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103-750: Partap Singh Kairon (1 October 1901 – 6 February 1965) was the 3rd Chief Minister of the Punjab province (then comprising Punjab, Haryana and part of Himachal Pradesh ), and is widely acknowledged as the architect of post-Independence Punjab Province (or Punjab, Haryana and Himachal as of today). Moreover, he was an Indian independence movement leader. He was jailed twice by the British Empire , once for five years for organizing protests against British rule. His political influence and views are still considered to dominate politics in Punjab. Partap Singh Kairon
206-400: A sarissa and attacking a pair of Indians on an elephant. Porus refused to surrender and wandered about atop an elephant, until he was wounded and his force routed. When asked by Alexander how he wished to be treated, Porus replied "Treat me as a king would treat another king". Despite the apparently one-sided results, Alexander was impressed by Porus and chose to not depose him. Not only
309-415: A Punjabi-speaking Punjab state with an autonomous Sikh government. During the colonial era , the various districts and princely states that made up Punjab Province were religiously eclectic, each containing significant populations of Punjabi Muslims , Punjabi Hindus , Punjabi Sikhs , Punjabi Christians , along with other ethnic and religious minorities. However, a major consequence of independence and
412-418: A decline in genetic diversity, thus introducing a new ecological risk. Furthermore, these new crops demanded more water and were highly dependent on chemical fertilisers, both of which had deleterious environmental consequences. Overuse of water led to groundwater resource depletion, and heavy chemical usage adversely affected soil and water systems, further undermining long-term productivity. From 1981 to 1995
515-648: A series of assaults on Amritsar, forced the Sikhs to retreat to the Sivalik Hills . The ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur , moved the Sikh community to Anandpur and travelled extensively to visit and preach in defiance of Aurangzeb , who attempted to install Ram Rai as new guru. The Mughals came to power in the early sixteenth century and gradually expanded to control all of the Punjab from their capital at Lahore . As Mughal power weakened, Afghan rulers took control of
618-464: A sovereign democratic republic. The new republic was also declared to be a "Union of States". The constitution of 1950 distinguished between three main types of states: Andhra State was created on 1 October 1953 from the Telugu -speaking northern districts of Madras State . The French enclave of Chandernagore was transferred to West Bengal in 1954. In the same year Pondicherry , comprising
721-544: A system of bureaucracy and measure of the law. The 'paternal' system of the ruling elite was replaced by 'machine rule' with a system of laws, codes, and procedures. For purposes of control, the British established new forms of communication and transportation, including post systems, railways, roads, and telegraphs. The creation of Canal Colonies in western Punjab between 1860 and 1947 brought 14 million acres of land under cultivation, and revolutionised agricultural practices in
824-491: A very short period of time. In 1964, following the publication of the report of the commission of inquiry which had exonerated him of the bulk of the allegations made against him by his political adversaries, Partap Singh Kairon resigned from his position as chief minister of the Punjab. On 6 February 1965, he was on his way from Delhi to Chandigarh when he was waylaid near Rasoi village, Sonipat district , and shot dead along with his personal assistant — an IAS officer, and
927-557: Is the 16th-largest Indian state by population , comprising 23 districts . Punjabi , written in the Gurmukhi script, is the most widely spoken and the official language of the state. The main ethnic group are the Punjabis , with Sikhs (57.7%) and Hindus (38.5%) forming the dominant religious groups. The state capital, Chandigarh, is a union territory and also the capital of the neighbouring state of Haryana . Three tributaries of
1030-404: Is commonly found in the majority of Punjab during the winter season. The temperature rises gradually with high humidity and overcast skies. However, the rise in temperature is steep when the sky is clear and humidity is low. The maximum temperatures usually occur in mid-May and June. The temperature remains above 40 °C (104 °F) in the entire region during this period. Ludhiana recorded
1133-405: Is facing the risk of extirpation from the state. Botanical gardens exist throughout Punjab. There is a zoological park and a tiger safari park, as well as three parks dedicated to deer. The state bird is the northern goshawk (baz) ( Accipiter gentilis ), the state animal is the blackbuck ( Antilope cervicapra ), the state aquatic animal is Indus river dolphin ( Platanista minor ), and
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#17327837388621236-605: Is home to animals like horses. Wildlife sanctuaries have many more species of wild animals like the otter, wild boar, wildcat, fruit bat, hog deer, flying fox, squirrel, and mongoose. Naturally formed forests can be seen in the Shivalik ranges in the districts of Ropar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur. Patiala is home to the Bir forest while the wetlands area in Punjab is home to the Mand forest. The local subspecies of blackbuck, A. c. rajputanae ,
1339-618: Is the ninth-highest ranking among Indian states in human development index . Punjab has bustling tourism , music , culinary , and film industries. The Punjab region is noted as the site of one of the earliest urban societies, the Indus Valley Civilisation that flourished from about 3000 B.C. and declined rapidly 1,000 years later, following the Indo-Aryan migrations that overran the region in waves between 1500 and 500 B.C. Frequent intertribal wars stimulated
