Cricket is the most famous sport in the city. One-day internationals, domestic tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy, the Duleep Trophy and many inter-school and collegiate tournaments are played at the Madhavrao Sindhia Cricket Ground. Now 2nd International Cricket Stadium situated in Rajkot, Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, also known as Khandheri Cricket Stadium, is a cricket stadium in Khandheri, about 10 kilometers outside Rajkot, India. Currently, the stadium is being used for Ranji Trophy matches, even though the spectator stands are still being constructed. Once the stands are complete, the ground will hold between 28,000 and 32,000 spectators. In this newly-constructed cricket stadium Day/Night matches can now also be played. 1st International Cricket Match will be played on 11 January 2013 between India and England. The stadium will part of a larger sports complex that will include venues for other sports such as badminton, basketball, and volleyball. It will host Saurashtra Cricket Association matches along with Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground. Rajkot has produced cricketers such as K S Ranjitsinhji, Karsan Ghavri, Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara who have been members of the Indian cricket team. Rajkot has many other cricket grounds around city, including Railway Cricket Ground and Rajkumar College South Ground. Apart from cricket, other sports such as hockey, football, volleyball, badminton, tennis, table-tennis, chess, swimming and squash are rapidly growing popular in the city. There has been a significant increase in recent years in the number of private sports clubs, gymkhanas and gymnasiums. Kathiawar gymkhana, indoor stadium and swimming pools of Rajkot Municipal Corporation are major sports clubs in city. Recently, the Gujarat Hockey Team (Under 14) was assembled with all 16 players coming from Rajkot.A new modernized cricket ground is even under construction at the outskirts. Many new talents are arising due to sports facilities like cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja.There are numerous swimming pools too.
Garba, a dance form, is popular both with men and women and is performed during the Navratri festival. The dance starts before midnight and continues until dawn. Mata Ambe, who rides a Lion, has a special reverential status with any highly religious Gujarati. The ‘Janmastami Mela’ organizes by for five days at the Race Course grounds to celebrate Janmastami. Diwali is the New Year for Hindus and people celebrate by doing Ma Laxmi Pujan. Moharam is new year of Muslim. Muslim’s also celebrate ramzan Eid and bakri Eid. Rajkot Municipality arranges the Firecracker Show for the citizens of Rajkot. People clean and paint their houses and purchase new clothes to wear on New Year’s Day. Dhuleti is the colour festival and Mahashivratri is God Shiva’s day. People also celebrate Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) on 14 January by flying kites from their terraces. Other holidays are Ganesh Utsava, Ram Navami, Mahavir Jayanti etc. Since Rajkot has people from many different castes and races, their various celebrations occur throughout the year.
Other points of interest in Rajkot include Gebanshah Pir Dargah,Hashanshah Pir Dargah, Turkibapu’s Dargah, Swaminarayan Gurukul, Masonic Hall, Jam Tower, Race Course, Aji Dam, Ramakrishna Aashram, Shri Ranchhoddas Ashram, Swaminarayan Temple, Nageshwar Parswanath Jain Temple, Balkrishna Haveli, Ishwariya Temple and Garden, Mukti Dhama, Lal Pari Lake, Randerda Lake, Kaba Gandhi no Delo: Sri Sathya Sai Heart Hospital Gandhiji’s ancestral home which now houses the Gandhi Smriti, a permanent exhibition. Watson Museum And Library: The Watson Museum today has a collection of human history and culture. Its collection has precious objects of colonial period of India and History of Rajkot. Located in the pleasant Jubilee Garden, the museum is a good introduction to Saurashtra’s cultural heritage. Rajkot Memon Boarding;is head quarter of Muslim activities before 1947. Saurashtra Muslim league held many Muslim convention at Rajkot Memon boarding ground.
