# Ahilyanagar district

Ahilyanagar district (Marathi pronunciation:), previously Ahmednagar district, is the largest district of Maharashtra state in western India. The historical city of Ahilyanagar is the headquarters of the district. Ahilyanagar and Sangamner are the largest cities in the district. It was the seat of the Ahmednagar Sultanate of late medieval period (1496–1636 CE). This district is known for the towns of Shirdi associated with Sai Baba, Meherabad associated with Meher Baba, Shani Shinganapur with Shanidev, and Devgad with Lord Dattatreya. Ahilyanagar district is part of Nashik Division. The district is bordered by Aurangabad district to the northeast, Nashik district to the northwest, Thane and Pune districts to the southwest, Solapur district to the south and Beed district to the southeast.

## History

Although Ahilyanagar district was created as early as 1818, modern history of Ahilyanagar may be said to have commenced from 1869, the year when parts of Nashik and Solapur, which till then had comprised Nagar, were separated and the present Nagar district was formed. Ahilyanagar District was created after the defeat of the Maratha Empire in the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818, when most of the Peshwa's domains were annexed to British India. The district remained part of the Central division of Bombay Presidency until India's independence in 1947, when it became part of Bombay State, and in 1960 the new state of Maharashtra. The district along with its namesake city were renamed to Ahilyanagar in 2023 by the government of Eknath Shinde, in honour of Ahilyabai Holkar, the Rani of Indore; the move faced some criticism.

## Economy

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Ahilyanagar one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the twelve districts in Maharashtra currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).
The district has the maximum number of sugar factories in the state. The first cooperative sugar factory in Asia was established at Pravanagar. A role model of water conservation work can be seen at Ralegaon Siddhi, which is also called the Ideal Village.

### Tourism

Newase where Dnyaneshwari was written, Shri Saibaba's Shirdi, one of Ashtavinayaks at Siddhatek, the famous Kanifnath temple, attract devotees. The Palace of Chand Bibi, the Bhandardara dam, Harishchandragad Fort, the Maldhok (Indian Bustard) sanctuary and the Rehkuri sanctuary are some of the places of tourist attraction.
* Ahmednagar Fort
* Bhandardara
* Harishchandragad
* Kalsubai
* Nighoj
* Shani Shingnapur
* Shirdi
* Siddhatek
* Devgad- Shree Datt Mandir
* Newasa - Pais Khamb Mandir

## Divisions

Ahilyanagar district consists of fourteen talukas. These talukas are
* Akole
* Jamkhed
* Karjat
* Kopargaon
* Nagar
* Nevasa
* Parner
* Pathardi
* Rahata
* Rahuri
* Sangamner
* Shevgaon
* Shrigonda
* Shrirampur.
Ahilyanagar district has twelve Vidhan Sabha constituencies, six in each of the two parliamentary constituencies.

### For the Shirdi Parliamentary Constituency (SC)

* #216 Akole (ST)
* #217 Sangamner
* #218 Shirdi
* #219 Kopergaon
* #220 Shrirampur (SC)
* #221 Newasa.

### For the Ahilyanagar Parliamentary Constituency

* #222 Shevgaon
* #223 Rahuri
* #224 Parner
* #225 Ahilyanagar City
* #226 Shrigonda
* #227 Karjat-Jamkhed.
The Ahilyanagar district is under proposal to be divided and a separate Sangamner district and it can be carved out of existing Ahilyanagar district with the inclusion of the northern parts of Ahilyanagar district which include Rahata, Rahuri, Shrirampur, Sangamner, Akole, Kopargaon, and Nevasa talukas in the proposed district. Sangamner is geographically at centre for ease of administration and well connected by Roads. Sangamner having its separate Vana Vibhag, Bandhakam Vibhag Office, District Court etc.
Ralegaon Siddhi is a village in the district that is considered a model of environmental conservation.

## Demographics

In the 2011 census Ahilyanagar district recorded a population of 4,543,159, roughly equal to the nation of Costa Rica or the US state of Louisiana. This gave it a ranking of 33rd among the districts of India (out of a total of 640). The district had a population density of 266 inhabitants per square kilometre (690/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 12.43%. Ahmadnagar had a sex ratio of 934 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 80.22%. 20.09% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 12.63% and 8.63% of the population respectively.
Religions in Ahilyanagar district (2011) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 90.40% | 90.40% |
| Islam | Islam | 7.06% | 7.06% |
| Jainism | Jainism | 0.85% | 0.85% |
| Buddhism | Buddhism | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| Christianity | Christianity | 0.50% | 0.50% |
| Other or not stated | Other or not stated | 0.54% | 0.54% |
In the 2011 census, the vast majority of the population in Ahilyanagar was Hindu, but there was a significant population of Muslims. Jains and Buddhists are small minorities.
* Marathi (88.89%)
* Hindi (4.74%)
* Urdu (2.74%)
* Others (3.63%)
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 88.89% of the population in the district spoke Marathi, 4.74% Hindi and 2.74% Urdu as their first language. Other languages include Telugu and its dialect Waddar, as well as Marwari.

