Amarinder Singh: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|15th Chief Minister of Punjab, India}}
{{Other people|Amrinder Singh}}
{{Other people|Amrinder Singh}}
{{short description|15th Chief Minister of Punjab, India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
| image              = Amarinder Singh.jpg
| image              = Amarinder Singh.jpg
| image_size            = 230px
| caption            = Singh in April 2017
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1942|03|11}}
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1942|03|11}}
| birth_place        = [[Patiala]], [[Patiala State]], [[British Raj|British India]] (now [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[India]])
| birth_place        = [[Patiala|Patiala City]], [[Patiala State]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British India]] <br /> {{small|(now [[Patiala]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[India]])}}
| office              = 15th [[Chief Ministers of Punjab (India)|Chief Minister of Punjab]]
| office              = 15th [[Chief Ministers of Punjab (India)|Chief Minister of Punjab]]
| term_start          = 16 March 2017
| term_start          = 16 March 2017
Line 16: Line 16:
| term_start1        = 26 February 2002
| term_start1        = 26 February 2002
| term_end1          = 1 March 2007
| term_end1          = 1 March 2007
| governor1          = [[J. F. R. Jacob]]<br />[[O. P. Verma]]<br />[[Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai]] (additional charge)<br />[[Sunith Francis Rodrigues]]
| deputy1 = [[Rajinder Kaur Bhattal]] (from 6 January 2004) | governor1          = [[J. F. R. Jacob]]<br />[[O. P. Verma]]<br />[[Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai]] (additional charge)<br />[[Sunith Francis Rodrigues]]
| predecessor1        = [[Parkash Singh Badal]]
| predecessor1        = [[Parkash Singh Badal]]
| successor1          = [[Parkash Singh Badal]]
| successor1          = [[Parkash Singh Badal]]
Line 24: Line 24:
| term_start2        = 16 March 2017
| term_start2        = 16 March 2017
| term_end2          = 18 September 2021
| term_end2          = 18 September 2021
| 2blankname2        = Chief Minister
| predecessor2        = [[Parkash Singh Badal]]
| 2namedata2         = Himself
| successor2         = [[Charanjit Singh Channi]]
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}
| office3            = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of the Legislative Assembly]], [[Punjab Legislative Assembly|Punjab]]&nbsp;
| office3            = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of the Legislative Assembly]], [[Punjab Legislative Assembly|Punjab]]&nbsp;
| term_start3        = 11 March 2017
| term_start3        = 11 March 2017
| term_end3          =  
| term_end3          = 15 March 2022
| predecessor3        = [[Preneet Kaur]]
| predecessor3        = [[Preneet Kaur]]
| successor3          =  
| successor3          = [[Ajit Pal Singh Kohli]]
| constituency3      = [[Patiala Urban (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Patiala Urban]]
| constituency3      = [[Patiala Assembly constituency|Patiala]]
| term_start4        = 2002
| term_start4        = 2002
| term_end4          = 2014
| term_end4          = 2014
| predecessor4        = [[Surjit Singh Kohli]]
| predecessor4        = Surjit Singh Kohli
| successor4          = [[Preneet Kaur]]
| successor4          = [[Preneet Kaur]]
| constituency4      = [[Patiala Town]]
| constituency4      = Patiala Town
| term_start5        = 1992
| term_start5        = 1992
| term_end5          = 1997
| term_end5          = 1997
| predecessor5        = [[Hardial Singh Rajla]]
| predecessor5        = Hardial Singh Rajla
| successor5          = [[Jagtar Singh Rajla]]
| successor5          = Jagtar Singh Rajla
| constituency5      = [[Samana Assembly Constituency|Samana]]
| constituency5      = [[Samana Assembly constituency|Samana]]
| term_start6        = 1985
| term_start6        = 1985
| term_end6          = 1992
| term_end6          = 1992
| predecessor6        = [[Avtar Singh]]{{dn|date=July 2021}}
| predecessor6        = Avtar Singh
| successor6          = [[Harminder Singh]]
| successor6          = [[Harminder Singh]]
| constituency6      = [[Talwandi Sabo Assembly Constituency|Talwandi Sabo]]
| constituency6      = [[Talwandi Sabo Assembly constituency|Talwandi Sabo]]
| office7            = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| office7            = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| constituency7      = [[Amritsar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Amritsar]]
| constituency7      = [[Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency|Amritsar]]
| term_start7        = 26 May 2014
| term_start7        = 26 May 2014
| term_end7          = 23 November 2016
| term_end7          = 23 November 2016
| predecessor7        = [[Navjot Singh Sidhu]]
| predecessor7        = [[Navjot Singh Sidhu]]
| successor7          = [[Gurjit Singh Aujla]]
| successor7          = Gurjit Singh Aujla
| constituency8      = [[Patiala (Lok Sabha constituency)|Patiala]]
| constituency8      = [[Patiala Lok Sabha constituency|Patiala]]
| term_start8        = 1980
| term_start8        = 1980
| term_end8          = 1984
| term_end8          = 1984
| predecessor8        = [[Gurcharan Singh Tohra]]
| predecessor8        = [[Gurcharan Singh Tohra]]
| successor8          = [[Charanjit Singh Walia]]
| successor8          = [[Charanjit Singh Walia]]
| party              = [[Indian National Congress]] <br> {{small|(1980–84; 1998–present)}}
| party              = [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
| otherparty          = [[Shiromani Akali Dal]],[[Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic)]]
| otherparty          = {{bulletlist|[[Punjab Lok Congress]]|[[Indian National Congress]]|[[Shiromani Akali Dal]]|[[Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic)]]}}
| religion            =  
| nationality        = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| parents            = {{Unbulleted list|[[Yadavindra Singh]]|[[Rajmata Mohinder Kaur of Patiala|Mohinder Kaur]]}}
| citizenship        = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| education          =  
| parents            = {{Unbulleted list|[[Maharaja]] [[Yadavindra Singh]]|[[Maharani]] [[Rajmata Mohinder Kaur of Patiala|Mohinder Kaur]]}}
| spouse              = {{Marriage|[[Preneet Kaur]]|31 October 1964}}
| spouse              = {{Marriage|[[Preneet Kaur]]|31 October 1964}}
| children            = 2, including [[Raninder Singh]]
| children            = 2, including [[Raninder Singh]]
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| unit                = [[Sikh Regiment]]
| unit                = [[Sikh Regiment]]
| honorific_prefix    = [[Captain (Army)|Captain]] (Retd.)
| honorific_prefix    = [[Captain (Army)|Captain]] (Retd.)
| module              = {{infobox royalty
| module              = {{infobox pretender
| embed = yes
| embed = yes
| succession = Titular [[Maharaja of Patiala]]  
| title = [[Maharaja of Patiala]]  
| reign      = 17 June 1974– present
| throne = [[Patiala State|Patiala]]
| pretend from      = 17 June 1974–''present''
| year        = '''Sovereign Monarchy'''<br>1947 ([[Instrument of Accession]])<br>'''Titular Monarchy'''<br>1971 ([[Twenty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution of India|26th Amendment of the Indian Constitution]])
| predecessor = [[Yadavindra Singh]]
| predecessor = [[Yadavindra Singh]]
| suc-type = {{nowrap|[[Heir apparent]]}}
| heir_apparent = [[Raninder Singh]]
| successor = [[Raninder Singh]]
| signature = Amarinder Singh signature.svg
}}
}}
| battles            = [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
| battles            = [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
}}
}}


