Gurugram, originally Gurgaon, probably attracts the maximum number of expatriates across India to come to work and live in this city, which is next door to Delhi, the capital of India. The origins of Gurugram (erstwhile Gurgaon) can be traced back to ancient Hindu scriptures: it is known as the village of Guru Dronacharya, the archery teacher of the Kauravas and the Pandavas who gave the land to him as Gurudakshina (offering to a teacher). Hence the name Gurugram (Guru = teacher and gram = village). Today, it is a major financial, industrial, and technology hub of India.

Gurugram is situated in the south-eastern part of the north Indian state of Haryana and benefits from its close proximity to Delhi or New Delhi in its northeast. It covers a total of 739 kms in length. In 1947, Gurugram became a part of independent India and fell under the Indian state of Punjab. But, in 1966, the city came under the administration of Haryana with the creation of the new state.

The success story of Gurugram began when Maruti Suzuki started their factory here in the early 1980’s. Soon followed amendments in the Land Acquisition Act that allowed land resources to be purchased by private builders/companies for public purposes. It was then a powerful commercial real estate developer known as DLF (Delhi Land and Finance) bought large chunks of land in Gurugram and changed the landscape of this phenomenal city.

Thereafter, liberalization of the Indian economy fuelled Gurugram’s growth. In 1991, the Government of India opened up its economy for foreign investment, making the city a lucrative destination for investment. From late 1990 onwards, scores of foreign companies began their offices and started setting up their outsourcing operations, especially BPOs (Business Process Outsourcing) in Gurugram, making the city one of the biggest outsourcing hubs in India. There are now many leading Fortune 500 companies in Gurugram! Below are a few reasons that make Gurugram an ideal Investment City of India:

1. Prime Location: A major reason of Gurugram being a prime location is its close proximity to Delhi and excellent connectivity within the NCR i.e. – Faridabad, Noida, and Ghaziabad. Another factor that works in the city’s favor is the closeness of the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

2. Supportive Infrastructure: Supportive, facilitative infrastructure and development of real estate have gone hand-in-hand in Gurugram to promote investment. Further, there are several infrastructure projects in the pipeline which promise to boost the growth even more.

3. Special Economic Zones: The government of Haryana has been increasingly dedicating large chunks of land for Special Economic Zones. Gurugram is on the cusp of getting known as the ‘SEZ Country’.

4. Favourable investment climate: The Haryana government’s stable law and order, coupled with the burgeoning infrastructural development within Gurugram have made it a favorable target for investment. Further, the vast amount of land available for ownership and development is another factor that drives investment and attracts more companies in the city. Several multinational companies have set up shop along with countless other domestic business houses. Also, the face of residential real estate is varied, having both affordable housing options as well as luxury residential houses that are prominent in the landscape. Hence, the quality of residential and commercial spaces in Gurugram is excellent and available in a diverse price range, thereby opening opportunities for investment to various segments of the society.

5. Demographics: Home to 2.5 million people, Gurugram has a strong demographical constitution made up of a huge section of educated, English-speaking youth who work in thousands of multinational corporations and large business houses in Gurugram. The city’s standard of living also is higher than that of other cities in NCR.

Besides this, Gurugram has more to offer than just exciting investment opportunities! Let’s look at what makes Gurugram click especially with the expatriates, relocating professionals, and multinational and international companies!

• The current Indian government rules and regulations have bought attention to bring Gurugram closer to the tag of Smart Cities of India. As per Hindustan Times, Gurugram will be a part of 13 cities to be given special, cutting-edge technical assistance. The Union ministry of Urban Development has taken the initiative for the same.

• Expatriates enjoy a plethora of great housing options. Expatriates moving to Gurugram, prefer staying on the  Golf Course Road, an exclusive and upscale location,  complete with a lush green Golf course and a number of high-end housing options..

• Expatriates have the option of condominiums such as DLF Magnolias, DLF Aralias, DLF Park Place and DLF Belaire, located on the Golf Course Road

• Gurugram abounds in lush greenery owing to biodiversity, numerous societal parks, and gardens that add vibrancy to the city. Besides this, Sector 29 in Gurugram also has an array of restaurants that are frequently visited by the expatriates and locals.

• Apart from this, Expatriate families can also visit other exciting places for leisure. A few of the most popular ones are – DLF Cyber Hub, Kingdom of Dreams, DLF Galleria Market, Sector 29 market, Mega and Ambience mall, etc.

• In terms of education for children, there are many international school options available in Gurugram itself for expatriate children. some Indian schools are also offering an international curriculum. Some of the famous Indian international schools that offer an international curriculum are – Pathways International School, Lancers International School, G.D. Goenka World School, and Excelsior American School. Children also have a choice of joining the American School in Delhi as the school’s bus does touch Gurugram and neighboring areas.

• Gurugram is also a spot for medical innovation and sophistication having some of the most technologically advanced medical institutions in the city. Few famous hospitals amongst the expatriates are – Medanta Medicity, Artemis, Fortis, Max and Columbia Hospital etc..

• Renowned hospitality chains such as Crowne Plaza, Leela Hotel, Oberoi, Trident and Vivanta by Taj, encourage expatriates and high-class businessmen to enjoy their sojourn in the city.

• Gurugram also enjoys excellent metro connectivity along with a local transit system in sync with the Delhi Metro rail.

• Traveling between Gurugram and Delhi has been made easier and more convenient with a large number of taxi aggregators and other cab services on offer viz. Uber, Ola and Carz on Rent.

• The recently released Gurugram 2021 Master Plan is a template for further facilitating planned urban growth that would fix the basic requirements’ problems like limited water resources, unreliable energy supply, and insufficient infrastructure provision. Once the Master Plan 2021 is put into place, Gurugram will have the requisite technological fixes to solve all of its potential future problems even those arising from its propinquity to the sensitive Aravalli hills which are an earthquake-prone area.

Gurugram is on its way of becoming an alpha city in every sense of the term!