Khalsa College ( pa, ਖਾਲਸਾ ਕਾਲਜ ''khālsā kālaj'') is a historic educational institution in the northern Indian city of

Amritsar Amritsar (), historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially as ''Ambarsar'', is the second largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, after Ludhiana. It is a major cultural, transportation and economic centre, located in the Maj ...

in the state of

Punjab, India Punjab (; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in northern India. Forming part of the larger Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, the state is bordered by the States and union territories of India, Indian states of Himachal ...

. Founded in 1892, the sprawling campus is located about eight kilometers from the city-center on the Amritsar-Lahore highway (part of the

Grand Trunk Road The Grand Trunk Road (formerly known as Uttarapath, Sarak-e-Azam, Shah Rah-e-Azam, Badshahi Sarak, and Long Walk) is one of Asia's oldest and longest major roads. For at least 2,500 years it has linked Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent ...

), adjoining

Guru Nanak Dev University The university is Entitled by University Grants Commission to offer higher studies degree courses online. Guru Nanak Dev University's campus is spread over near village of Kot Khalsa, nearly west of the Amritsar, next to Khalsa College, Am ...

campus, to which Khalsa College is academically affiliated. Khalsa College was built as an educational institute during the

British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi language, Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Q ...

in India when Sikh scholars thought about providing higher education to Sikhs and Punjabis within

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

. Amritsar was chosen for its establishment and Singh Sabha Movement and Chief Khalsa Diwan approached the then Sikh Maharajas and Sikh people of Punjab to raise funds and donate land to build this unique institute. People of Amritsar, Lahore and other cities of Punjab including rich Sikh families and Maharajas donated land and raised funds to build Khalsa College, Amritsar. Its architectural design was created by Ram Singh, a famous architect who also designed one of the Places in England. Its building was completed in 1911–12. Its architectural features are mix of British, Mughal and Sikh architect. Khalsa college's contribution towards the freedom history of India is significant as it has generated many famous freedom fighters, political leaders, armed forces generals, scientists, famous players-Olympians, actors, writers, journalists and scholars. More information about Khalsa college can be found in the book "History of Khalsa College Amritsar," written by Dr. Ganda Singh, former head of the dept. of Sikh History, Khalsa College Amritsar. In modern times, the only research work on Khalsa College's history, "The Temple of Study-Khalsa College Amritsar," was initiated by Jaspreet Singh Rajpoot, an alumnus of Khalsa, in the year 2002 with the collaboration of Khalsa College governing council and Dr. Mohinder Singh Dhillon (the then Principal of KCA), reveals the facts of Khalsa college which are still unknown to most of the people around the world.

History

Khalsa College Establishment Committee was set up in 1890 with Colonel W. R. M. Holroyd, Director of Public Instruction, Punjab, as president, and W. Bell, Principal of Government College, Lahore, as secretary. Among the native constituents of this 121-member committee were Sir Attar Singh, Gurdial Singh Maan of

Nabha Nabha is a city and municipal council in the Patiala district in the south-west of the Indian state of Punjab. It was the capital of the former Nabha State. Nabha is also a sub-division city which comes under Patiala district. Geography Nabha ...

, Diwan Gurmukh Singh of

Patiala Patiala () is a city in southeastern Punjab, northwestern India. It is the fourth largest city in the state and is the administrative capital of Patiala district. Patiala is located around the '' Qila Mubarak'' (the 'Fortunate Castle') constru ...

, Bhai Kahn Singh, Professor Gurmukh Singh and Sardar Jawahir Singh (1859–1910). Many princely states of British India and Sikh people of Punjab gave their financial help to the establishment of Khalsa College, including Maharaja Rajendra Singh of

, Maharaja Hira Singh of

, Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of

Kapurthala Kapurthala is a city in Punjab state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Kapurthala District. It was the capital of the Kapurthala State, a princely state in British India. The aesthetic mix of the city with its prominent bui ...

and Sir Sunder Singh Majithia. After a prolonged discussion about the site of Khalsa College, it was decided that one college would be established in Amritsar, followed by a second in Lahore. The campus was sited just outside the village of Kot Sayyad Mehmood, which was later renamed Kot Khalsa.

Campus

Khalsa College ,Amritsar , Punjab, India

The main building is of the

Indo-Sarcenic Indo-Saracenic architecture (also known as Indo-Gothic, Mughal-Gothic, Neo-Mughal, or Hindoo style) was a revivalist architectural style mostly used by British architects in India in the later 19th century, especially in public and government ...

style, which is strongly influenced by traditional Indian and

Mughal Mughal or Moghul may refer to: Related to the Mughal Empire * Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries * Mughal dynasty * Mughal emperors * Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia * Mughal architecture * Mug ...

schools of architecture. The foundation stone was laid on 5 March 1892, with the first classes starting in 1893. The college was designed by Bhai Ram Singh, principal of the Mayo School of Arts, Lahore, with the help of engineer Dharam Singh Gharjakhia. Bhai Ram Singh was decorated for his services with the Member of the Victorian Order ( MVO), the highest civilian award of British India.