'''Amarinder Singh''' (born 11 March 1942),<ref>{{cite web|last1=Quint|first1=The|title=Punjab Live: Modi Congratulates Amarinder, Wishes Him Happy B'Day|url=https://www.thequint.com/punjab-elections-2017/2017/03/10/punjab-election-results-counting-day-aap-congress-akali-bjp|website=The Quint|access-date=11 March 2017|date=10 March 2017}}</ref> known publicly as '''[[Captain (armed forces)|Captain]] Amarinder Singh''', is an Indian politician, military historian, author, former royal and former veteran who served as the 15th [[Chief Ministers of Punjab (India)|Chief Minister of Punjab]].<ref name="auto">{{cite news|title=Amarinder Singh sworn in as Punjab CM|url=http://www.thehindu.com/elections/punjab-2017/amrinder-singh-sworn-in-as-punjab-cm/article17471142.ece|access-date=16 March 2017|agency=The Hindu|work=The Hindu|date=16 March 2017}}</ref> An elected [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of the Legislative Assembly]] from [[Patiala]],<ref>{{cite web|last1=Goswami|first1=Dev|title=Punjab election results 2017: Full list of winners|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/final-punjab-election-results-2017-full-list-of-constituences-winners/1/902502.html|website=indiatoday.intoday.in|publisher=Living Media India Limited|access-date=16 March 2017}}</ref> he was also the president of [[Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee]], the state division of the [[Indian National Congress]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Congress in States – Punjab|url=http://inc.in/organization/13/133-Congress-in-States-Punjab|website=inc.in|publisher=All India Congress Committee.|access-date=16 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316204738/http://inc.in/organization/13/133-Congress-in-States-Punjab|archive-date=16 March 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> He has also previously served as the Chief Minister of Punjab from 2002 to 2007.<ref name=who>{{cite news|title=Who is Capt Amarinder Singh? Everything you need to know|url=http://indianexpress.com/elections/punjab-assembly-elections-2017/who-is-capt-amarinder-singh-everything-you-need-to-know/|access-date=16 March 2017|agency=Express Web Desk|work=The Indian Express|date= 16 March 2017}}</ref> He is currently the oldest chief minister by age, serving any state in India.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=May 15|first1=Yudhvir Rana / TNN /|last2=2021|last3=Ist|first3=16:42|title=Dissent has Punjab chief minister on sticky wicket {{!}} Amritsar News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/amritsar/dissent-has-punjab-chief-minister-on-sticky-wicket/articleshow/82657531.cms|access-date=2021-07-16|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> His father was the last [[Maharaja of Patiala|Maharaja of the princely state of Patiala]].<ref name=who/> He has also served in the [[Indian Army]] from 1963 to 1966.<ref>{{cite news|title=Captain Amarinder back in charge in Punjab for second time|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/mar/16/captain-amarinder-back-in-charge-in-punjab-for-second-time-1581983--1.html|access-date=16 March 2017|agency=PTI|publisher=The New Indian Express|date= 16 March 2017}}</ref> In 1980, he won a seat in the [[Lok Sabha]] for the first time.<ref name=who/> As of February 2021, Singh also serves as the chairman of the Punjab Urdu Academy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punjaburduacademy.com/|title=Punjab Urdu Academy|website=www.punjaburduacademy.com|language=en|access-date=16 February 2018}}</ref> Captain Singh resigned as the Chief Minister of Punjab on 18 September 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title="Humiliated" Amarinder Singh Quits As Chief Minister, Says Options Open|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/amarinder-singh-quits-as-chief-minister-under-pressure-from-congress-2545375|access-date=2021-09-19|website=NDTV.com}}</ref>
'''[[Captain (Indian Navy)|Captain]]''' '''Amarinder Singh''' (born 11 March 1942),<ref>{{cite web|last1=Quint|first1=The|title=Punjab Live: Modi Congratulates Amarinder, Wishes Him Happy B'Day|url=https://www.thequint.com/punjab-elections-2017/2017/03/10/punjab-election-results-counting-day-aap-congress-akali-bjp|website=The Quint|access-date=11 March 2017|date=10 March 2017}}</ref> is an [[Indian people|Indian]] politician, military historian, former royal and Indian Army veteran who served as the 15th [[Chief Ministers of Punjab (India)|Chief Minister of Punjab]].<ref name="auto">{{cite news|title=Amarinder Singh sworn in as Punjab CM|url=http://www.thehindu.com/elections/punjab-2017/amrinder-singh-sworn-in-as-punjab-cm/article17471142.ece|access-date=16 March 2017|agency=The Hindu|work=The Hindu|date=16 March 2017}}</ref> A former [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of the Legislative Assembly, Punjab]] and [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]],<ref>{{cite web|last1=Goswami|first1=Dev|title=Punjab election results 2017: Full list of winners|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/final-punjab-election-results-2017-full-list-of-constituences-winners/1/902502.html|website=indiatoday.intoday.in|publisher=Living Media India Limited|access-date=16 March 2017}}</ref> he was also the president of [[Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Congress in States – Punjab|url=http://inc.in/organization/13/133-Congress-in-States-Punjab|website=inc.in|publisher=All India Congress Committee.|access-date=16 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316204738/http://inc.in/organization/13/133-Congress-in-States-Punjab|archive-date=16 March 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> He has also previously served as the Chief Minister of Punjab from 2002 to 2007 and 2017 to 2021.<ref name=who>{{cite news|title=Who is Capt Amarinder Singh? Everything you need to know|url=http://indianexpress.com/elections/punjab-assembly-elections-2017/who-is-capt-amarinder-singh-everything-you-need-to-know/|access-date=16 March 2017|agency=Express Web Desk|work=The Indian Express|date= 16 March 2017}}</ref> His father was the last [[Maharaja of Patiala|Maharaja of the princely state of Patiala]].<ref name=who/> He has also served in the [[Indian Army]] from 1963 to 1966.<ref>{{cite news|title=Captain Amarinder back in charge in Punjab for second time|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/mar/16/captain-amarinder-back-in-charge-in-punjab-for-second-time-1581983--1.html|access-date=16 March 2017|agency=PTI|publisher=The New Indian Express|date= 16 March 2017}}</ref> In 1980, he won a seat in the [[Lok Sabha]] for the first time.<ref name=who/> As of November 2022, Singh also serves as the chairman of the Punjab Urdu Academy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punjaburduacademy.com/|title=Punjab Urdu Academy|website=www.punjaburduacademy.com|language=en|access-date=16 February 2018}}</ref> Captain Singh resigned as the Chief Minister of Punjab on 18 September 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title="Humiliated" Amarinder Singh Quits As Chief Minister, Says Options Open|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/amarinder-singh-quits-as-chief-minister-under-pressure-from-congress-2545375|access-date=19 September 2021|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> On 19 September, 2022 he merged his party [[Punjab Lok Congress|PLC]] with BJP and joined BJP on the same day.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Sanjeev Verma|date=Sep 16, 2022 |title=Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh to merge his PLC with BJP on September 19 {{!}} Chandigarh News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/former-punjab-cm-captain-amarinder-singh-to-merge-his-plc-with-bjp-on-september-19/articleshow/94244844.cms |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==


