Shahkot is a small city and one of the five tehsils of Jalandhar district in Punjab, India. Shahkot is situated on Jalandhar-Moga-Barnala-Sirsa National Highway 703 (Old NH 71). Shahkot is administered by the Municipal Committee. About 176 villages belong to Shahkot tehsil. Shahkot was famous for its red chili peppers; but now, its main crops are Wheat, Paddy, Maize, potato, etc. Agricultural land is not suitable for paddy. But with the use of pesticides and tubewell water; paddy is grown.
Geography
Shahkot is located at . The region has an average elevation of 209 metres (688 feet). The Pin Code of Shahkot is 144702. Shahkot is a subdivision and tehsil of Jalandhar Distt.
Demographics
As of the 2011 Indian census, Shahkot has population of 25,449. The population is 53% male and 47% female. Shahkot has an average literacy rate of 83%, which is higher than the Indian national average of 59.5%. Literacy among men is 85.50% and female literacy is 80.50%. In Shahkot, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age. Hinduism and Sikhism are the predominant religions with 60% of the population registering as Hindus, 39% registering as Sikhs and 1% of other religions. Shahkot is near the Sutlej river which divides Doaba and Malwa.
Shahkot took about three centuries to take its present form. Three centuries ago, this was a deserted place. In 1700 A.D. a Mohammedean Saint named Sayyad Satt Shah Sadni inhabited this place. He named this town “Shahkot” after his name. In those days, the families of Khuda Bakash Arayan, Hayyat Gujjar and Jann Mohd flourished here. These mohamaddeans did their best to make this land cultivable. About one century later Badesha Jatts (Bandesha/Badechha) took hold of this town. About two hundred years ago, a person named Amrika(Badesha Jatt)] from village Dhianpur (Amritsar) inhabited the village kang(sardar wala kang) on his maternal Dheri which is situated about 10-12 kilometers away from Shahkot, Amrika had three sons. Man Singh, Daan Singh and Sujan Singh Badichah-all 3 sons of Tara Singh’s sister joined <ref></ref> Tara Singh Gaiba (Dallewalia Misl), Sujan Singh was killed when he went to capture Nakodar with Tara Singh. In those days Gaiba was a popular personality of Shahkot, They took hold of Shahkot and adjoining villages. After sometime all ancestors of Daan singh died. But ancestors of Maan Singh and Sujan Singh accepting the dominance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh kept hold on Shahkot and Dharamkot.</p>
Accordingly, to the views of some people, They were called the Gumashatas of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The British took over Shahkot and change it into a [ Jagir], there were 22 villages in this jagir including “Dhandowal”. The ancestors of Maan Singh inhabited in village Dhadowal. Narain Singh s/o Gurbux Singh Grandson of Sujan Singh became the Zaildar of Shahkot. S.Bhoop Singh grandson of Maan Singh was issueless. He had four wives. The fort in which they lived was called “Womens Fort-Mayiaan wala Kila”. These widows were given 1200 rupees annual pension by the British Govt. Dalip Singh s/o Gurbux Singh remained Sub-Registrar as well as zaildar of Shahkot. Next Kishan Singh Grand Son of Dalip Singh became Zaildar of Shahkot. The British honoured him with the title of “Sardar”. He was always given a seat in the Darbar of the British.
The families of Badesha Sardar S.Balbir Singh Badesha, famous poet Fatahjit, Hardev Singh Peeta are inhabited at Shahkot now. Before 1947, Shahkot and adjoining villages had main Muslim population, During partition, like this rest of the Punjab, the sad event which occurred here are narrated by the elders with heavy hearts. During communal riots some Hindus and Sikhs looted the Mohamadans leaving for Pakistan. Aslam, of nearby village Mianwal along with other Mohammadans, burnt 7 villages of Hindus or Sikhs. At last he was killed by a mob. According to the elders, the school in Nangal Ambia(near Shahkot) was called Islamia School before partition. Chowdhary Mohmmad became the working President of Pakistan for sometime. River Satluj flowed just near shahkot some time past, Now-a-days it flows about 6 or 7 kilometers far from Shahkot.