Faculties

Khalsa College has following faculties: *Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences *Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration *Faculty of Sciences *College of Agriculture *Institute of Computer Science

Institutes

The institutions under Khalsa College Charitable Society, which is running the century-old Khalsa College: Colleges- * Khalsa College, Amritsar-India (established.1892) * Khalsa College of Education, Amritsar (established.1954) * Khalsa College for Women, Amritsar (established.1968) * Khalsa College of Education, Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar (established.2006) * Khalsa College of Nursing, Amritsar (established.2006) * Khalsa College of Pharmacy, Amritsar (established.2009) * Khalsa College of Engineering & Tech., Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar (established.2009) * Khalsa College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Amritsar (established.2009) * Khalsa College (Amritsar) of Technology & Business Studies, Mohali (established.2009) * Khalsa College of Physical Education, VPO Heir, District. Amritsar (established.2009) * Khalsa College Chawinda Devi, Amritsar *

Khalsa College of Law Khalsa College of Law or KCL is a private law school situated beside Ram Tirath Road in Amritsar in the Indian state of Punjab. It offers 5 year Integrated B.A. LL.B., B.Com LL.B. and 3 years Law courses approved by Bar Council of India (BCI), N ...

, Amritsar * Khalsa College of Management & Technology, Amritsar Schools- * Khalsa College Sr. Sec. School (Boys), Amritsar (established. 1892) * Khalsa College Sr. Sec. School (Girls), Amritsar (established. 1942) * Khalsa College Public School, Amritsar Amritsar (established. 1984) * Khalsa College International Public School, Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar (established. 2001) * Khalsa College Public School, Heir, Amritsar (established. 2008)

Notable alumni

* Rajkavi Inderjeet Singh Tulsi, Poet, Author, and Bollywood Lyricist *

Hans Raj Khanna Hans Raj Khanna (3 July 1912 – 25 February 2008) was an Indian judge, jurist and advocate who propounded the basic structure doctrine in 1973 and attempted to uphold civil liberties during the time of Emergency in India in a lone dissenting ...

, former Judge of Supreme Court of India who authored the basic structure doctrine * Harcharan Singh, Punjabi playwright * Harpreet Sandhu (actor), actor *

Gurbachan Singh Randhawa Gurbachan Singh Randhawa (born 6 June 1939, in Punjab Nangli, Amritsar) is a former Indian athlete who won a gold medal at the 1962 Asian Games in decathlon.Pratap Singh Kairon Partap Singh Kairon (1 October 1901 – 6 February 1965) was the Chief Minister of the Punjab province (then comprising Punjab, Haryana and part of Himachal Pradesh), and is widely acknowledged as the architect of post-Independence Punjab Provi ...

, former Chief Minister of Punjab * Darbara Singh, former Chief Minister of Punjab and national level leader of the Congress *

Teja Singh Samundri Teja Singh Samundri (1882-1926) was one of the founder members of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee ( SGPC; "Supreme Gurdwara Management Committee") is an organization in India responsibl ...

(1882–1926), founder of

SGPC The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee ( SGPC; "Supreme Gurdwara Management Committee") is an organization in India responsible for the management of Gurdwaras, Sikh places of worship in states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and the union ...

- Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandhak Committee * Rajinder Singh "Sparrow" Shergill *

Sohan Singh Josh Sohan Singh Josh (1898–1982) was an Indian communist activist and freedom fighter. Life Josh was born on 12 November 1898 at village Chetanpura in Amritsar district, Punjab Province, British India. His father, Lal Singh, wished for his son ...

(1898-–1970?), socialist leader of Punjab * Gurdial Singh Dhillon, former Speaker of the

Indian Parliament The Parliament of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the president of India and two houses: the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the ...

* Hukam Singh, former Speaker of the

Mulk Raj Anand Mulk Raj Anand (12 December 1905 – 28 September 2004) was an Indian writer in English, recognised for his depiction of the lives of the poorer castes in traditional Indian society. One of the pioneers of Indo-Anglian fiction, he, together ...

, novelist * Kidar Sharma, film director and screenwriter * Bhisham Sahni, filmmaker and writer *

Manohar Singh Gill Manohar Singh Gill (born 14 June 1936) is an Indian bureaucrat, politician, and writer. As bureaucrat, he belonged to the Indian Administrative Service. As politician, he belonged to the Indian National Congress party. He has served as the Mini ...

, former Chief Election Commissioner of India * Maninder Singh, Captain of the Pro Kabaddi League franchise Bengal Warriors *

Hardeep Tauo Toganwalia Hardeep Tauo Toganwalia (born 6 April 1984) is a professional kabaddi player. He plays as a stopper in circle style kabaddi. He is tall and weighs . He is known for his unique playing style, and affectionately known by the name "Tauo". Tauo st ...

, Captain of Canadian Kabaddi Team * Bishen Singh Bedi, former captain of the Indian cricket team * Gurshabad, Playback singer, actor, and performer * Ranjit Bawa, Punjabi singer * Amrinder Gill, actor and singer * Karaj Gill, film producer * Khem Singh Gill, geneticist and former vice chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University Hockey players *

Balbir Singh Sr. Balbir Singh Dosanjh (31 December 1923 – 25 May 2020) was an Indian hockey player and coach. He was a three-time Olympic gold medallist, having played a key role in India's wins in London (1948), Helsinki (1952) (as vice captain), and Mel ...

* Dharam Singh * Harbinder Singh

References

External links

Khalsa College Amritsar website
{{Authority control Monuments and memorials in Punjab, India Khalsa College, Amritsar Education in Amritsar Palaces in Punjab, India Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture