Bathinda is a city and the administrative headquarters of Bathinda District in the Indian state of Punjab. Located in the Malwa region of Punjab, it is one of the oldest cities in the state and an important commercial, agricultural, and military centre in southern Punjab.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Punjab |
| District | Bathinda |
| Region | Malwa |
| Type | Municipal Corporation, District Headquarters |
| Languages | Punjabi (official), Hindi, English |
Bathinda lies on a relatively flat plain in southern Punjab, in a semi-arid belt that historically depended on canal irrigation drawn from the Sirhind and Bhakra canal systems. The city is situated at a considerable distance from Punjab's perennial rivers, and its climate is characterised by hot summers, a short monsoon, and cool winters.
Bathinda is associated with one of the older settlements in the Punjab plains. Local tradition links the city to the Bhati Rajputs, and the historic Qila Mubarak in the heart of the city is one of the oldest surviving forts in India. The fort is connected in popular tradition with Razia Sultana, the Sultan of Delhi, who is said to have been imprisoned here in the 13th century.
Through the medieval period the area passed through the control of various powers including the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, and later the Sikh chiefs of the Phulkian states. Bathinda lay within the territory of the princely state of Patiala under the Phulkian dynasty before the integration of the princely states into independent India and the formation of the Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU), which was later merged into Punjab.
Bathinda is governed by a Municipal Corporation responsible for civic services within the city. It is the headquarters of Bathinda district and the seat of the district administration, judiciary, and police.
Bathinda is a major commercial hub for the cotton-growing belt of southern Punjab and a significant grain market. The city hosts a number of large industrial installations, including:
Because of these installations, Bathinda is sometimes referred to in regional usage as the "City of Lakes" (owing to water reservoirs around the thermal plant) and as an industrial centre of the Malwa region.
Bathinda Junction is a major railway junction of Northern Railway and one of the largest junctions in Punjab, with lines radiating in multiple directions and connecting the city to Delhi, Ambala, Ferozepur, Rewari, and other centres. The city is connected by national and state highways to Ludhiana, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Sri Ganganagar, and Sirsa. Bathinda Airport, located at Virk Kalan, provides limited civil aviation services.
Bathinda hosts significant defence installations of the Indian armed forces. The Bathinda Military Station is one of the largest cantonments in the region and is the headquarters of a strike corps of the Indian Army. The Bhisiana Air Force Station of the Indian Air Force is located near the city.
Educational institutions in Bathinda include the Central University of Punjab, the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University (MRSPTU), and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda (AIIMS Bathinda), one of the AIIMS institutions established under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. Several government and private colleges, polytechnics, and schools also operate in the city.