Amarinder Singh
Encyclopedia
Captain Amarinder Singh (Punjabi
: ਅਮਰਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ; born March 11, 1942). He served as the Chief Minister
of Punjab from 2002 to 2007 and presently serves as the President of Punjab PCC. He currently resides in New Moti Bagh Palace, Patiala.
. He attended the Lawrence School Sanawar and The Doon School
, Dehradun
. His children include Yuvraj Raninder Singh
and Jai Inder Kaur. His wife Preneet Kaur, is an MP serving as Minister of State
in the External Affairs Ministry
.
in June 1963 and resigned in early 1965. He rejoined the Army immediately because hostilities broke out with Pakistan
and took part in the actual operations in war against Pakistan and again resigned after the war was over in early 1966.
on an Indian National Congress
ticket in 1980. In 1984, he resigned from Parliament
and from Congress as a protest against the Army entry in Darbar Sahib's complex in Operation Bluestar. He became convenor of the Sikh Forum and joined the Shiromani Akali Dal
. He was elected to the state legislature and became a minister in the state government for Agriculture, Forest, Development and Panchayats.
He broke away from the Akali Dal and formed a splinter group named Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic) which later merged with the Congress. He served as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee
from 1999 to 2002 and became Chief Minister of Punjab from 2002 to 2007. In September 2008, a special committee of Punjab Vidhan Sabha expelled him on the count of regularities in [the] transfer of land related to the Amritsar Improvement Trust by the Akali Dal-BJP led government. In 2010, the Supreme Court of India
held his expulsion unconstitutional on the grounds it was excessive and unconstitutional..The MLA who moved the motion against Captain Amarinder Singh himself was an accused in various criminal cases which led to quashing of his appointment as Chairman of Punjab Public Service Commission in 2011.
He was elected the chairman of Punjab Congress Committee for the second time in 2009
He has also written books on war and Sikh
history they include a Ridge Too Far, Lest We Forget and the most recent being The Last Sunset; Rise and Fall of Lahore Durbar.
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
: ਅਮਰਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ; born March 11, 1942). He served as the Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
of Punjab from 2002 to 2007 and presently serves as the President of Punjab PCC. He currently resides in New Moti Bagh Palace, Patiala.
Personal life
Captain Singh is the son of Yadavindra Singh and Mohinder KaurRajmata Mohinder Kaur of Patiala
Her Highness Rajmata Mehtab Kaur , née Mohinder Kaur is the widow of His Late Highness Maharajadhiraj Yadavindra Singh of Patiala and the present Rajmata Sahiba Of Patiala, India. She is daughter of S...
. He attended the Lawrence School Sanawar and The Doon School
The Doon School
The Doon School is an independent school located in Dehradun in the state of Uttarakhand in India. Established in 1935, it was founded by Satish Ranjan Das. Its first Headmaster was Arthur E...
, Dehradun
Dehradun
- Geography :The Dehradun district has various types of physical geography from Himalayan mountains to Plains. Raiwala is the lowest point at 315 meters above sea level, and the highest points are within the Tiuni hills, rising to 3700 m above sea level...
. His children include Yuvraj Raninder Singh
Raninder Singh
Yuvraj Raninder Singh an Indian politician from Punjab, India, and son of Captain Amarinder Singh of Patiala who served as Chief Minister of Punjab from 2002 to 2007, he is the titular Heir Apparent to the title of Maharaja of Patiala...
and Jai Inder Kaur. His wife Preneet Kaur, is an MP serving as Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
in the External Affairs Ministry
Ministry of External Affairs (India)
The Ministry of External Affairs is the foreign ministry of India. It is the Indian government agency responsible for the foreign relations of India. The Minister of External Affairs holds cabinet rank as a member of the Council of Ministers. The current minister is S M Krishna...
.
Army background
He was commissioned in the Indian ArmyIndian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
in June 1963 and resigned in early 1965. He rejoined the Army immediately because hostilities broke out with Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and took part in the actual operations in war against Pakistan and again resigned after the war was over in early 1966.
Political career
Amarinder Singh was elected to the Lok SabhaLok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
on an Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
ticket in 1980. In 1984, he resigned from Parliament
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
and from Congress as a protest against the Army entry in Darbar Sahib's complex in Operation Bluestar. He became convenor of the Sikh Forum and joined the Shiromani Akali Dal
Shiromani Akali Dal
The Shiromani Akali Dal , translation: Supreme Akali Party) is a Sikh nationalist political parties based in Punjab. The current party to be recognized by the Election Commission of India is the one led by Parkash Singh Badal...
. He was elected to the state legislature and became a minister in the state government for Agriculture, Forest, Development and Panchayats.
He broke away from the Akali Dal and formed a splinter group named Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic) which later merged with the Congress. He served as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee is the affiliate of the Indian National Congress in the state of Punjab. It is presently headed by Captain Amarinder Singh, a former Chief Minister of Punjab....
from 1999 to 2002 and became Chief Minister of Punjab from 2002 to 2007. In September 2008, a special committee of Punjab Vidhan Sabha expelled him on the count of regularities in [the] transfer of land related to the Amritsar Improvement Trust by the Akali Dal-BJP led government. In 2010, the Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
held his expulsion unconstitutional on the grounds it was excessive and unconstitutional..The MLA who moved the motion against Captain Amarinder Singh himself was an accused in various criminal cases which led to quashing of his appointment as Chairman of Punjab Public Service Commission in 2011.
He was elected the chairman of Punjab Congress Committee for the second time in 2009
He has also written books on war and Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
history they include a Ridge Too Far, Lest We Forget and the most recent being The Last Sunset; Rise and Fall of Lahore Durbar.