Madhya Pradesh (Hindi:Madhya Pradēśa ,pronounced[ˈməd̪ʱᵊjəpᵊɾəˈd̪eːʃᵊ] ,^ⓘ;lit. 'Central Province') is a state incentral India. Its capital isBhopal.Other major cities includesIndore,Gwalior,Jabalpur, andSagar. Madhya Pradesh is thesecond largest Indian state by area and thefifth largest state by population with over 72 million residents. It borders the states ofRajasthan to the northwest,Uttar Pradesh to the northeast,Chhattisgarh to the east,Maharashtra to the south,Gujarat to the west.^[9]

Madhya Pradesh
State
Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Khajuraho Group of Monuments The Gwalior Fort Marble Rocks, Jabalpur Bhimbetka Rock Shelters Great Stupa of Sanchi Kanha National Park
Emblem of Madhya Pradesh
Etymology: Central Province
Nickname:  "Heart of India"
Motto:  Satyameva Jayate ('Truth alone triumphs')
Anthem:Mera Madhya Pradesh (My Madhya Pradesh)[1]
Location of Madhya Pradesh in India
Country	India
Region	Central India
Before was	Central Provinces and Berar
Formation	1 November 1956
Capital	Bhopal
Largest city	Indore
Districts	55 (10 divisions)
Government
• Body	Government of Madhya Pradesh
• Governor	Mangubhai C. Patel
• Chief minister	Mohan Yadav (BJP)
• Deputy chief minister	Rajendra Shukla Jagdish Devda (BJP)
State Legislature	Unicameral
• Assembly	Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly (230 seats)
National Parliament	Parliament of India
• Rajya Sabha	11 seats
• Lok Sabha	29 seats
High Court	Madhya Pradesh High Court
Area
• Total	308,252 km2 (119,017 sq mi)
• Rank	2nd
Dimensions
• Length	605 km (376 mi)
• Width	870 km (540 mi)
Elevation	400 m (1,300 ft)
Highest elevation (Dhupgarh[2])	1,352 m (4,436 ft)
Lowest elevation	90 m (300 ft)
Population  (2011)[3]
• Total	72,626,809
• Rank	5th
• Density	240/km2 (600/sq mi)
• Urban	27.63%
• Rural	72.37%
Demonym	Madhya Pradeshis
Language
• Official	Hindi[4]
• Official script	Devanagari script
GDP [6]
• Total(2023–24)	₹15.13 trillion (US$180 billion)
• Rank	10th
• Per capita	₹156,381 (US$1,826) (2023-24)[5] (26th)
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
ISO 3166 code	IN-MP
Vehicle registration	MP
HDI(2021)	0.596Medium[7] (32nd)
Literacy(2011)	69.32% (28th)
Sex ratio(2011)	970♀/1000♂[8] (15th)
Website	mp.gov.in
Symbols of Madhya Pradesh
Emblem of Madhya Pradesh
Song	Mera Madhya Pradesh (My Madhya Pradesh)[1]
Bird	Indian paradise flycatcher
Fish	Mahseer
Flower	White lily
Fruit	Mango
Mammal	Barasingha
Tree	Banyan Tree
State highway mark
State highway of Madhya Pradesh MP SH1 – MP SH53
List of Indian state symbols

The area covered by the present-day Madhya Pradesh includes the area of the ancientAvantiMahajanapada, whose capitalUjjain (also known as Avantika) arose as a major city during the second wave of Indian urbanisation in the sixth century BCE. Subsequently, the region was ruled by the major dynasties of India. TheMaratha Empire dominated the majority of the 18th century. After theThird Anglo-Maratha War in the 19th century, the region was divided into severalprincely states under theBritish and incorporated intoCentral Provinces and Berar and theCentral India Agency. After India's independence, theCentral Provinces and Berar was renamed as Madhya Pradesh withNagpur as its capital, this state included the southern parts of the present-day Madhya Pradesh and northeastern portion of today's Maharashtra whileCentral India Agency was renamed asMadhya Bharat which includes parts of present day north western Madhya Pradesh became a separate state withGwalior as its capital andJiwajirao Scindia asRajpramukh (Governor). In 1956, these states werereorganised and its parts were combined with the states ofVindhya Pradesh andBhopal to form the new Madhya Pradesh state, the Marathi-speakingVidarbha region was removed and merged with theBombay State. This state was the largest in India by area until 2000, when its southeastern Chhattisgarh region was designated a separate state.

