Ludhiana

Founding

Although the area around present-day Ludhiana had been inhabited since ancient times, the modern city was established during the late fifteenth century under the Lodi dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. Prior to its foundation, the region comprised several agricultural settlements located along the southern bank of the Sutlej River, whose course has since shifted further north.^[18]

During the rule of the Tughlaq dynasty, a fort was constructed to protect the strategic route linking Delhi with north-western India. The fort was captured by the Khokhar ruler Jasrat during his campaign in Punjab in 1421–22, illustrating the declining authority of the Delhi Sultanate in the region.^[19]

Ludhiana was founded in 1480 during the reign of the Lodi dynasty.^[20] According to tradition, Sultan Sikandar Lodi sent two military commanders, Yusuf Khan and Nihad Khan, to restore Lodi authority in Punjab. While Yusuf Khan crossed the Sutlej River and established Sultanpur Lodhi, Nihad Khan founded Ludhiana at the village of Mir Hota.^[21]

The city's name was originally Lodi-ana, meaning "the town of the Lodis", which gradually evolved into Lodiana and eventually Ludhiana.^[18]

The Lodhi Fort, popularly known as Purana Qila, is the only surviving monument from the city's foundation. It was repaired during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and later maintained by the British administration before falling into disrepair after independence. In December 2013, it was declared a state-protected monument by the Government of Punjab.^[22]

Mughal period

Following the establishment of the Mughal Empire in 1526, Ludhiana became part of the Lahore Subah. Owing to its location on important commercial routes between Delhi and Lahore, the town developed as a regional trading centre for agricultural produce, textiles and handicrafts. Local administration was carried out through Mughal officials, while the surrounding countryside remained predominantly agrarian.

The city was also influenced by the growth of Sikhism. Several Sikh Gurus, including Guru Hargobind, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh, travelled through the region, contributing to the religious significance of nearby settlements.

Sikh Confederacy

During the eighteenth century, Mughal authority in Punjab weakened following repeated invasions by Ahmad Shah Durrani. Ludhiana changed hands several times between Afghan forces and various Sikh misls. By the late eighteenth century, the area had come under the influence of the Phulkian chiefs and the Cis-Sutlej states, becoming an important frontier settlement in central Punjab.

British rule

Following the Treaty of Amritsar between the British East India Company and Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Ludhiana became an important British military cantonment on the southern bank of the Sutlej River. The British established a political agency in the city to supervise the Cis-Sutlej princely states and maintain diplomatic relations with the Sikh Empire.

After the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–46) and the annexation of Punjab in 1849, Ludhiana became part of British Punjab. Railways, roads and irrigation projects transformed the town into a major commercial centre. Industries relating to hosiery, textiles, metalworking and agricultural machinery began to emerge during the late nineteenth century.

Educational institutions, missionary schools and municipal administration expanded rapidly during this period. The Ludhiana Municipality was established in 1867, providing civic services and urban governance.

Indian independence movement

Ludhiana was an active centre of political and revolutionary activity during the Indian independence movement. The district contributed significantly to the Ghadar movement, with many emigrants from Ludhiana who had settled in North America joining the Ghadar Party. Several revolutionaries returned to Punjab during the First World War to organise an armed uprising against British rule, leading to arrests and prosecutions in the Lahore Conspiracy Case.^[23]

The district is closely associated with the revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha, one of the youngest leaders of the Ghadar movement, whose sacrifice later inspired Bhagat Singh and other freedom fighters.

Ludhiana also witnessed widespread participation in the Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement and Quit India Movement. Public meetings, processions, strikes and the boycott of foreign goods were organised throughout the district, while many local political activists were imprisoned for anti-colonial activities.

Partition and post-independence

The Partition of India in 1947 transformed Ludhiana's demographic and economic landscape. The city received tens of thousands of Hindu and Sikh refugees from West Punjab in present-day Pakistan, while much of its Muslim population migrated in the opposite direction.

The refugee population included skilled artisans, industrialists and entrepreneurs who established small-scale manufacturing units. Their contribution accelerated the growth of the bicycle, hosiery, sewing machine, machine-tool, auto component and textile industries, earning Ludhiana the nickname "Manchester of India".

