Mumbai, till recently called Bombay, is the capital city of Maharashtra. The only British monarch to visit India, King George V, first set foot on Indian soil at Mumbai in 1911. To commemorate his visit, the Gateway to India, Mumbai's best known landmark, was completed in 1927. An alluring mixture of races and cultures, the pulsating city is on the move. Its famed Bollywood churns out more movies than any in the world.

With most premier multinational and national corporate houses headquartered here, it remains the bastion of free enterprise. It is a major manufacturing and trading centre for everything from garments, pharmaceuticals and toiletries to cars and cosmetics. Its international airport and seaport are the busiest in the country and handle virtually 50% of all India's foreign trade. The coastline of Maharashtra, stretching 720 km, provides for exciting water sports, sun bathing on golden sands, exploring grand fortresses, temples and churches, and discovering tiny, remote villages. 

The vast Arabian sea expanding beyond the coastlines has a mesmeric charm to offer and the main beaches in the state are Chaul, Murudi-Janjira, Kashid, Ganpatipule, Manori island, Mandwa-Kihim and Dahanu-Bordi, etc. Mumbai is an exhilarating city fuelled by entrepreneurial energy, determination and dreams. Its skyscraper-filled skyline and busy work culture could belong to any metropolis in the world.