## Culture

Islam arrived in Ahilyanagar during the Tughlaq dynasty. There are many Muslim monuments like salabat khan's Tomb known as chandbibi, Faria Baug, Ground Fort and many dargas (mosques), and they are found in main town and cities.
During the British era Ahmednagar was part of Bombay presidency. Christian missionaries, particularly from the United States of America, arrived in early 19th century when the British parliament allowed proselytizing in areas under the control of the East India Company. In Ahilyanagar Christians are a result of the American Marathi mission and the mission of the Church of England's Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.The first Protestant Christian mission in the district was opened in 1831.The Hume Memorial Congregational Church in Ahilyanagar city was built in 1833 by WIDER CHURCH MINISTRIES OF USA later known as American Marathi Mission. Christianity has been Ahilyanagar's third-largest religion, found all over the district except in the south-west. It is called as Jerusalem of Maharashtra. Every village has one or more resident families as Christian and every village has its own church for worship. Ahmednagar's Christians are called Marathi Christians and a majority of them are Protestants.

## Officer
### Members of Parliament

* Nilesh Dnyandev Lanke (NCP(SP)) - Ahilyanagar
* Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure (SHS(UBT)) Shirdi

### Guardian Minister
#### list of Guardian Minister

| Name | Term of office |
| Hasan Mushrif | 9 January 2020 - 14 August 2022 |
| Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil | 27 September 2020 - Incumbent |

### District Magistrate/Collector
#### list of District Magistrate / Collector

| Name | Term of office |
| Siddharm Salimath (IAS) | 2020 - Incumbent |

## Notable people

* C Ramchandra - Music Director and Playback singer.
* Meher Baba - spiritualist, has Ashram's in Meherabad & Meherazad, Ahilyanagar
* Balasaheb Bharde (1912–2006), Former Minister, former speaker of the State Legislative Assembly and Padma Bhushan recipient.
* Anna Hazare - social activist
* Indian guru shri Gaur Gopal Das an internationally renowned motivational speaker and a well-known monk of ISKCON organization, was born in Vambori village.
* Zaheer Khan, Indian Cricketer born at Shrirampur City on 7 October 1978, who has been a Key member of the Indian cricket team since 2000. He also played for Worcestershire in County Cricket and plays for Mumbai in Indian domestic cricket. He is currently the second-most successful Indian pace bowler in Test match cricket, behind Kapil Dev.
* B. J. Khatal-Patil Ex. Cabinet Minister of Maharashtra, a senior Maharashtra leader and a veteran Congressman.
* Indurikar Maharaj - comedian kirtankar, and social educator
* Dagdu Maruti Pawar (1935–1996), a Marathi author and poet known for his contributions to Dalit literature. He was born in Dhamangaon, Akole taluka.
* Ajinkya Rahane, Indian cricketer born at Ashvi village, Sangmner on 6 June 1988.
* Bhausaheb Thorat (12 Jan 1924-14 Mar 2010), a leader of farmers and Indian National Congress legislator. He was well known in the cooperative movement, founder of the Sangamner Cooperative Sugar Mill, and former president of the Sangamner taluka and State Cooperative Bank. He is recognized for his work in Sangamner taluka and Akole taluka. Concerned about global warming, Bhausaheb Thorat has led a campaign to plant 45 million trees every year. In the epic Ramayana, the sage Agastya turned the arid Dandakaranya into a green heaven through a massive drive of tree planting. A book, The Man Who Planted Trees, an allegorical tale by French author Jean Giono, also inspired Bhausaheb Thorat. For this, he started the Dandakaranya Abhiyaan in June 2006 at Sangamner.
* Balasaheb Vikhe Patil - member of parliament and a former minister, Padma Bhushan recipient
* Vithalrao Vikhe Patil - Indian industrialist, the founder of the first sugar factory in the cooperative sector in India at Loni, in Maharashtra and the founder of a group of industries and institutions composed of Institute of Business Management and Rural Development, Padmashri Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe Patil Foundation's Medical College and Hospital and Padmashri Dr. Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Limited, operating under Padmashree Dr. Vithalrao Foundation. The Government of India honoured him in 1961, with the award of Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for his services to the nation.

## Villages

* Dadh budruk
* Vambori
* Wadgaon Gupta