1442-425: Is thought to have resulted in a decisive Greek victory; however, A. B. Bosworth warns against an uncritical reading of Greek sources who were obviously exaggerative. Alexander later founded two cities— Nicaea at the site of victory and Bucephalous at the battle-ground, in memory of his horse , who died soon after the battle. Later, tetradrachms would be minted depicting Alexander on horseback, armed with
1545-664: The Bay of Bengal bring rain to the region. The monsoon lasts up to mid-September. The monsoon begins to reduce by the second week of September. This brings a gradual change in climate and temperature. The time between October and November is the transitional period between monsoon and winter seasons. Weather during this period is generally temperate and dry. Temperature variation is minimal in January. The mean night and day temperatures fall to 5 °C (41 °F) and 12 °C (54 °F), respectively. The effects of winter diminish by
1648-537: The Beas River after half a century of their extirpation from the state. Indus river dolphins can be found in the Harike Wetland . The extraction of silk from silkworms is another industry that flourishes in the state. Production of bee honey is done in some parts of Punjab. The southern plains are desert land; hence, camels can be seen. Buffaloes graze around the banks of rivers. The northeastern part
1751-803: The Crown Colony of Burma . In 1947, the last Act of the Crown was passed. The act dissolved the Indian Empire, the Imperial Legislative Council and the Chamber of Princes and the Union of India was consequently established from 9 former Indian provinces ( East Punjab , United Provinces , Central Provinces , Madras , Bombay , Bihar , Orissa , West Bengal and Assam ) and 562 former Indian states. Between 1947 and 1950,
1854-618: The Emperor to that province and head of government of the directly ruled territories in the province. The governor or lieutenant-governor also served as the Emperor's representative to the constituent states of the province. The first three of the lieutenant-governorships were territories annexed to India from other powers and temporarily governed by the erstwhile Bengal Presidency, before being made into their own separate provinces. Agra and Bengal were still considered de jure parts of
1957-565: The Green Revolution , large tracts of jungles were cut-down in the state to make room for agriculture and forested areas were also cleared for road infrastructure and residential homes. Various NGOs are working towards afforestation and reforestation of the state by launching educational drives, planting saplings, working towards regulatory changes, and pressuring organisations to follow environmental laws. One NGO, EcoSikh, has planted over 100 forests, composed of native plant species, in
2060-470: The Guru Granth Sahib , the central religious scripture of the Sikhs. The religion developed and evolved in times of religious persecution , gaining converts from both Hinduism and Islam. Mughal rulers of India tortured and executed two of the Sikh gurus— Guru Arjan (1563–1605) and Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621–1675)—after they refused to convert to Islam . The persecution of Sikhs triggered
2163-566: The Indian Rebellion of 1857 , apart from Revolt led by Ahmed Khan Kharal and Murree rebellion of 1857 , the Punjab remained relatively peaceful. In 1858, under the terms of the Queen's Proclamation issued by Queen Victoria , the Punjab came under the direct rule of Britain. Colonial rule had a profound impact on all areas of Punjabi life. Economically it transformed the Punjab into the richest farming area of India, socially it sustained
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#17327837388622266-606: The Indus River — the Sutlej , Beas , and Ravi — flow through Punjab. The history of Punjab has witnessed the migration and settlement of different tribes of people with different cultures and ideas, forming a civilisational melting pot. The ancient Indus Valley Civilisation flourished in the region until its decline around 1900 BCE. Punjab was enriched during the height of the Vedic period , but declined in predominance with
2369-456: The Indus River . However, Eudemus , who had served as Alexander's satrap in the Punjab region, treacherously killed Porus. The battle is historically significant because it resulted in the syncretism of ancient Greek political and cultural influences to the Indian subcontinent, yielding works such as Greco-Buddhist art , which continued to have an impact for the ensuing centuries. The region
2472-462: The Khyber Pass in the west to western Tibet in the east, and from Mithankot in the south to Kashmir in the north. It was divided into four provinces: Lahore , in Punjab, which became the Sikh capital; Multan , also in Punjab; Peshawar ; and Kashmir from 1799 to 1849. Religiously diverse, with an estimated population of 3.5 million in 1831 (making it the 19th most populous country at
2575-462: The Mamluks , Khalajis , Tughlaqs , Sayyids and Lodis . A significant event in the late 15th century Punjab was the formation of Sikhism by Guru Nanak . The history of the Sikh faith is closely associated with the history of Punjab and the socio-political situation in the north-west of the Indian subcontinent in the 17th century. The hymns composed by Guru Nanak were later collected in
