Valsad

Valsad (Pronunciation: [ʋalsɑɖ]), historically known as Bulsar, is a city and a municipality in Valsad district of the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the district headquarters of Valsad district. Valsad is located south of Navsari and shares border with Maharashtra and the union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu in the south.

Etymology
The name "Valsad" derives from vad-saal, a Gujarati language compound meaning "covered (saal) by banyan trees (vad)" or "where Vad(Banyan trees) and Saal(Saal tree) are" (the area was naturally rich in banyan trees). During British Era, it was historically known as "Bulsar".

Geography
Valsad is located at 20.63°N, 72.93°W. It has an average elevation of 13 metres (42 feet). The old city is about 4 km inland from the Arabian Sea.

Climate
Valsad has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) with little to no rainfall from October to May and very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall from June to September when it is under the direct influence of the Arabian Sea branch of the South-west monsoon.

Demographics
As of the 2011 India census, Valsad (metropolitan area) has a population of 170,060. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Valsad has an average literacy rate of 91.66%, higher than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 94.62%, and female literacy is 88.58%.

The major language spoken is Gujarati. Other languages spoken are Hindi, Marathi and English.

The major religion followed in Valsad is Hinduism. Other religions followed are Islam, Christianity, Jainism, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism.

Transport
Valsad lies on NH 48 and is connected to many cities in Gujarat and neighbouring states by the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation bus service.

Valsad railway station is managed by the Mumbai WR railway division of the Western Railway and it is a Sub-Division under Western Railway. It lies on the New Delhi–Mumbai main line. The present railway station building was established in 1925. Adjacent to the railway station is the Valsad Electric Loco Shed which houses over 100 electric locomotives.

Valsad is close to Surat International Airport, which is 99 km north of the city and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai which is 188.3 km south of the city.

Economy
Valsad is an industrial base for sectors such as chemicals, textiles, and paper & pulp industries. Since the 1980s, textile and chemicals have been the major sectors of investments and employment in the district. Valsad is emerging as a horticulture hub of the state, witnessing significant production in food grains and crops.

Valsad has 7 industrial estates located in Dungra, Pardi, Dharampur, Bhilad, Valsad, Umbergaon, Sarigam, Vapi (the chemical hub of Gujarat) and 1 Industrial park in Kalgam. With over 300 medium and large scale industries, Vapi is a major industrial center in Valsad. One of Asia's largest Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) is present in Vapi, owned by Vapi Waste & Effluent Management Company and promoted by Vapi Industrial Association.

Colleges

 * GMERS Medical College, est 2014
 * Government Engineering College (affiliated to Gujarat Technological University), est 2004
 * Government Polytechnic (affiliated to Gujarat Technological University), est 1965
 * Smt. J.P. Shroff Arts College
 * Shah N.H. Commerce College
 * Dhiru-Sarla Institute of Management and Commerce
 * B.K.M. Science College
 * Dolat-Usha Institute of Applied Sciences
 * Shree N. K. M. Nursing Instuite
 * Shah K.M. Law College

Schools

 * Affiliated with ICSE
 * Atul Vidyalaya School


 * Affiliated with the CBSE
 * Saraswati International School
 * Shree Vallabh Ashram's MGM Amin & V N Savani International School
 * Shree Vallabh Sanskar Dham's Smt. Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel Day Boarding School
 * Shree Vallabh Ashram's MCM Kothari Girl's Residential School
 * Western Railway English Medium Secondary School


 * Affiliated with the GSHSEB
 * D.M.D.G. Municipal High School
 * Jamnabai Sarvajanik Kanya Vidyalaya
 * Maniba Sarvajanik Vidyalaya
 * Shah Khimchand Mulji Sarvajanik High School
 * St. Joseph's English Teaching High School
 * Mother Mary Public High school.
 * Bai Ava Bai High School
 * BAPS Swaminarayan Vidhyamandir
 * G.V.D. Sarvajanik High School
 * Sett Rustomjee Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy or Sett R.J.J High School
 * R.M. & V.M. Desai Vidyalaya
 * Swaminarayan High School
 * Gayatri High School
 * Kusum Vidyalaya
 * C.B High school
 * Shree I P Gandhi sarvajanik madhyamik Shala Jujva

Tourist Attraction
Tithal Beach is located near Tithal town. The sand of the beach is black. Tithal Beach Festival and the International Kite Festival are also organised on the shore of the beach.

Shree Shirdi Saibaba Sansthapan is located on the shore of the beach in Tithal town of Valsad district. The temple was established in 1982.

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is located on the shore of the beach in Tithal town of Valsad district. This is a temple of Lord Swami Narayan.

Shantidham Aradhana Kendra in Tithal is a meditation centre.

Tadkeshwar Mahadev Temple is a Shiva temple located in Abrama and is believed to be more than 800 years old.

Morarji Desai Museum dedicated to the 5th Prime Minister of India, Morarji Desai is in Valsad. The museum was inaugurated by the former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel.

Callian(Kalyan) Baug is an urban park in Valsad. In 1929, Mr. Motilal Callianji presented a donation for park to Valsad Municipality in memory of his father. In 1931, Callian Baug was opened by J.H.Garrett.

Parnera Hill, also called Parnera Dungar, is one of the tourist attractions within the city that offers great view of the city. It's located 6.5 kilometers away from the city center.

Notable people

 * Bhulabhai Desai - freedom fighter and acclaimed lawyer.
 * Bindu Desai - Hindi film actress.
 * Dadabhoy Havewala - first-class cricketer, who played for Bombay cricket team and Parsees cricket team.
 * Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara) - singer and songwriter for the British rock band Queen, whose family originated from Valsad.
 * Hemin Desai - Indian-born cricketer, who has represented Oman at the List A cricket.
 * Makarand Dave - Gujarati poet.
 * Manilal Desai - Gujarati poet.
 * Morarji Desai - former Prime Minister of India.
 * Nagindas Parekh - literary critic, editor and translator.
 * Nanubhai Vakil - a Hindi and Gujarati film director.
 * Narayan Desai - Gujarati author.
 * Nirupa Roy - Hindi film actress.
 * Pooja Jhaveri - Telugu, Tamil and Kannada film actress.
 * Pramodkumar Patel - literary critic.
 * Pratap Save - a social activist.
 * Ravindra Parekh - a writer, novelist, poet, critic and translator.
 * Rex Sellers - a former Indian-Australian cricketer.
 * Sam Manekshaw - First Field Marshal of India and former chief of army staff, India. His family hailed from Valsad, later moved to Bombay and then Amritsar.
 * Sam Balsara - Indian advertising executive.
 * Sangeita Chauhan - Indian film and television actress.
 * Sheela Sharma - Hindi and Gujarati film actress.
 * Ushnas - Gujarati poet.
 * Kanubhai Desai, MLA - Pardi Constituency and Cabinet Minister at Government of Gujarat