The city contributes to the economy of the state with heavy and small scale industries under the patronage of Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) and Gujarat State Financial Corporation (GSFC). The economy of Rajkot got another shot in the arm with 28 crore World Bank aid for development of infrastructure of the city. Many a renowned business houses made a beeline for grabbing the property market in the city, before it skyrockets. The plans are already in place to beautify and modernize the ancient city, including a Rock Garden, ala Chandigarh. Another 25 crore project to rebuild the Kaiser-e-Hind, the only major bridge linking to the city, is already nearing completion. All such infrastructure development will add to the economic wealth and promote the local business houses.
Rajkot is well known throughout the world for its casting and forging industries. Over the last few years, it has started to play an increasingly important role in the complex supply chains of many global engineering companies that make products such as electric motors, automobiles, machine tools, bearings, etc. Companies such as Echjay Industries, Solar Technocast Pvt. Ltd, Amul Industries, Prashant Castings (P) Ltd, Doctor Pumps Rolex Rings,</ref> Falcon Pumps, Topland Engines etc. are prime examples of this trend and due to huge investments by the Government and private sector in local infrastructure such as highways, ports, power plants etc., many more companies are expected to join them.
One of the most important weather phenomena that are associated with the city of Rajkot is cyclone. The cyclones generally occur in the Arabian Sea during the months after the rainy season. The region experiences a lot of rainfall and high-speed winds during the time of the year after the monsoon season as well as the months of May and June. However, June experiences lesser amount of rainfall and winds than the post-monsoon time. Thunderstorms are another important part of the Rajkot weather in the months of June and July. During summer time, the temperature ranges between 24°C and 42°C. In the months of winter, Rajkot temperature varies between 10°C and 22°C but on a whole winters are pleasant.
Rajkot is the fourth largest city in the state of Gujarat, India, after Ahmedabad, Surat, and Vadodara. Rajkot is the 35th-largest urban agglomeration in India, with a population more than 1.6 million as of 2012. Rajkot is also the 22nd-fastest-growing city in the world. The city contains the administrative headquarters of the Rajkot District, 245 km from the state capital Gandhinagar, and is located on the banks of the Aji and Nyari Rivers. Rajkot was the capital of the Saurashtra State from 15 April 1948 to 31 October 1956, before its merger to Bombay State on 1 November 1956. Rajkot was reincorporated into Gujarat State from May 1, 1960.
Rajkot is famous for its jewellery market, silk embroidery and watch parts. The city hosts several small scale manufacturing industries. Some of the industrial products for which Rajkot is known include bearings, diesel engines, kitchen knives and other cutting appliances, watch parts (cases & bracelets), automotive parts, forging industry, casting industry, machine tools, share market and software development. The city is also home to one of the largest CNC machine manufacturer in the country, Jyoti CNC Automation Pvt. Ltd. The Real Estate sector is also booming in the city, as the land prices in the city are some of the highest in India.
Morning newspapers available in the English language are The Times of India, Indian Express, Economic Times, Business Standard, while Gujarati language newspapers are Phulchhab, Jaihind, Jansatta, Sandesh, Gujarat Samachar, Divya Bhaskar, Sambhav, Kathiawad post. Rajkot also publishes evening newspapers including Akila, Sanj Samachar, Aaj Kal, Aas-Paas all of which have a healthy number of estimated readers per copy rate. A large number of magazines, periodicals and journals are regularly published and circulated across the city.
Prasar Bharti telecasts DD National (DD1), DD Gujarati (DD11) from Doordarshan Kendra, Rajkot. Rajkot Chamber of Cable operators (RCC) has launched a company which provides cable connection to Rajkot City and its suburbs with 94 circulars. Currently RCC is multicasting around 90 channels. BSNL Telephone Exchange provides PSTN, mobile, wireless local loop and broadband services. Private companies like Idea cellular, Reliance Infocomm, Tata Indicom, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone India also provide mobile and broadband services.