Singh is the son of Maharaja Sir [[Yadavindra Singh]] and Maharani [[Mohinder Kaur]] of Patiala belonging to the [[Phulkian sardars|Phulkian]] dynasty.<ref name="Khushwant">{{Cite book|last=Singh|first=Khushwant|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q82MDgAAQBAJ|title=Captain Amarinder Singh: The People's Maharaja: An Authorized Biography|date=2017-02-15|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=978-93-85827-44-0|language=en}}</ref> He attended the [[Loreto Convent, Tara Hall, Shimla]] and [[Lawrence School, Sanawar]] before going to [[The Doon School]], [[Dehradun]].<ref name="Khushwant"/><ref>{{Cite news | title = Seven Doscos in 15th Lok Sabha | newspaper = [[The Indian Express]] | date = 31 May 2009 | url = http://www.indianexpress.com/news/seven-doscos-in-15th-lok-sabha/468807|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603055538/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/seven-doscos-in-15th-lok-sabha/468807/|archive-date=3 June 2009|access-date=15 December 2020}}</ref> He has one son, [[Raninder Singh]], and one daughter, Jai Inder Kaur.<ref name="Khushwant"/> His wife, [[Preneet Kaur]], served as an [[Member of parliament (India)|Member of Parliament]] and was [[Minister of State]] in the [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]] from 2009 to October 2012.<ref>{{cite web |title=Members : Lok Sabha |url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/MemberBioprofile.aspx?mpsno=186 |website=loksabhaph.nic.in |access-date=2 September 2020}}</ref>
Singh was born on 11 March 1942 in [[Patiala|Patiala City]], [[Patiala State]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]], [[British India]] into a royal [[Punjabis|Punjabi]] [[Jatt Sikh]] family of the [[Sidhu]] clan to parents [[Maharaja]] Sir [[Yadavindra Singh]] and [[Maharani]] [[Mohinder Kaur]] of Patiala. Amarinder Singh's family belongs to the [[Phulkian sardars|Phulkian]] dynasty.<ref name="Khushwant">{{Cite book|last=Singh|first=Khushwant|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q82MDgAAQBAJ|title=Captain Amarinder Singh: The People's Maharaja: An Authorized Biography|date=15 February 2017|publisher=Hay House, Inc|isbn=978-93-85827-44-0|language=en}}</ref> He attended the [[Loreto Convent, Tara Hall, Shimla|Loreto Convent]] in [[Shimla]], and [[Lawrence School, Sanawar|Lawrence School]] in [[Kasauli]], [[Solan District]], before going to [[The Doon School]] in [[Dehradun]].<ref name="Khushwant"/><ref>{{Cite news | title = Seven Doscos in 15th Lok Sabha | newspaper = [[The Indian Express]] | date = 31 May 2009 | url = http://www.indianexpress.com/news/seven-doscos-in-15th-lok-sabha/468807|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603055538/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/seven-doscos-in-15th-lok-sabha/468807/|archive-date=3 June 2009|access-date=15 December 2020}}</ref> He has one son, [[Raninder Singh]], and one daughter, Jai Inder Kaur.<ref name="Khushwant"/> His wife, [[Preneet Kaur]], served as an [[Member of parliament (India)|Member of Parliament]] and was [[Minister of State]] in the [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]] from 2009 to October 2012.<ref>{{cite web |title=Members : Lok Sabha |url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/MemberBioprofile.aspx?mpsno=186 |website=loksabhaph.nic.in |access-date=2 September 2020}}</ref>


His elder sister Heminder Kaur is married to former [[Minister of External Affairs (India)|Foreign Minister]] [[K. Natwar Singh]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nibber |first1=Gurpreet Singh |title=Obituary {{!}} A sister, a guardian, the royal mother: Rajmata of Patiala is no more |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/obituary-a-sister-a-guardian-the-royal-mother-rajmata-of-patiala-is-no-more/story-lLHxssjXmtaWOyLyQkADSJ.html |access-date=6 January 2020 |work=Hindustan Times |date=24 July 2017 |language=en}}</ref> He is also related to [[Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar)|Shiromani Akali Dal (A)]] supremo and former [[Indian Police Service|IPS]] Officer [[Simranjit Singh Mann]]. Mann's wife and Amarinder Singh's wife, Preneet Kaur, are sisters.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sethi |first1=Chitleen K. |title=Pushed to the margins, Simranjit Mann carrying legacy of a lost cause |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/simranjit-mann-carrying-legacy-of-a-lost-cause/story-QfCcgylAe4dUDL8LWU4tWO.html |access-date=6 January 2020 |work=Hindustan Times |date=1 January 2017 |language=en}}</ref>
His elder sister Heminder Kaur is married to former [[Minister of External Affairs (India)|Foreign Minister]] [[K. Natwar Singh]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nibber |first1=Gurpreet Singh |title=Obituary {{!}} A sister, a guardian, the royal mother: Rajmata of Patiala is no more |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/obituary-a-sister-a-guardian-the-royal-mother-rajmata-of-patiala-is-no-more/story-lLHxssjXmtaWOyLyQkADSJ.html |access-date=6 January 2020 |work=Hindustan Times |date=24 July 2017 |language=en}}</ref> He is also related to [[Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar)|Shiromani Akali Dal (A)]] supremo and former [[Indian Police Service|IPS]] Officer [[Simranjit Singh Mann]]. Mann's wife and Amarinder Singh's wife, Preneet Kaur, are sisters.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sethi |first1=Chitleen K. |title=Pushed to the margins, Simranjit Mann carrying legacy of a lost cause |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/simranjit-mann-carrying-legacy-of-a-lost-cause/story-QfCcgylAe4dUDL8LWU4tWO.html |access-date=6 January 2020 |work=Hindustan Times |date=1 January 2017 |language=en}}</ref>
Line 93: Line 97:
==Army career==
==Army career==