2678-632: The Punjab government (Shiromani Akali Dal). Kairon returned to India in 1929. On 13 April 1932 he started an English language weekly paper called The New Era in Amritsar. He joined politics and the newspaper was eventually shut down. He was first a member of the Shiromani Akali Dal , and later of the Indian National Congress . He was jailed in 1932 for five years for participating in civil disobedience . He entered
2781-583: The directly ruled territories of the Crown . The entire empire was divided into provinces and agencies. A province consisted of territory under the direct rule of the Emperor of India (who was also the King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions ) and a few minor states, ruled by Indian princes under the suzerainty of the Emperor. A Governor or Lieutenant-Governor acted as the representative of
2884-474: The Government of India introduced legislation to merge the union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli into a single union territory to be known as Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu , effective from 26 January 2020. Ladakh UT The Constitution of India distributes the sovereign executive and legislative powers exercisable with respect to the territory of any state between
2987-766: The Harike in the district of Tarn Taran Sahib, the Zoological Park in Rupnagar, Chhatbir Bansar Garden in Sangrur, Aam Khas Bagh in Sirhind, Amritsar's famous Ram Bagh Palace , Shalimar Garden in Kapurthala, and the famous Baradari Garden in the city of Patiala. Punjab has the lowest forest cover as a percentage of land area of any Indian state , with 3.6% of its total area under forest cover as of 2017. During
3090-682: The Hindu Shahis and consequently ruled for 157 years, gradually declining as a power until the Ghurid conquest of Lahore by Muhammad of Ghor in 1186, deposing the last Ghaznavid ruler Khusrau Malik . Following the death of Muhammad of Ghor in 1206, the Ghurid state fragmented and was replaced in northern India by the Delhi Sultanate . The Delhi Sultanate ruled the Punjab for the next three hundred years, led by five unrelated dynasties,
3193-625: The Hindu- and Sikh-majority east remaining in India, causing a large-scale migration between the two. After the Punjabi Suba movement , Indian Punjab was reorganised on the basis of language in 1966, when its Haryanvi - and Hindi -speaking areas were carved out as Haryana, Pahari -speaking regions attached to Himachal Pradesh and the remaining, mostly Punjabi-speaking areas became the current state of Punjab. A separatist insurgency occurred in
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3296-652: The Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab, who could not accept living in a Muslim Islamic state. After the partition of the subcontinent had been decided, special meetings of the Western and Eastern Section of the Legislative Assembly were held on 23 June 1947 to decide whether or not the Province of the Punjab be partitioned. After voting on both sides, partition was decided and the existing Punjab Legislative Assembly
3399-491: The Indian Union and the state's monarchy was abolished. In 1987, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram became states on 20 February, followed by Goa on 30 May, while erstwhile union territory of Goa, Daman and Diu 's northern exclaves Damão and Diu became a separate union territory as Daman and Diu . In November 2000, three new states were created, namely: Pondicherry was renamed Puducherry in 2007 and Orissa
3502-505: The Indian government divided Punjab into the state of Punjab and the Hindi majority-speaking states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh . During the 1960s, Punjab was known for its prosperity within India, largely due to its fertile lands and industrious inhabitants. However, a significant portion of the Sikh community felt a sense of disparity from the central government of India. The roots of such grievances stretched back several decades, with
3605-774: The Punjab Legislative Assembly as an Akali nominee in 1937, defeating the Congress candidate, Baba Gurdit Singh of Sarhali . From 1941 to 1946, he was the General Secretary of the Punjab Provincial Congress Committee. He was jailed again in the 1942 Quit India Movement and was elected to the Constituent Assembly in 1946. After Independence in 1947, Partap Singh Kairon held various offices in
3708-599: The Punjab fell under the Sasanians . Following the muslim conquests in the Indian subcontinent at the beginning of the 8th century, Arab armies of the Umayyad Caliphate penetrated into South Asia introducing Islam into Punjab. In the ninth century, the Hindu Shahi dynasty emerged in the Punjab, ruling much of Punjab and eastern Afghanistan. The Turkic Ghaznavids in the tenth century overthrew
3811-629: The Punjab), Yaudheyas , and others sided with the Kauravas in the great battle fought at Kurukshetra . According to Dr Fauja Singh and Dr. L. M. Joshi: "There is no doubt that the Kambojas, Daradas, Kaikayas, Andhra, Pauravas, Yaudheyas, Malavas, Saindhavas, and Kurus had jointly contributed to the heroic tradition and composite culture of ancient Punjab." The bulk of the Rigveda
3914-652: The Punjab. When the Second World War broke out, nationalism in British India had already divided into religious movements. The landed elites of the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities had loyally collaborated with the British since annexation, supported the Unionist Party and were hostile to the Congress party led independence movement. Amongst the peasantry and urban middle classes, the Hindus were
4017-582: The Union of India and were united into the PEPSU . In 1956 this was integrated with the state of East Punjab to create a new, enlarged Indian state called simply "Punjab". Punjab Day is celebrated across the state on 1 November every year marking the formation of a Punjabi language speaking state under the Punjab Reorganisation Act (1966). In 1966, following Hindu and Sikh Punjabi demands,
