city, dividing it into the Trans-Gomti and Cis-Gomti regions.

Climate

Lucknow has a warm subtropical climate with a cool dry winter from December to February and a dry hot summer from April to June. The temperature extremes vary from about 48 °C (118.4 °F) in the summer to 2 °C (35.6 °F) in the winter. Fog is common in winter while hot dry winds called Loo blow during the summer. It receives about 101 cm of annual rainfall mostly from the south-west monsoon winds between July and September. The mean monthly temperatures are 14.7 °C in January and 32.9 °C in June.

Lucknow city is located in the seismic zone III with majority of the city construction not being earthquake resistant.

Economy and Business

Lucknow is not only a major market in Northern India but is also an emerging hub for producers of goods and services with very promising potential. It serves as an educational and cultural centre and a major transportation hub.

All the major banks and financial institutions have a presence in the city. It also houses the headquarters of Small Industries Development Banks of India SIDBI. Currently, Biotechnology and IT are the two focus areas to promote economic development in and around the city. The Ministry of Science and Technology (India) is setting up a Biotech park in the city. Lucknow is also one of the selected cities for the Smart City project of STPI, under which IT is being used to promote economic development.

Traditionally, Lucknow has been associated with Chikan, a unique embroidery handicraft which has caught the fancy of the fashion designers in Bollywood and abroad. Lakhnawi Zardozi is another embroidery form that has emerged as a major business. IT is being introduced to the Chikan industry to increase productivity with the help of World Bank funded projects. Chikan and Zardozi industry are the major small scale industries in the city. During the period of the nawabs, kite making reached a high level of artistry, and is still a major small-scale industry. Lucknow has also been an industrial producer of tobacco products and perfume, and handicrafts such as pottery, earthen toys, silver work, and bone carving. The city also had a big paper mill, one of the oldest in the country.

Lucknow has been a mandi town of mangoes, melons, and grains grown in the surrounding areas. Sugarcane plantations and sugar industries are major agriculture industries in Uttar Pradesh. This attracted Mohan Meakins Group to set up a brewery based on molasses in the city. It was incorporated in 1855 and is Asia's first commercial brewery. Among the modern manufacturing units, Lucknow has Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Tata Motors, Eveready Industries and Scooters India Limited. Processing industries like milk production , steel rolling units and LPG bottling are also operating. Service Industries that are now emerging are construction, computer software, business consultancy,Retailing and T & D catering to the small and medium sector.

See also: List of companies in Lucknow

Government and Politics

Lucknow is the political and administrative capital of Uttar Pradesh. The UP Governor is T.V.Rajeshwar and Mayawati is the present Chief Minister. Dinesh Sharma is the Mayor of Lucknow. Moreover, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is the sitting MP for the Lucknow Parliamentary constituency.

Transport

Local

The available multiple modes of public transport in the cty are Taxis, City Buses, Cycle rickshaws, Auto rickshaws, and Vikram-Tempos. The fares are affordable. CNGCompressed Natural Gas has been introduced recently as an auto fuel to keep the air pollution in control. City Buse service is run by Lucknow Mahanagar Parivahan Sewa a division of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC).

Inter city /Inter state TravelLucknow has good road, rail and air links with the rest of the country.

Road

The city is an important node on the National Highwaysystem and NH-56,NH-25,NH-24,NH-28 link it wih other cities. There are three bus stations. The inter-state terminal is opposite the Charbagh Railway Station while the intra-state terminal is at Qaiserbagh. One more inter state bus terminal has become operational in Alambagh on Lucknow-Kanpur road to reduce the burden on the busy Charbagh bus terminal.UPSRTC is the principal public road transporter of the passenger traffic.Now inter city travel in private cars is also becoming very common.

Rail

The main railway station is Charbagh Railway Station at Charbagh.It is an imposing structure. The main terminal belongs to Northern Railway ( NR ) division of Indian Railways and the second terminal is run by the North Eastern Railway(NER}. Lucknow is a major Junction with links to all major cities of the state and country. Lucknow has 9 more railway stations viz. Dilkhusha, Gomatinagar, Badshahnagar, Aishbagh, Lucknow City, Daliganj,Manak Nagar,Amausi and Mohibullapur. The first 3 stations caters to broad gauge only whereas the others have meter gauge as well. All the stations are within city limits and are well connected with each other via road networks and public road transport. The Lucknow-Kanpur track (72 Kms.) is electrified. Its electrification was done when Lucknow was Prime Minister's Constituency (Shri. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister).

Air

Lucknow is directly connected by air with New Delhi, Patna,Kolkata, and Mumbai and other major Indian cities . The Lucknow Airport at Amausi is located around 20 kms from the city centre. It is an international airport and is the 13^th online station for Air India. International destinations include Dubai, Jeddah and Sharjah. Flights to London and Bangkok are Hong Kong may also commence soon.During Haj special flights are also operated from Lucknow.