Singh served in the [[Indian Army]] from June 1963 to December 1966 after graduating from the [[National Defence Academy (India)|National Defence Academy]] and the [[Indian Military Academy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/3171417|title=Profile – Amarinder Singh|website=Bloomberg}}</ref> He was commissioned into the [[Sikh Regiment]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Army's account of 1965 war padded, says Capt's new book|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/army-s-account-of-1965-war-padded-says-capt-s-new-book/story-vHDXxUPvtcMIolRmEoCgbI.html|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=13 March 2017|date=18 September 2015}}</ref> He served as the [[aide-de-camp]] to the [[General Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] [[Western Command (India)|Western Command]], [[Lieutenant General (India)|Lieutenant General]] [[Harbaksh Singh]], from December 1964.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/but-for-gen-harbakhsh-punjab-would-ve-been-lost-in-1965-war-capt/story-ywTANLwiBwpd3fkDvXLAHM.html|title=But for Gen Harbakhsh, Punjab would've been lost in 1965 war: Capt|date=30 August 2015|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|access-date=2 January 2020}}</ref> He left the army in early 1965 to look after his family but came back when indo-pak war broke out & participated in the [[1965 Indo-Pakistan war]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/amarinder-singh-welcomes-honour-to-major-leetul-gogoi-who-tied-kashmiri-protester-to-jeep-1696937|title=Amarinder Singh Welcomes Honour To Officer Who Tied Protester To Jeep|website=NDTV.com|access-date=2 January 2020}}</ref>  
Singh served in the [[Indian Army]] from June 1963 to December 1966 after graduating from the [[National Defence Academy (India)|National Defence Academy]] and the [[Indian Military Academy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/3171417|title=Profile – Amarinder Singh|website=Bloomberg}}</ref> He was commissioned into the [[Sikh Regiment]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Army's account of 1965 war padded, says Capt's new book|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/army-s-account-of-1965-war-padded-says-capt-s-new-book/story-vHDXxUPvtcMIolRmEoCgbI.html|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=13 March 2017|date=18 September 2015}}</ref> He served as the [[aide-de-camp]] to the [[General Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] [[Western Command (India)|Western Command]], [[Lieutenant General (India)|Lieutenant General]] [[Harbaksh Singh]], from December 1964.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/but-for-gen-harbakhsh-punjab-would-ve-been-lost-in-1965-war-capt/story-ywTANLwiBwpd3fkDvXLAHM.html|title=But for Gen Harbakhsh, Punjab would've been lost in 1965 war: Capt|date=30 August 2015|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|access-date=2 January 2020|archive-date=2 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102193112/https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/but-for-gen-harbakhsh-punjab-would-ve-been-lost-in-1965-war-capt/story-ywTANLwiBwpd3fkDvXLAHM.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He left the army in early 1965 to look after his family but returned to service with the start of the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|1965 Indo-Pakistan War]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/amarinder-singh-welcomes-honour-to-major-leetul-gogoi-who-tied-kashmiri-protester-to-jeep-1696937|title=Amarinder Singh Welcomes Honour To Officer Who Tied Protester To Jeep|website=NDTV.com|access-date=2 January 2020}}</ref>


His father and grandfather were also in army and many times he said that "Army will always be my first love".  
His father and grandfather were also in army and many times he said that "Army will always be my first love".


==Political career==
==Political career==
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He was inducted into the Congress by [[Rajiv Gandhi]], who was his friend from school and was first elected to the [[Lok Sabha]] in 1980. In 1984, he resigned from [[Parliament of India|Parliament]] and from Congress as a protest against the Army action during [[Operation Blue Star]]. Subsequently, he joined the [[Shiromani Akali Dal]] was elected to the state legislature from [[Talwandi Sabo]] and became a minister in the state government for Agriculture, Forest, Development and Panchayats.
He was inducted into the Congress by [[Rajiv Gandhi]], who was his friend from school and was first elected to the [[Lok Sabha]] in 1980. In 1984, he resigned from [[Parliament of India|Parliament]] and from Congress as a protest against the Army action during [[Operation Blue Star]]. Subsequently, he joined the [[Shiromani Akali Dal]] was elected to the state legislature from [[Talwandi Sabo]] and became a minister in the state government for Agriculture, Forest, Development and Panchayats.


In 1992 he broke away from the [[Akali Dal]] and formed a splinter group named [[Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic)]] which later merged with the Congress in 1998 (after his party's crushing defeat in [[Vidhan Sabha]] election in which he himself was defeated from his own constituency where he got only 856 votes) after [[Sonia Gandhi]] took over the reins of the party. He was defeated by Prof [[Prem Singh Chandumajra]] from [[Patiala]] Constituency in 1998 by a margin of 33,251 votes. He served as the President of [[Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee]] on three occasions from 1999 to 2002, 2010 to 2013 and 2015 to 2017, he also became [[Chief Minister of Punjab (India)|Chief Minister of Punjab]] in 2002 and continued until 2007.
In 1992 he broke away from the [[Akali Dal]] and formed a splinter group named [[Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic)]] which later merged with the Congress in 1998 (after his party's crushing defeat in [[Vidhan Sabha]] election in which he himself was defeated from his own constituency where he got only 856 votes) after [[Sonia Gandhi]] took over the reins of the party. He was defeated by Prof [[Prem Singh Chandumajra]] from [[Patiala]] Constituency in 1998 by a margin of 33,251 votes. He served as the President of [[Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee]] on three occasions from 1999 to 2002, 2010 to 2013 and 2015 to 2017.
 
He has been a member of the [[Punjab Vidhan Sabha]] for five terms representing [[Patiala]] (Urban) thrice, [[Samana, India|Samana]] and [[Talwandi Sabo]] once each.
 
===Chief Minister of Punjab, First term===
He became [[Chief Minister of Punjab (India)|Chief Minister of Punjab]] in 2002 and continued until 2007.


In September 2008, a special committee of [[Punjab Vidhan Sabha]], during the tenure of a government led by [[Akali Dal]]-[[Bharatiya Janata Party]], expelled him on the count of regularities in the transfer of land related to the Amritsar Improvement Trust.<ref name="Dhananjay Mahapatra">{{Cite news | last = Dhananjay Mahapatra | first = Dhananjay | title = 'Amarinder's removal undemocratic' | newspaper = [[The Times of India]] | date = 27 April 2010 | url = http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-04-27/india/28137401_1_land-scam-punjab-assembly-amarinder-singh| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103093103/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-04-27/india/28137401_1_land-scam-punjab-assembly-amarinder-singh| url-status = dead| archive-date = 3 November 2012}}</ref> In 2010, the [[Supreme Court of India]] held his expulsion unconstitutional on the grounds that it was excessive and unconstitutional.<ref name="Dhananjay Mahapatra"/>
In September 2008, a special committee of [[Punjab Vidhan Sabha]], during the tenure of a government led by [[Akali Dal]]-[[Bharatiya Janata Party]], expelled him on the count of regularities in the transfer of land related to the Amritsar Improvement Trust.<ref name="Dhananjay Mahapatra">{{Cite news | last = Dhananjay Mahapatra | first = Dhananjay | title = 'Amarinder's removal undemocratic' | newspaper = [[The Times of India]] | date = 27 April 2010 | url = http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-04-27/india/28137401_1_land-scam-punjab-assembly-amarinder-singh| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103093103/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-04-27/india/28137401_1_land-scam-punjab-assembly-amarinder-singh| url-status = dead| archive-date = 3 November 2012}}</ref> In 2010, the [[Supreme Court of India]] held his expulsion unconstitutional on the grounds that it was excessive and unconstitutional.<ref name="Dhananjay Mahapatra"/>


He was appointed as chairman of Punjab Congress Campaign Committee in 2008. Captain Amarinder Singh is also a Permanent Invitee to the Congress Working Committee since 2013. He defeated senior [[BJP]] leader [[Arun Jaitley]] by a margin of more than 102,000 votes in 2014 general elections. He has been a member of the [[Punjab Vidhan Sabha]] for five terms representing [[Patiala]] (Urban) thrice, [[Samana, India|Samana]] and [[Talwandi Sabo]] once each.
He was appointed as chairman of Punjab Congress Campaign Committee in 2008. Captain Amarinder Singh is also a Permanent Invitee to the Congress Working Committee since 2013.