4120-638: The United States for further studies. During his time in USA, he supported himself by working on farms and in factories. He received his Master's degree in political science from the University of Michigan . He also received his Master's degree in Economics from University of California at Berkeley before going to Michigan. He was impressed by farming methods practised in the U.S.A and hoped to replicate
4223-502: The affluent landowners, the initial beneficiaries of the Green Revolution, felt the economic pinch due to soaring prices of farming inputs like fertilisers and pesticides, and the dearth of essential resources like electricity and water. Although the Green Revolution was primarily conceived to amplify productivity, it couldn't sustain this increased output over a prolonged period. The introduction of novel crop varieties led to
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4326-665: The agricultural innovations brought by the Revolution. This situation sparked further resentment among small farmers, many of whom were forced to relinquish their lands, unable to compete, thereby intensifying the economic chasm. Beyond the farming sector, Punjab lacked substantial employment opportunities. An excessive focus on agriculture resulted in the state's industrial sector's neglect, leaving it notably underdeveloped. This skewed concentration on agriculture meant that many economically challenged peasants, without feasible employment alternatives, felt cornered and disgruntled. Even
4429-501: The defunct Bengal Presidency for judicial and legal purposes. Agra was separated in 1878 and merged with Oudh . The Bengal Presidency was re-established in 1912 as a governorship. All these provinces had their own legislatures established by the Indian Councils Acts, and high courts established by Indian High Courts Acts. Laws passed by these legislatures needed the dual assent of the governor or lieutenant-governor of
4532-420: The driver. The three were murdered by Sucha Bassi, Baldev Singh and Nahar Singh 'Fauji'. Sucha had planned the killing of Kairon in revenge, because he believed that Kairon had taken a personal interest in securing the conviction of one Ajit Singh and his father Bir Singh in a murder case. Sucha Bassi, Baldev Singh and Nahar Singh 'Fauji' — were convicted and hanged in 1970, while the fourth accused, Daya Singh
4635-545: The elected state government including Rehabilitation Minister, Development Minister (1947–1949) and Chief Minister (21 January 1956 to 23 June 1964). As Minister for Rehabilitation in the days immediately after Partition of India , Kairon handled the task of resettlement of millions of refugees who had migrated from West Punjab (Pakistan). Over three million migrated people were resettled in East Punjab (India) by allotment of dwellings, employments and land distribution, in
4738-520: The emerging technologies and farming practices. The working class and economically underprivileged segments of society, who often toiled as labourers on these farms, were left with only minor benefits. This uneven distribution of wealth conflicted sharply with Sikh religious customs, which preached economic justice and fair wealth distribution. The Green Revolution dealt a severe blow to Punjab's small farmers. The larger landowners, with their access to abundant resources and capital, were well-suited to adopt
4841-610: The entire state is approximately 21 °C (70 °F). Further, the mean monthly temperature range varies between 9 °C (48 °F) in July to approximately 18 °C (64 °F) in November. Punjab experiences three main seasons. They are: Apart from these three, the state experiences transitional seasons like: Punjab starts experiencing mildly hot temperatures in February. The actual summer season commences in mid-April and
4944-452: The farming community who heavily depended on these waters for irrigation, this allocation seemed inequitable. The water distribution was a significant contributing factor to the growing sense of disgruntlement against the central government. The seeds of discontent further sprouted with the advent of the Green Revolution during the 1960s. This initiative sought to boost agricultural output by introducing high-yield seed varieties, and enhancing
5047-545: The finances of Punjab and took the majority of the income for itself. In 1919, Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to fire on a crowd of demonstrators, mostly Sikhs in Amritsar . The Jallianwala massacre fuelled the Indian independence movement . Nationalists declared the independence of India from Lahore in 1930 but were quickly suppressed. The struggle for Indian independence witnessed competing and conflicting interests in
5150-488: The first week of March. The hot summer season commences in mid-April. This period is marked by occasional showers with hail storms and squalls that cause extensive damage to crops. The winds remain dry and warm during the last week of March, commencing the harvest period. Monsoon season provides most of the rainfall for the region. Punjab receives rainfall from the monsoon current of the Bay of Bengal. This monsoon current enters
5253-587: The former French enclaves of Pondichéry , Karikal , Yanaon and Mahé , was transferred to India. This became a union territory in 1962. Also in 1954, pro-India forces liberated the Portuguese-held enclaves of Dadrá and Nagar Aveli , declaring the short-lived de facto state of Free Dadra and Nagar Haveli . In 1961, India annexed it as the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli . The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 reorganised
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#17327837388625356-633: The founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 as an order to protect the freedom of conscience and religion , with members expressing the qualities of a Sant-Sipāhī ('saint-soldier'). The lifetime of Guru Nanak coincided with the conquest of northern India by Babur and establishment of the Mughal Empire . Jahangir ordered the execution of Guru Arjun Dev , while in Mughal custody, for supporting his son Khusrau Mirza 's rival claim to
5459-470: The growth of larger groupings ruled by chieftains and kings, who ruled local kingdoms known as Mahajanapadas . The rise of kingdoms and dynasties in Punjab is chronicled in the ancient Hindu epics, particularly the Mahabharata . The epic battles described in the Mahabharata are chronicled as being fought in what is now the state of Haryana and historic Punjab. The Gandharas , Kambojas , Trigartas , Andhra , Pauravas , Bahlikas ( Bactrian settlers of
5562-407: The heat continues until the end of August. High temperatures between May and August hover between 40 and 47 °C. The area experiences atmospheric pressure variations during the summer months. The atmospheric pressure of the region remains around 987 millibar during February and it reaches 970 millibar in June. Punjab's rainy season begins in the first week of July as monsoon currents generated in
5665-518: The highest maximum temperature at 46.1 °C (115.0 °F) with Patiala and Amritsar recording 45.5 °C (113.9 °F). The maximum temperature during the summer in Ludhiana remains above 41 °C (106 °F) for a duration of one and a half months. These areas experience the lowest temperatures in January. The sun rays are oblique during these months and the cold winds control the temperature at daytime. Punjab experiences its minimum temperature from December to February. The lowest temperature
5768-444: The last 10 years has increased by 37.5%. States and union territories of India India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories , for a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into 806 districts and smaller administrative divisions . The states of India are self-governing administrative divisions, each having a state government . The governing powers of
5871-466: The most active National Congress supporters, the Sikhs flocked to the Akali movement while the Muslims eventually supported the Muslim League . Many Sikhs and other minorities supported the Hindus, who promised a secular multicultural and multireligious society. In March 1940, the All-India Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution , demanding the creation of a separate state from Muslim majority areas in British India. This triggered bitter protests by
5974-458: The northeast border. The southwest of the state is semi-arid, eventually merging into the Thar Desert . Of the five Punjab rivers, three—Sutlej, Beas and Ravi—flow through the Indian state. The Sutlej and Ravi define parts of the international border with Pakistan. The soil characteristics are influenced to a limited extent by the topography, vegetation and parent rock. The variation in soil profile characteristics are much more pronounced because of
6077-458: The partition of Punjab Province in 1947 was the sudden shift towards religious homogeneity occurred in all districts across province and region owing to the new international border that cut through the subdivision. The demographic shift was captured when comparing decadal census data taken in 1941 and 1951 respectively, and was primarily due to wide scale migration but also caused by large-scale religious cleansing riots which were witnessed across
6180-429: The power of large landowners and politically it encouraged cross-communal co-operation among land owning groups. The Punjab also became the major centre of recruitment into the Indian Army . By patronising influential local allies and focusing administrative, economic and constitutional policies on the rural population, the British ensured the loyalty of its large rural population. Administratively, colonial rule instated
6283-427: The primary issue revolving around the distribution of water from the trio of rivers – Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej – that flowed across the Punjabi territory. Although Punjab had these waterways running across its lands, it was lawfully granted only a quarter of the water, precisely 24%, as per the Inter-State Water Disputes Act . The rest, a staggering 76%, was assigned to Rajasthan and Haryana. To many Punjabis, especially
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#17327837388626386-472: The province and the governor-general of India , who functioned as the representative of the Emperor . In addition to these, there were certain territories ruled directly by the Government of India through nominated chief commissioners. These were former independent states annexed to India and since ruled directly by the Supreme Government. A vast majority of the Indian states in the late nineteenth century were, in terms of imperial divisions, organised within
6489-404: The provinces with only territories under direct Crown rule. The latter years of the Indian Empire saw the enactment of the last Government of India Act by the Crown. This act granted full autonomy to Indian provinces. Provincial laws no longer needed the assent of the governor-general. This act created the office of a Premier in each province, who functioned as the new head of government and
6592-572: The provinces. However a good number of states were organised into imperial structures called agencies, or residencies. An Agent to the Governor-General (AGG) functioned as the Emperor's representative to all the states in the agency. In 1919, the fourth Government of India was enacted by the Crown. This saw many major changes. The legislatures of the provinces were made elected ones rather than nominated ones. Some provinces were given bicameral legislatures . All provinces were elevated to governorships and all lieutenant governors were made governors. Burma
