Abstract

Bangalore has had an identity as a manufacturing and trading centre since the early 18Th century. Over the past 150 years, the city has garnered the interest of various state leaderships, from the Kingdom of Mysore and its colonial leaders to the Prime Ministers of Post Independent India. The state has played an important role in promoting the growth of local economies at various stages in this duration. With the coming of the British, local manufacturing declined in the early 19th century. Although British policy of opening up the economy helped trade flourish, large-scale manufacturing in the city took off only during the late 19th century with support from the Mysore royals (Pani, Anand and Vyasulu, 1985). In the last century, the state and its industrial policy has played an important role in the industrial growth of the city. From the establishment of the Department of Industries and Commerce and setting up state-owned Public Sector Units (PSU) by the technocratic Dewan Visweswaraya, to the setting up of PSUs by the central govt like BHEL, HAL, HMT, ITI, etc. to being the first state to announce an Information Technology policy, the state’s industrial policy and vision have played an important role in the industrial transformation of Bangalore.