Patiala State

State of Patiala
1762–1947
Coat of arms
Patiala State, Imperial Gazetteer of India (Vol. XXVI), 1931
StatusKingdom (1763-1809)
Princely State (1809-1947
CapitalPatiala
Common languagesPunjabi (official)
Religion
Sikh
GovernmentAbsolute monarchy
Maharaja 
 1762 - 1765
Ala Singh
 1938 - 1947
Yadavindra Singh
History 
 Established
1762
 Disestablished
1947
Area
 Total
15,389 km2 (5,942 sq mi)
Population
 1881
1,467,433
 1891
1,583,521
 1901
1,596,692
CurrencyRupee and Paisa
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Mughal Empire
Durrani Empire
Phulkian Misl
East India Company
Sikh Empire
PEPSU
Republic of India
Today part ofIndia
Pakistan

Patiala State was a kingdom and princely state in British India, and one of the Phulkian States, that acceded to the Union of India upon Indian independence and partition in 1947. The state was founded by Ala Singh in 1762. Patiala State was the largest and most important princely state in the Punjab Province. The state's ruler, the Maharaja of Patiala, was entitled to a 17-gun salute and held precedence over all other princes in the Punjab Province during the British Raj. The state was ruled by Jat Sikhs of the Sidhu clan.

The kingdom's imperial troops also fought in World War I and World War II on behalf of the British Indian Empire.