# Patiala district

Patiala district is one of the twenty three districts in the state of Punjab in north-west India.

## Location

Patiala district lies between 38 47’ and 39 41’ north latitude, 115 58’ and 116 54' east longitude, in the southeast part of the state. It is surrounded by Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar and Mohali to the north, Fatehgarh Sahib and Sangrur districts to the west, Ambala, Panchkula, Haryana to the northeast and Kurukshetra districts of neighboring Haryana state to the east, and Kaithal district of Haryana to the southwest.

## History

Baba Ala Singh (1691–1765), a Sikh chieftain from the village Rampura Phul in Bathinda District of Punjab, with his army of young brave men migrated to Barnala where Baba Ala Singh in 1763 set up his new state. Later Baba Ala Singh moved to a small village of Lehal where he built a new city on the village, naming it as Patiala. He laid the foundations of a steady and stable state known as the Phulkian Dynasty south of Sirhind. In and around Patiala District he founded many villages within his territory, and reconstructed many historical Gurdwaras relating to Sikh religion.
It was since Baba Ala Singh's time that Patiala District came into being as before the area was under the Sirhind Government. Baba Ala Singh made Sirhind, Tohana, Mansa, Bathinda, Sangrur and Barnala, Fatehabad District part of Patiala State.
In 1809, Patiala State came under British protection during the reign of Maharaja Sahib Singh (1773–1813) of Phulkian Dynasty, as he feared that Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore would cross the Sutlej river and take the district and state so the Patiala rulers got the British to protect them from further invasion from 1809 to 1947 Patiala remained under British Protection. In 1948 Patiala Princely State was abolished by the Indian government.
Patiala District was further divided into Fatehgarh Sahib District on 13 April 1992.
Patiala having a population of 1,895,686 is the 4th most populated district of Punjab after Ludhiana, Amritsar, and Jalandhar as per the 2011 census.

## Geography

This district contains many small hill ranges that are part of the Shivalik Hills.

## Divisions

The district is divided into three sub-divisions: Patiala, Rajpura and Nabha, which are further divided into five tehsils: Patiala, Rajpura, Nabha, Samana and Pattran. It also comprises eight blocks, Patiala, Rajpura, Nabha and Samana.
There are nine Punjab Vidhan Sabha constituencies located in this district: Patiala Urban, Patiala Rural, Rajpura, Nabha, Samana, Ghanaur, Shutrana, Sanaur, and Patran. All of these are part of Patiala Lok Sabha constituency.

## Industry

Patiala is fast emerging as an important industrial growth center on the industrial map of the state. Besides traditional goods, high quality and sophisticated items are now produced including small cutting tools, power cables, Vanaspati ghee, bicycles, and agriculture implements including harvester combines and threshers, milk products, and pesticides. The industrial units are scattered all over the district mainly at Rajpura, Patiala, Samana, and Nabha. There are large and medium industrial units located at Rajpura producing Vanaspati ghee, power cables, bicycles, and bicycle components and at Dera Bassi producing spun-yarn and alcohol. Among the small scale industry in the district are those producing agriculture implements, rice shellers, cutting tools, electrical goods, and bakeries. There are industrial focal points at Patiala, Rajpura, Nabha, and Dera Bassi and two industrial estates at Rajpura, Patiala.

## Demographics

According to the 2011 census, Patiala district has a population of 1,895,686, roughly equal to the nation of Slovenia or the US state of Mississippi. This gives it a ranking of 248th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 596 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,540/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 19.4%. Patiala has a sex ratio of 888 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 76.3%. Scheduled Castes made up 24.55% of the population.

