Kapurthala district is an administrative district of the state of Punjab in northern India. Named after its headquarters town, Kapurthala, it lies in the Doaba region between the Beas and Sutlej rivers. The district is known for its association with the former princely state of Kapurthala, its Indo-French and Indo-Saracenic architecture, and its agrarian economy dominated by wheat, paddy and sugarcane.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| State | Punjab |
| Region | Doaba |
| Headquarters | Kapurthala |
| Country | India |
| Predecessor entity | Kapurthala State (princely state) |
The district is part of the Doaba (Bist Doab) tract of Punjab, the alluvial plain enclosed by the Beas and Sutlej rivers. It is bordered broadly by Hoshiarpur district and Jalandhar district to the north and east, and by Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Firozpur districts across the rivers. Kapurthala district is unusual in that it consists of two non-contiguous parts, the main block around Kapurthala town and a separate tract around Phagwara.
The district is administered by a Deputy Commissioner and is divided into tehsils and sub-tehsils for revenue administration. Its principal urban centres include:
The area corresponds largely to the former Kapurthala State, a princely state ruled by the Ahluwalia dynasty founded by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia in the 18th century. The state acceded to India after independence in 1947 and, along with seven other Punjab princely states, became part of the Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) in 1948. With the reorganisation of states and the merger of PEPSU into Punjab in 1956, Kapurthala became a district of the enlarged state of Punjab. It was retained within Punjab after the further reorganisation of 1966 that created Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
The district's economy is predominantly agricultural, with wheat and paddy as the staple crops and sugarcane, maize and fodder also widely grown. Phagwara is a long-standing industrial hub with sugar, textile and engineering units. Kapurthala town is home to the Rail Coach Factory of Indian Railways, a major manufacturer of passenger coaches. The district also has a substantial Non-Resident Indian (NRI) population, particularly in the Doaba belt, which contributes significantly to local remittances and investment.
Kapurthala town is noted for its architectural heritage from the princely era, including the Jagatjit Palace (modelled on French chateaux and now housing the Sainik School Kapurthala), the Moorish Mosque inspired by the Koutoubia of Marrakesh, and the Durbar Hall. Sultanpur Lodhi is an important Sikh pilgrimage site associated with the early life of Guru Nanak; Gurdwara Ber Sahib commemorates his time there. The town hosted large-scale celebrations during the 550th Prakash Purab of Guru Nanak in 2019.
Educational institutions in the district include the Sainik School Kapurthala, Pushpa Gujral Science City at Kapurthala, and several engineering, management and general degree colleges, particularly around Phagwara, where Lovely Professional University is located.
The district is served by the broad-gauge network