View source for Gajapati district

{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Gajapati district
| official_name           =
| other_name              = 
| nickname                = 
| settlement_type         = [[List of districts of Odisha|District]] of [[Odisha]]
| image_skyline           = {{photomontage
| photo1a = Khasada Waterfall Jiranga.jpg
| photo1b = Mahendragiri Hills.jpg
| photo2a =
| photo2b = Gandahati Waterfall.jpg
| photo3a = B.N. Palace.jpg
| photo3b = Mahendragiri Temple, Mahendragiri.jpg
| photo4a =
| spacing                 = 1
| color_border            = darkgreen
| color                   = white
| size                    = 250
}}
| image_alt               =
| image_caption           = Clockwise from top-left: Khasada Waterfall, [[Mahendragiri (Odisha)|Mahendragiri Hills]], [[Padmasambhava Mahavihara monastery]], [[Gandahati waterfall]], B.N. Palace, Mahendragiri Temple, [[Gajapati Palace]]
| image_map               = India Odisha Gajapati district.svg
| image_map1              =
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = Location in Odisha
| coordinates             = {{coord|19.03|N|84.2|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1       = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1       = {{flagicon image|Orissa Flag(INDIA).png}} [[Odisha]]
| subdivision_type3       = [[Community development block|CD Blocks]] and [[tehsil|Tahasils]]
| subdivision_name3       = 07
| established_title       = <!-- Established -->District<br />Formation
| established_date        = {{start date and age|1992|10|2}}
| founder                 = 
| named_for               = [[Krushna Chandra Gajapati|Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo]]
| seat_type               = Headquarter
| seat                    = [[Paralakhemundi]]
| parts_type              = [[Community development block|CD Blocks]] and [[tehsil|Tahasils]]
| parts_style             = para
| p1                      = '''[[Paralakhemundi|Gosani]]<br>[[Kashinagar]]<br>[[Gumma, Gajapati|Gumma]]<br>[[Rayagada, Gajapati|Rayagada]]<br>[[Nuagada Block|Nuagada]]<br>[[R. Udayagiri]]<br>[[Mohana]]'''
| government_type         =
| governing_body          =
| leader_title1           = [[District collector|District Collector and District Magistrate]]
| leader_name1            = Smruti Ranjan Pradhan, [[Indian Administrative Service|IAS]]
| leader_title2           = [[Superintendent of Police]]
| leader_name2            = Swathy S. Kumar, [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]
| unit_pref               = Metric
| area_footnotes          =
| area_rank               = 16th
| area_total_km2          = 3850
| elevation_footnotes     =
| elevation_m             = 1501
| population_total        = 814,722
| population_as_of        = 2024
| population_rank         = 28th
| population_density_km2  = 212
| population_demonym      = Gajapatia
| population_footnotes    =
| demographics_type1      = Languages
| demographics1_title1    = Official
| demographics1_info1     = [[Odia language|Odia]], [[English language|English]]
| demographics1_title2    = Local
| demographics1_info2     = [[Sora language|Sora]]{{*}}[[Kui language (India)|Kui]]
| timezone1               = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1             = +5:30
| postal_code_type        = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code             = 761 xxx
| area_code               = 06815 [[Paralakhemundi]]<br>06816 [[Mohana]]<br>06817 [[R. Udayagiri]]
| area_code_type          = Telephone code
| registration_plate      = OD-20
| blank1_name_sec1        = Nearest city
| blank1_info_sec1        = [[Berhampur|Brahmapur]]
| blank2_name_sec1        = [[Human sex ratio|Sex ratio]]
| blank2_info_sec1        = 1046 [[male|♂]]/[[female|♀]]
| blank3_name_sec1        = Literacy
| blank3_info_sec1        = 53.49%
| blank4_name_sec1        = [[Lok Sabha|House of the People Constituency]] 
| blank4_info_sec1        = [[Berhampur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Brahmapur]]
| blank5_name_sec1        = [[Odisha Legislative Assembly|Legislative Assembly Constituency]]
| blank5_info_sec1        = 2 {{collapsible list|title={{nbsp}}|136-[[Mohana (Odisha Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mohana]](ST)<br/> 137-[[Paralakhemundi (Odisha Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Paralakhemundi]]}}
| blank1_name_sec2        = [[Climate of India|Climate]]
| blank1_info_sec2        = [[Climatic regions of India|Aw]] <small>([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]])</small>
| blank2_name_sec2        = [[Precipitation (meteorology)|Precipitation]]
| blank2_info_sec2        = {{convert|1403.3|mm|in}}
| blank3_name_sec2        = Avg. summer temperature
| blank3_info_sec2        = {{convert|41|°C|°F}}
| blank4_name_sec2        = Avg. winter temperature
| blank4_info_sec2        = {{convert|04|°C|°F}}
| website                 = {{URL|www.gajapati.nic.in/}}
| footnotes               =
}}

'''Gajapati district''' is a district of [[Odisha]] State in [[India]]. It was carved out of [[Ganjam District]] on 2 October, 1992. As of 2011 it is the third least populous district of [[Odisha]] (out of [[List of districts of Odisha|30]]), after [[Debagarh district|Debagarh]] and [[Boudh district|Boudh]].<ref name="districtcensus">{{Cite web |title=District Census Handbook 2011 – Gajapati|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/932/download/36596/DH_2011_2120_PART_A_DCHB_GAJAPATI.pdf|website=[[Census of India]]|publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref> 
Gajapati district was named after [[Krushna Chandra Gajapati|Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deb]], the King of the [[Paralakhemundi Estate|Paralakhemundi estate]] and the first [[Prime Minister of Orissa]], who is remembered for his contribution to the formation of a separate state, and inclusion of his estate in [[Odisha]]. The district headquarters at [[Paralakhemundi]], formerly a [[Zamindar]]i, has been clustered within a radius of approximately 5 kilometers around the geometric centre of [[Paralakhemundi Estate|Paralakhemundi]].

==History==
The history of Gajapati district goes back to the Paralakhemundi kingdom. It was part of the [[Gajapati Empire|Gajapati Kingdom]] of Odisha. During the 12th century CE Paralakhemundi was part of the Khemundi state. During the reign of Mukunda Dev Khemundi was trifurcated creating 3 states Bada Khemundi, Sana Khemundi and Paralakhemundi. After the trifurcation, Subhalinga Bhanu became the ruler of the Paralakhemundi. This line of kings continued to rule Paralakhemundi throughout the Mughal Maratha rule of Odisha. Before the British completed control of Odisha, Parala became a feudal state of British Raj during the reign of Gajapati Jagannatha Narayanadev in 1767. The state had some conflict with the British administrators. The king Gajapati Jagannatha Narayanadev and his son was arrested by the British. The state then came under direct British supervision. There was a revolt among the tribals and Paikas of the state against the King's detention. Due to this, the King was reinstated to his position.<ref name="Dāsa Sahitya Akademi 2002 pp. 97–99 ">{{cite book | last=Dāsa | first=P. | author2=Sahitya Akademi | title=Bhakta Kavi Gopāla Krishna | publisher=Sahitya Akademi | series=Makers of Indian literature | year=2002 | isbn=978-81-260-1201-5 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8LbXhwYq1uoC | language=lv | access-date=2019-05-27 | pages=97–99}}</ref> Paralakhemundi remained under the administration as a feudatory state until its unification with Odisha.<ref name="Acharya 2008 p.1 ">{{cite book | last=Acharya | first=P. | title=National Movement and Politics in Orissa, 1920–1929 | publisher=SAGE Publications | series=SAGE Series in Modern Indian History | year=2008 | isbn=978-81-321-0001-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LoaHAwAAQBAJ | access-date=2019-05-27 | page=1}}</ref>
One of the prominent kings of Parala was [[Krushna Chandra Gajapati]]. He was an active member of Utkal Sammilani and was instrumental in creating the separate state for Odisha. Finally, with the effort of Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati and Utkal Sammilani, the separate state of United Odisha was formed on 1 April 1936. The state of Paralkhemundi in Vizagapatam district was partitioned into two – with the capital and most of the princely state coming under Odisha and the remaining [[Telugu language|Telugu-speaking]] areas remained under Madras Presidency. In 1937, the first Governor of Odisha, Sir John Austin Hubback invited Krushna Chandra Gajapati Dev to form the cabinet. Shri Gajapati was the first Prime Minister of the Odisha state from 1 April 1937 to 18 July 1937. He was the Prime Minister of Odisha for the second time from 24 November 1941 to 30 June 1944.<ref name="Orissa Tourism Development Corporation Odisha (India). Dept. of Home 1980 p.87 ">{{cite book | author=Orissa Tourism Development Corporation | author2=Odisha (India). Dept. of Home | title=The Heritage of Odisha | publisher=Produced by Odisha Tourism Development Corporation for the Department of Home, Government of Odisha | year=1980 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DgdDAAAAYAAJ | access-date=2019-05-30 | page=87}}</ref><ref name="Devi 1992 p. 213">{{cite book | last=Devi | first=B. | title=Some Aspects of British Administration in Odisha, 1912–1936 | publisher=Academic Foundation | year=1992 | isbn=978-81-7188-072-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lBQQHizn788C&pg=PA213 | access-date=2019-05-30 | page=213}}</ref>

