Pratapgarh district is an administrative district in the southern part of the Indian state of Rajasthan. The district headquarters is located at the town of Pratapgarh. It lies in the Mewar–Vagad transition zone, sharing borders with the districts of Chittorgarh and Banswara in Rajasthan and with parts of Madhya Pradesh. Pratapgarh was constituted as the 33rd district of Rajasthan in 2008, carved out of portions of the earlier Chittorgarh, Banswara and Udaipur districts.
| State | Rajasthan |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Headquarters | Pratapgarh |
| Date of formation | 26 January 2008 |
| Administrative division | Udaipur division |
| Region | Southern Rajasthan (Mewar–Vagad) |
The town of Pratapgarh has historical associations with the erstwhile princely state of Pratapgarh (also known as Partabgarh or Deolia–Pratapgarh), a Rajput state that existed under the British Raj and was a part of the Rajputana Agency. After independence and the integration of princely states, the area became part of the state of Rajasthan and was administered as a tehsil within Chittorgarh district for several decades.
The district is known historically for the production of Thewa, a traditional art form involving the fusing of intricately worked sheet gold onto coloured glass. Thewa work originated in Pratapgarh and continues to be associated with families of artisans from the town.
The Government of Rajasthan announced the creation of Pratapgarh as a separate district by reorganising tehsils drawn from the surrounding districts. The new district came into formal existence on 26 January 2008, making it the 33rd district of Rajasthan at the time. The reorganisation was intended to improve administrative reach in a tribal-majority and largely rural area of southern Rajasthan.
Pratapgarh lies on the southern edge of the Aravalli range, where the plateau slopes towards the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. The terrain is a mix of forested hills, undulating uplands and agricultural plains. The Mahi river system and its tributaries drain parts of the district. Forest cover, including teak-bearing tracts, is significant compared with the average for Rajasthan, and the district has parts of the Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary, which is noted for the flying squirrel and four-horned antelope.
The district is part of the Udaipur administrative division of Rajasthan. It is headed by a District Collector and Magistrate, with a Superintendent of Police responsible for law and order. The district is sub-divided into tehsils and panchayat samitis, with the town of Pratapgarh serving as the principal urban centre. Other notable towns and tehsil headquarters include Chhoti Sadri, Arnod, Dhariawad and Peepalkhoont.
Pratapgarh has a substantial Scheduled Tribe population, with the Bhil and Meena communities forming a significant share of the rural population, particularly in the Dhariawad and Peepalkhoont areas. The district is predominantly rural, and the local economy is based largely on agriculture, animal husbandry, forest produce and small-scale handicrafts. Hindi and the local Mewari and Vagdi dialects are widely spoken.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the district's economy, with crops including maize, wheat, soybean, gram and oilseeds. Forest-based livelihoods, including the collection of minor forest produce, are important in tribal areas. Pratapgarh town remains a centre for Thewa jewellery, which has been recognised as a heritage craft of the region.
Pratapgarh is connected by state highways to Chittorgarh, Banswara, Udaipur and Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh. The district is primarily served by road transport; the nearest major railway junctions and airports are located in neighbouring districts, with Udaipur being the closest city with regular air services.
As one of the more recently constituted districts of Rajasthan, Pratapgarh is significant for its role in extending administrative services to a tribal-majority belt of southern Rajasthan. It also preserves a distinctive cultural identity through the Thewa craft tradition and its links to the historical Deolia–Pratapgarh princely state.