With over 18 million people, Mumbai is the largest city in India.

India has the second highest population among the countries of the world, with more than 1.2 billion inhabitants. As of 2011, the country had 27 cities with populations exceeding one million. These cities comprise about 43% of the country’s urban population. This list describes the ten most populated cities in India.

10. Jaipur – 3.1 million people

Jaipur city is the largest city in Rajasthan state and its capital as well. It is built on 187.12 sq mi of land, and it is home to 3.1 million people. It is the tenth most populated city in the country. Jaipur is a popular destination for tourists not only in India but Asia as a whole. It is part of India’s Golden Triangle along with Delhi and Agra. The city is also called ‘the Pink City.’

9. Surat – 4.5 million people

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Ahmedabad, the 606-year-old walled city in the western Indian state of Gujarat, was named the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage City in July 2017. It is considered a landmark city as it is here that the great Mahatma Gandhi first began India’s struggle for freedom. Its Hindu and Jain temples, as well as Muslim art, have made this city known for its rich architecture and historical significance.

“We have become a national example and we have to make sure we stand by it. People will now show interest in preserving their properties in the old city,” says Debashish Nayak, director of the Centre for Heritage Management at Ahmedabad University.

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Ahmedabad in Gujarat on Friday was formally accorded the status of India’s first World Heritage City with UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova handing over the certificate in this regard to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

Speaking on the occasion here, Rupani said it was a proud moment for over 6.5 crore people of Gujarat.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi did a lot of hard work to get the heritage city tag for Ahmedabad from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

He accused the earlier government for not trying enough in this matter.

The Chief Minister said Ahmedabad was selected out of 250 cities in the race for the coveted status.

He also thanked the UNESCO and the Culture Ministry.

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It is a fact that each year hundreds of sites – from towering castles to ancient ruins to recently discovered tombs – want to earn the badge of being a UNESCO world heritage site. Not only does the umbrella of UNESCO earn them pride, but it also earns them more money in tourist dollars as well as gives that site protection so that it can never be damaged or destroyed. It is not easy to get accepted by UNESCO – there are a number of rules that must be met and strict guidelines for the site when it comes to preservation. But, to most, earning the designation is worth the work.

For 2017, UNESCO has picked 21 new sites to protect, yet some of these sites come with controversy.

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India finally got her first World Heritage City and how. On July 8, 2017, the city of Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat was declared a World Heritage City — making history of sorts. In its hurtle to the top, it beat heritage heavyweights Mumbai and Delhi. But it took one hell of a journey over four years before it got to earn its rightful place.

In 2013, after months of speculation, the World Heritage Expert Committee established by the Culture Ministry gave a clean chit to the final dossiers of Delhi and Mumbai for UNESCO’s World Heritage Status. The dossiers were dispatched to UNESCO headquarters for a completion check. Once they got the clearance, the ministry would decide which should be India’s official nomination in cultural category to be submitted by January 2014.

Both the cities went into a PR overdrive to push for the coveted status.

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Any celebration of Ahmedabad’s heritage as an icon of peace and unity (of Hindu, Muslim and Jain traditions) must be understood in light of the city’s profound anti-Dalit and anti-Muslim violence.

In July 2017, in recognition of its ‘universal value’, Ahmedabad became the first Indian city to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage City. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani and citizens alike wasted no time in expressing their pride and joy. The mainstream media has echoed their justification of the syncretic Jain, Islamic and Hindu heritage of the pols (neighbourhoods) in the walled city, as well as the proximate connection to Gandhian politics as accounting for Ahmedabad’s universal value.

Ahmedabad’s inclusion is part of UNESCO’s race to rectify its racism, since a vast majority of UNESCO heritage sites are in Europe.

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Described as a pretty mole on earth’s face by a 15th century poet, Ahmedabad is making waves with it’s latest status update.

“Thrilled to announce! Ahmedabad has just been declared India’s first World Heritage city by UNESCO,” tweeted Ruchira Kamboj, India’s permanent representative to the United Nations cultural agency, United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

On July 8, 2017, Ahmedabad became the first Indian city to be declared as a World Heritage City. Fifteenth century poet, Ulvi Shiraz described Ahmedabad as a pretty mole on earth’s face. In the 17th century, when European traveller Gemelli Careri came to the city, he compared it to Venice. In the 19th century, travellers Edwin Arnold and Henry George Briggs felt that the city was like a muse for poets and painters.

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