On 27 November 2015, Amarinder Singh was appointed President of Punjab Congress in the run up to Punjab elections slated for 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Amarinder appointed Captain of Punjab Congress |newspaper=[[Daily Post India]] |date=27 November 2015 |url=http://www.dailypost.in/editor-s-pick/53035-amarinder-appointed-captain-of-punjab-congress |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208222652/http://www.dailypost.in/editor-s-pick/53035-amarinder-appointed-captain-of-punjab-congress |archive-date=8 December 2015 }}</ref> On 11 March 2017 Congress Party won the State Assembly Elections under his leadership.
===Member of Parliament===
He defeated senior [[BJP]] leader [[Arun Jaitley]] by a margin of more than 102,000 votes in 2014 general elections.


Amarinder Singh was sworn in as the 26th [[Chief Minister of Punjab (India)|Chief Minister of Punjab]] on 16 March 2017 at [[Raj Bhavan (Punjab)|Punjab Raj Bhavan]], [[Chandigarh]]. The [[oath of office]] was administered by the [[List of governors of Punjab (India)|Punjab governor]], [[Vijayendrapal Singh|V.P. Singh Badnore]].<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thequint.com/punjab-elections-2017/2017/03/16/punjab-congress-amarinder-singh-swearing-in-deputy-cm-navjot-singh-sidhu|title=Captain Amarinder Sworn in as Punjab CM, Nine Ministers Inducted|first=Abhilash|last=Mallick|date=17 March 2017|work=The Quint|access-date=16 March 2017|language=en}}</ref> He was appointed president of the [[Jat Mahasabha]] in 2013.<ref name="Jat mahasabha">{{cite news |title=Capt Amarinder Singh is Jat mahasabha chief |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/capt-amarinder-singh-is-jat-mahasabha-chief/story-Azv4nUf0d1iu8wzoGSDNAN.html |access-date=9 July 2018 |work=Hindustan Times |agency=[[Press Trust of India]] (PTI) |date=13 May 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180709223125/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/capt-amarinder-singh-is-jat-mahasabha-chief/story-Azv4nUf0d1iu8wzoGSDNAN.html |archive-date=9 July 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref>
On 27 November 2015, Amarinder Singh was appointed President of Punjab Congress in the run up to Punjab elections slated for 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Amarinder appointed Captain of Punjab Congress |newspaper=[[Daily Post India]] |date=27 November 2015 |url=http://www.dailypost.in/editor-s-pick/53035-amarinder-appointed-captain-of-punjab-congress |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208222652/http://www.dailypost.in/editor-s-pick/53035-amarinder-appointed-captain-of-punjab-congress |archive-date=8 December 2015 }}</ref>


On 18 September 2021, he resigned as the Chief Minister of Punjab.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-18|title='I felt humiliated': Amarinder Singh resigns as Punjab chief minister|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/amarinder-singh-resigns-as-punjab-chief-minister-amid-tussle-with-navjot-sidhu-101631962905244.html|access-date=2021-09-18|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> At the end of September 2021, he announced that he will quit the National Congress party but, will not join the Bharatiya Janata Party.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.livemint.com/politics/news/will-not-take-such-insults-amarinder-singh-says-leaving-congress-but-won-t-join-bjp-11632995025699.html |title=‘Will not take such insults’: Amarinder Singh says leaving Congress |date=2021-09-30 |language=en}}</ref>
===Chief Minister of Punjab, second term===
{{Main|Second Amarinder Singh ministry}}
On 11 March 2017 Congress Party won the [[2017 Punjab Legislative Assembly election]] under his leadership. Amarinder Singh was sworn in as the 26th [[Chief Minister of Punjab (India)|Chief Minister of Punjab]] on 16 March 2017 at [[Raj Bhavan (Punjab)|Punjab Raj Bhavan]], [[Chandigarh]]. The [[oath of office]] was administered by the [[List of governors of Punjab (India)|Punjab governor]], [[Vijayendrapal Singh|V.P. Singh Badnore]].<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thequint.com/punjab-elections-2017/2017/03/16/punjab-congress-amarinder-singh-swearing-in-deputy-cm-navjot-singh-sidhu|title=Captain Amarinder Sworn in as Punjab CM, Nine Ministers Inducted|first=Abhilash|last=Mallick|date=17 March 2017|work=The Quint|access-date=16 March 2017|language=en}}</ref> He was appointed president of the [[Jat Mahasabha]] in 2013.<ref name="Jat mahasabha">{{cite news |title=Capt Amarinder Singh is Jat mahasabha chief |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/capt-amarinder-singh-is-jat-mahasabha-chief/story-Azv4nUf0d1iu8wzoGSDNAN.html |access-date=9 July 2018 |work=Hindustan Times |agency=[[Press Trust of India]] (PTI) |date=13 May 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180709223125/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/capt-amarinder-singh-is-jat-mahasabha-chief/story-Azv4nUf0d1iu8wzoGSDNAN.html |archive-date=9 July 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref>
 
During his tenure as chief minister, he came into conflict with a faction of the Congress headed by [[Navjot Singh Sidhu]], and was criticized for being inaccessible to Congress MLAs, living in a farmhouse on the outskirts of Chandigarh instead of coming to the civil secretariat building. He also received criticism for not resolving the [[2015 Guru Granth Sahib desecration controversy|Bargari sacrilege case]] and for a perception that he had been insufficiently zealous in prosecuting previous CM [[Parkash Singh Badal]] for involvement in the case.<ref>{{cite news |title=Explained: Five reasons why Captain Amarinder Singh had to step down as Punjab CM |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/punjab-congress-crisis-captain-amarinder-singh-resignation-reasons-explained-7517526/ |access-date=9 March 2022 |work=The Indian Express |date=18 September 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
 
