PRESS CLUB PATIALA : Patiala is the erstwhile princely state of Punjab, which is situated in the Malwa region. The city covers a total area of 365 km\u00b2. It is a judicious synthesis of a brilliant spectrum of Rajput, Mughal and Punjabi cultures and a fine blend of modernity and tradition. It was Maharaj Bhupinder Singh (1900-1930) who gave Patiala state a prominent place in the political map of India. Though historians have tried to trace the origin of Patiala to Rig Vedic literature, the town, as it stands today, was founded by Baba Ala Singh. It was founded with the construction of Qila Mubarak in 1763. Administratively, Patiala district can be subdivided into 5 tehsils, 3 sub-tehsils and 8 blocks. It forms a part of the Indo-Gangetic plain and consists of the three types of regions \u2013 the Upland Plain, the Cho Infested Foothill Plain and the Floodplain of the Ghaggar River. There is a complex drainage system running through the district, consisting of canals and rivers. The river Ghaggar is the most important water channel of the district. Apart from the natural drainage line, the district also has three important canals: the Bhakra Main Line Canal, the Nawana Branch, and the Ghaggar Link. These canals provide the much-needed irrigation water to the district.<\/p>\n