### Gender

The table below shows the sex ratio of Patiala district through decades.
Sex ratio of Patiala district :
| Census year | Ratio |
| 2011 | 891 |
| 2001 | 875 |
| 1991 | 882 |
| 1981 | 870 |
| 1971 | 850 |
| 1961 | 831 |
| 1951 | 809 |
The table below shows the child sex ratio of children below the age of 6 years in the rural and urban areas of Patiala district.
Child sex ratio of children below the age of 6 years in Patiala district :
| Year | Urban | Rural |
| 2011 | 852 | 827 |
| 2001 | 794 | 769 |

### Religion

Religion in Patiala district (2011) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Sikhism | Sikhism | 55.91% | 55.91% |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 41.32% | 41.32% |
| Islam | Islam | 2.11% | 2.11% |
| Other | Other | 0.65% | 0.65% |
The table below shows the population of different religions in absolute numbers in the urban and rural areas of Patiala district.
Absolute numbers of different religious groups in Patiala district :
| Religion | Urban (2011) | Rural (2011) | Urban (2001) | Rural (2001) | Urban (1991) | Rural (1991) |
| Hindu | 4,53,619 | 3,29,687 | 3,86,288 | 3,92,139 | 2,95,473 | 3,68,233 |
| Sikh | 2,88,984 | 7,70,960 | 2,45,618 | 7,78,928 | 1,63,175 | 7,14,590 |
| Muslim | 13,812 | 26,231 | 8,237 | 26,591 | 2,899 | 19,275 |
| Christian | 2,847 | 2,836 | 1,864 | 1,901 | 651 | 1,736 |
| Other religions | 4,018 | 2,692 | 2,703 | 665 | 2,097 | 769 |
Religious groups in Patiala District (British Punjab province era) :
| Religious group | 1881 | 1881 | 1891 | 1891 | 1901 | 1901 | 1911 | 1911 | 1921 | 1921 | 1931 | 1931 | 1941 | 1941 |
| Religious group | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Hinduism | 734,902 | 50.08% | 942,739 | 59.53% | 880,490 | 55.14% | 563,940 | 40.06% | 642,055 | 42.81% | 623,597 | 38.36% | 597,488 | 30.86% |
| Sikhism | 408,141 | 27.81% | 285,348 | 18.02% | 355,649 | 22.27% | 532,292 | 37.81% | 522,675 | 34.85% | 632,972 | 38.94% | 896,021 | 46.28% |
| Islam | 321,354 | 21.9% | 352,046 | 22.23% | 357,334 | 22.38% | 307,384 | 21.84% | 330,341 | 22.03% | 363,920 | 22.39% | 436,539 | 22.55% |
| Jainism | 2,997 | 0.2% | 3,228 | 0.2% | 2,877 | 0.18% | 3,282 | 0.23% | 3,249 | 0.22% | 3,578 | 0.22% | 3,101 | 0.16% |
| Christianity | 39 | 0% | 105 | 0.01% | 316 | 0.02% | 739 | 0.05% | 1,395 | 0.09% | 1,449 | 0.09% | 1,592 | 0.08% |
| Zoroastrianism | 0 | 0% | 55 | 0% | 26 | 0% | 22 | 0% | 21 | 0% | 2 | 0% | 21 | 0% |
| Buddhism | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 3 | 0% | 2 | 0% | 3 | 0% |
| Judaism | — | — | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 12 | 0% |
| Others | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 1,482 | 0.08% |
| Total population | 1,467,433 | 100% | 1,583,521 | 100% | 1,596,692 | 100% | 1,407,659 | 100% | 1,499,739 | 100% | 1,625,520 | 100% | 1,936,259 | 100% |
| Note1: British Punjab province era district borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to district borders — which since created new districts — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. Note2: British Punjab province era figures are for Patiala State. |||||||||||||||

### Language

* Punjabi (89.61%)
* Hindi (7.79%)
* Saraiki (1.24%)
* Others (1.36%)
At the time of the 2011 census, 89.61% of the population spoke Punjabi, 7.79% Hindi and 1.24% Saraiki as their first language.