6695-522: The region at the time. According to historical demographer Tim Dyson , in the eastern regions of Punjab that ultimately became Indian Punjab following independence, districts that were 66% Hindu in 1941 became 80% Hindu in 1951; those that were 20% Sikh became 50% Sikh in 1951. Conversely, in the western regions of Punjab that ultimately became Pakistani Punjab , all districts became almost exclusively Muslim by 1951. Following independence, several small Punjabi princely states, including Patiala, acceded to
6798-405: The region. Contested by Marathas and Afghans, the region was the center of the growing influence of the Sikhs, who expanded and established the Sikh Empire in 1799 as the Mughals and Afghans weakened. The Cis-Sutlej states were a group of states in modern Punjab and Haryana states lying between the Sutlej River on the north, the Himalayas on the east, the Yamuna River and Delhi District on
6901-458: The region. To the agrarian and commercial class was added a professional middle class that had risen the social ladder through the use of the English education, which opened up new professions in law, government, and medicine. Despite these developments, colonial rule was marked by exploitation of resources. For the purpose of exports, the majority of external trade was controlled by British export banks. The Imperial government exercised control over
7004-573: The regional climatic differences. Punjab is divided into three distinct regions on the basis of soil types: southwestern, central, and eastern. Punjab falls under seismic zones II, III, and IV. Zone II is considered a low-damage risk zone; zone III is considered a moderate-damage risk zone; and zone IV is considered a high-damage risk zone. The geography and subtropical latitudinal location of Punjab lead to large variations in temperature from month to month. Even though only limited regions experience temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F), ground frost
7107-411: The rise of the Mahajanapadas . The region formed the frontier of initial empires during antiquity including Alexander's and the Maurya empires. It was subsequently conquered by the Kushan Empire , Gupta Empire , and then Harsha's Empire . Punjab continued to be settled by nomadic people; including the Huna , Turkic and the Mongols . Punjab came under Muslim rule c. 1000 CE , and
7210-403: The same in India later. Partap Singh Kairon had 3 children, including Surinder Singh Kairon , Gurinder Singh Kairon and Sar Brinder Kaur respectively. While the younger Gurinder remained Congressman like his father, Surinder later joined Shiromani Akali Dal . Surinder's son Adesh Partap Singh Kairon is married to the daughter of Prakash Singh Badal , Preneet Kaur and has been a minister in
7313-544: The south and southeast, and Rajasthan to the southwest; by the Indian union territories of Jammu and Kashmir to the north and Chandigarh to the east. It shares an international border with Punjab , a province of Pakistan to the west. The state covers an area of 50,362 square kilometres (19,445 square miles), which is 1.53% of India's total geographical area, making it the 19th-largest Indian state by area out of 28 Indian states (20th largest, if Union Territories are considered). With over 27 million inhabitants, Punjab
7416-643: The south, and Sirsa district on the west. These states were ruled by the Sikh Confederacy . The empire existed from 1799, when Ranjit Singh captured Lahore , to 1849, when it was defeated and conquered in the Second Anglo-Sikh War . It was forged on the foundations of the Khalsa from a collection of autonomous Sikh misls . At its peak in the 19th century, the Empire extended from
7519-464: The south. Most of Punjab lies in a fertile, alluvial plain with perennial rivers and an extensive irrigation canal system. A belt of undulating hills extends along the northeastern part of the state at the foot of the Himalayas. Its average elevation is 300 metres (980 ft) above sea level, with a range from 180 metres (590 ft) in the southwest to more than 500 metres (1,600 ft) around
7622-436: The state during the 1980s. At present, the economy of Punjab is the 15th-largest state economy in India with ₹ 8.02 trillion (equivalent to ₹ 8.0 trillion or US$ 96 billion in 2023) in gross domestic product and a per capita GDP of ₹ 264,000 (equivalent to ₹ 260,000 or US$ 3,200 in 2023), ranking 17th among Indian states . Since independence, Punjab is predominantly an agrarian society . It
7725-476: The state from the southeast in the first week of July. The winter season remains very cool with temperatures falling below freezing at some places. Winter also brings in some western disturbances. Rainfall in the winter provides relief to the farmers as some of the winter crops in the region of Shivalik Hills are entirely dependent on this rainfall. As per meteorological statistics, the sub-Shivalik area receives more than 100 millimetres (3.9 in) of rainfall in
7828-524: The state suffered a 14-year-long insurgency . Problems began due to disputes between Punjabi Sikhs and the central government of the Republic of India. Tensions escalated throughout the early 1980s and eventually culminated with Operation Blue Star in 1984; an Indian Army operation aimed at the dissident Sikh community of Punjab. Shortly thereafter, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards. The decade that followed
