Bangalore is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the Mysore Plateau in south-western Karnataka. During the British Raj, Bangalore developed as a centre for colonial rule in South India. After India gained independence in 1947, Bangalore evolved into a manufacturing hub for public sector heavy industries—particularly aerospace, telecommunications, machine tools, heavy equipment, space and defence. The establishment and success of business software services firms in Bangalore after the liberalisation of India's economy has led to the growth of India's information technology industry. Bangalore is referred to as the Silicon Valley of India and accounts for 35 percent of India's software exports. Home to prestigious colleges and research institutions, the city has the second-highest literacy rate among the metropolitan cities in the nation.