Language & Poetry

Lucknow's reputation owes largely to the polite language and clear diction of its citizens.

Both Hindi and Urdu are spoken in Lucknow but Urdu /Hindustani has been the lingua franca here for over two centuries. Day-to-day transactions in the city are typically performed in Hindi or English.Hinglish is also very popular with the young generation.

Under the rule of Nawabs, Urdu flourished and turned into one of the most refined languages. Hindu and Muslim poets like Brij Narayan Chakbast, Khwaja Haidar Ali Atish, Mirza Hadi Ruswa, Nasikh, Daya Shankar Naseem, Musahafi, Insha, Safi Lakhnavi, and the great Meer Taqi Meer took Urdu poetry to dizzying heights and established the laknavi form of the language..

In Lucknow the two great poets, Mir Anis and Mir Dabeer, became legendary exponents of a unique genre of elegiacal poetry called Marsia centred on Husayn bin Ali's supreme sacrifice in the battle of Karbala which is commemorated during the annual observance of Muharram. However, in recent years the use of Urdu has become significantly reduced but Lucknowites are still known for their polite and polished way of speaking which is noticed by visitors to this charming city. The revolutionary Ram Prasad Bismil, who was hanged by the British at Kakori near Lucknow, was largely influenced by poetry and wrote verses under the pen name of "Bismil".

The surrounding towns like Kakori, Daryabad,Barabanki Rudauli and Malihabad produced many eminent poets and literateurs of Urdu like Mohsin Kakorvi, Majaz , Khumar Barabankvi,Josh Malihabadi, and Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi.

In and around the city

Places to see

Ambedkar Memorial

The significant architectural sights in Lucknow include the Vidhan Sabha (State Legislative Assembly ) and the Charbagh Railway Station, with its distinctive domes , arches and pillars.

The Asafi Imambara (popularly known as Bada Imambara), the Chhota Imambara, Residency, and Shah Najaf are monuments of historical importance at Lucknow. The famous 'Bhul Bhulaiyan' (Labyrinth) is part of Asafi Imambara complex. Some other places of interest are the Clock Tower, Picture Gallery, Chattar Manzil, State Museum/Lucknow Zoo, Shaheed Smarak, Dilkusha, Ambedkar Memorial, Planetarium, and Ram Krishna Math.

Two of the oldest schools in the world are also situated in Lucknow: La Martiniere and the Colvin Taluqdar's College. Both of these schools have produced many eminent personalities.

Lucknow has several well kept parks that attract the citizenry in large numbers on evenings, holidays and weekends. The bigger parks are Ambedkar Memorial and Lohia park in Gomtinagar, Swarn Jayanti park in Indiranagar, Dilkusha Park, Begum Hazrat Mahal Park, Globe Park, Mukherjee Phuhaar, Haathi Park, Buddha park, and Neebu Park. The sprawling National Botanical Garden at Sikandarbagh on the banks of Gomti river is also worth visiting.

The city also has the Kukrail Reserve Forest(a picnic spot and Gharial rehablitaion centre)[2]. Other close natural attractions are Dudhwa National Park and Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary.

Shopping

Sahara Ganj: The new look of Sham-E-Avadh

Aminabad, a quaint bazaar like Delhi's Chandni Chowk, is situated in the heart of the city. It is a large shopping centre that caters to a wide variety of consumers.

The Hazratganj area also has an upscale shopping market with colonial style buildings. Interestingly, a popular pastime among the locals is window-shopping in the Hazratganj market. It is popularly referred in Hinglish as Ganjing. The Janpath market, Rovers, Lovers Lane, Mayfair building, Kwality, and Universal book store are some popular landmarks of the market.

Lucknow is experiencing the new waves of shopping malls and multiplex culture in India. The first shopping mall-cum-multiplex to open in Lucknow was the East End Mall (Wave Cinemas) in Gomti Nagar. Soon came the much anticipated Sahara Ganj mall, which also houses a PVR multiplex. Sahara Ganj is a project of Sahara India Pariwar, one of India's biggest business conglomerates. The most recent addition to Lucknow's growing list of big shopping malls is Fun Republic.

Chowk and Nakhhas are the older markets present in the old Lucknow area where you can get a feel of traditional Lucknow. Some other important shopping centres are Alambagh, Kapoorthala, Indiranagar, Mahanagar, and Nishatganj.

Cuisine

When it comes to eating, Lucknow is a culinary delight as the Awadh region has its own distinct Nawabi style cuisine, with various kinds of biryanis and kebabs and breads like 'sheermal' and 'roomali roti' are all very popular delicacies.

Lucknow has also pioneered the slow fire cooking called Dum Pukht.The world famous chef Imtiaz Qureishi hails from Lucknow.