During the second half of the twentieth century, Ludhiana expanded rapidly as Punjab's principal industrial and commercial centre. The establishment of institutions such as Punjab Agricultural University in 1962 further strengthened its importance in agricultural research and education. In the twenty-first century, the city has continued to expand as a centre for manufacturing, trade, healthcare and higher education, while also being selected under the Government of India's Smart Cities Mission.

Climate

Ludhiana features a relatively dry monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Cwa) under the Köppen climate classification, although bordering on a hot semi-arid climate (BSh), with three defined seasons; summer, monsoon and winter. Ludhiana on an average sees roughly 809.3 millimetres (31.86 in) of precipitation annually. The official weather station for the city is in the compound of the Civil Surgeon's Office to the west of Ludhiana. Weather records here date back to 1 August 1868.

Ludhiana has one of the worst air pollution problems in India since 2011, with particulate matter being over six times the World Health Organization recommended standard, making it the 13th most polluted city in the world.^[25][26] Industrial water pollution is also of significant concern in portions of Ludhiana, notably along the Budha Dariya.^[27]

Literacy

As per the 2011 census, Ludhiana had a population of 1,618,879.^[8] The literacy rate was 86.50 per cent, and the population consisted of 950,123 males and 743,530 females.^[35][8]

Religion

With around 66% adherents according to 2011 Indian Census, Hinduism is the predominant religion of Ludhiana, followed by Sikhism with 29% of the population. Islam is followed by 2.8% and Christianity by less than 1%.^[37]

Prior to India's partition, Ludhiana had a population of 111,639 with Muslims being the majority with 62.9%.^[38]: 32 The Hindus were 31.1% and Sikhs 4.7%.^[38]: 32 It changed post-partition with a drastic reduction in Muslim percentage and simultaneous increase in Hindu and Sikh population, owing to migration of people between West and East Punjab.^[39]

More information Religious group, 1881: 520 ...

Religious groups in Ludhiana City (1868–2011)^[a]

Religious group	1868[40]		1881[41][42]: 520		1891[43]: 68		1901[44]: 44		1911[45]: 20		1921[46]: 23		1931[47]: 26		1941[38]: 32		2011[37]
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Islam	27,860	69.68%	29,045	65.77%	30,257	65.3%	31,472	64.69%	27,197	61.57%	30,921	59.6%	42,981	62.67%	70,182	62.87%	45,473	2.81%
Hinduism	10,208	25.53%	12,969	29.37%	13,871	29.94%	15,249	31.34%	14,079	31.87%	17,092	32.95%	20,758[b]	30.27%	34,704[b]	31.09%	1,067,744	65.96%
Christianity	79	0.2%	—N/a	—N/a	328	0.71%	368	0.76%	552	1.25%	631	1.22%	1,049	1.53%	596	0.53%	11,044	0.68%
Sikhism	45	0.11%	1,077	2.44%	1,065	2.3%	756	1.55%	1,684	3.81%	2,550	4.92%	3,445	5.02%	5,273	4.72%	465,393	28.75%
Buddhism	0	0%	—N/a	—N/a	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	4	0.01%	—N/a	—N/a	1,700	0.11%
Jainism	—N/a	—N/a	752	1.7%	813	1.75%	804	1.65%	658	1.49%	667	1.29%	344	0.5%	605	0.54%	16,941	1.05%
Zoroastrianism	—N/a	—N/a	—N/a	—N/a	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	19	0.04%	5	0.01%	—N/a	—N/a	—N/a	—N/a
Others	1,791	4.48%	320	0.72%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	279	0.25%	10,584	0.65%
Total population	39,983	100%	44,163	100%	46,334	100%	48,649	100%	44,170	100%	51,880	100%	68,586	100%	111,639	100%	1,618,879	100%

Close

Language

According to the 2011 Census of India, Punjabi is the predominant mother tongue in Ludhiana, spoken by 67.00% of the city's population. Hindi is the second most common first language, accounting for 29.24% of the population, while Bhojpuri is spoken by 1.35%. The remaining 2.41% of residents reported other mother tongues, reflecting the city's linguistic diversity.^[48]

