Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar  Pradesh, the most populous state of India. 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 Persian-loving Shia Nawabs of the city are well known amongst Indians and students of South Asian culture and history. Lucknow is popularly known as the The City of Nawabs. It is also known as the Golden City of the East, Shiraz-i-Hind and The Constantinople of India.

Today, Lucknow  is a  vibrant  city  that  is  witnessing  an  economic  boom  and  is  among  the  top  ten  fastest  growing non-major-metropolitan cities of India. It is the second largest city in Uttar Pradesh state. The unique combination of its cultured grace and newly acquired pace is its most promising feature that augurs well for the future.