Sant Kabir Nagar is a district in the eastern part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It forms part of the Basti division and is named after the medieval mystic poet and saint Kabir, whose memorial at Maghar lies within the district. The administrative headquarters is located at Khalilabad.
| State | Uttar Pradesh |
|---|---|
| Division | Basti |
| Headquarters | Khalilabad |
| Formation | 1999, carved out of Basti district |
| Named after | Sant Kabir |
| Region | Purvanchal, eastern Uttar Pradesh |
The district was created on 5 September 1999 by separating tehsils from the erstwhile Basti district. It was named in honour of Sant Kabir, the 15th-century weaver-saint and poet of the Bhakti movement, who is traditionally believed to have spent his final days at Maghar. The town houses both a samadhi and a mazar associated with him, reflecting the saint's reverence among Hindus and Muslims alike.
Sant Kabir Nagar lies in the Ghaghara–Rapti plain of the Indo-Gangetic basin. It is bordered by Siddharthnagar to the north, Gorakhpur to the east, Ambedkar Nagar to the south, and Basti to the west. The Rapti and the Kuano are among the principal rivers traversing the district, and the terrain is largely alluvial and agricultural.
The district is divided into tehsils including Khalilabad, Mehdawal and Dhanghata. It contains nine community development blocks and is part of the Sant Kabir Nagar parliamentary constituency for the Lok Sabha. For policing and revenue purposes it falls under the Basti commissionerate-region structure of the Uttar Pradesh government.
The economy is predominantly agrarian, with paddy, wheat, sugarcane, pulses and oilseeds as major crops. The district is well known for its handloom weaving tradition, particularly the Bhagalpuri-style and cotton textiles produced around Khalilabad, Maghar and Bakhira. Handloom weaving in the region has historical links to the Kabirpanthi and Julaha weaver communities.
The district is served by National Highway 27 (the east–west corridor) and lies on the Northeastern Railway's Gorakhpur–Lucknow main line, with Khalilabad as the principal railway station. The nearest major airport is at Gorakhpur.
Sant Kabir Nagar's identity is closely tied to the legacy of Kabir, making Maghar a centre for devotional and literary tourism. The Bakhira sanctuary adds an ecological dimension, while the handloom clusters contribute to Uttar Pradesh's textile heritage under schemes such as the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, which recognises the district for its terry towels and bedsheets.