MEERUT

town, northwestern Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. It lies northeast of Delhi, at the junction of several roads and rail lines. Meerut is a trade centre for agricultural products and has a considerable amount of industry, including manufacturing, smelting, handicrafts, and the milling of sugar, cotton, flour, and oilseeds. Meerut University (1965) is located in the town; Meerut College (1892) and several other colleges are affiliated with the university. The town also has a 12th-century mausoleum and a number of old temples and mosques. Meerut is an important army headquarters. The initial uprising of the 1857 Indian Mutiny occurred there. Pop. (1981) town, 417,395; metropolitan area, 536,615.