It was created from [[Ganjam District]] on 2 October, 1992. Gajapati district was named after [[Krushna Chandra Gajapati|Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deb]], the King of the [[Paralakhemundi Estate|Paralakhemundi estate]] and the first [[Prime Minister of Orissa]], who is remembered for his contribution in the formation of a separate state, and inclusion of his estate in [[Odisha]]. The district headquarters at [[Paralakhemundi]], formerly a [[Zamindar]]i, has been clustered within a radius of approximately 5 kilometers around the geometric centre of [[Paralakhemundi Estate|Paralakhemundi]].

==Geography==
[[File:Paddy Fields around the road from Munising to Seranga in Gajapati District.jpg|thumb|Paddy Fields around the road from Munising to Seranga in Gajapati District]]
{{mapframe|frame=yes|type=point|zoom=SWITCH:11, 9, 7|switch=zoomed in, zoomed mid, zoomed out}}
Gajapati district located at the south-east of Odisha between longitude 84° 32'E and 83° 47'E and latitude 18° 44'N and 19° 39'N. The [[Mahendratanaya River]] flows through it. The district borders with Andhra Pradesh in the south, [[Rayagada district|District of Rayagada]] to the west, [[Ganjam district|District of Ganjam]] to the east and [[Kandhamal district|District of Kandhamala]] to the north. The district is located on a hilly terrain of Eastern Ghats. The mountain Mahendragiri, a segment of Eastern Ghats is situated in this district.

The climate is subtropical with high humidity. The summer season is between March and mid-June and is extremely hot with the temperature reaching 46&nbsp;°C. The winter season is mild and temperature can fall lowest to 9&nbsp;°C November to February. The rainy season lasts between mid-June and mid-October and it receives approximately 1000&nbsp;mm of rainfall primarily from the southwest monsoons.<ref name="Parlakhemundi FD">{{cite web | title=Parlakhemundi FD :: Odisha Wildlife Organisation | website=Welcome | url=https://www.wildlife.odisha.gov.in/WebPortal/FD_Parlakhemundi.aspx | access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref>

== Administrative setup ==
The 7 Tahasils in Gajapati district under one sub-divisions are listed in the following table.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ 7 Tahasils
! # !! [[Paralakhemundi|Paralakhemundi Sub-Division]]
|-
| 1 || [[Paralakhemundi]]
|-
| 2 || [[Gumma, Gajapati|Gumma]] 
|-
| 3 || [[Rayagada, Gajapati|Rayagada]]
|-
| 4 || [[Nuagada Block|Nuagada]]
|-
| 5 || [[Mohana]]
|-
| 6 || [[Kashinagar]]
|-
| 7 || [[R. Udayagiri]]
|}

The 7 Blocks in Gajapati district under one sub-divisions are listed in the following table.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ 7 Blocks
! # !! [[Paralakhemundi|Paralakhemundi Sub-Division]]
|-
| 1 || [[Paralakhemundi|Gosani]]
|-
| 2 || [[Gumma, Gajapati|Gumma]] 
|-
| 3 || [[Rayagada, Gajapati|Rayagada]]
|-
| 4 || [[Nuagada Block|Nuagada]]
|-
| 5 || [[Mohana]]
|-
| 6 || [[Kashinagar]]
|-
| 7 || [[R. Udayagiri]]
|}

