Ludhiana
Ludhiana () in
India is the largest city in
Punjab. It is located in
Ludhiana District. It is situated on the banks of the
Sutlej River. The city's estimated population is 5,000,000. It is a major industrial center of northern
India. Famous for its hosiery, textiles and bicycle industries, Ludhiana is also sometimes called the "
Manchester of India".
Ludhiana is home to
Hero Cycles, which began in the city and is the largest producer of bicycles in the world. Eastman Group, Kular Cycle and Gursewak Industries also contribute to the industry of Ludhiana.
Ludhiana is also home to the largest agricultural university in India,
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College is one of the most respected engineering colleges in the region. The college has produced engineers in the field of civil, mechanical, electrical, computer, IT, electronics and production engineering who are working all over the world.A number of spinning mills and hosiery units exist in and around Ludhiana.
Ludhiana also has major medical institutions like the Christian Medical College (C.M.C.), Dayanand Medical College (D.M.C.) and Apollo Hospitals.
Ludhiana also has outlets of worldwide chain restaurants like
KFC,
McDonald's,
Pizza Hut,
Domino's Pizza,
Ruby Tuesday,
Subway, etc.
A number of 'freedom fighters' that helped champion an independent India originated from Ludhiana. The most prominent of them being
Bhagat Singh, who was hanged by the British, along with
Kartar Singh Sarabha,
Sukhdev Thapur and
Rajguru. Apart from this Ludhiana is home to
Sahir Ludhianvi, the famous lyricist. Dr. Atam Hamrahi and Surjeet Pattar are prominent writers from the region.
Ludhiana is well connected to the Indian capital city of Delhi through an airport, by road (GT road) and frequent train service. An international airport is planned for Ludhiana.
Ludhiana is known as the
"Manchester of India". It is a knitwear cluster with around 6,000 small to medium sized knitwear factories and 8 big integrated units. In and around Ludhiana, there are 10 big hoisery yarn mills and 150 small to medium size worsted and woollen yarns. The export market in Ludhiana is US$ 40 million.
History
Ludhiana is one of the centrally located cities of Punjab, which is located on the Grand Trunk Road from Delhi to Amritsar & on the latitude 30.55 North & longitude 75.54 East in the state of Punjab in Northern India. Ludhiana is a part of the Ludhiana-Moga-Ferozepur-Bhatinda-Mukutsar-Faridkot Tourist Circuit in Punjab. Ludhiana gets its name from the Lodhi Dynasty, which is believed to have founded the city in the year 1480. During the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Ludhiana became an important British cantonment. Initially, in 1805, Maharaja Ranjit Singh had occupied Ludhiana. However, in 1809, the British decided to curb his advance eastwards and sent troops to confront him. Ranjit Singh was forced to sign the treaty of 'perpetual friendship' with the British, which confined his activities to the right bank of the Sutlej. British troops were permanently stationed in Ludhiana and the Cis-Sutlej states came under British protection.
Ludhiana City is known as the industrial hub of Punjab, whose roots go back to the 15th century. This vivacious city has turn out to be a colourful tree of different cultures, thanks to its industrial status. The inventive & creative urge of the Ludhianivis noticeable itself beautifully in various industrial activities. Ludhiana has time and again been called the Manchester of India. Industries manufacturing Cycle & its parts, Woolens, Machine Tools, Sewing Machines, Generators, Diesel Engines, Tyres & Tubes and a host of other utilities and consumer goods dot the map of Ludhiana. In ludhiana, every household is a mini hosiery unit & everybody seems to be involved in some way or the other in this lucrative business. The industrial products & hosiery manufactured in Ludhiana are not only used within India but they are also exported to different regions of the world.
Hotels & Restaurants establish an essential part of Tourism Industry and chip in betterment of this vital sector of economy. Flow of Tourists' traffic mainly rest on the availability of accommodation facilities & quality of food served for tourists & Ludhiana, which is known for hospitality, provides best services to the tourists visiting Ludhiana. There are so many good Hotels & Restaurants like Hotel Friends Regency, Majestic Park Plaza, Imperial Executive,
Hotel Nanda, Hotel Natraj, Hotel Dyal, Hotel Cheveron, Hotel Malwa, Las Vegas Disco & Pub etc. There are also few places of Tourist's interest in Ludhiana like Hardy World, Water Park, Dream Land, Tiger Safari, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum, PAU Rural Museum and Rose Garden.
However, Ludhiana's claim to fame is not its commercial enterprises alone. It is an important pilgrimage center as there are many historic Gurudwaras. In Cultural & Educational fields, too, Ludhiana holds an outstanding place. Punjab Agricultural University, Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College & Christian Medical College, Dayanand Medical College & Hospital are some of the premier educational & research institutes. Really, Ludhiana offers a mesmerizing quick look into the world of machines tempered with a thriving human touch.
Many Leaders of the Indian freedom movement came from Ludhiana. Prominent among them were Lala Lajpat Rai, Sardar Kartar Singh Saraba, Baba Santa Singh and Maulana Habibur Rehman.
Ludhiana City Centre
A new world class commercial centre is under construction in the heart of ludhiana. Covering over 25 acres of land, this centre will provide space for shopping, entertainment, business, and much more. The Ludhiana City Centre is being developed by Today Homes and Infrastructure in partnership with Ludhiana Improvement Trust, a Govt. of Punjab initiative. The first development of its kind in India, this 25-acre modern day marvel will have five major constituents - The Mall, The Height, The Forum, The Podium & a 5 Star Hotel.
A rendering of the Ludhiana City CentreAnsal Plaza
Ansal Plaza, a new mall, is just one of many that are opening up in the city.
Education
Ludhiana has prestigious schools and colleges of the state.Aome of them are:
SCD Government CollegeGGN Khalsa College
