# Hoshiarpur district

Hoshiarpur district is a district of Punjab state in northern India. Hoshiarpur, one of the oldest districts of Punjab, is located in the North-east part of the Punjab state and shares common boundaries with Gurdaspur district in the north-west, Jalandhar district and Kapurthala district in south-west, Kangra district and Una district of Himachal Pradesh in the north-east. Hoshiarpur district comprises 4 sub-divisions, 10 community development blocks, 9 urban local bodies and 1417 villages. The district has an area of 3365 km$^2$. and a population of 1,586,625 persons as per census 2011.
Hoshiarpur, along with the districts of Nawanshehar, Kapurthala and parts of Jalandhar, represents one of the cultural regions of Punjab called Doaba or the Bist Doab - the tract of land between two rivers, namely Beas and Sutlej. The area, along with the Shivalik foothills on the right side of Chandigarh-Pathankot road in Hoshiarpur, is sub mountainous. This part of the district is also known as Kandi area. The two rivers, Sutlej and Beas along with two other seasonal streams, provide drainage to the region. Besides these, the Kandi region is full of seasonal streams.
Hoshiarpur district falls into two nearly equal portions of hill and plain country. Its eastern face consists of the westward slope of the Solar Singhi Hills; parallel with that ridge, a line of lower heights belonging to the Siwalik Range traverses the district from south to north, while between the two chains stretches a valley of uneven width, known as the Jaswan Dun. Its upper portion is crossed by the Sohan torrent, while the Sutlej sweeps into its lower end through a break in the hills, and flows in a southerly direction until it turns the flank of the central range, and debouches westwards upon the plains. This western plain consists of alluvial formation, with a general westerly slope owing to the deposit of silt from the mountain torrents in the sub-montane tract. The Beas has a fringe of lowland, open to moderate but not excessive inundations, and considered very fertile. A considerable area is covered by government woodlands, under the care of the forest department. Rice is largely grown, in the marshy flats along the banks of the Beas. The district, owing to its proximity to the hills, possesses a comparatively cool and humid climate. Cotton fabrics are manufactured, and sugar, rice, other grains and indigo are among the exports.
Hoshiarpur is also known as a City of Saints. There are many deras in this district. Several religious fairs are held, at Anandpur Sahib, Dasuya, Mukerian and Chintpurni, all of which attract an enormous concourse of people.
The District Govt. College was once a campus for Punjab University, and it was predominantly inhabited by Gujjar and Saini, Dogras of Jammu-Punjab Region during the reign of the Sikh Empire.

## History

The area of present Hoshiarpur District was also part of Indus Valley Civilization. Recent excavations at various sites in the district have revealed that the entire area near the Shivalik foothills was selected for habitation not only by the early Paleolithic man but also by those in the protohistoric and historic periods. The legends associate several places in the district with Pandavas. Dasuya is mentioned in epic of Mahabharata as the seat of Raja Virata in whose services the Pandavas remained for thirteen years during their exile. Bham, about 11 km west of Mahilpur, is said to be the place where the Pandavas passed their exile. Lasara, about 19 km north of Jaijon, also contains a stone temple stated to date back to the time of Pandavas. According to the Chinese pilgrim, Hieun Tsang, the area of Hoshiarpur was dominated by a tribe of Chandrabansi Rajputs, who maintained an independent existence for centuries before the Muhammadan conquest.
The country around Hoshiarpur formed part of the old kingdom of Katoch in Jalandhar. The state was eventually broken up, and the present district was divided between the, rajas of Datarpur and Jaswan. They retained undisturbed possession of their territories until 1759, when the rising Sikh chieftains commenced a series of encroachments upon the hill tracts. In 1815 Maharaja Ranjit Singh, forced the ruler of Jaswan to resign his territories in exchange for an estate on feudal tenure; three years later the raja of Datarpur met with similar treatment. By the close of the year 1818 the whole country from the Sutlej to the Beas had come under the government of Lahore, and after the First Anglo-Sikh War in 1846 passed to the British government. The deposed rajas of Datarpur and Jaswan received cash pensions from the new rulers, but expressed bitter disappointment at not being restored to their former sovereign position. Accordingly, the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Sikh War, in 1848 found the disaffected chieftains ready for rebellion. They organized a revolt, but the two rajas and the other ringleaders were captured, and their estates confiscated. Hoshiarpur is an ancient centre of Hindu epics and culture itself. In Bajwara (4 km east on Una Road from the present city) ruins of an ancient culture can still be found. Mythologically, Teh Dasuya of this district is estimated to be King Virat's kingdom where Pandavas spent their one-year exile.

### Bhrigu Samhita

Hoshiarpur is also popular for old astrological facts where it is said to be that old documents where past, present and future birth of every person is written in detail, are safely kept at this place. Many people visit Hoshiarpur to find out about their past, present and future in every birth they have or had taken in the past.

### Significant cities

Among the numerous ancient cultural centers in Hoshiarpur was town Jaijon. Said to be Founded by Jaijjat rishi around 11th century at the Shivalik foothills, Jaijon was a flourishing trade centre. It was also known as a centre for oriental studies. Noted scholars and exponents of Sanskrit, Astrology, Ayurveda and music visited this place for meeting. Music composers Pandit Husan Lal and Bhagat Ram and noted Pakistani poet Tufail Hoshiarpuri belonged to the same place. Jaijon also have a small old railway station from the British era.
Ayurveda scholar Pandit Govind Ram Vatsyayan and Sanskrit laureate Acharya Vishwanath belonged to Jaijon.
Mahilpur Town Founded by Chaudhary Mahlo Bains
Garhdiwala Founded by Chaudhary Garhia Sahota
Garhshankar Founded by Bhanots

## Demographics

According to the 2011 census Hoshiarpur district has a population of 1,586,625, roughly equal to the nation of Gabon or the US state of Idaho. This gives it a ranking of 310th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 683 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,770/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 17.95%. Hoshiarpur has a sex ratio of 961 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 85.40%. Scheduled Castes made up 35.14% of the population.
The Hoshiarpur district has one of the highest Scheduled Caste population (34%) population in Punjab. The Hoshiarpur-I and Hoshiarpur-II have 48 percent Scheduled Castes population. In Mahilpur block the proportion of Scheduled Castes population is 44 percent and in Bhunga block it is 41 percent while in the remaining blocks the proportion of Scheduled Castes population is less than 40 percent.

### Gender

The table below shows the sex ratio of Hoshiarpur district through decades.
Sex ratio of Hoshiarpur district :
| Census year | Ratio |
| 2011 | 961 |
| 2001 | 935 |
| 1991 | 924 |
| 1981 | 919 |
| 1971 | 899 |
| 1961 | 902 |
| 1951 | 877 |
| 1941 | 879 |
| 1931 | 867 |
| 1921 | 856 |
| 1911 | 828 |
| 1901 | 878 |
The table below shows the child sex ratio of children below the age of 6 years in the rural and urban areas of Hoshiarpur district.
Child sex ratio of children below the age of 6 years in Hoshiarpur district :
| Year | Urban | Rural |
| 2011 | 863 | 865 |
| 2001 | 800 | 815 |

### Religion

Religion in Hoshiarpur district (2011) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 63.07% | 63.07% |
| Sikhism | Sikhism | 33.92% | 33.92% |
| Islam | Islam | 1.46% | 1.46% |
| Christianity | Christianity | 0.94% | 0.94% |
| Other or not stated | Other or not stated | 0.61% | 0.61% |
Religion in Hoshiarpur District :
| Religious group | 2011 | 2011 |
| Religious group | Pop. | % |
| Hinduism | 1,000,743 | 63.07% |
| Sikhism | 538,208 | 33.92% |
| Islam | 23,089 | 1.46% |
| Christianity | 14,968 | 0.94% |
| Others | 9,617 | 0.61% |
| Total Population | 1,586,625 | 100% |
The table below shows the population of different religions in absolute numbers in the urban and rural areas of Hoshiarpur district.
Absolute numbers of different religious groups in Hoshiarpur district :
| Religion | Urban (2011) | Rural (2011) | Urban (2001) | Rural (2001) | Urban (1991) | Rural (1991) |
| Hindu | 2,52,667 | 7,48,076 | 2,15,934 | 6,55,989 | 1,35,337 | 6,03,892 |
| Sikh | 74,051 | 4,64,157 | 69,954 | 5,04,908 | 41,240 | 4,45,807 |
| Muslim | 2,828 | 20,261 | 2,081 | 13,313 | 352 | 6,090 |
| Christian | 2,133 | 12,835 | 1,561 | 11,165 | 625 | 8,081 |
| Other religions | 3,290 | 6,327 | 2,544 | 3,287 | 2,066 | 317 |
Religious groups in Hoshiarpur 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 | 550,185 | 61.04% | 610,996 | 60.4% | 603,710 | 60.99% | 498,642 | 54.28% | 500,339 | 53.95% | 526,182 | 50.98% | 584,080 | 49.91% |
| Islam | 290,193 | 32.19% | 328,668 | 32.49% | 312,958 | 31.62% | 281,805 | 30.68% | 289,298 | 31.19% | 328,078 | 31.78% | 380,759 | 32.53% |
| Sikhism | 59,784 | 6.63% | 70,709 | 6.99% | 71,126 | 7.19% | 134,146 | 14.6% | 132,958 | 14.34% | 173,147 | 16.77% | 198,194 | 16.93% |
| Jainism | 1,119 | 0.12% | 1,165 | 0.12% | 1,173 | 0.12% | 998 | 0.11% | 1,079 | 0.12% | 1,016 | 0.1% | 1,125 | 0.1% |
| Christianity | 98 | 0.01% | 120 | 0.01% | 813 | 0.08% | 2,978 | 0.32% | 3,745 | 0.4% | 3,764 | 0.36% | 6,165 | 0.53% |
| Zoroastrianism | 2 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Buddhism | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Judaism | — | — | 0 | 0% | 2 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Others | 0 | 0% | 1 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| Total population | 901,381 | 100% | 1,011,659 | 100% | 989,782 | 100% | 918,569 | 100% | 927,419 | 100% | 1,032,187 | 100% | 1,170,323 | 100% |
| Note: 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. |||||||||||||||
Religion in the Tehsils of Hoshiarpur District (1921) :
| Tehsil | Hinduism | Hinduism | Islam | Islam | Sikhism | Sikhism | Christianity | Christianity | Jainism | Jainism | Others | Others | Total | Total |
| Tehsil | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Hoshiarpur Tehsil | 95,280 | 38.54% | 106,724 | 43.17% | 43,567 | 17.62% | 1,075 | 0.43% | 550 | 0.22% | 0 | 0% | 247,196 | 100% |
| Dasuya Tehsil | 86,938 | 40.32% | 100,825 | 46.76% | 25,195 | 11.69% | 2,392 | 1.11% | 250 | 0.12% | 0 | 0% | 215,600 | 100% |
| Garh Shankar Tehsil | 133,877 | 57.51% | 52,832 | 22.7% | 45,554 | 19.57% | 234 | 0.1% | 275 | 0.12% | 0 | 0% | 232,772 | 100% |
| Una Tehsil | 184,244 | 79.47% | 28,917 | 12.47% | 18,642 | 8.04% | 44 | 0.02% | 4 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 231,851 | 100% |
| Note: British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. |||||||||||||||
Religion in the Tehsils of Hoshiarpur District (1941) :
| Tehsil | Hinduism | Hinduism | Islam | Islam | Sikhism | Sikhism | Christianity | Christianity | Jainism | Jainism | Others | Others | Total | Total |
| Tehsil | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Hoshiarpur Tehsil | 113,680 | 35.11% | 145,985 | 45.09% | 62,517 | 19.31% | 953 | 0.29% | 510 | 0.16% | 95 | 0.03% | 323,740 | 100% |
| Dasuya Tehsil | 95,572 | 34.98% | 132,105 | 48.35% | 40,509 | 14.83% | 4,729 | 1.73% | 328 | 0.12% | 3 | 0% | 273,246 | 100% |
| Garh Shankar Tehsil | 150,991 | 52.15% | 67,584 | 23.34% | 70,310 | 24.28% | 363 | 0.13% | 284 | 0.1% | 7 | 0% | 289,539 | 100% |
| Una Tehsil | 223,837 | 78.87% | 35,085 | 12.36% | 24,858 | 8.76% | 15 | 0.01% | 3 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 283,798 | 100% |
| Note1: British Punjab province era tehsil borders are not an exact match in the present-day due to various bifurcations to tehsil borders — which since created new tehsils — throughout the historic Punjab Province region during the post-independence era that have taken into account population increases. Note2: Tehsil religious breakdown figures for Christianity only includes local Christians, labeled as "Indian Christians" on census. Does not include Anglo-Indian Christians or British Christians, who were classified under "Other" category. |||||||||||||||

### Language

* Punjabi (93.74%)
* Hindi (5.27%)
* Others (0.99%)
At the time of the 2011 census, 93.74% of the population spoke Punjabi and 5.27% Hindi as their first language.