There are 11 Police Stations under the two Police Districts in Ganjam Administrative district, which are listed in the following table.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ 11 Police Stations
! # !!
[[Odisha Police|Gajapati Police District]]
|-
| 1 || [[Adava|Adava P.S.]] 
|-
| 2 || [[Mohana]] P.S.
|-
| 3 || [[Ramagiri, Gajapati|Ramagiri]] P.S.
|-
| 4 || [[R. Udayagiri]] P.S.
|-
| 5 || [[Serango]] P.S.
|-
| 6 || [[Kashinagar]] P.S.
|-
| 7 || [[Paralakhemundi]] P.S.
|-
| 8 || Gurandi P.S.
|-
| 9 || Garabandha P.S.
|-
| 10 || [[Rayagada, Gajapati|Rayagada]] P.S. 
|-
| 11 || Energy P.S. [[Paralakhemundi]]
|}

==Economy==
In 2006 the [[Ministry of Panchayati Raj]] named Gajapati one of the country's 250 [[Poverty in India|most backward districts]] (out of a total of [[Districts of India|640]]).<ref name=brgf/> It is one of the 19 districts in Odisha currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).<ref name=brgf>{{cite web|author=Ministry of Panchayati Raj |date=September 8, 2009 |title=A Note on the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme |publisher=National Institute of Rural Development |url=http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |access-date=September 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405033402/http://www.nird.org.in/brgf/doc/brgf_BackgroundNote.pdf |archive-date=April 5, 2012 }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{historical populations|11=1901|12=1,84,840|13=1911|14=2,05,514|15=1921|16=1,98,842|17=1931|18=2,25,161|19=1941|20=2,52,613|21=1951|22=2,62,998|23=1961|24=2,85,069|25=1971|26=3,48,964|27=1981|28=4,02,271|29=1991|30=4,54,708|31=2001|32=5,18,837|33=2011|34=5,77,817|35=2023|36=8,03,166|source=Census of India<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/A2_Data_Table.html Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901]</ref>|align=right}}

{{bar box
|title=Religions in Gajapati district (2011)<ref name="census2011-religion">{{cite web|title=Table C-01 Population by Religious Community: Odisha|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11387/download/14500/DDW21C-01%20MDDS.XLS|website=Census of India, 2023|publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref>
|titlebar=#Fcd116
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
|float=left
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Hinduism in Odisha|Hinduism]]|darkorange|61.12}}
{{bar percent|[[Christianity in Odisha|Christianity]]|dodgerblue|37.98}}
{{bar percent|Other or not stated|black|0.90}}
}}

According to the [[2011 census of India|2023 census]] Gajapati district has a [[Demographics of India|population]] of 803,166,<ref name="districtcensus"/> approximate equal to the nation of [[Bhutan]]<ref name="cia">{{cite web | author = US Directorate of Intelligence | title = Country Comparison:Population | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | access-date = 2011-10-01 | quote = Solomon Islands 571,890 July 2011 est. | archive-date = 2011-09-27 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110927165947/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html | url-status = dead }}</ref> or the US state of [[North Dakota]].<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php 
 |title=2010 Resident Population Data 
 |publisher=U. S. Census Bureau 
 |access-date=2011-09-30 
 |quote=Vermont 563,626 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101090833/http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php 
 |archive-date=2011-01-01
}}</ref> This gives it a ranking of 573rd in India (out of a total of [[Districts of India|766]]).<ref name=districtcensus/> The district has a population density of {{convert|133|PD/sqkm|PD/sqmi}}.<ref name=districtcensus/> Its [[Family planning in India|population growth rate]] over the decade 2001–2011 was 10.99%.<ref name=districtcensus/> Gajapati has a [[human sex ratio|sex ratio]] of 1046 [[Women in India|females]] for every 1000 males,<ref name=districtcensus/> and a [[Literacy in India|literacy rate]] of 54.29%. 12.23% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 6.78% and 54.29% of the population respectively.<ref name=districtcensus/>