The city has a range of fine restaurants catering to all tastes and budgets.

From 'Oudhyana' 'Zaika' 'Royal Cafe'and 'Falaknuma' to fastfood joints like Pizza Hut,McDonalds to traditional eateries like 'Tundeys' and 'Rahims' in Akbari Gate area the choice is wide.

Makkhan Malai, 'malai gilori' of Chowk ,the famous Tundey Kebabs, named after the one-armed chef Haji Murad Ali, and 'Kakori kebabs' are very popular with food lovers.

A street food court with a number of street-side restaurants and eating joints are also present in China Bazaar (near Tulsi theatre) serving affordable Avadhi-Mughlai cuisine.

The Chaat in Lucknow is at par with the best you will get anywhere in the country. There are quite a few places serving outstanding chaat, like Shukla Chaat, Moti Mahal, and Chhappan Bhog. Actually , can pretty much have chaat in any corner of Lucknow and never be disappointed.

After a delicious dinner, one can have Paan from the shops near K.D. Singh Babu Stadium and State Bank of India.

Localities and Municipality

Lucknow City is governed by Lucknow Municipal Corporation.

The urban sprawl is spread equally on both sides of the Gomti River. The colonies and residential settlements in the Cis-Gomti area are Hazratganj, Aminaabad, Husainganj, Lal Bagh, Golaganj, Wazirganj, Rajendra Nagar, Malviya Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Aishbagh, Rajajipuram, Chowk, and Saadatganj.

The residential settlements in the Trans-Gomti area are Nirala Nagar, Aliganj, Daliganj, Mahanagar, Old and New Hyderabad, Nishatganj, Indira Nagar, Gomti Nagar, Vikas Nagar, Janakipuram, and Rajajipuram.

Culture

Lucknow, the Golden City of the East, is bravely struggling to retain the old world charm while at the same time acquiring a modern lifestyle. Regarded as one of the finest cities of India, Lucknow represents a culture that combines emotional warmth, a high degree of sophistication, courtesy, and a love for gracious living. The Pehle-Aap (after you) culture, popularised as a tagline for the society of Lucknow, is waning. But a small part of Lucknow's society still possesses such etiquettes. This sublime cultural richness famous as Lakhnawi tehzeeb blends the cultures of two communities living side by side for centuries, sharing similar interests and speaking a common language.

Many of the cultural traits and customs peculiar to Lucknow have become living legends today. The credit for this goes to the secular and syncretic traditions of the Nawabs of Awadh, who took keen interest in every walk of life, and encouraged the traditions to attain a rare degree of sophistication.

Dance & Music Kathak, the classical Indian dance form took shape here. Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh was a great patron and a passionate champion of Kathak. Lachhu Maharaj and Birju Maharaj have kept this tradition alive.

Lucknow is also the city of eminent Ghazal singer Begum Akhtar . She was a pioneer in Ghazal singing and took this aspect of music to amazing heights. "Ae Mohabbat Tere anjaam pe rona aaya" is one of her best musical renditions of all times.

The Bhatkande music university at Lucknow is named after the great musician Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande.

Lucknow has given music legends like Naushad Ali, Talat Mehmood, Anup Jalota and Baba Sehgal to the entertainment industry. It is also incidentally the birthplace of British pop legend Sir Cliff Richard.

An Inspiration for Films

Lucknow has been a great influence on the Hindi film industry of India and it would be true to say that without the Lakhnavi touch, Bollywood would not have been what it is today. Many script writers and lyricists hailing from Awadh like Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kaifi Azmi, Javed Akhtar Ali Raza, Bhagwati Charan Verma, Wajahat Mirza (writer of Mother India and Ganga Jamuna), Amritlal Nagar , Ali Sardar Jafri andKP.Saxena have enriched Indian Cinema.

Moreover, several famous movies have used Lucknow as their backdrop, such as Shashi Kapoor's Junoon, Muzaffar Ali's Umrao Jaan and Gaman, Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khiladi. Ismail Merchant's Shakespearewallah was also partly shot in Lucknow.

Bahu Begum,Mehboob ki Mehndi,Mere Huzur, Mere Mehboob, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Pakeezah, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, Saher, and many more films have either been shot in Lucknow or have Lakhnavi backdrops.

Education and Research

La Martinière College

St. Fidelis College

Emma Thompson School

Lucknow is a hub of education and research with many premier institutions.

