After Lahore, Shimla served as the capital of Punjab before Chandigarh from 1947–1953.

East Punjab (known simply as Punjab from 1950) was a province and later a state of India from 1947 until 1966, consisting of the parts of the Punjab Province of British India that went to India following the partition of the province between India and Pakistan by the Radcliffe Commission in 1947.

Chandigarh was the capital from 1953–1966, until the formation of Haryana in 1966. Himachal Pradesh as a state came into existence in 1971. East Punjab from 1956-1966.