7931-423: The state tree is the shisham ( Dalbergia sissoo ). Punjab is home to 2.3% of India's population; with a density of 551 persons per km . According to the provisional results of the 2011 national census , Punjab has a population of 27,743,338, making it the 16th most populated state in India. Of which male and female are 14,639,465 and 13,103,873 respectively. 32% of Punjab's population consists of Dalits . In
8034-589: The state using the Japanese Miyawaki methodology that are named 'Guru Nanak Sacred Forests'. Native plant species are facing the risk of extirpation from the state but planting mini-forests throughout the land can help prevent this from occurring. Prior to the Green Revolution, Butea monosperma (known as 'dhak' in Punjabi) trees were found in abundance in the state. A few of the rivers in Punjab have crocodiles, including reintroduced gharials in
8137-427: The state, the rate of population growth is 13.9% (2011), lower than national average. According to the nation family health survey 2019-21, total fertility rate of Punjab was 1.6 children per women. Out of total population, 37.5% people live in urban regions. The total figure of population living in urban areas is 10,399,146 of which 5,545,989 are males and while remaining 4,853,157 are females. The urban population in
8240-403: The states are shared between the state government and the union government . On the other hand, the union territories are directly governed by the union government. The Indian Empire was a very complex political entity consisting of various imperial divisions and states and territories of varying autonomy. At the time of its establishment in 1876, it was made up of 584 constituent states and
8343-495: The states based on linguistic lines resulting in the creation of the new states. As a result of this act: Bombay State was split into the linguistic states of Gujarat and Maharashtra on 1 May 1960 by the Bombay Reorganisation Act. The former Union Territory of Nagaland achieved statehood on 1 December 1963. The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 resulted in the creation of Haryana on 1 November and
8446-552: The territories of the princely states were politically integrated into the new Indian Union . Most were merged into existing provinces. Others were organised into new provinces and states , such as Rajasthan , Himachal Pradesh , Malwa Union , Baghelkhand and Bundelkhand States Union , and Patiala and East Punjab States Union , made up of multiple princely states. A few, including Mysore , Hyderabad , Bhopal , and Bilaspur , became separate states. The new Constitution of India , which came into force on 26 January 1950, made India
8549-472: The throne. Guru Arjan Dev's death led to the sixth Guru Guru Hargobind to declare sovereignty in the creation of the Akal Takht and the establishment of a fort to defend Amritsar . Jahangir then jailed Guru Hargobind at Gwalior , but released him after a number of years when he no longer felt threatened. The succeeding son of Jahangir, Shah Jahan , took offence at Guru Hargobind's declaration and after
8652-569: The time ), it was the last major region of the Indian subcontinent to be annexed by the British Empire . The Sikh Empire spanned a total of over 200,000 sq mi (520,000 km ) at its zenith. After Ranjit Singh's death in 1839, the empire was severely weakened by internal divisions and political mismanagement. This opportunity was used by the East India Company to launch the First and Second Anglo-Sikh Wars . The country
8755-415: The transfer of the northern districts of Punjab to Himachal Pradesh . The act designated Chandigarh as a union territory and the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana. Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu in 1969. The north-eastern states of Manipur , Meghalaya and Tripura were formed on 21 January 1972. Mysore State was renamed Karnataka in 1973. On 16 May 1975, Sikkim became the 22nd state of
8858-412: The use of fertilisers and irrigation. In the midst of this transformative phase, Punjab became known as India's "food basket", contributing considerably to the nation's agricultural production. Yet, the financial profits garnered from this agricultural surge weren't fairly distributed. The majority of the gains were hoarded by landowners, who typically owned large plots and were best positioned to exploit
8961-450: The winter months. The fauna of the area is rich, with 396 types of birds, 214 kinds of Lepidoptera , 55 varieties of fish, 20 types of reptiles, and 19 kinds of mammals. The state of Punjab has large wetland areas, bird sanctuaries that house numerous species of birds, and many zoological parks. Wetlands include the national wetland Hari-Ke-Pattan , the wetland of Kanjli , and the wetlands of Kapurthala Sutlej. Wildlife sanctuaries include
9064-501: Was also divided into West Punjab Legislative Assembly and the East Punjab Legislative Assembly. This last Assembly before independence, held its last sitting on 4 July 1947. During this period, the British granted separate independence to India and Pakistan, setting off massive communal violence as Punjabi Muslims fled to Pakistan and Hindu and Sikh Punjabis fled east to India. The Sikhs later demanded
9167-595: Was born on 1 October 1901, into a Dhillon Jat Sikh family. His last name was taken from the village of Kairon in the Amritsar district, of Tehsil Tarn Taran in province of Punjab during the British Raj era. His grandfather was Sardar Gulab Singh Dhillon. His father, Nihal Singh Kairon (1863-1927), was a pioneer in initiating women's education in the province. Partap studied at Col. Brown Cambridge School in Dehra Dun and Khalsa College, Amritsar and then went to
9270-453: Was composed in the Punjab region between circa 1500 and 1200 BC, while later Vedic scriptures were composed more eastwards, between the Yamuna and Ganges rivers. The historical Vedic religion constituted the religious ideas and practices in Punjab during the Vedic period (1500–500 BCE), centred primarily in the worship of Indra . The earliest known notable local king of this region