As Punjab's largest industrial and manufacturing centre, Ludhiana has experienced significant in-migration from other parts of India, particularly Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Consequently, Hindi serves as an important link language in commerce, industry and inter-state communication, while Bhojpuri and several other regional languages are also spoken among migrant communities.^[49][50]

Punjabi, written in the Gurmukhi script, is the official language of Punjab and is the principal language of administration, education and local governance in Ludhiana. English is widely used for higher education, judicial proceedings, business and official correspondence, while Hindi is commonly understood and spoken throughout the city owing to its diverse population.^[51]

Municipal finance

According to financial data published on the CityFinance Portal of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs,^[53] the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation reported total revenue receipts of ₹666 crore and total expenditure of ₹736 crore during the financial year 2022–23. Tax revenue contributed approximately ₹142 crore (21.3%) of the corporation's total revenue receipts, while grants from the Union and state governments amounted to ₹354 crore, accounting for more than half of the total revenue. The corporation recorded a revenue deficit during the year, with expenditure exceeding receipts by around ₹70 crore. Property tax, user charges, assigned revenues, and government grants constitute the principal sources of municipal income, while major expenditure heads include public health, sanitation, roads, water supply, street lighting, and other civic services.

Parliamentary representation

Ludhiana is represented in the Lok Sabha by the Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency, one of the 13 parliamentary constituencies in Punjab. The constituency comprises six assembly constituencies located entirely within the city. Since the 2024 Indian general election, it has been represented by Amrinder Singh Raja Warring of the Indian National Congress, who defeated Ravneet Singh Bittu of the Bharatiya Janata Party by 20,942 votes.^[54]

Punjab Legislative Assembly

Ludhiana is divided into six assembly constituencies, all of which form part of the Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency.

As of the 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election, the six assembly constituencies are represented by members belonging to the Aam Aadmi Party.

Municipal politics

The city is governed by the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, consisting of elected members representing municipal wards. The corporation elects the Mayor, while the Municipal Commissioner, appointed by the Government of Punjab, serves as the executive head of the corporation. Municipal elections are ordinarily held every five years.

Ludhiana has historically witnessed multi-party competition involving the Indian National Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party and, in recent years, the Aam Aadmi Party. The city's political landscape has frequently shifted between these parties in both municipal and legislative elections, making it one of Punjab's most closely contested urban centres.

Political significance

As Punjab's largest city by population and one of northern India's principal industrial centres, Ludhiana plays a significant role in the state's politics. Electoral issues in the city commonly include industrial development, urban infrastructure, pollution control, traffic management, employment, civic amenities, and the welfare of migrant workers. The city's sizeable industrial workforce, business community and urban middle class make it an influential electoral battleground in both state and parliamentary elections.

Sports

Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana hosts a number of sporting events including athletics, football, badminton, basketball, gymnastics, handball, kabaddi, table tennis, volleyball, as well as other indoor games.^[61]

Kabaddi

Kabaddi world cup finals have been played twice in Guru Nanak Stadium Ludhiana.^[62] The stadium often hosts high-profile Kabaddi matches.

Football

Various competitions like finals of National Games Football Matches (2001) and I-League matches of clubs like Minerva Punjab FC (now RoundGlass Punjab Football Club) have been played in Guru Nanak Stadium.^[63]

Skating

A skating rink is situated in Leisure Valley, Sarabha Nagar.^[64]

Qila Raipur Sports Festival

Qila Raipur Sports Festival, popularly known as Rural Olympics Games, is held annually in Kila Raipur, near Ludhiana. Competitions are held for rural sports, including gatka, bullock cart races, trolley races, kabaddi, loading unloading trucks and acrobatics.^[65]

Photo Gallery

• 
  Clock Tower
• 
  Punjab Agricultural University
• 
  Gurdwara Manji Sahib, Alamgir
• 
  Nanaksar Kaleran
• 
  Historic architecture in Khanna
• 
  Serai Lashkari Khan
• 
  Christian Medical College
• 
  Mehdiana Sahib
• 
  Fish Market

Road

Ludhiana is connected with other cities of Punjab and also with other states by bus service. Major national highways NH 44, NH 5 (old NH1, NH95 respectively) and state highway SH 11 connect to the city.^[67][68] The transportation services are provided by the state owned Punjab Roadways and private bus operators.

