Surendranagar district is situated in the state of Gujarat. Surendranagar, Wadhwan, Limbdi, Chotila, Dhrangadhra, and Lakhtar are the developed talukas in the district. Surendranagar district is one of the largest producers of "Shankar" Cotton in the world and, is also the home to the first cotton trading exchange in India. As per 2001 census, the population of this district is 15, 15,147 with 144 Persons per sq. km. The area of Surendranagar district is 10,489 sq. km. Some of the major tourist destinations in the district are Tarnetar Mela, Chotila Hills and Ranakdevi Temple.
Geography of Surendranagar District
Geographical location of Surendranagar District is 22.00 degree to 23.04 degree North (Latitude) and 69.45 degree to 72.15 degree East (Longitude). Maximum temperature of the place is 45.6 degree Centigrade and the minimum temperature is 7.8 degree Centigrade. Average Rainfall of the district is 760 mm. Bhogavo, Sukhbhadar, Brahmani, Kankavati, Vansal, Rupen, Falku, Vrajbhama, Umai, and Chandrabhaga are the main rivers which flow through this district.
Education in Surendranagar District
There are around 943 primary, 153 secondary and higher secondary schools in the district. One Government Polytechnic College in the district offers courses in civil, electrical, mechanical, computer engineering, cosmetic design and dress making. C.U. Shah College of Engineering and Technology offers engineering courses in mechanical, information technology and electronic and telecommunication branches. There is one medical and pharmacy college each present in the district.
Culture of Surendranagar District
People of Surendranagar district are generally peace loving and co-operative. Notably, majority of the population is Jains and this city is also called as Baniya`s city. Various communities in Surendranagar live homogeneously. There is huge influx of people from surrounding villages due to development of educational institutes in the city. The Tarnatar fair in the village of Tarnetar in Surendranagar district is celebrated in the honour of Lord Shiva. Navaratri festival of nine nights, preceding the Dussehra is a special feature of Surendranagar district. The Navratri festival is closely followed by the Sharad Purnima, the full moon night in the Asvina month. Kite Festival, another festival in Surendranagar district which is really a national festival for Gujarat.
Economy of Surendranagar District
Surendranagar is a base for industrial sectors such as, chemicals, textiles, ceramics and food processing industries. Textiles and chemicals have been the most important sectors of investment and employment in the district, for over two decades. The district is the largest producer of Shankar Cotton in the world and also houses the first Cotton Trading Exchange of India. Quite a few known industrial groups are present in Surendranagar which include, PepsiCo India Holding Ltd., Mepro Pharmaceuticals, Rimtex Group, Unifrax, Luxite Industries, Biodeal Laboratories, and Panama Group. There are 8,639 small scale industries (SSIs) present in Surendranagar district.
Tourism in Surendranagar District
90 km from Surendranagar, Tarnetar is famous for the Trinetreshwar Mahadev Mela (Tarnetar Fair), which attracts tourists from all over the world. Other tourist attractions in the district are Chotila Hills, Shish Mahal, Ranakdevi Temple, and Ganga Kund.
How to reach Surendranagar District
By Road:
National Highway (NH) 8A passes through the district connecting it to Ahmedabad (116 km) and Kutch (258 km). Distance from major industrial centres in the State is Vadodara (200 km), Rajkot (111 km), Jamnagar (199 km), Ankleshwar (281 km), Bhavnagar (154 km), Mehsana (143 km), Surat (364 km) and Gandhinagar (144 km).
By Rail:
The district has a broad gauge railway line, connecting it with all major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
By Air:
Nearest airports are in Ahmedabad (international airport) and Rajkot, connecting it to other cities of India and abroad.
