Celebrations to mark 200 years of Shimla

SHIMLA: Shimla, the 'Queen of Hills', will turn 200 on Thursday and a host of celebrations have been lined up to mark the historic occasion.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh will formally launch the bicentennial function being organised at Deputy Commissioner's office here.

A book on bureaucracy from the British Raj till date, written by Raja Bhasin, will also be released on the occasion.

The book delves into the functioning of bureaucracy during the colonial rule when Deputy Commissioner functioned as the representative of the Viceroy, a statement issued today said.

The retired employees of Deputy Commissioner office, including 34 former employees, who had served during the Raj, have been invited to attend the function.

The Deputy Commissioner's office was set up on May 28 and would complete 200 years of its existence on Thursday.

A website on Shimla, providing details about the growth of the town, its historical buildings, events and other interesting information was launched in the run up to the celebrations.

Shimla was the summer capital of British India, capital of undivided Punjab, and is now the capital of Himachal Pradesh.