Madhya Pradesh's economy is the10th-largest in India, with a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of₹9.17 trillion (US$110 billion) and has the country's 26th highest per-capita income of₹ 109,372.^[6] Madhya Pradeshranks 23rd among Indian states inhuman development index.^[10] Rich in mineral resources, Madhya Pradesh has the largest reserves ofdiamond andcopper in India. 25.14% of its area is under forest cover.^[11] Madhya Pradesh has posted country’s highest agricultural growth rate which had averaged above 20 per cent over last four years. The state leads the country in production of pulses, oilseeds, soya bean, gram, pea, garlic, guava, and medicinal and aromatic herbs. Horticulture is being promoted in a big way.^[12] Its tourism industry has seen considerable growth, with the state topping the National Tourism Awards in 2010–11.^[13] In recent years, the state's GDP growth has been above the national average.^[14] In 2019–20, state's GSDP was recorded at 9.07.^[15]

Madhya Pradesh means "the central province" inHindi.

Isolated remains ofHomo erectus found in Hathnora in theNarmada Valley indicates that Madhya Pradesh might have been inhabited in theMiddle Pleistocene era.^[16] Painted pottery dated to the latermesolithic period has been found in theBhimbetka rock shelters.^[17]Chalcolithic sites belonging toKayatha culture (2100–1800 BCE) andMalwa culture (1700–1500 BCE) have been discovered in the western part of the state.^[18] Madhya Pradesh is also the world's ninth-most populoussubnational entity.

The city ofUjjain arose as a major centre in the region, during the second wave of Indian urbanisation in the sixth century BCE. It has served as the capital of theAvanti kingdom. Other kingdoms mentioned in ancient epics –Malava,Karusha,Dasarna andNishada – have also been identified with parts of Madhya Pradesh.

Chandragupta Mauryaconquered northernIndia around 320 BCE, establishing theMauryan Empire, which included all of modern-day Madhya Pradesh.Ashoka the greatest of Mauryan rulers,conquered it, bringing the region under firmer control. After the decline of the Maurya empire, the region was contested among theSakas, theKushanas, theSatavahanas, and several local dynasties during the 1st to 3rd centuries CE. Heliodorus, the Greek Ambassador to the court of the Shunga King Bhagabhadra erected theHeliodorus pillar near Vidisha.

Ujjain emerged as the predominant commercial centre of western India from the first century CE, located on the trade routes between theGanges plain and India'sArabian Sea ports. TheSatavahana dynasty of the northernDeccan and the Saka dynasty of theWestern Satraps fought for the control of Madhya Pradesh during the 1st to 3rd centuries CE.

TheSatavahana KingGautamiputra Satakarni inflicted a crushing defeat upon theSaka rulers and conquered parts ofMalwa andGujarat in the 2nd century CE.^[19]

Subsequently, the region wasconquered by theGupta empire in the 4th and 5th centuries, and their southern neighbours, theVakataka's. The rock-cut temples atBagh Caves in the Kukshi tehsil of the Dhar District show the presence of the Gupta dynasty in the region, supported by the testimony of a Badwani inscription dated to the year of 487 CE.^[20] The attacks and the subsequent seize ofGwalior by theHephthalites orWhite Huns brought about the collapse of the Gupta empire, which broke up into smaller states. The KingYasodharman ofMalwa defeated the Huns in 528, ending their expansion. Later,Harsha (c. 590–647) ruled the northern parts of thestate.Malwa was ruled by the south IndianRashtrakuta Dynasty from the late 8th century to the 10th century.^[21] When the south Indian EmperorGovinda III of theRashtrakuta dynasty annexed Malwa, he set up the family of one of his subordinates there, who took the name ofParamara.^[22]

The Medieval period saw the rise of theRajput clans, including theParamaras ofMalwa and theChandelas ofBundelkhand along with theLodhis. The Chandellas built the majestic Hindu-Jain temples atKhajuraho, which represent the culmination of Hindu temple architecture in Central India. TheGurjara-Pratihara dynasty also held sway inGwalior and western Madhya Pradesh at this time. It also left some monuments of architectural value inGwalior. Southern parts of Madhya Pradesh likeMalwa were several times invaded by the south IndianWestern Chalukya Empire which imposed its rule on the Paramara kingdom of Malwa.^[23] The Paramara KingBhoja (c. 1010–1060) was claimed to be a renownedpolymath. The small Gond kingdoms emerged in theGondwana andMahakoshal regions of the state.

