Prakasam district is a district located in the southern part of the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. The district is named after Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, the first Chief Minister of Andhra State, who was popularly known as Andhra Kesari ("Lion of Andhra"). The administrative headquarters of the district is at Ongole.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| Region | Coastal Andhra (Rayalaseema border) |
| Headquarters | Ongole |
| Formed | 2 February 1970 |
| Named after | Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu |
| Official language | Telugu |
The district was carved out on 2 February 1970 from parts of the erstwhile Guntur, Nellore and Kurnool districts. It was initially called Ongole district and was renamed Prakasam district in 1972 in honour of Tanguturi Prakasam, who hailed from this region. In 2022, as part of a state-wide reorganisation of districts in Andhra Pradesh, the boundaries of Prakasam district were redrawn, with several mandals transferred to the newly formed Bapatla and Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore districts.
Prakasam district lies on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. It is bounded by Bapatla and Guntur districts to the north, Nellore district to the south, the districts of Nandyal and Kurnool to the west, and the Bay of Bengal to the east. The terrain ranges from the coastal plains in the east to the Nallamala Hills and the eastern fringes of the Deccan Plateau in the west, parts of which are within the Nagarjunsagar–Srisailam Tiger Reserve. Major rivers flowing through the district include the Gundlakamma and the Musi. The climate is generally tropical, with the district frequently affected by cyclones originating in the Bay of Bengal.
The district is divided into revenue divisions, each headed by a Sub-Collector or Revenue Divisional Officer, and is further organised into mandals for revenue and general administration. The Collector and District Magistrate, an Indian Administrative Service officer, is the head of the district administration. The principal urban centres include Ongole, Markapur, Kandukur, Giddalur and Chimakurthy.
Agriculture is the backbone of the district's economy, with major crops including paddy, tobacco, cotton, chillies, pulses and groundnut. Prakasam is a leading producer of Virginia tobacco in India, and Ongole is renowned internationally for the Ongole breed of cattle, prized for their strength and disease resistance and exported widely, particularly to Brazil and other parts of Latin America. The district is also notable for its granite industry, with the area around Chimakurthy being a major source of black galaxy granite that is exported worldwide. Marine fisheries along the coastline and aquaculture are additional important economic activities.
The district has several historical and pilgrimage sites. Tripurantakam is one of the recognised Trilinga Kshetras of Shiva. Other notable temples include the Bhairaveswara temple and the Chennakesava Swamy temple. The Buddhist heritage of the region is reflected at sites such as Chandavaram, where excavations have revealed an ancient stupa complex dating to the early centuries of the Common Era. The district has produced significant figures in Telugu literature and the freedom movement.
Prakasam district is well connected by road and rail. The National Highway 16 (the old Chennai–Kolkata highway, part of the Golden Quadrilateral) passes through Ongole, linking it to Chennai and Vijayawada. The Howrah–Chennai main line of the Indian Railways runs through the district, with Ongole being the principal railway station. The district also has a coastline with minor ports.