On 18 September 2021, he resigned as the Chief Minister of Punjab, as a consequence of conversations with the Congress high command that suggested the Punjab Congress MLAs were lacking confidence in his leadership.<ref>{{Cite web|date=18 September 2021|title='I felt humiliated': Amarinder Singh resigns as Punjab chief minister|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/amarinder-singh-resigns-as-punjab-chief-minister-amid-tussle-with-navjot-sidhu-101631962905244.html|access-date=18 September 2021|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> Singh publicly blamed Sidhu for the internal tension that led to the resignation, calling him "dangerous", "incompetent", and a "total disaster" and that he would fight any attempt to name Sidhu as the next CM of Punjab.<ref>{{cite news |last1=ANI |title=Navjot Singh Sidhu a total disaster, says Amarinder Singh after ouster |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/navjot-singh-sidhu-a-total-disaster-says-amarinder-singh-after-ouster-101631989896594.html |access-date=9 March 2022 |work=Hindustan Times |date=19 September 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Singh was eventually succeeded by [[Charanjit Singh Channi]] as the new chief minister.<ref>{{cite news |title=Charanjit Singh Channi: Who is Charanjit Singh Channi, the new Punjab chief minister |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/who-is-charanjit-singh-channi-new-punjab-chief-minister/articleshow/86342151.cms |access-date=9 March 2022 |work=The Times of India |date=19 September 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
 
Singh left the Congress Party, and on 28 October 2021, announced that he would be floating a new party soon and that he would be allying with the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Captain hints at seat-sharing pact with BJP, backs Centre on BSF order |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/captain-amarinder-singh-punjab-political-party-7592990/ |access-date=9 March 2022 |work=The Indian Express |date=28 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
 
===Punjab Lok Congress===
Punjab Lok Congress (PLC; English: ''Punjab People's Congress'') is an Indian regional political party, in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] founded by  Singh on 2 November 2021 after he resigned as [[List of chief ministers of Punjab (India)#Punjab (Since 1966)|Chief Minister of Punjab]] and quit the [[Indian National Congress]].<ref name="Foundation">{{cite news |title=Amarinder Singh resigns from Congress; announces new party Punjab Lok Congress |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/amarinder-singh-resigns-from-congress/article37304162.ece |access-date=3 November 2021 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=3 November 2021}}</ref> The party was formed following a split in Indian National Congress in Punjab. Singh has announced that his party will contest on all 117 seats in [[2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=ANI|date=28 October 2021|title=Amarinder announces his party will contest all 117 Punjab assembly seats|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/amarinder-singh-announces-his-party-will-contest-all-117-punjab-assembly-seats-121102701961_1.html|access-date=3 November 2021}}</ref> The party failed to win any seat in the elections.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Vasudeva |first=Vikas |date=2022-09-16 |title=Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh to join BJP on September 19 |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/former-punjab-cm-amarinder-singh-to-join-bjp-on-september-19/article65898428.ece |access-date=2022-09-18 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
 
===2022 Punjab Assembly election===
In [[2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election]], Singh lost from the [[Patiala Assembly constituency|Patiala assembly constituency]] to [[Aam Aadmi Party]]'s [[Ajit Pal Singh Kohli]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Punjab election results 2022: Captain Amarinder Singh accepts defeat, congratulates AAP on victory |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/amritsar/punjab-election-results-2022-captain-amrinder-singh-loses-in-patiala/articleshow/90121478.cms |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=The Times of India |date=10 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref> The party failed to win any seat in the elections.
 
=== Bharatiya Janata Party ===
A few months after his election failure Singh along with his party merged into the Bharatiya Janata Party on 19 September 2022 after meeting with HM [[Amit Shah]] a few days before.<ref name=":0" />


==Books==
==Books==
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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


{{Chief Ministers of Punjab (India)}}
{{Sikh politics}}
{{16th LS members from Punjab}}
{{Current Indian chief ministers}}
{{Indian National Congress}}
{{Authority control}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|in-lwr}}
{{s-par|in-lwr}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Gurcharan Singh Tohra]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Gurcharan Singh Tohra]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for [[Patiala (Lok Sabha constituency)|Patiala]] |years=1980–1984}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for [[Patiala Lok Sabha constituency|Patiala]] |years=1980–1984}}
{{s-aft|after=Sardar Charanjit Singh Walia}}
{{s-aft|after=Sardar Charanjit Singh Walia}}
|-
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Navjot Singh Sidhu]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Navjot Singh Sidhu]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for [[Amritsar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Amritsar]] |years=2014–2017}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for [[Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency|Amritsar]] |years=2014–2017}}
{{s-aft|after=Gurjeet Singh Aujla}}
{{s-aft|after=Gurjeet Singh Aujla}}
|-
|-
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{{s-bef|before=[[Parkash Singh Badal]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Parkash Singh Badal]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Chief Ministers of Punjab (India)|Chief Minister of Punjab]]|years=16 March 2017 – 18 September 2021}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Chief Ministers of Punjab (India)|Chief Minister of Punjab]]|years=16 March 2017 – 18 September 2021}}
{{s-aft|after=TBD}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Charanjit Singh Channi]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{s-par|in-la}}
{{IN MLA box
| state= Punjab
| constituency= Patiala
| before=  [[Preneet Kaur]] (INC)
| after=  [[Ajit Pal Singh Kohli]] ([[Aam Aadmi Party|AAP]])
| years= [[2017 Punjab Legislative Assembly election|2017]] – [[2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election|2022]] }}
{{s-end}}
{{Chief Ministers of Punjab (India)}}
{{Sikh politics}}
{{16th LS members from Punjab}}
{{Indian National Congress}}
 
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Amarinder}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Amarinder}}
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[[Category:Maharajas of Patiala]]
[[Category:Maharajas of Patiala]]
[[Category:People from Patiala]]
[[Category:People from Patiala]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:Chief Ministers of Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Chief Ministers of Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
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[[Category:Shiromani Akali Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Shiromani Akali Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Lawrence School, Sanawar alumni]]
[[Category:Lawrence School, Sanawar alumni]]
[[Category:7th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:India MPs 1980–1984]]
[[Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2002–2007]]
[[Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2002–2007]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel]]
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[[Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2012–2017]]
[[Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2012–2017]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:16th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:India MPs 2014–2019]]
[[Category:Chief ministers from Indian National Congress]]
[[Category:Chief ministers from Indian National Congress]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians]]
[[Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2017–2022]]
[[Category:Punjab, India MLAs 2017–2022]]
[[Category:Punjab Lok Congress politicians]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Punjab]]

Latest revision as of 08:15, 28 November 2022


For other people named Amrinder Singh, see Amrinder Singh (disambiguation).