In early 10th centuryGwalior and northern Madhya Pradesh came under the rule ofKachchhapaghata dynasty, they belongs to the rajput clan. Gwalior was attacked and conquered by theTurkicDelhi Sultanate in the 12th century. Around1500 Kachchhapaghata women along with the ladies of royal family committed jauhar atGwalior Fort. The Kachchhapaghata later shifted toAmer (Jaipur). After the collapse of theDelhi Sultanate at the end of the 14th century, independent regional kingdoms re-emerged, including theTomara kingdom ofGwalior and the Muslim Sultanate ofMalwa, with its capital atMandu.

TheMalwa Sultanate was conquered by theSultanate of Gujarat in 1531. In the 1540s, most parts of the state fell toSher Shah Suri, and subsequently to theHindu kingHemu. Hemu, who had earlier served as theGeneral of theIslamicSuri dynasty, operated from theGwalior Fort during 1553–56 and became the ruler of Delhi as a Vikramaditya king winning 22 battles continuously from Bengal to Gujarat and defeating Akbar's forces in theBattle of Delhi on 7 October 1556. However, he chose Delhi as his capital after his formal Coronation inGwalior. After Hemu's defeat byAkbar at theSecond Battle of Panipat in 1556, Akbar seizedGwalior along with this most of Madhya Pradesh came under theMughal rule. Gondwana and Mahakoshal remained under the control of Gond kings, who acknowledgedMughalsuzerainty but enjoyed virtualautonomy.

The Mughal control weakened considerably after the death ofEmperorAurangzeb in 1707.Gwalior came under the rule ofJats andBhim Singh Rana become ruler. However, he was defeated by the Scindias in 1735. Between 1720 and 1760, theMarathasconquered most of Madhya Pradesh, resulting in the establishment of semi-autonomous states under the nominal control of thePeshwa ofPune: theHolkars ofIndore ruled much of Malwa,Pawars ruledDewas andDhar, theBhonsles ofNagpur dominated Mahakoshal-Gondwana area, while theScindias ofGwalior controlled the vast northern parts of the state along withAjmer andAgra.Later Mughals accepted the surzenity of theScindia dynasty. The most notable Maratha rulers of the region wereMahadji Scindia,Daulat Rao Scindia,Ahilyabai Holkar andYashwantrao Holkar. Besides these, there were several othersmall states, includingBhopal,Orchha, andRewa. TheBhopal state, which paidtribute to both theMarathas and theNizam of Hyderabad, was founded byDost Mohammed Khan, a former General in theMughal army.

After theThird Anglo-Maratha War, theBritishconquered the entire region. All the sovereign states in the region becameprincely states ofBritish India, governed by theCentral India Agency. The Mahakoshal region became a British province: theSaugor and Nerbudda Territories. In 1861, the British merged theNagpur Province with the Saugor and Nerbudda Territories to form theCentral Provinces.

During the1857 uprising, rebellions happened in the northern parts of the state, led by leaders likeTatya Tope,Rani Avantibai Lodhi. However, these were crushed by theBritish and the princes loyal to them. The state witnessed a number of anti-British activities and protests during theIndian independence movement.^[24] Several notable leaders such asChandra Shekhar Azad,B. R. Ambedkar,Shankar Dayal Sharma,Atal Bihari Vajpayee,Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia,Arjun Singh andMadhavrao Scindia were born in what is now Madhya Pradesh.

