Khemkaran

Khem Karan is an old town. It was visited by Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621–1675). Previously in Lahore District before the partition of British India. It became a part of Amritsar District afterwards.

Many of the town's residents migrated from nearby villages between 1947 and 1965, such as Nathuwala, Qadiwind, Rohiwal, and Sehjra. The town's Muslim residents migrated primarily to the city of Kasur, 8 km away in Pakistan.

The town used to be accessible to the city of Kasur, Pakistan 8 km away, and to Ferozepur 35 km away until India and Pakistan enacted border controls in 1953 and further restricted travel in 1965. The residents of Khem Karan were essentially cut off from both towns - Kasur lies in Pakistan, while the road to Ferozepur cuts through Pakistan, creating a 70 kilometre detour.

India-Pakistan war of 1965

On 8 September, the Pakistani 1st Armoured Division and 11 Infantry Division under the command of Maj Gen Nasir Khan pushed an offensive towards Khem Karan, with the intent to capture Amritsar (a major city in Punjab, India) and the bridge on River Beas to Jalandhar.^[2] India then launched a counter-offensive. After India breached the Madhupur canal on 11 September, the Khem Karan counter-offensive was halted, affecting Pakistan's strategy substantially.^{[citation needed]} The Pakistani forces engaged with a far advanced and much numbered Indian force comprising only the 2nd Independent Armoured Brigade commanded by Brig Thomas K. Theogaraj, who formed a defensive horseshoe formation to counter the Pakistani force.^[3][4][5] But, Khem Karan was captured at last by Pakistan completely.

As of 2011^[update] India census,^[6] Khem Karan had a population of 13,446. Males constituted 55% and females 45%. Khem Karan has an average literacy rate of 61.55%, lower than the state average of 75.84%: male literacy is 67%, and female literacy is 54.85%. In Khem Karan, 12.14% of the population is under 6 years of age.

The table below shows the population of different religious groups in Khem Karan town and their gender ratio, as of 2011 census.

Khem Karan village is located 56 km southwest of Tarn Taran Sahib city in Tarn Taran district, 60 south of Amritsar, and 55 km north of Firozpur city.

The city is part of the Khemkaran South Assembly Constituency.

Throughout the year, people visit the Martyr's monument to honor the memory of the Indian Army's martyrs of 1965 India-Pakistan Battle of Asal Uttar. The annual memorial event play the sports competition is also held here in September.

In this village is the mausoleum (mazaar) of Sufi saint known as Pir Baba Sheikh Brahm. Twice in a year a fair (mela) is held there.

Air:

Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport at Amritsar is 75 km to the north of Khemkaran.

Rail:

Khem Karan is a railway station on the Amritsar-Patti-Khem Karan line, which is being extended from Patti to Mallanwala Khas^[8] as an additional direct link from Amritsar and Khemkaran to Firozpur and Rajasthan via the under-construction 1,369 metres (4,491 ft) long rail-cum-road bridge on Sutlej River.^[9]

Road:

NH354 connects Khemkaran to Amritsar, Dera Baba Nanak and Gurdaspur to the north as well as to Firozpur and Malout in the south.

Khemkaran is mostly an agricultural village.

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  Khem Karan Railway Station, Punjab
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  Khem Karan Railway Station

• Deepak Dhawan
• Mehtab Singh
• Baba Amar Singh Nibber

• Bhikhiwind
• Attari–Wagah border ceremony