Nagarkurnool district is an administrative district in the southern part of the Indian state of Telangana. It was carved out of the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district as part of a major reorganisation of districts in Telangana that took effect on 11 October 2016. The town of Nagarkurnool serves as the district headquarters.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Telangana |
| Region | Telangana (southern) |
| Headquarters | Nagarkurnool |
| Formed | 11 October 2016 |
| Parent district | Mahbubnagar district |
| Official language | Telugu |
Nagarkurnool district lies in the Telangana Plateau and forms part of the Palamuru region. It is bounded by other districts created from the original Mahbubnagar district, including Mahbubnagar, Wanaparthy, and Nalgonda, and shares a southern boundary along the Krishna River with the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Following the formation of Telangana as a separate state in June 2014, the state government undertook a comprehensive restructuring of its administrative units to bring governance closer to citizens. On 11 October 2016, the number of districts in Telangana was increased from 10 to 31. Nagarkurnool was constituted as one of the new districts, being separated from the large Mahbubnagar district along with Wanaparthy, Jogulamba Gadwal, and Narayanpet (the last being added later).
The district contains a significant portion of the Nallamala forest range, including parts of the Amrabad Tiger Reserve, one of the largest tiger reserves in India. The terrain is a mix of plateau land, hill ranges, and river valleys. The Krishna River and its tributaries form the principal drainage system. The climate is largely semi-arid, with hot summers and a monsoon-fed agricultural season.
Nagarkurnool district is administered by a District Collector. For revenue and local administration, it is divided into revenue divisions and a number of mandals, with Nagarkurnool, Kalwakurthy, Achampet, and Kollapur among the principal towns. The district is part of the Mahabubnagar Lok Sabha constituency for parliamentary representation, and includes assembly constituencies such as Nagarkurnool, Achampet, Kalwakurthy, and Kollapur.
The economy of the district is predominantly agricultural. Major crops include paddy, cotton, groundnut, pulses, and millets. Forest produce from the Nallamala range, including bamboo and minor non-timber forest products, also contributes to local livelihoods. Irrigation projects on the Krishna basin, including the Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme, have expanded irrigated cultivation in the district.
Nagarkurnool district is significant for its ecological value, hosting a substantial part of the Nallamala forest ecosystem and the Amrabad Tiger Reserve. It also retains cultural links to the former samsthanams (feudatory estates) of the Hyderabad State, particularly Kollapur and Jataprole, which were patrons of Telugu literature, temple architecture, and classical arts.