Bhopal district is an administrative district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The city of Bhopal, which serves as the capital of Madhya Pradesh, is the headquarters of the district. It is one of the most urbanised districts in the state and forms part of the Bhopal division.
Key facts
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| Division | Bhopal division |
| Headquarters | Bhopal |
| Region | Malwa plateau, central India |
| Country | India |
Geography
The district lies on the Malwa plateau in central Madhya Pradesh and is characterised by undulating terrain, low hills, and several lakes. The Upper Lake (Bhojtal) and the Lower Lake within Bhopal city are among its most prominent water bodies, and together they form the Bhoj Wetland, recognised as a Ramsar site. The district is bordered by Sehore, Raisen, and Vidisha districts.
Administration
The district is administered by a District Collector and Magistrate, with law and order overseen by a Commissioner of Police for the Bhopal Police Commissionerate. For revenue and administrative purposes, the district is divided into tehsils and sub-divisions, with Bhopal city accounting for the bulk of the population. The district elects representatives to the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly and to the Lok Sabha through the Bhopal parliamentary constituency.
History
The area corresponding to present-day Bhopal district was historically the core of the princely state of Bhopal, founded in the early 18th century by Dost Mohammad Khan, an Afghan soldier formerly in the Mughal service. Bhopal State was notable for being ruled by a succession of female rulers, the Begums of Bhopal, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, including Qudsia Begum, Sikandar Begum, Shah Jahan Begum, and Sultan Jahan Begum.
Bhopal State acceded to the Indian Union in 1949 and was administered as a Part C state until the reorganisation of states in 1956, when it was merged into the newly formed state of Madhya Pradesh. Bhopal was made the capital of Madhya Pradesh, replacing Nagpur, which had been the capital of the earlier Madhya Pradesh under the 1950 constitutional arrangement.
On the night of 2–3 December 1984, the district was the site of the Bhopal gas tragedy, one of the world's worst industrial disasters, when methyl isocyanate gas leaked from a Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant, causing large-scale loss of life and long-term health and environmental consequences.
Demographics and economy
The district is predominantly urban, with Bhopal city forming the principal population and economic centre. Hindi is the principal language; Urdu is also widely used, reflecting the district's Nawabi heritage. The economy is driven by government administration, education, services, trade, and manufacturing. Major institutions and industries based in the district include the heavy electrical equipment manufacturer Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), which operates a large unit at Piplani.
Education and institutions
Bhopal district hosts several institutions of national importance, including the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal, the Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), the National Law Institute University, and the National Institute of Design. State universities such as Barkatullah University and Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya are also located in the district.
Culture and heritage
The district preserves a distinct Indo-Islamic architectural and cultural heritage, with monuments such as Taj-ul-Masajid, Jama Masjid, Moti Masjid, Shaukat Mahal, and Sadar Manzil dating from the era of the Bhopal Begums. Cultural institutions in the district include the Bharat Bhavan multi-arts centre and the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, a national anthropological museum. The Van Vihar National Park lies within the district adjacent to the Upper Lake.
Transport
The district is served by Raja Bhoj Airport, the Bhopal Junction and Rani Kamlapati railway stations on the West Central Railway, and major highways including National Highway 46 and National Highway 146. The Bhopal Metro is being developed to serve the urban area.