Kochi, formerly known as Cochin , is a major port city of Kerala, by the Arabian Sea on the southern part of India’s west coast.
It bears the imprints of the Arabs, British, Chinese, Dutch, and Portuguese. The English termed Cochin as ‘Mini England’, the Dutch proclaimed it ‘Homely Holland’ and the Portuguese referred to the port as ‘Little Lisbon’.
Kochi, formed in 1967, is home to the High Court of Kerala and Lakshadweep, Naval physical and oceanographic laboratory (NPOL), Indian Maritime University, Sree Sankara Sanskrit University and the Cochin University of Science and Technology. Kochi is also home to Kerala's National Law School, The National University of Advanced Legal Studies.
Kochi is the home to Southern Naval Command, one of the three main formations of the Indian Navy and the state headquarters of the Indian Coast Guard with an attached air squadron, named Air Squadron 747.
The closely located Cochin Shipyard Limited is the largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility in India. Presently it is building the first indigenous aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy.
Kochi was ranked the fourth cleanest city in India in the Swachch Bharat rankings for cities. It was selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagship Smart Cities Mission.