## Health

The table below shows the data from the district nutrition profile of children below the age of 5 years, in Patiala, as of year 2020.
District nutrition profile of children under 5 years of age in Patiala, year 2020 :
| Indicators | Number of children (<5 years) | Percent (2020) | Percent (2016) |
| Stunted | 29,979 | 20% | 18% |
| Wasted | 14,650 | 10% | 12% |
| Severely wasted | 2,611 | 2% | 5% |
| Underweight | 24,977 | 17% | 14% |
| Overweight/obesity | 634 | 0.4% | 6% |
| Anemia | 101,704 | 77% | 49% |
| Total children | 147,534 | | |
The table below shows the district nutrition profile of Patiala of women between the ages of 15 and 49 years, as of year 2020.
District nutritional profile of Patiala of women of 15-49 years, in 2020 :
| Indicators | Number of women (15-49 years) | Percent (2020) | Percent (2016) |
| Underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m^2) | 86,269 | 14% | 10% |
| Overweight/obesity | 264,038 | 43% | 35% |
| Hypertension | 176,353 | 29% | 18% |
| Diabetes | 113,959 | 19% | NA |
| Anemia (non-preg) | 400,579 | 65% | 41% |
| Anemia (preg) | 21,607 | 72% | 37% |
| Total women (preg) | 30,156 | | |
| Total women | 615,329 | | |
The table below shows the current use of family planning methods by currently married women between the ages of 15 and 49 years, in Patiala district.
Family planning methods used by women between the ages of 15 and 49 years, in Patiala district :
| Method | Total (2015–16) | Urban (2015–16) | Rural (2015–16) |
| Female sterilization | 34.5% | 31.0% | 37.3% |
| Male sterilization | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.2% |
| IUD/PPIUD | 5.9% | 3.9% | 7.6% |
| Pill | 5.2% | 6.7% | 3.9% |
| Condom | 22.4% | 26.9% | 18.6% |
| Any modern method | 68.5% | 69.1% | 67.9% |
| Any method | 79.1% | 79.4% | 78.9% |
| Total unmet need | 3.7% | 4.3% | 3.1% |
| Unmet need for spacing | 2.1% | 3.1% | 1.2% |
The table below shows the number of road accidents and people affected in Patiala district by year.
Road accidents and people affected in Patiala district by year :
| Year | Accidents | Killed | Injured | Vehicles Involved |
| 2022 | 648 | 412 | 437 | 984 |
| 2021 | 643 | 430 | 484 | 727 |
| 2020 | 512 | 339 | 380 | 774 |
| 2019 | 610 | 354 | 467 | 819 |

## Topography

Most of the area is plains in the form of agricultural land. The river Ghaghar remains dry during most part of the year. However, during the rainy season, it often causes flooding in the adjoining villages, which results in damage to the crops, livestock, and human lives. Other subsidiary rivers are Tangri Nadi, Patiala-Wali-Nadi, Sirhind Choe, and the Jhambowali Choe.
Apart from the natural water lines, the Bhakra Main Line canal, the Nawana Branch, and the Ghaghar Link are the most important. These canals are the backbone of the irrigation system of the district.

## Politics

| No. | Constituency | Name of MLA | Party | Bench |
| 109 | Nabha (SC) | Gurdev Singh Dev Maan | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |
| 110 | Patiala Rural | Balbir Singh | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |
| 111 | Rajpura | Neena Mittal | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |
| 113 | Ghanaur | Gurlal Ghanaur | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |
| 114 | Sanour | Harmit Singh Pathanmajra | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |
| 115. | Patiala | Ajit Pal Singh Kohli | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |
| 116 | Samana | Chetan Singh Jaura Majra | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |
| 117 | Shutrana (SC) | Kulwant Singh Bazigar | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |

## Notable people

* Umang Gupta, an Indian-American entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, California
* Sanju Bansal, an Indian-American businessman, co-founder of MicroStrategy, a worldwide provider of enterprise software platforms
* Kamal Khan, a singer