Primary and Secondary education is of a high quality with most schools affiliated to ICSE or the UP Board though a few offerCBSE programme as well.Some of the major high-schools in Lucknow are:

1. La Martiniere College - Boys' School
2. La Martiniere College - Girls' School
3. Loreto Convent [3]
4. Emma Thompson School - Girls' School
5. St. Francis College
6. City Montessori School [4]
7. Seth M.R. Jaipuria College
8. Delhi Public School
9. Colvin Taluqdar's College
10. Study Hall
11. Mahanagar Boys Inter College
12. Rani Laxmi Bai Memorial Senior Secondary School
13. Modern School
14. St. Agnes Girls School
15. St. Fidelis College
16. The Army Public School
17. Maharishi Vidya Mandir
18. Bal Vidya Mandir
19. The Cathedral
20. Mount Carmel
21. U.P. Sainik School
22. Lucknow Public School
23. St. Teresa's Day School & College
24. D.A.V College
25. St. Paul's College
26. Saint John Bosco College

Apart from high-schools, many new generation pre-schools like Eurokids and Play House are also coming up in Lucknow catering to the burgeoning demand.

Some of the major colleges and universities offering higher studies in Lucknow are:

1. University of Lucknow [5]
2. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Central University [6]
3. Amity University, Uttar Pradesh [7]
4. Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow [8]
5. Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS)
6. King George Medical University, also known as KGMU (Recently UP Assembley has passed a motion to rename KGMU as Chhatrapati Shahu ji Maharaj Medical University [9]
7. King George Dental University (KGDU)
8. Integral University
9. Uttar Pradesh Technical University
10. Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National University

University of Lucknow, also known as Lucknow University, was founded in 1921. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in India. The motto of the university is "Light and Learning". It has produced many luminaries in all walks of national life. Some of its most well known departments are Sociology, Business Administration, Botany, Geology, Chemistry, and Economics. The university has a beautiful campus in an area called Badshah Bagh. The famous Tagore Library of the university overlooks a green park and an artificial canal, which gives the university a very grand ambience.

Several national-level research institutes are also headquartered in Lucknow. Some of the primary research institutes are:

1. National Botanical Reasearch Institute (NBRI)
2. Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI)
3. Industial Toxicology Research Centre (ITRC)
4. Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR)
5. National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR)
6. Central Institute for Sub-Tropical Horticulture (CISH) (Popularly known as Mango Research)
7. Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP)
8. Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany
9. Institute of Judicial Training and Research
10. Railway Design & Standards Organization

Moreover, Lucknow is home to many popular private coaching institutions like Rubic's Rostrum, TriVaAg, New Standard and Institute of Career Studies. These institutes train students for college entrance examinations like IIT-JEE and AIIMS and Common Admission Test for the IIMs. Thousands of students from nearby towns and cities flock to Lucknow in search of proper guidance for such competitive examinations.

See also: List of educational institutes in Lucknow

Media

Press

Several daily newspapers in Hindi, Urdu, and English are published in the city. Among the Hindi papers are Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, Dainik Hindustan, Rashtriya Sahara, Jansatta, and Swatantra Bharat. The main Urdu papers are Rashtriya Sahara, Sahafat, Qaumi Khabrein, and Aag. The prominent English Dailies are The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, The Pioneer, and Indian Express.

The National Herald was also published from Lucknow and edited by the legendary Manikonda Chalapathi Rau

Press Trust of India has a Lucknow office and all major newspapers of the country have their correspondents/ stringers in Lucknow.

Radio

One of the earliest stations of All India Radio has been operational in Lucknow.

FM radio transmission started in Lucknow in 2003, and the city has 4 radio stations. - 90.4 MHz CMS, 100.7 MHz AIR, 91.1 MHz Radio City (India radio station)|Radio City]], 105.6 MHz Gyan Vani.

Electronic

The national telecaster Doordarshan came to the city in 1975. In 1982 colour transmission was started during the Asiad.

All major Television channels are available in the city through private cable operators as well as individual dish receivers.

News channels have their correspondents and crew posted in the city.

Web

The city has broadband internet connectivity and video confrencing facilities.

Sports

Traditionally the city has been sports loving. In the past pehlwani, kabbadi, chess, kite flying, pigeon flying, and cock fighting have been popular pastimes.

The city has a good record in modern sports producing many national and world class sporting personalities.

Hockey, football, badminton, and cricket have been quite popular in the city.

For decades Lucknow hosted the prestigious Sheesh Mahal Cricket Tournament

The main sports hub is the K. D. Singh Babu Stadium which also has a world class Swimming and Indoor Games Complex.

The other stadiums are at Charbagh , Mahanagar ,Gomtinagar, Chowk and Sports College.

The Lucknow Golf Club on the sprawling greens of La Martiniere is also one of the famous golf courses in India. Lucknow sports hostel has produced a lot of national level cricketers recently that include Suresh Raina and R. P. Singh.

Other famous sports personalities include hockey Olympians K.D Singh Babu and Mohammad Shahid and Ghaus Mohammad the first Indian to reach the quarter finals in Wimbledon.

External links

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• http://www.geocities.com/apnalko

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