Aviation is developing slowly in the city. Daily multiple flights to Mumbai are served by Indian Airlines and Jet Airways and by other carriers. Intermittent services to Ahmedabad and hopping service to Bhavnagar on the way to Mumbai have been undertaken periodically. Currently Indian Airlines and Jet Airways offer daily flights between Rajkot and Mumbai Airport. A new service planned is for Rajkot-Bhavnagar-Surat route. Another new service planned by Jet Airways to Mumbai and Bangalore would enhance aviation.
Rajkot is famous for providing education to Mahatma Gandhi (Gandhiji), at the Alfred High School. A number of schools in the city are run by Rajkot Municipal Corporation.They include 20 schools and learning centers, which consist of 3 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, 4 junior high schools, 4 senior high schools, 1 education centers, and 1 special school. There are also some self-financed public schools. TGES (the galaxy educational system) is a group of sister schools.
As of the 2011 India census, Rajkot recorded a total population of 1,286,995. Rajkot city has an average literacy rate of 89%, higher than the national average. Males are 525,880 and females are 477,134 in percent males are 52.43% and females are 47.57% A clear majority of the people here are Hindus. Muslim population is more than ten percent. In Muslim population 95% is Sunni Muslim.Many intermarriages between the Hindus and the Jains occur quite frequently.
Rajkot has many historical landmarks and places to visit. The Jubilee Garden is a large, open park in the center of the city featuring many monuments from colonial times. Located prominently in the center of the garden is the Connaught Hall. Other notable points of interest near the garden include the historic Mohandas Gandhi High School, Kaba Gandhi No Delo (Mohandas Gandhi’s childhood residence), Rashtriya Shala, Watson Museum, Lang Library and Rotary Midtown Library.
The people in Rajkot are predominantly vegetarians and are vehemently against any form of hunting. The women in Rajkot are very fond of jewelery. Large chains, pendants and other heavy gold jewelry are a common sight during marriages, festivals and family functions. The attire changes with the season and approaching festivals. The ladies normally wear the Gujarati flavor of the Sari and men can be seen in flowing Kurtas and in the formal wears (shirts and trousers).
There are about 500 foundry units in Rajkot. The cluster came-up mainly to cater to the casting requirements of the local diesel engine industry. The geographical spread of the cluster includes Aji Vasahat, Gondal Road and Bhavanagar Road areas. The majority of foundry units in Rajkot produce grey iron castings for the domestic market. A very small percentage (about 2%) of the foundry units export castings such as electric motor castings, automobile castings etc.
Recently Rajkot BRTS was launched on 1 October 2012. The city of Rajkot is today getting a new Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) with launching of the 10-km long Blue corridor and two AC buses which will be free for the first three months. The corridor is located in the west part of the city through the 150 ft ring road connecting Madhapar chokdi on the Jamangar road to Gondal chokdi on the Gondal road. The corridor will host 11 buses in further stage.
The city is home to Saurashtra University, several colleges, and other institutions of higher education, both public and private. The city has 12 engineering colleges. It has a Performing Arts College (Vocal, Classical dance, Tabla Vadan etc.) opposite Hemu Gadhvi Natya Gruh. The Saurashtra University is the city’s public university. It is spread across approximately 410 acres (1.7 km2) of green land with 28 post graduation departments.
Rajkot is also famous for its gold purity. It has one of the largest gold markets in India. Rajkot is also growing up in Software Industries and ITeS. There are many SOHO companies working in web development and many new multinational software companies and call centers are setting up their operation and development center in Rajkot. Rajkot is also home of one of leading management consulting firm in India, Ikon Marketing Consultants.
Rajkot BRTS Route: The fully completed project in future will have two more corridors – green and red from Arvind Maniyar Nagar to Saurashtra University and Greenland Chowk to Saurashtra University respectively involving 157 buses in three colors. Rajkot thus becomes the second city in Gujarat to have BRTS after Ahmedabad. The city of Surat too is planning an ambitious BRTS project, construction of which is going on presently.