After the independence of India, Madhya Pradesh was created in 1950 from the former BritishCentral Provinces and Berar and theprincely states ofMakrai and Chhattisgarh, withNagpur as the capital of the state. The new states ofMadhya Bharat,Vindhya Pradesh, andBhopal were formed out of the Central India Agency. In 1956, the states of Madhya Bharat,Vindhya Pradesh, andBhopal were merged into Madhya Pradesh, and theMarathi-speaking southern regionVidarbha, which included Nagpur, was ceded toBombay state.Jabalpur was chosen to be the capital of the state but at the last moment, due to political interferenceJabalpur sacrificed his place of Capital but thenBhopal was made the state capital.^[25] In November 2000, as part of the Madhya Pradesh Reorganization Act, the southeastern portion of the state split off to form the new state ofChhattisgarh.

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  Mesolithic rock painting,Bhimbetka rock shelters, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
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  Kandariya Mahadeva Temple,Khajuraho
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  Bateshwar temple complex, Padavli, Morena
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  Ekatarso Mahadeva Temple, Mitaoli, Morena
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  Saas and Bahu Temples, Gwalior Fort
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  Teli Temple, Gwalior Fort
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  Shiva Temple inBhojpur
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  Lakshmi Temple,Orchha
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  Brahma statue with various deities atAmarkantak.
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  Man Mandir, Gwalior Fort
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  Assi Khambo ki Baoli, Gwalior Fort
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  Maa Chamunda Mata Temple, Tekri Dewas
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  Mahakaleshwar Temple Ujjain
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  Maheshwar Ghats and Fort, Maheshwar, Khargone
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  Omkareshwar Temple, Khandwa

Madhya Pradesh literally means "Central Province", and is located in the geographic heart of India in between the latitude of 21.6°N–26.30°N and longitude of 74°9'E–82°48'E. The state straddles theNarmada River, which runs east and west between theVindhya andSatpura ranges; these ranges and the Narmada are the traditional boundaries between the north and south of India. The highest point in Madhya Pradesh isDhupgarh, with an elevation of 1,350 m (4,429 ft).^[26]

The state is bordered on the west byGujarat, on the northwest byRajasthan, on the northeast byUttar Pradesh, on the east byChhattisgarh, and on the south byMaharashtra.

Madhya Pradesh also has three major seasons – Summer, Monsoon, and Winter. During summer (March–June), the temperature in the entire state ranges above 34.6 it has increased as it is all-time high in Madhya Pradesh. In general, the eastern parts of Madhya Pradesh are hotter than the western parts. The regions like Gwalior, Morena and Datia record temperatures of over 42 °C in May. The humidity is relatively very low and the region usually experiences frequent mild dust storms. The southwest Monsoon usually breaks out in mid-June and the entire state receives a major share of its rainfall between June and September. The south and south-east regions tend to experience a higher rainfall whereas the parts of the north-west receive less. Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat, Sidhi, and other extreme eastern parts receive more than 150 cm of rainfall. The districts of western Madhya Pradesh receive less than 80 cm of rainfall.^[27]

The winter season starts in November. The temperature remains low in the northern parts of the state in comparison to the southern parts. The daily maximum temperature in most of the northern part of January remains between 15 and 18 °C. The climate is generally dry and pleasant with a clear sky. The average rainfall is about 1,194 mm (47.0 in). The southeastern districts have the heaviest rainfall, some places receiving as much as 2,150 mm (84.6 in), while the western and northwestern districts receive 1,000 mm (39.4 in) or less.

According to the 2011 figures, the recorded forest area of the state is 94,689 km² (36,560 sq mi) constituting 30.7% of the geographical area of the state.^[28] It constitutes 12.3% of the forest area of India. Legally this area has been classified into "Reserved Forest" (65.3%), "Protected Forest" (32.8%) and "Unclassified Forest" (0.2%). Per capita forest area is 2,400 m² (0.59 acres) as against the national average of 700 m² (0.17 acres). The forest cover is less dense in the northern and western parts of the state, which contain the major urban centres. Variability in climatic andedaphic conditions brings about significant difference in the forest types of the state. In January 2019 1.5 million volunteers in the state planted 66 million trees in 12 hours along theNarmada river.^[29]

The major types of soils found in the state are:

• Black soil, most predominantly in theMalwa region,Mahakoshal and in southernBundelkhand
• Red and yellow soil, in theBaghelkhand region
• Alluvial soil, in Northern Madhya Pradesh
• Laterite soil, in highland areas
• Mixed soil, in parts of theGwaliorChambal region.