9373-602: Was finally annexed and dissolved at the end of the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849 into separate princely states and the province of Punjab . Eventually, a Lieutenant Governorship was established in Lahore as a direct representative of the Crown . The Punjab was annexed by the East India Company in 1849. Although nominally part of the Bengal Presidency it was administratively independent. During
9476-506: Was given a special status and made an autonomous province. The Chamber of Princes was established by Emperor George V in 1920. One of the major consequences of this was the creation of many more agencies from the states of the provinces, thus granting them direct relations with the Emperor instead of with the Governors. This saw the separation of all the states from the provinces and addition to before-mentioned agencies. This left all
9579-511: Was greeted by the-then ruler of Taxila, Omphis . Omphis had hoped to force both Porus and Abisares into submission leveraging the might of Alexander's forces and diplomatic missions were mounted, but while Abisares accepted the submission, Porus refused. This led Alexander to seek a face-off with Porus. Thus began the Battle of the Hydaspes in 326 BC; the exact site remains unknown. The battle
9682-408: Was his territory reinstated but also expanded with Alexander's forces annexing the territories of Glausaes, who ruled the area northeast of Porus' kingdom. After Alexander's death in 323 BCE, Perdiccas became the regent of his empire, and after Perdiccas's murder in 321 BCE, Antipater became the new regent. According to Diodorus , Antipater recognised Porus's authority over the territories along
9785-645: Was known as King Porus , who fought the famous Battle of the Hydaspes against Alexander the Great . His kingdom spanned between rivers Hydaspes ( Jhelum ) and Acesines ( Chenab ); Strabo had held the territory to contain almost 300 cities. He (alongside Abisares ) had a hostile relationship with the Kingdom of Taxila which was ruled by his extended family. When the armies of Alexander crossed Indus in its eastward migration, probably in Udabhandapura , he
9888-402: Was noted for widespread inter-communal violence and accusations of genocide on the Sikh community by the Indian government. Punjab is in northwestern India and has a total area of 50,362 square kilometres (19,445 sq mi). Punjab is bordered by Pakistan's Punjab province on the west, Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Himachal Pradesh on the northeast and Haryana and Rajasthan on
9991-541: Was part of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire . Sikhism , based on the teachings of Sikh Gurus , emerged between the 15th and 17th centuries . Conflicts between the Mughals and the later Sikh Gurus precipitated a militarisation of the Sikhs, resulting in the formation of a confederacy after the weakening of the Mughal Empire, which competed for control with the larger Durrani Empire . This confederacy
10094-558: Was recorded at Amritsar (0.2 °C (32.4 °F)) and Ludhiana stood second with 0.5 °C (32.9 °F). The minimum temperature of the region remains below 5 °C (41 °F) for almost two months during the winter season. The highest minimum temperature of these regions in June is more than the daytime maximum temperatures experienced in January and February. Ludhiana experiences minimum temperatures above 27 °C (81 °F) for more than two months. The annual average temperature in
10197-537: Was renamed Odisha in 2011. Telangana was created on 2 June 2014 from ten former districts of north-western Andhra Pradesh . In August 2019, the Parliament of India passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 , which contains provisions to reorganise the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories; Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh , effective from 31 October 2019. Later that year in November,
10300-399: Was responsible to the provincial legislature. Bengal, Madras and Bombay which had been till now styled Presidencies, were now officially styled as provinces. The provinces of Orissa and Sind were created from Bihar and Bombay respectively. The Province of Burma which had previously functioned as an autonomous province of India was now separated from the Indian Empire, and established as
10403-408: Was sentenced to life imprisonment and released in 1994. Punjab (India) Punjab ( / p ʌ n ˈ dʒ ɑː b / ; Punjabi: [pənˈdʒɑːb] ) is a state in northwestern India . Forming part of the larger Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent , the state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the north and northeast, Haryana to
10506-680: Was then divided between the Maurya Empire and the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom in 302 B.C.E. Menander I Soter conquered Punjab and made Sagala (present-day Sialkot ) the capital of the Indo-Greek Kingdom . Menander is noted for having become a patron and convert to Greco-Buddhism and he is widely regarded as the greatest of the Indo-Greek kings. Greek influence in the region ended around 12 B.C.E. when
10609-680: Was united in 1801 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh , forming the Sikh Empire . The larger Punjab region was annexed by the British East India Company from the Sikh Empire in 1849 . At the time of the independence of India from British rule in 1947, the Punjab province was partitioned along religious lines amidst widespread violence, with the Muslim-majority western portion becoming part of Pakistan and
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