Khemkaran

Khem Karan is a town and a nagar panchayat in Tarn Taran district of Patti tehsil of the Majha region of Indian state of Punjab. It was the site of a major tank battle in 1965.[1]

Khemkaran Khem Karan
Town
Khemkaran Location in Punjab, India
Coordinates: 31.16°N 74.66°E / 31.16; 74.66
Country	India
State	Punjab
District	Tarn Taran
Region of Punjab	Majha
Population  (2011)
• Total	13,446
Languages
• Official	Punjabi
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)

The Battle of Asal Uttar was the largest tank battle of the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War. The battle led to the creation of Patton Nagar (or Patton City/Graveyard) at the site of the battle viz, Khem Karan.

History

Khem Karan is an old town. Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621–1675) visited it. It used to be in Lahore district before partition of British India in 1947. It became a part of Amritsar district after the partition. Now it is in Tarn Taran district. Many of the town's residents migrated from nearby villages in modern Pakistan between 1947 and 1965, such as Nathuwala, Qadiwind, Rohiwal, and Sehjra. The towns Muslim residents migrated primarily to the city of Kasur, 8 km away in Pakistan.

The town used to be easily accessible to the city of Kasur, Pakistan only 8 km away, and to Ferozepur 35 km away, but since India and Pakistan enacted border controls in 1953, and further restricted travel in 1965, the residents of the Khem Karan have been essentially cut off from both towns - Kasur lies in Pakistan, while the road to Ferozepur cuts through Pakistan, resulting in a detour of an extra 70 kilometre's drive. The townpeople, and those from surrounding villages, must now travel a long distance to Patti, Amritsar or Tarn Taran to procure any major goods, causing great inconvenience, and economic stagnation.

India-Pakistan war of 1965

The tank battles of 1965 form part of military history as the most intense armored battles between the end of World War II and the 1991 Gulf War. Close to a four hundred tanks, on both sides, took part in the pitched battles and offensives. At the start of the war, Indian strength was limited to one armored division and one independent armoured brigade, along with six armoured regiments supporting infantry divisions. Pakistan had two armored divisions, with the then very modern M-48 Patton tanks. India had an equivalent tank in the Centurion, but their strength was limited to only four armored regiments.[2]

Demographics

As of 2011 India census,[3] Khem Karan had a population of 13,446. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Khem Karan has an average literacy rate of 61.55%, lower than the state average of 75.84%: male literacy is 67%, and female literacy is 54.85%. In Khem Karan, 12.14% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Places of interest

In this village is the mausoleum (mazaar) of a Sufi saint known as Pir Baba Sheikh Brahm. Twice in a year a mela is held here.

Agriculture

Khemkaran is mostly an agricultural village.

References

1. Stephen Peter Rosen. Societies and Military Power: India and Its Armies. Cornell University Press. p. 246. ISBN 0-8014-3210-3.
2. Rakshak, Bharat. "Page 15" (PDF). Official History. Times of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
3. "Census of India 2011: Data from the 2011 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2013.