## Health

In the year 2017, Hoshiarpur district had the highest number of malaria cases in Punjab at 153.
The table below shows the data from the district nutrition profile of children below the age of 5 years, in Hoshiarpur, as of year 2020.
District nutrition profile of children under 5 years of age in Hoshiarpur, year 2020 :
| Indicators | Number of children (<5 years) | Percent (2020) | Percent (2016) |
| Low-birth weight | 20,188 | 17% | 22% |
| Stunted | 22,403 | 19% | 26% |
| Wasted | 13,379 | 12% | 17% |
| Severely wasted | 2,845 | 2% | 7% |
| Underweight | 14,413 | 12% | 21% |
| Overweight/obesity | 4,437 | 4% | 4% |
| Anemia | 72,602 | 70% | 60% |
| Total children | 116,139 | | |
The table below shows the district nutrition profile of Hoshiarpur of women between the ages of 15 to 49 years, as of year 2020.
District nutritional profile of Hoshiarpur 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) | 56,089 | 11% | 14% |
| Overweight/obesity | 211,477 | 41% | 31% |
| Hypertension | 186,652 | 36% | 18% |
| Diabetes | 66,736 | 13% | NA |
| Anemia (non-preg) | 281,589 | 54% | 62% |
| Anemia (preg) | NA | NA | 38% |
| Total women (preg) | 24,123 | | |
| Total women | 519,345 | | |
The table below shows the number of road accidents and people affected in Hoshiarpur district by year.
Road accidents and people affected in Hoshiarpur district by year :
| Year | Accidents | Killed | Injured | Vehicles Involved |
| 2022 | 276 | 233 | 132 | 443 |
| 2021 | 239 | 203 | 142 | 410 |
| 2020 | 227 | 190 | 115 | 392 |
| 2019 | 336 | 254 | 176 | 543 |

## Economy

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Hoshiarpur one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is the only district in Punjab currently receiving funds from the Backward regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).
Hoshiarpur has 6,480 registered industrial units, which employ more than 31 thousand employees. There are 24 large and medium industries, where more than 15,000 people work.

## Government and politics
### Politics

| No. | Constituency | Name of MLA | Party | Bench |
| 39 | Mukerian | Jangi Lal Mahajan | Bharatiya Janata Party | Opposition |
| 40 | Dasuya | Karambir Singh Ghuman | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |
| 41 | Urmar | Jasvir Singh Raja Gill | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |
| 42 | Sham Chaurasi (SC) | Dr. Ravjot Singh | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |
| 43 | Hoshiarpur | Bram Shanker | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |
| 44 | Chabbewal (SC) | Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |
| 45 | Garhshankar | Jai Krishan Singh | Aam Aadmi Party | Government |

### District administration

* The Deputy Commissioner, an officer belonging to the Indian Administrative Service, is in-charge of the General Administration in the district, and is assisted by a number of officers belonging to Punjab Civil Service and other Punjab state services.
* The Senior Superintendent of Police, an officer belonging to the Indian Police Service, is responsible for maintaining law & order in the district, assisted by the officers of the Punjab Police Service and other Punjab police officials.
* The Divisional Forest Officer, an officer belonging to the Indian Forest Service, is responsible for the management of the forests, environment and wildlife in the district and is assisted by the officers of the Punjab Forest Service and other Punjab forest officials and Punjab wildlife officials.
* Sectoral development is looked after by the district head/officer of each development department such as PWD, Health, Education, Agriculture, Animal husbandry, etc. These officers are from various Punjab state services.

