Ludhiana the largest city in the Indian city of Punjab, with a population of over 1.5 million people. It is the major industrial center for the Punjab and is known as the "Manchester" of India because of its numerous manufacturing plants. It is an important hub for the knitwear and textile trades in addition to being home to factories producing vehicles, machine tools, generators and more.

Phillaur Fort
The Town of Phillaur in which this Fort is located owes its origin to a Sanghera Jat Phul called the town after himself Phulnagar. Subsequently the Naru Rajputs under Rai Shahr whose territory extended from Mau to Selkiana occupied it & when his son Rai Rattan Pal abandoned Mau & settled at Phillaur. The Jats Left the modern town dates from the time of Shah Jahan (1627-1658 A.D.) when the sites covered with ruins reoccupied having been selected for the erection of a Serai on the imperial line of road from Delhi to Lahore, of its earlier history nothing of interest is recorded.

On the rise of the Sikhs to power, one Sudh Singh Kakara, who made it the capital of a considerable Estate, seized the place. His family became extinct in 1807 & the place then fell in to the hands of Maharaja Ranjit Singh who recognized its importance as a frontier town commanding the most frequented ferry of the Satluj. Under his governor Mohkam Chand a strong force was stationed at Phillaur from 1808 to 1812. The Serai was converted in to a fort by the addition of a Fausse- Braye- Ditch & bastions a countermeasure to British occupation of Ludhiana Fort. The architect is said to have been an Italian engineer. When the Sikh garrison under S. Ranjodh Singh Majithia was withdrawn after the battle of Aliwal (January 28, 1848). Chaudhari Kutb-Ud-Din of Phillaur secured the keys of the Ford preserved them from Plunder & handed them over to Colonel Macheson & Brigadier Wheeler. When the British entered the Doab in the same year after the battle of Aliwal, a British cantonment was formed in the neighborhood of the Fort which continued to be occupied by native troops until 1857 when the detachment stationed there rebelled the Fort itself became an important artillery arsenal & magazine in 1883. The artillery & magazine were withdrawn from the Fort a detachment of native infantry was left as garrison in 1891. Even this detachment was withdrawn & the fort was handed over to the Police Department it is now occupied by Punjab Police Academy (formerly Police Training School established in January, 1892, it was raised to the status of a college in April 1967) & the Finger Print Bureau was established in August 1894 which has continued here since then.

War Museum
As a gesture of tribute to the gallant soldiers, Punjab Government is in the process of establishing a War Museum of International standard at Ludhiana, consisting of History Gallery, War Heroes Gallery, Uniforms Gallery, Air Force and Navy Gallery, Signal and Medical Corps Gallery, Kargil Gallery and a Audio Visual Theatre.

This International level War Museum, located on GT Road, Ludhiana – Amritsar Highway (NH-1), about 5 KM from Ludhiana Railway Station, near Hotel Amaltas, was instituted in 1999 on a 4 acres plot with a few bare essentials, today stands strong. At the very entrance stands a huge statue of maharaja Ranjit singh sitting proud and magnificent on a throne. Towards the right and left of the statue one can find tanks, apec car, anti-aircraft gun, car scout and an old sukhoi fighter aircraft, along with a massive model of the ins vikrant. Walking up several steps one is lead into the entrance hall, where on the right is a line of portraits of Punjabis, who have been awarded the Paramvir Chakra, Mahavir Chakra and Vir Chakra. On the left is a line of portraits of generals, admirals, and air chief marshals belonging to Punjab. Besides this, the museum comprises several galleries. Many of these are still awaiting material to be displayed.

A huge gallery displays various uniforms of the British era Indian army; air force and navy. They also depict the different stripes, medals and ranks worn by the officials. Another gallery displays portraits and busts of Punjab’s army men who had fought and got laurels in the three wars in 1948,‘65, and ‘71. The six busts that stand in the gallery are of officers who had received Victoria Cross. Yet another attraction of this museum is the light and sound show, which, through the effects of light and sound, depicts war of independence and the role of Punjabis in it. A sonnet lumiere (Light & Sound Show) on permanent basis has been installed at the War Museum to perpetuate the memory of those brave sons of the motherland, who have sacrificed their lives in the freedom struggle of India with an aim to create sense of patriotism and nationalism among the people of Punjab, especially younger generation.