Dehradun is the capital city of the North Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is also a district which covers an area of 3088 sq km and lies at an altitude of 2100 ft above sea level. Also known as Doon Valley, it is located at the foothills of the Shivalik ranges in the Garhwal region. Two rivers, Ganga and Yamuna, flow to the east and west of Dehradun, respectively.

The city is said to have derived its name from the two words dehra and dun. Dehra is apparently derived from dera meaning camp and dun means the low lying lands at the foot of the mountain.

According to history, Ram Rai, a Sikh Guru was banished by Aurangzeb to the forests of Dun who set up camp in the present day Khurbura and also built a temple near Dhanawala. Modern day Dehra started to develop around the time and since most of the district lies at the foothills of the mountain, it was named Dehradun.

References of the city can be found as early as the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Ram and Laxman are said to have visited the site after their battle with Ravana. Dronacharya, the royal guru in the Mahabharata, is also believed to have resided here. Ancient temples and ruins have been found in the nearby areas which are almost 2000 years old.

Dehradun attracts tourists for its pleasant weather and beautiful landscape. It is also the getway to the surrounding Himalayan regions like Nainital, Mussoorie, Auli as well as Haridwar and Rishikesh. The city is also home to some renowned educational and research institutes like the Doon School, Indian Military Academy, Forest Research Institute, Wildlife Institute of India, etc.

Some of the other attractions of the region are Tapkeshwar Temple, Santala Devi Temple, Tapovan, Rajaji National Park, Malsi Deer Park and several others. Apart from its natural beauty, monuments and institutions, Dehradun is world famous for its Basmati rice.

Dehradun is well connected by air, rail and roadways. The Jolly Grant Airport, situated at a distance of around 20 km from the city centre, connects the city to other parts of the country, with daily flights to Delhi. The nearest international airport is at Delhi. The city is also well connected by trains to major cities like Kolkata, Varanasi, Delhi and others. Dehradun can also be reached by State run buses that connect to nearby cities in the region as well as New Delhi.