Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University is a central university established by the Government of India in the state of Telangana. The university is named after Sammakka and Sarakka, the mother–daughter tribal warrior deities venerated at the Medaram Jatara, one of the largest tribal congregations in Asia. It is intended to serve as a dedicated higher-education institution for tribal communities, with a focus on academics, research, and the preservation of tribal culture, languages, and knowledge systems.
| Name | Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University |
|---|---|
| Type | Central university (Tribal) |
| State | Telangana, India |
| Established by | Act of the Parliament of India |
| Named after | Sammakka and Sarakka, tribal deities of the Medaram Jatara |
| Administered under | Ministry of Education, Government of India |
The demand for a central tribal university in Telangana was raised consistently after the formation of the state in 2014, drawing on commitments made during the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. Telangana has a substantial Scheduled Tribe population, particularly concentrated in the erstwhile districts of Warangal, Khammam, Adilabad and Mahbubabad, where communities such as the Koya, Lambada, Gond and Konda Reddi reside. The choice of name reflects the cultural significance of the Medaram Jatara, a biennial festival held in Mulugu district that draws millions of devotees, and acknowledges the historical resistance of Sammakka and Sarakka against the Kakatiya rulers in the 13th century.
The university was provided for through an amendment to the central legislation governing tribal universities in India, extending the framework that had earlier created the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University in Madhya Pradesh. Its creation enables the institution to function as a fully fledged central university, with degree-granting powers and access to central government funding through the University Grants Commission.
The university is the second central tribal university in India, after the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University at Amarkantak. Its establishment is significant for Telangana, as it institutionalises higher education focused on tribal communities within the state and creates a centre for the academic study of regional tribal heritage, including the traditions associated with the Medaram Jatara.