Amritsar (ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ, अमृतसर), meaning: The Pool of the Nectar of Immortality, is the administrative headquarter of the Amritsar District in Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000 and that of the entire district to number just over 3,695,077.

Amritsar is located in the northwest part of India in the State of Punjab, east of Lahore, Pakistan. Some have taken the name Amritsar to derive Amŗit-sarovar meaning "The Pool of the Nectar of Immortality" though -sar, "Natural pool" does not derive from sarovar, "Artificial tank or body of water".

It is home to the Harimandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple, and is the spiritual and cultural centre of the Sikh religion. This important sikh shrine attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal in Agra and is the number one destination for non-resident Indians (NRI) in the whole of India. It is also known for the unfortunate incidents of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre while under British Rule (1919) and Operation Bluestar in (1984) under the Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The main commercial activities include tourism, carpets and fabrics, farm produce, handicrafts, service trades and light engineering. Its popular and known for its food and culture. Its paradise for food lovers. Amritsar is also a seat of major educational institutions like Guru Nanak Dev University (established 1969), BBK DAV College for Women, Amritsar(established 1967), Khalsa College, Amritsar (established 1892), DAV College Amritsar (established 1955), and Government Medical College, Amritsar (established 1926). Amritsar is also home to Pingalwara, the home for destitutes founded by Bhagat Puran Singh and a home to Central Khalsa Orphanage which was once a home to Udham Singh a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement.