Kondagaon a municipality about 70 kilometers from Jagdalpur city is the headquarter of Kondagaon district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. It is the third largest city of Bastar division. Kondagaon separated from Bastar district on 24 January 2012 and formed as 27th district of the Chhattisgarh state. It is mostly renowned for its bell metal craft and other art forms native to the tribal of Bastar. Also known as the Shilp sheher of Chhattisgarh owing to the variety of indigenous crafts produced in the area. MLA-Sh Mohan Lal Markam Collector- Pushpendra Kumar Meena SP-Sh Sujit Kumar CEO-Nupur Rashi Panna
Background
Kondagaon is located at. It has an average elevation of 593 metres. Indiacensus, Kondagaon had a population of 40,921. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Kondagaon has an average literacy rate of 64%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 73%, and female literacy is 55%. In Kondagaon, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age. Kondagaon lies on the NH 30 highway and can be reached from either Raipur or Jagdalpur. Frequent bus services are available to Kondagaon from Raipur and Jagdalpur. The nearest railway station is Jagdalpur. A Helicopter strip was temporarily constructed in the playground adjacent to the government college campus, which is occasionally used. A couple of hillocks that skirts the eastern outskirts of the town have been revamped as a tourist park by the forest department. The park would host relocated common wild animals and fowls of the Bastar region. The major part of the hill is turned into recreational zone. The Coconut development board located in southern frills of the town is a central government coconut development farm, sprawling across acres of coconut and assorted plantation. The Bell Metal Craft practiced by most of the craftsmen in the town and the adjacent villages is a form of almost extinct wax sculpting art. Some of the celebrated craftsmen of the bell-metal art forms are late Dr. Jaidev Baghel, Sushil Sakhuja, Sukchand, Suresh Baghmare etc. The government endow various schemes and policies to promote these art forms and artisans including sponsoring a select few second or third generation artisans for training in the national institute of design, enabling them to keep abreast with the trends and also widening the scope of their art forms. Kondagaon is famous for timber mills too, as the division hosts one of the largest forest division in the Indian subcontinent. The town is known for the foodies, being migrants and settlers from various parts of India including the south and the north. Lala hotel is the oldest hotel in the city operating through post independence era when kondagaon was as much of a small city. Nirala Chaat Bhandaar is a patron pot pouri maker in the town famous for relishing pot pouris.in this time recently construction work is completed 100 bedded MCH wing for child and mother hospital govt. Of india LTD. Kondagaon situated on banks of river Narangi. SPORTS:In April 2016, ITBP Commandant Surinder Khatri started Sports coaching of Hockey, Archery, Judo and Karate for the tribal children. Hockey :It was started in Mardapal. Due to the coaching imparted by ITBP Head Constable Surya Smit and Constable Kartik, Mardapal Ashram Girls Hockey Team have become Runners Up at State level in 2019. Following children are playing at National level in respective age groups -Sulochana,Sukmati,Savitri,Sevanti,Dhaneswari,Tanisha Archery:Under ITBP Archery coach Head Constable Trilochan Mohanta, Kondagaon children have won more than 150 medals at State level and 8 medals at National level between 2016 and 2019. Following children are playing at National level- Ms Dakhsa Yadav and Ms Ramita Sori Judo:Under ITBP Head Constable Jai Prakash and Constable Zahid Khan, Kondagaon children have won more than 100 medals at State level between 2016 and 2019. Children those who have represented at National level under different weights are-in 30 kg Nandalal Poyam, in 35 kg Yogesh Sori, in 40kg Anil Kumar Gota, in 32 kg Kusum Korram, in 52 kg Parwati Sarkar.