Airport

Ludhiana is served by two airports, with operations now centred on newer infrastructure. The older Ludhiana Airport, located about 5 km from the city, is a small domestic airport with limited capacity and historically irregular commercial flight operations.^[69] To address growing demand, the Halwara International Airport is being developed around 30–40 km from Ludhiana. Inaugurated in February 2026, it is a modern airport capable of handling larger aircraft and is expected to significantly improve regional and national connectivity, with scheduled commercial flights to Delhi commencing from 15 May 2026..^[70]

Chandigarh Airport is the nearest international airport to Ludhiana. Other nearby airports are Adampur Airport in Jalandhar and Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar.

Railway

Ludhiana has strong rail connectivity and is an important junction on the Delhi–Amritsar main line of Indian Railways. The city is primarily served by Ludhiana Junction railway station, one of the busiest railway stations in Punjab, with direct train services to major cities such as Delhi, Amritsar, Mumbai and Kolkata.^[71]

Other railway stations within Ludhiana district include Khanna railway station, Doraha railway station, Sahnewal railway station and Phillaur Junction railway station, along with smaller stations such as Dhandari Kalan railway station and Kila Raipur railway station which collectively support both passenger and freight movement across the district.^[72]

City transportation

City bus service has been cancelled. Moving around inside the city is done mostly by auto-rickshaws, and cycle rickshaws, while latest Ludhiana BRTS was planned to be constructed but due to lack of funds allotted and weak planning and management the project too has been scrapped by the government thus worsening the traffic problems in the industrial city.

Auto rickshaw

The Auto rickshaw is a three-wheel drive vehicle, which is one way to travel in the city. They have the capacity to hold three to six passengers. It can be hired individually or on a sharing basis. The auto rickshaws are easily available at every major place, including the interstate bus terminal and the railway station at a nominal fare which varies from ₨ 10 to ₨ 30.^{[citation needed]} Jugnoo, an on demand auto rickshaw application launched its operations in February 2015 to provide low cost, reliable, 24×7 service to the citizens of Ludhiana.

Rickshaw

Cycle rickshaws are widely used in Ludhiana. The rickshaw or tricycle is pulled by a person and is a relatively cheap way of travelling in the city, but has become pricey after the autos have been scrapped.

Taxi

Radio taxis are also easily available. This is the most used means of transport by the people of Ludhiana. Ola Cabs launched in the city on 7 October 2014. Uber is also very popular in the city.^[73] Zoomcar provides cars for self-drive car rental in the city.^[74]

Schools

Ludhiana has 363 senior secondary, 367 high, 324 middle, 1129 primary, and pre-primary recognised Schools, with a total of 398,770 students.^[75] Most of these schools are either run by the ICSE Central Board of Secondary Education, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) or by Punjab School Education Board.^[76] Prominent schools in Ludhiana include Delhi Public School, Sacred Heart Convent School, Sat Paul Mittal, R.S. Model Senior Secondary School^[77] and Kundan Vidya Mandir.

Agriculture

Ludhiana is home to the largest agricultural university in Asia and one of the largest in the world, Punjab Agricultural University.^[78] The College of Veterinary Sciences at PAU was recently upgraded to the Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU).

GADVASU was established at Ludhiana by an act of the Punjab Legislature No. 16 of 2005 notified in the Punjab Government Gazette on 9 August 2005 and it started functioning 21 April 2006 for promoting livestock production, health and prevention of disease through integrated teaching, research and extension programmes.^[79]

Medical

Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, the first medical school for women in Asia, was founded by Dame Edith Mary Brown in 1894. Christian Medical College is a major and reputed tertiary care hospital in India, also the location of the world's first face transplant. Dayanand Medical College and Hospital is another tertiary care teaching hospital in Ludhiana. Both these institutions are recognised by the Medical Council of India. The college is affiliated to Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Punjab.^[80]

Engineering

Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College is an institution offering facilities and education for engineering students. It has a research and development center for bicycles and sewing machines.^[81]

Ludhiana College of Engineering and Technology is an institute for Engineering and Management studies.