Captain (Retd.)
Amarinder Singh
Amarinder Singh.jpg
Singh in April 2017
15th Chief Minister of Punjab
In office
16 March 2017 – 19 September 2021
GovernorV. P. Singh Badnore
Banwarilal Purohit
Preceded byParkash Singh Badal
Succeeded byCharanjit Singh Channi
In office
26 February 2002 – 1 March 2007
GovernorJ. F. R. Jacob
O. P. Verma
Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai (additional charge)
Sunith Francis Rodrigues
DeputyRajinder Kaur Bhattal (from 6 January 2004)
Preceded byParkash Singh Badal
Succeeded byParkash Singh Badal
Additional ministries
In office
16 March 2017 – 18 September 2021
Ministries and DepartmentsMinister of Administrative Reforms, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Horticulture,Conservation of Land and Water, Excise & Taxation, General Administration, Home Affairs & Justice, Legal & Legislative Affairs, Vigilance, Personnel, Civil Aviation, Defence Services Welfare, Hospitality, Investment Promotion, Information & Public Relations, Environment, Wildlife, NRI Affairs
Government of Punjab, India
Preceded byParkash Singh Badal
Succeeded byCharanjit Singh Channi
Member of the Legislative Assembly, Punjab 
In office
11 March 2017 – 15 March 2022
Preceded byPreneet Kaur
Succeeded byAjit Pal Singh Kohli
ConstituencyPatiala
In office
2002–2014
Preceded bySurjit Singh Kohli
Succeeded byPreneet Kaur
ConstituencyPatiala Town
In office
1992–1997
Preceded byHardial Singh Rajla
Succeeded byJagtar Singh Rajla
ConstituencySamana
In office
1985–1992
Preceded byAvtar Singh
Succeeded byHarminder Singh
ConstituencyTalwandi Sabo
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
26 May 2014 – 23 November 2016
Preceded byNavjot Singh Sidhu
Succeeded byGurjit Singh Aujla
ConstituencyAmritsar
In office
1980–1984
Preceded byGurcharan Singh Tohra
Succeeded byCharanjit Singh Walia
ConstituencyPatiala
Personal details
Born (1942-03-11) 11 March 1942 (age 83)
Patiala City, Patiala State, Punjab, British India
(now Patiala, Punjab, India)
CitizenshipIndian
NationalityIndian
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party
Other political
affiliations		Template:Bulletlist
Spouse(s)
(
m. 1964)
Children2, including Raninder Singh
Parent(s)
Websitewww.captainamarindersingh.com
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/service Indian Army
Years of service1963–1966
RankCaptain of the Indian Army.svg Captain
UnitSikh Regiment
Battles/warsIndo-Pakistani War of 1965
Template:Infobox pretender

Captain Amarinder Singh (born 11 March 1942),[1] is an Indian politician, military historian, former royal and Indian Army veteran who served as the 15th Chief Minister of Punjab.[2] A former Member of the Legislative Assembly, Punjab and Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha,[3] he was also the president of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee.[4] He has also previously served as the Chief Minister of Punjab from 2002 to 2007 and 2017 to 2021.[5] His father was the last Maharaja of the princely state of Patiala.[5] He has also served in the Indian Army from 1963 to 1966.[6] In 1980, he won a seat in the Lok Sabha for the first time.[5] As of November 2022, Singh also serves as the chairman of the Punjab Urdu Academy.[7] Captain Singh resigned as the Chief Minister of Punjab on 18 September 2021.[8] On 19 September, 2022 he merged his party PLC with BJP and joined BJP on the same day.[9]

Personal life[edit]

Singh was born on 11 March 1942 in Patiala City, Patiala State, Punjab Province, British India into a royal Punjabi Jatt Sikh family of the Sidhu clan to parents Maharaja Sir Yadavindra Singh and Maharani Mohinder Kaur of Patiala. Amarinder Singh's family belongs to the Phulkian dynasty.[10] He attended the Loreto Convent in Shimla, and Lawrence School in Kasauli, Solan District, before going to The Doon School in Dehradun.[10][11] He has one son, Raninder Singh, and one daughter, Jai Inder Kaur.[10] His wife, Preneet Kaur, served as an Member of Parliament and was Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs from 2009 to October 2012.[12]

His elder sister Heminder Kaur is married to former Foreign Minister K. Natwar Singh.[13] He is also related to Shiromani Akali Dal (A) supremo and former IPS Officer Simranjit Singh Mann. Mann's wife and Amarinder Singh's wife, Preneet Kaur, are sisters.[14]

Army career[edit]

Singh served in the Indian Army from June 1963 to December 1966 after graduating from the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy.[15] He was commissioned into the Sikh Regiment.[16] He served as the aide-de-camp to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command, Lieutenant General Harbaksh Singh, from December 1964.[17] He left the army in early 1965 to look after his family but returned to service with the start of the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War.[18]

His father and grandfather were also in army and many times he said that "Army will always be my first love".

Political career[edit]

He was inducted into the Congress by Rajiv Gandhi, who was his friend from school and was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980. In 1984, he resigned from Parliament and from Congress as a protest against the Army action during Operation Blue Star. Subsequently, he joined the Shiromani Akali Dal was elected to the state legislature from Talwandi Sabo and became a minister in the state government for Agriculture, Forest, Development and Panchayats.

In 1992 he broke away from the Akali Dal and formed a splinter group named Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic) which later merged with the Congress in 1998 (after his party's crushing defeat in Vidhan Sabha election in which he himself was defeated from his own constituency where he got only 856 votes) after Sonia Gandhi took over the reins of the party. He was defeated by Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra from Patiala Constituency in 1998 by a margin of 33,251 votes. He served as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee on three occasions from 1999 to 2002, 2010 to 2013 and 2015 to 2017.

He has been a member of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha for five terms representing Patiala (Urban) thrice, Samana and Talwandi Sabo once each.

Chief Minister of Punjab, First term[edit]

He became Chief Minister of Punjab in 2002 and continued until 2007.

In September 2008, a special committee of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, during the tenure of a government led by Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party, expelled him on the count of regularities in the transfer of land related to the Amritsar Improvement Trust.[19] In 2010, the Supreme Court of India held his expulsion unconstitutional on the grounds that it was excessive and unconstitutional.[19]

He was appointed as chairman of Punjab Congress Campaign Committee in 2008. Captain Amarinder Singh is also a Permanent Invitee to the Congress Working Committee since 2013.

Member of Parliament[edit]

He defeated senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley by a margin of more than 102,000 votes in 2014 general elections.

