Facts about Patiala

Punjab Population:
33,404,423 (3.3 Crore)
Patiala Population:
1,557,553 (15 Lacs)
Average Life Expectancy:
41.24 years
Literacy Rate:
42.7%
GDP Per Capita:
$900

Population to Benefit from trauma center
3.3 Million Approx.

Background

Patiala is a city in the Punjab state of India. Patiala district is one of the famous princely cities of erstwhile Punjab. Forming the south-eastern part of the state, it lies between 29°49’ and 30°47’ north latitude, 75°58’ and 76°54' east longitude.

It is surrounded by the districts of Fatehgarh Sahib & Rupnagar and the Union Territory of Chandigarh in the north, Sangrur district in the west, Ambala and Kurukshetra districts of neighbouring state of Haryana in the east and Kaithal district of Haryana in the south.

Directions to Patiala

By Rail:

From New Delhi, take New Delhi-Bhatinda Inter City Express or the Shatabdi Express to Ambala, and then hire a taxi for the drive to Patiala. (Book taxi in advance.)

By Road:

Patiala lies just off the excellent National Highway #1 (Delhi-Amritsar) and is about 250 Km from Delhi. The journey via Ambala Cantt. takes about 5 hours. You can also drive to Patiala from Chandigarh, via Zirakpur (on NH 22), and Rajpura.

Accommodation

Patiala has a few budget and 3-star hotels. However, Chandigarh and Ludhiana, both over an hour's drive away, offer varied options, including deluxe hotels.

For more information please contact :

Patiala : +91-175-2311300,2311301

Chandigarh : +91-172-2548082

New Delhi : +91-11-2463 2267, 2465 2455

People

Patiala district is a predominantly rural district.. As per the 2001 census, an overwhelming 65% lived in rural areas and only 35% lived in urban areas.

After the partition of India in 1947, a large number of refugees from west Punjab came and settled in Patiala district. The single largest group of refugees was from Bahawalpur. Apart from this, a sizeable number came from Gujjranwala and Sheikhpura. According to the 1951 census, the total number of displaced persons in the district was 1,19,518.

The Sikhs and the Hindus are the predominant communities in the district. The Sikh form 55% of the population while the Hindus form 42%, the remaining being the Christians, the Muslim, the Jains and the Buddhists.

Geographically, Punjab is divided into four regions, know as Malwa. Majha, Doaba and Puadh. Patiala district falls in the Puadh region and standard dialect spoken in the district is known as Puadhi. Although this dialect is almost the same in grammar as the standard dialect of Punjabi language, the distinguishing character of this dialect is that ,to a very large extent, it is influenced by Hindi spoken in the adjoining districts which now a part of Haryana.

Area

Patiala district with an area of 3625 Sq. kms. is the 5th largest district of the Punjab (area wise) after Ferozepur, Amritsar, Sangrur and Ludhiana as per 2001 census.

Patiala has been cultural and academic center of northern India. The erstwhile rulers of Patiala state were great patrons of art and culture. Thus under the Maharajas, Patiala had developed into an important educational centre. It was the first city in this part of the country to have a Degree College- the Mohindra College- established in 1870. This city has the credit of setting up the first printing press in Punjab – the famous Printing Press of Munshi Naval Kishore and for manufacturing the first Punjabi Typewriter.

Today, Patiala is an important seat of learning with a full-fledged University, a Government Medical College, a Dental College, an Ayurvedic College and an Engineering College.

Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala

The college was started by the PEPSU Government in October, 1953. It consists of an administrative block and self contained blocks for the basic clinical departments

Rajindra Hospital, Patiala with 900 beds was attached to the college in early 1954. The hospital is equipped with all the latest apparatus and instruments to make it fit for imparting clinical teaching to the students.

A Tuberculosis and chest Diseases hospital with a capacity of 161 beds and a primary health centres at Bhadson, Kauli and Tripuri are attached with the college for teaching purposes.

The college is famous in India as GOMCO is affiliated to Baba Farid University at Health Sciences, Faridkot(Punjab) for MBBS, BDS and various other courses.

There are four hostels, two for girls and two for boys. In addition to this, there is one hostel in the Rajindra Hospital for doctors/interns.house surgeons.