### Sub-Divisions

The District of Hoshiarpur comprises four sub-divisions, ten development blocks, eight municipal councils and one notified area committee, as listed below:

#### Administrative Divisions

* Hoshiarpur
* Dasuya
* Mukerian
* Garhshankar

##### Development Blocks

* Hoshiarpur-I
* Hoshiarpur-II
* Bhunga
* Tanda
* Dasuya
* Mukerian
* Talwara
* Hajipur
* Garhshankar

##### Municipal Corporation

* Hoshiarpur

##### Municipal Councils

* Garhdiwala
* Hariana
* Tanda
* Mahilpur
* Garhshankar
* Dasuya'
* Mukerian
* Sham Chaurasi
* Talwara

##### Notified Area Committee

* Mahilpur
* Hoshiarpur
* Shamchurasi Kadiana

##### Villages

* Saido Patti

## Notable people
### Science

* Piara Singh Gill, a nuclear physicist and a pioneer in cosmic ray nuclear physics

### Business

* Lakshman Das Mittal, owner and chairman of the Sonalika Group

### Sports

* Intikhab Alam cricket player
* Harmilan Bains, a track and field athlete and medalist in Asian games 2022
* Mohammad Nissar, once India's fastest bowler and remains one of the fastest in the world
* Deepak Thakur, a hockey player and receiver of Arjun Award

### Politics

* Jagjit Singh Chohan founder of Khalsa Raj Party
* Santosh Chowdhary ex-MP Congress
* Rana Mohammad Hanif Khan Federal Minister of Finance, Pakistan (22 October 1974 – 28 March 1977) was born in Garhshankar, District Hoshiarpur
* Avinash Rai Khanna a Bharatiya Janata Party leader
* Jai Krishan of Garhshankar Deputy Speaker in current Punjab Legislative Assembly
* Kewal Krishan of Mukerian(10 October 1923 – 30 June 2008) Speaker of the Punjab Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha), Minister of Finance in the Punjab Government 1980–83
* Mayawati incontested M.P. election from Hoshiarpur 1989 Indian general election
* Mangu Ram Mugowalia, prominent Ghadar Party leader and Freedom Fighter
* Harnam Singh Saini, an Indian revolutionary
* Harjit Singh Sajjan, Minister of National Defence for the Government of Canada
* Vijay Sampla, (Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment) MP from Hoshiarpur is actually from Jalandhar city. (born at Sofi Village, Jalandhar district).
* Zail Singh was elected from Hoshiarpur in 1980, became Union Home Minister and later the President of India in 1982.
* Ambika Soni M.P. belongs to bajwara in Hoshiarpur.
* Kamal Chaudhry M.P. representing Hoshiarpur district of Punjab in the Lok Sabha for four terms

### Arts and entertainment

* Monica Bedi a Punjabi actress is from village Chabbewal
* Jaz Dhami, UK based Punjabi singer belongs to Hoshiarpur
* Kulwinder Dhillon singer from Mahilpur
* Harbanse Singh Doman belongs to Hoshiarpur
* Nachhatar Gill Punjabi singer born in Vill. Akalgarh, near Garhshankar, Dist. Hoshiarpur
* Habib Jalib Pakistani revolutionary poet and left wing politician born in a village near Hoshiarpur
* Hard Kaur Indian rapper
* Amanat Ali Khan Pakistani classic and ghazal singer was born in Hoshiarpur
* Gauri Khan (born Gauri Chhibber) belongs to Hoshiarpur and raised up in Delhi.
* Simran Kaur Mundi a Punjabi film actress is from village Mundian Jattan
* Satinder Sartaaj Punjabi singer born in Bajrawar village, Hoshiarpur District
* Amar Singh Shaunki Dhadi singer
* D. P. Singh a science populariser and environmental activist of Punjab
* Ganda Singh a Punjabi historian
* Mickey Singh, US based Punjabi Urban singer belongs to Hoshiarpur
* Sahib Singh one of the Panj Pyare
* Upasana Singh actress in Bollywood and comedian in TV was born in Tanda
* Yo Yo Honey Singh Punjabi Rapper from Delhi was born in Hoshiarpur.
* Manmohan Waris, Punjabi folk singer belongs to Halluwal (near Mahilpur) District Hoshiarpur

### Military

* Fazal Din VC, of 7th Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment, British Indian Army, during the Burma Campaign was run through the chest by a Japanese samurai officer's sword reaching through to his back and proceeded to take the sword out of himself and kill the Japanese officer with it
* Tufail Mohammad, of the Punjab Regiment, War Hero of the 1958 Indo-East Pakistan skirmish recipient of Nishan-e-Haider

### Other

* Ravi Singh, a British-Indian humanitarian and founder and CEO Khalsa Aid
* Dhanna Singh, revolutionary and part of the Babbar Akali movement