On 27 November 2015, Amarinder Singh was appointed President of Punjab Congress in the run up to Punjab elections slated for 2017.[20]

Chief Minister of Punjab, second term[edit]

Main article: Second Amarinder Singh ministry

On 11 March 2017 Congress Party won the 2017 Punjab Legislative Assembly election under his leadership. Amarinder Singh was sworn in as the 26th Chief Minister of Punjab on 16 March 2017 at Punjab Raj Bhavan, Chandigarh. The oath of office was administered by the Punjab governor, V.P. Singh Badnore.[2][21] He was appointed president of the Jat Mahasabha in 2013.[22]

During his tenure as chief minister, he came into conflict with a faction of the Congress headed by Navjot Singh Sidhu, and was criticized for being inaccessible to Congress MLAs, living in a farmhouse on the outskirts of Chandigarh instead of coming to the civil secretariat building. He also received criticism for not resolving the Bargari sacrilege case and for a perception that he had been insufficiently zealous in prosecuting previous CM Parkash Singh Badal for involvement in the case.[23]

On 18 September 2021, he resigned as the Chief Minister of Punjab, as a consequence of conversations with the Congress high command that suggested the Punjab Congress MLAs were lacking confidence in his leadership.[24] Singh publicly blamed Sidhu for the internal tension that led to the resignation, calling him "dangerous", "incompetent", and a "total disaster" and that he would fight any attempt to name Sidhu as the next CM of Punjab.[25] Singh was eventually succeeded by Charanjit Singh Channi as the new chief minister.[26]

Singh left the Congress Party, and on 28 October 2021, announced that he would be floating a new party soon and that he would be allying with the Bharatiya Janata Party.[27]

Punjab Lok Congress[edit]

Punjab Lok Congress (PLC; English: Punjab People's Congress) is an Indian regional political party, in Punjab founded by Singh on 2 November 2021 after he resigned as Chief Minister of Punjab and quit the Indian National Congress.[28] The party was formed following a split in Indian National Congress in Punjab. Singh has announced that his party will contest on all 117 seats in 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election.[29] The party failed to win any seat in the elections.[30]

2022 Punjab Assembly election[edit]

In 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly election, Singh lost from the Patiala assembly constituency to Aam Aadmi Party's Ajit Pal Singh Kohli.[31] The party failed to win any seat in the elections.

Bharatiya Janata Party[edit]

A few months after his election failure Singh along with his party merged into the Bharatiya Janata Party on 19 September 2022 after meeting with HM Amit Shah a few days before.[30]

Books[edit]

He has also written books on war and Sikh history which include A Ridge Too Far, Lest We Forget, The Last Sunset: Rise and Fall of Lahore Durbar and The Sikhs in Britain: 150 years of Photographs. Among his most recent works are Honour and Fidelity: India's Military Contribution to the Great War 1914 to 1918 released in Chandigarh on 6 December 2014, and The Monsoon War: Young Officers Reminisce – 1965 India-Pakistan War- which contains his memoirs of the 1965 Indo-Pak war.[32][33]

Awards and recognition[edit]

The author Khushwant Singh released a biographic book titled, Captain Amarinder Singh: The People’s Maharaja in 2017.[34]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Quint, The (10 March 2017). "Punjab Live: Modi Congratulates Amarinder, Wishes Him Happy B'Day". The Quint. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Amarinder Singh sworn in as Punjab CM". The Hindu. The Hindu. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  3. ↑ Goswami, Dev. "Punjab election results 2017: Full list of winners". indiatoday.intoday.in. Living Media India Limited. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  4. ↑ "Congress in States – Punjab". inc.in. All India Congress Committee. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Who is Capt Amarinder Singh? Everything you need to know". The Indian Express. Express Web Desk. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  6. ↑ "Captain Amarinder back in charge in Punjab for second time". The New Indian Express. PTI. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  7. ↑ "Punjab Urdu Academy". www.punjaburduacademy.com. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  8. ↑ ""Humiliated" Amarinder Singh Quits As Chief Minister, Says Options Open". NDTV.com. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  9. ↑ Sanjeev Verma (16 September 2022). "Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh to merge his PLC with BJP on September 19 | Chandigarh News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Singh, Khushwant (15 February 2017). Captain Amarinder Singh: The People's Maharaja: An Authorized Biography. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 978-93-85827-44-0.
  11. ↑ "Seven Doscos in 15th Lok Sabha". The Indian Express. 31 May 2009. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  12. ↑ "Members : Lok Sabha". loksabhaph.nic.in. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  13. ↑ Nibber, Gurpreet Singh (24 July 2017). "Obituary | A sister, a guardian, the royal mother: Rajmata of Patiala is no more". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  14. ↑ Sethi, Chitleen K. (1 January 2017). "Pushed to the margins, Simranjit Mann carrying legacy of a lost cause". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  15. ↑ "Profile – Amarinder Singh". Bloomberg.
  16. ↑ "Army's account of 1965 war padded, says Capt's new book". Hindustan Times. 18 September 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  17. ↑ "But for Gen Harbakhsh, Punjab would've been lost in 1965 war: Capt". Hindustan Times. 30 August 2015. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  18. ↑ "Amarinder Singh Welcomes Honour To Officer Who Tied Protester To Jeep". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Dhananjay Mahapatra, Dhananjay (27 April 2010). "'Amarinder's removal undemocratic'". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012.
  20. ↑ "Amarinder appointed Captain of Punjab Congress". Daily Post India. 27 November 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015.
  21. ↑ Mallick, Abhilash (17 March 2017). "Captain Amarinder Sworn in as Punjab CM, Nine Ministers Inducted". The Quint. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  22. ↑ "Capt Amarinder Singh is Jat mahasabha chief". Hindustan Times. Press Trust of India (PTI). 13 May 2013. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  23. ↑ "Explained: Five reasons why Captain Amarinder Singh had to step down as Punjab CM". The Indian Express. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  24. ↑ "'I felt humiliated': Amarinder Singh resigns as Punjab chief minister". Hindustan Times. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  25. ↑ ANI (19 September 2021). "Navjot Singh Sidhu a total disaster, says Amarinder Singh after ouster". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  26. ↑ "Charanjit Singh Channi: Who is Charanjit Singh Channi, the new Punjab chief minister". The Times of India. 19 September 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  27. ↑ "Captain hints at seat-sharing pact with BJP, backs Centre on BSF order". The Indian Express. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  28. ↑ "Amarinder Singh resigns from Congress; announces new party Punjab Lok Congress". The Hindu. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  29. ↑ ANI (28 October 2021). "Amarinder announces his party will contest all 117 Punjab assembly seats". Business Standard India. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Vasudeva, Vikas (16 September 2022). "Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh to join BJP on September 19". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  31. ↑ "Punjab election results 2022: Captain Amarinder Singh accepts defeat, congratulates AAP on victory". The Times of India. 10 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  32. ↑ "Book Review: The Monsoon War: Young Officers Reminisce – 1965 India-Pakistan War". 24 October 2015.
  33. ↑ PTI (21 September 2015). "Amarinder Singh pens book on 1965 Indo-Pak war". Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  34. ↑ Ratra, Vaibhav (22 May 2017). "People's Maharaja". The Pioneer. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
Lok Sabha
Preceded by
Gurcharan Singh Tohra 		Member of Parliament
for Patiala
1980–1984 		Succeeded by
Sardar Charanjit Singh Walia
Preceded by
Navjot Singh Sidhu 		Member of Parliament
for Amritsar
2014–2017 		Succeeded by
Gurjeet Singh Aujla
Political offices
Preceded by
Parkash Singh Badal 		Chief Minister of Punjab
26 February 2002 – 1 March 2007 		Succeeded by
Parkash Singh Badal
Preceded by
Parkash Singh Badal 		Chief Minister of Punjab
16 March 2017 – 18 September 2021 		Succeeded by
Charanjit Singh Channi
State Legislative Assembly

Template:IN MLA box

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