Tumakuru district (also spelt Tumkur) is an administrative district in the south-central part of the Indian state of Karnataka. The district headquarters is located at the city of Tumakuru, situated about 70 kilometres north-west of Bengaluru on National Highway 48. The district forms part of the Bengaluru Division and is one of the larger districts of Karnataka by area.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Karnataka |
| Division | Bengaluru Division |
| Headquarters | Tumakuru |
| Official language | Kannada |
| Type | District of Karnataka |
Tumakuru district lies on the southern edge of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by Chitradurga district to the north, Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh to the north-east, Bengaluru Rural district and Ramanagara district to the east and south-east, Mandya district to the south, Hassan district to the south-west, and Chikkamagaluru district to the west.
The terrain is largely undulating with scattered granite hills. Devarayanadurga, a hill range close to Tumakuru city, is a notable forested upland and pilgrimage site. Madhugiri Betta, in the northern part of the district, is reputed to be one of the largest monolithic hills in Asia. The district is drained chiefly by tributaries of the Cauvery and the Krishna systems, including the Shimsha and the Jayamangali. The climate is semi-arid in the northern taluks and somewhat wetter in the south-west.
The district is administered by a Deputy Commissioner and is divided into several taluks for revenue and administrative purposes. The taluks include:
The district sends representatives to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from multiple constituencies and forms part of the Tumkur Lok Sabha constituency, which elects a member to the Lok Sabha.
The region that now constitutes Tumakuru district has historically been ruled by several major South Indian dynasties, including the Western Gangas, the Chalukyas, the Hoysalas and the Vijayanagara Empire. After the decline of Vijayanagara, parts of the area were governed by local palegars, notably the chiefs of Madhugiri and Sira. Sira later became the seat of a Mughal subah in the early 18th century before passing under the control of the Wodeyars of Mysore and subsequently Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.
Following the fall of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the territory became part of the princely state of Mysore under British paramountcy. Tumkur district was constituted as a revenue unit during this period and continued as a district after the integration of the princely state into the Indian Union in 1947 and the linguistic reorganisation of states in 1956. In 2007, Pavagada and adjacent taluks were briefly considered for inclusion in a proposed new district; the district itself was officially renamed from Tumkur to Tumakuru in 2014, in line with the renaming of several Karnataka cities and districts to reflect Kannada usage.
The economy of Tumakuru district is predominantly agricultural. Major crops include ragi, paddy, groundnut, maize, pulses and oilseeds. Tiptur is widely known as a major centre for the trade and processing of coconut and copra in southern India, and the district as a whole is among the leading producers of coconut and arecanut in Karnataka. Sericulture and dairying are also important rural occupations.
Industrial activity is concentrated around Tumakuru city, which has been designated as part of the Chennai–Bengaluru Industrial Corridor and hosts a node of the National Industrial Manufacturing Zone. The HAL helicopter manufacturing facility at Gubbi taluk, established by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, is among the most prominent industrial investments in the district. Pavagada hosts the Pavagada Solar Park (Shakti Sthala), one of the largest solar power parks in the world by installed capacity.
According to the 2011 Census of India, Tumakuru is among the more populous districts of Karnataka. The majority of inhabitants speak Kannada, with smaller communities speaking Telugu, Urdu and Lambadi. Hinduism is the religion of the majority, with significant Muslim, Jain and Christian minorities. The district has a mix of urban centres such as Tumakuru, Tiptur and Sira, and a predominantly rural population engaged in agriculture and allied activities.
Tumakuru is well connected by road and rail. National Highway 48 (the Bengaluru–Pune corridor) passes through the district, and NH-150A and NH-206 also traverse it. The Bengaluru–Hubballi railway line of South Western Railway runs through Tumakuru, which is a major station; suburban rail services connecting Tumakuru with Bengaluru have been planned as part of regional commuter rail proposals. The nearest international airport is Kempegowda International Airport at Devanahalli.
Tumakuru is an established centre of higher education in Karnataka. Tumkur University, established in 2004, is a state university headquartered in the city. The Siddaganga Institute of Technology, run by the Siddaganga Education Society, is among the older engineering colleges in the state. The district also hosts medical, dental and agricultural colleges, along with numerous government and aided schools.