===Language===
{{Pie chart
|thumb = left
|caption = Languages of Gajapati district (2011)<ref name="census2011-langreport"/>
|label1 = [[Odia language|Odia]] |value1 = 41.51 |color1 = saddlebrown
|label2 = [[Sora language|Sora]] |value2 = 34.49 |color2 = mediumvioletred
|label3 = [[Telugu language|Telugu]] |value3 = 15.53 |color3 = steelblue
|label4 = [[Kui language (India)|Kui]] |value4 = 5.54 |color4 = indigo
|label5 = [[Kuvi language|Kuvi]] |value5 = 1.25 |color5 = darkslateblue
|label6 = Others |value6 = 1.68 |color6 = Grey
}}

At the time of the [[2011 Census of India]], 41.51% of the population in the district spoke [[Odia language|Odia]], 34.49% [[Sora language|Sora]], 15.53% [[Telugu language|Telugu]], 5.54% [[Kui language (India)|Kui]] and 1.25% [[Kuvi language|Kuvi]] as their first language.<ref name="census2011-langreport">{{cite web |title=Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Odisha|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/10217/download/13329/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-2100.XLSX|website=Census of India 2011 |publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]]}}</ref>

== Culture ==
The mountain [[Mahendragiri (Odisha)|Mahendragiri]], a segment of [[Eastern Ghats]] is situated in [[Paralakhemundi]]. Legend says that it is the place where lord [[Parashurama]], a Chiranjeevi staying eternally and doing [[tapasya]]. Temples built by [[Pandavas]] are seen. Main festival here is [[Shivaratri]], the worship of [[Shiva]], the guru or percepter of lord [[Parashurama]].

==Education==
===Colleges===
* [[S. K. C. G. Autonomous College, Paralakhemundi]]
* Women's College, Paralakhemundi
* Sanskrit College, Paralakhemundi
* Centurion School for Rural Enterprise Management
* [[Centurion University of Technology and Management]](CUTM)
* Gajapati College of Pharmacy
* Gajapati College of Nursing
* Gajapati School of Nursing
* Indira Memorial College, Chandiput
* Gurandi College
* Narayanpur College

===Schools===
* Maha Raja's Boys High School (MRBHS)
* Maha Raja's Girls High School (MRGHS)
* Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV)
* Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV)
* Centurion Public School (CPS)
* St. Joseph english medium school(sjs)

==Politics==
{{State of Odisha}}
The district sends two representatives to state legislature, [[Odisha Vidhan Sabha]]. The following is the two [[Odisha Legislative Assembly|Vidhan sabha]] constituencies<ref>[http://eci.nic.in/delim/Final_Publications/Orissa/orissa.pdf Assembly Constituencies and their EXtent]</ref><ref>[http://eci.nic.in/delim/paper1to7/Orissa.xls Seats of Odisha]</ref> of Gajapati district and the elected members<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ws.ori.nic.in/ola/mlaprofile/listofmem1.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070502003512/http://ws.ori.nic.in/ola/mlaprofile/listofmem1.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 May 2007 |title=List of Member in Fourteenth Assembly |work=ws.ori.nic.in |quote=MEMBER NAME |access-date=19 February 2013 }}</ref> of those areas.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!No.
!Constituency
!Reservation
!Extent of the Assembly Constituency (Blocks)
!Member of Current Assembly
![[Political party|Party]]
|-
!136
|[[Mohana]]
|ST
|Mohana, [[R. Udayagiri]], Nuagada, Rayagada
|Dasarathi Gamango
| bgcolor=#00BFFF | [[Indian National Congress|INC]]
|-
!137
|[[Parlakhemundi]]
|None
|Parlakhemundi (M), Kashinagar (NAC), Guma, Kashinagar, Parlakhemundi
|Rupesh Jena (2024 onwards)
| bgcolor=#FF9933 | [[Bharatiya Janata Dal|BJD]]
|}

The district is part of [[Berhampur (Lok Sabha constituency)]]. The MP of Berhampur is [[Chandra Sekhar Sahu]] from the [[Biju Janata Dal|BJD]].

==Media==
* The Pioneer Rajeev Rathan
* GTV
* CHANNEL 3

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official website}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Gajapati district
|North     = [[Kandhamal district]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Ganjam district]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Srikakulam district]], [[Andhra Pradesh]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Rayagada district]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Gajapati district}}
{{Odisha}}
{{Minority Concentrated Districts in India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Gajapati district| ]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1992]]
[[Category:Minority concentrated districts in India]]
[[Category:1992 establishments in Orissa]]
[[Category:Districts of Odisha]]