Social, Environmental & Economic Sustainability
Our analysis of the rank of the district
Backwardness : 12
Sex Ratio Rank : 489
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : A
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Disability : 332 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 587 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD

Challenges of the district : Our research with local communities
Nabarangpur is a tribal area. The women of Nabarangpur have to face lot of hardships.
These women are illiterate and dependent on others for a living.
The literacy rate is very poor; especially women literacy.
Women empowerment is needed.
They lack awareness about sanitation and hygiene.

Brief About Nabarangapur District

Nabarangpur district was created on 02.10.1992. The geographical area is 5294.5 Sq Kms. The district extends in the West upto Bastar district of Chattisgarh, in the East upto Kalahandi district, in the North upto Raipur district of Chatisgarh and in the South to Koraput district.Nabarangpur district is situated at 190-14’ Latitude and 82.32’ Longitude at an Elevation of 1876’ from Sea level.

Climate
Most of Koraput District experiences the first arrival of monsoon where as the rest of the state take about ten days more for the same thrill. While the rest of Orissa gets rain due to monsoon from the Bay of Bengal, the whole of Koraput derives it straight from the Arabian Sea through the Southwest direction. The whole of Koraput enjoys a generous rainfall and one hardly comes across a dry spell, acute shortage of food, or drought . Also the whole of Koraput, notably the 2000 and 3000 feet plateaus, remain cool round the year and can be treated as summer resort for those reeling under scorching heat elsewhere.

HISTORY OF NABARANGPUR
Nabarangpur District was inaugurated on 2^nd October 1992. Prior to that it was a big Sub-Division of the erstwhile Koraput District, consideblack to be second largest district in the country next to Bastar district in the former state of Madhya Pradesh. Though Koraput was vivisected into four parts, each segment enjoys the status of newly formed district.

The history of Nabarangpur is inextricably interlinked with that of Koraput District. In a sense, its language, style of living, heritage, geographical location flora and fauna and even climate is not distinct from the rest of the component of Koraput district. Its boundary stretches in the north to Kalahandi district west to Jagadalpur district in Chatishgarh, east to Kalahandi and Rayagada and south to Koraput district with the river Indravati separating the two districts. Nabarangpur is located on the 2000 ft Plateau (about 2000 ft above mean sea level) like that of the historically, famous Jeypore town in the Koraput district. In the north, the Panabeda area, recently renamed, as Chandahandi is only 500 ft above the sea level and experience interchange of climate and social life that of the adjacent Kalahandi district. The rest of Nabarangpur district is mainly flat with a few pockets of low hills. The highest peak Podagarh (an historical famous place) is 3050 ft high. There are Patches of thick forests mostly containing sal seeds and those provide sustenance to dependent villages

Koraput belonged to Atavika people who valiantly fought the Kalinga war in the 3 rd century BC. They remained independent and dreaded. Kalinga regained her former glory during Mahamegha Bahan dynasty in the first century BC. The third king of this dynasty Kharabela made the Kalinga empire and the Atavika land very strong. The successive dynasties – the Satavahans (2nd century AD) two Ikshvakus (3rd century AD) has their dominian dynasty belonged to the Nalas (3rd and 4th century AD), with a head quarter located at Pushkari, near the modern Umerkote town of Nabarangpur district. The Kesaribeda excavations bear testimony to the

rule of King Bhabadatta Verman and King Arathapati. The inscriptions of Podagarh refer to King Skanda Verman .The Nala King are traced to the kings who ruled from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. Their rapid growth landed them in Bastar –Koraput region. Around 10th century AD one Nala king Bhimesen was ruling over a region now located to the Koraput and Ganjam District. The erstwhile Koraput was a small principality of Tri Kalinga under the Ganga era during the 5 the century AD. The patches of Odra, Kalinga and Kosala were brought under the control of Ganga kings. This dynasty became prominent during the 11^th century AD with the rise of Somanakshi. Their suzerainty extended from the modern Sambalpur, Sonepur to Bastar – Koraput regions and they enjoyed control till the beginning of 14th century AD.

Matsya Family ruling over Vaddadi region of modern Jeypore dominated the next generation. The famous king included Bhanudeva, Narasingha Dev and others which is evident from inscription of Simhachalam in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh.The next dynasty belonged to the Famous Sailavansis. Who ruled over Vindhya during 14th century AD. The earliest king Ganga Raju was ruling over Nandapur, a former capital of the Maharaja of Jeypore. Nandapur is famous for the throne of 32 steps erected in the line of king Vikramaditya of Ujjain, Jainism and Shaktism grew side by side in the kingdom of Nandapur.The last king of Sailavansa – Pratap Ganga Raju was succeeded by Vinayak Dev of Surya Vansa whichlasted till the eno of the British Empire. Vinayak Dev was said to be married to the daughter of the last ruler of Silavansi Paratap Ganga Raju and ascended to the throne of Nandapur Vinayak Dev and his six succeeding generation of kings had only one son each and on advices from astrologers the headquarters of the kingdom was switched from Nandapur to Jeypore.

During the Anglo-French conflict, Vikram Dev I was successful in driving out the French from Malkangiri area and the Marathas from the Umerkote belt.

King Vikram Dev I (1758 –1781 AD) was succeeded by Ramachandra Dev-II (1781 –1825) while his other two sons Jagannath and Narasingh Dev were placed in charge of Nabarangpur and Gudari regions. Jagannath Dev’s son Arjun Dev and Narasingha Dev’s son Chaitanya Dev were issueless. Hence, Nabarangpur and Gudari were remerged to Jeypore kingdom.

During the 20th century Ramachandra Dev-IV (1920-31) was an honourable lieutenant in World War-I .He was issueless and was succeeded by a benevolent, aged, scholar king Vikram Dev IV, the son of Krishna Chandra Dev. During this period the Boundary Commission headed by Sir O’Donnel was entrusted with the task of writing the different Oriya speaking tracts. The Commission went round Jeypore, Paralakhumendi, Ganjam, and Visakhapatnam agency before finalizing. The state of Orissa was formed on 1^st April 1936 with Koraput as one of the six districts. In 1951 Vikram Dev IV died at the ripe old age of 82 and the Estate abolition Act was passed the next year. The Estate of Jeypore was taken over by Government of Orissa.