<P> According to evidence by Harjot Oberoi, the belief that Punjab is the "homeland" of the Sikh community is a recent formulation . Despite the Sikh historical linkages with Punjab, territory was never a major element of sikh self definition . The attachment of Punjab with Sikhism was recent and made in 1940s . Historically Sikhism was pan-Indian, with the main Sikh scriptures Guru Granth Sahib drawing from works of saints in North as well as South India, and the several of its major seats (such as Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, Panj Takhts Takht Sri Patna Sahib in Bihar, Hazur Sahib Nanded in Maharashtra) outside of Punjab . Before its conquest by the British, the region around Punjab had been ruled by the confederacy of Sikh Misls founded by Banda Bahadur ruled over the entire Punjab from 1767 to 1799, until their confederacy was unified into the Sikh Empire by Maharajah Ranjit Singh from 1799 to 1849 CE . The Sikhs have traditionally been concentrated in Punjab region of undivided India although not in a majority . </P> <P> Before the partition of India in 1947, Sikhs were not in majority in any of the districts of pre-partition British Punjab Province other than Ludhiana. The districts in the region had a majority of either the Hindus or Muslims depending on its location in the British province . Among the three major religions (Islam, Hinduism, and Sikhism), Sikhs formed the largest group (41.6%) only in the Ludhiana district . When the Muslims proposed the creation of an Islamic - majority Pakistan, many Sikhs staunchly opposed the concept . </P> <P> In late 1930s and 1940s the Sikh leaders realized that Muslim Pakistan and a Hindu India are imminent . Sikh leaders started mobilizing meta - commentaries and signs to argue that Punjab belonged to Sikhs and Sikhs belong to Punjab . This began the territorialization of the Sikh community . The term Khalistan was coined by the Sikh leader Dr. Vir Singh Bhatti in March 1940 . He made the case for a Sikh country in the pamphlet Khalistan, published as a response to the Muslim League's Lahore Resolution . The Muslim League demanded a separate country for Muslims via the Lahore Resolution . His idea was based on the presumption that Pakistan, containing Sikh - inhabited territories, would be formed as an Islamic theocratic state one day, and it would be hostile to Sikhism . A section of Sikh leaders grew concerned that their community would be left without any homeland following the partition of India between the Hindus and the Muslims . They put forward the idea of Khalistan, envisaging it as a theocratic state covering a small part of the greater Punjab region . The country which he proposed would include parts of present - day Indian Punjab, Pakistani Punjab (including Lahore), and the Simla Hill States . It was imagined as a theocratic state led by the Maharaja of Patiala with the aid of a cabinet consisting of the representatives of other units . </P> <P> After British India was partitioned on a religious basis in 1947, Punjab province was divided between India and newly created Pakistan . A majority of the Sikhs along with the Hindus migrated from the Pakistani province of Punjab to the Indian province of Punjab, which then included present - day Haryana and Himachal Pradesh . The Sikh population that, in 1941, was as high as 19.8% in some districts of Pakistan, dropped to 0.1% in all of them, and it rose sharply in the districts assigned to India . They were still a minority in the Punjab province of India, which remained a Hindu - majority province . </P>

Who coined the word khalistan referring to an independent sikh state in 1947