Rajpura
Template:Infobox Indian jurisdiction Rajpura is a city and a municipal council in Patiala district in the Indian state of Punjab.
Geography
Rajpura is located at 30°29′N 76°36′E / 30.48°N 76.6°E.[1] It has an average elevation of 259 metres (849 feet). Rajpura is situated nearly 36 km south east of Chandigarh, the capital city of Punjab. Besides being an important industrial town of Punjab, it also has historical importance.
Rajpura is an industrial town. There are number of large scale industries like HUL (Formerly known as HLL) , Amrit Banaspati Company Limited, Siel Chemicals Limited, Amber Enterpsises Limited, and there are large number of small scale industries. Presently Mr. Raj Kumar Khurana is its MLA. He is from the SAD-BJP combine. Rajpura is also known as Gate Way of Punjab. Some of a old colonies are very well planned and were designed by the French architect Le Corbusier,like Gobind Colony it is Located in the centre of Rajpura and known as second Paris.Speciality of this colony is that every house in this colony is linked with beautiful maintained parks.
Demographics
As of 2001[update] India census,[2] Rajpura had a population of 82,551. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Rajpura has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 78%, and female literacy is 70%. In Rajpura, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Rajpura is situated on the National Highway No. 1 which has been stretched from Kolkatta to Amritsar. Rajpura can be regarded as 'Gateway of Punjab' as all road and rail transport needs to touch Rajpura for the routes going to other major cities of Punjab as well as Jammu & Kashmir. Rajpura is the first Railway Junction in Punjab. The rail lines are diverted from here to 2 major lines catering to Punjab. One is to Amritsar and J&K; and the other towards Bhatinda and Rajasthan. This is one reason that Rajpura has become one of the largest timber market in Punjab.
The name of Rajpura goes down in the history as Emperor Sher Shah Suri "The Lion King", and founder of the Suri Dynasty built a "Sarai" (Inn) in Rajpura for travellers and for his army when ever he passed through Rajpura. This Sarai was built during Suri Dynasty in the years 1540 and 1545. The more than 450 years old Sarai is almost in shambles now but still stands bold. This Sarai today houses the offices of SDM, Tehsildar and DSP of police. The Sarai needs urgent attention of ASI (Archeological Survey of India) so that this historical monument of Rajpura can be preserved as a mark in the history.
Rajpura, being a tehsil, is best place to shop around for the people from near by villagers and localides.( Rajpura as a tehsil includes 198 villages under its municipal limts and is biggest tehsil in Punjab). Rajpura has north India's only orphanage center "SOS".
We can divide Rajpura in three parts. one is Rajpura Township, the second is Old rajpura and third is focal point. The Township was developed post independence to re-habilitate the people who migrated from Pakistani province of Bhawalpur. Majority of the people residing in Rajpura Township are Bhawalpuris. These people worked very hard and made their mark in Rajpura town. Most of the business in township area is controlled by them.
Now Rajpura has also become a major Educational Centre. Chitkara, Swmami Vivekanand, Gyan Sagar etc. are the Institute where students from various places ,some even far as banglore,come to study. Rajpura has a close proximity to the proposed International Airport and this will provide good connectivity for people of Rajpura to the rest of the entire world and vice-versa. Presently a new company named cargill india pvt ltd has open its animal feed production unit in rajpura.
Notable Residents and Natives
Natives
- Miss Pooja, singer and actress
Schools
- Holy Angels School
- Patel Public School
- ICL Public School
- Mukat Public School
- DAV Public School
- CM Model High School
- KK Public School
- SD Public School
- PMN College
- [[Chitkara Institute of Engineering and Technology
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