Madhya Pradesh is home to elevenNational Parks;Bandhavgarh National Park,Kanha National Park,Satpura National Park,Sanjay National Park,Madhav National Park,Van Vihar National Park,Mandla Plant Fossils National Park,Panna National Park,Pench National Park and Dinosaur National Park, Dhar.^[30][31]

There are also a number of nature reserves, includingAmarkantak,Bagh Caves,Balaghat, Bori Natural Reserve, Ken Gharial,Ghatigaon,Kuno Palpur,Narwar,Chambal, Kukdeshwar, Chidi Kho,Nauradehi,Pachmarhi, Panpatha, Shikarganj, Patalkot, andTamia.Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve in Satpura Range,Amarkantak biosphere reserve and Panna National Park are three of the 18 biosphere reserves in India. Most of them are located in eastern Madhya Pradesh nearJabalpur.

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  Langur monkey (Semnopithecus dussumieri), Orchha
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  Tigress with cubs in Kanha Tiger Reserve
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  Tickell's blue flycatcher, Bandhavgarh National Park
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  Vultures in the nest, Orchha
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  Malenilgais fighting, Lakeshwari, Gwalior district

Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Panna, and Satpura National Parks are managed asProject Tiger areas. TheNational Chambal Sanctuary is managed for conservation ofgharial andmugger,river dolphin,smooth-coated otter and a number of turtle species. Ken-gharial and Son-gharial sanctuaries are managed for conservation ofgharial and mugger. Thebarasingha is the state animal and thedudhraj is the state bird of Madhya Pradesh.

Based on composition, theteak andsal forests are the important forest formations in the state. Bamboo-bearing areas are widely distributed.

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  Narmada River
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  Son River, Umaria district, MP, India
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  The River Narmada flows through a gorge of marble rocks in Bhedaghat, Jabalpur
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  The Shri Ram Ghat on the Shipra River in Ujjain
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  Betwa in the Ashoknagar District of Madhya Pradesh

TheNarmada is the longest river in Madhya Pradesh. It flows westward through a rift valley, with the Vindhya ranges sprawling along its northern bank and the Satpura range of mountains along the southern. Its tributaries include the Banjar, theTawa, theMachna, theShakkar, theDenwa and theSonbhadra rivers. TheTapti River runs parallel to Narmada, and also flows through a rift valley. The Narmada–Tapti systems carry an enormous volume of water and provide drainage for almost a quarter of the land area of Madhya Pradesh. The Narmada river is considered very sacred and is worshipped throughout the region. It is the main source of water and acts as a lifeline to the state.

TheVindhyas form the southern boundary of the Ganges basin, with the western part of the Ganges basin draining into theYamuna and the eastern part directly into the Ganges itself. All the rivers, which drain into the Ganges, flow from south to north, with theChambal,Shipra,Kali Sindh,Parbati,Kuno,Sind,Betwa,Dhasan,Ken andSunarrivers being the main tributaries of the Yamuna. Shipra River is one of the most sacred rivers of Hinduism. It is the site of theSimhastha Kumbh Mela, which is held every 12 years. Shipra is stretched across Indore, Ujjain and Dewas. The land drained by these rivers is agriculturally rich, with the natural vegetation largely consisting of grass anddry deciduous forest types, largely thorny. The eastern part of the Ganges basin consists of theSon, theTons and theRihand Rivers. Son, which arises in the Maikal hills aroundAmarkantak, is the largest tributary that goes into the Ganges on the south bank and that does not arise from theHimalayas. Son and its tributaries contribute the bulk of the monsoon flow into the Ganges, because the north bank tributaries are all snow fed. The forests in their basins are much richer than the thorn forests of the northwestern part of Madhya Pradesh.

After the formation ofChhattisgarh State, the major portion ofMahanadi basin now lies in Chhattisgarh. Presently, only 154 km² basin area of Hasdeo River in Anuppur District lies in Madhya Pradesh.

TheSatpuras, in theGawilgarh andMahadeo Hills, also contain a watershed, which is south facing. TheWainganga, theWardha, the Pench, theKanhan rivers, discharge an enormous volume of water into theGodavari river system. The Godavari basin consists ofsub-tropical, semi-moist forests, mainly in the valley of the Indrawati. There are many important multi-state irrigation projects in development, including theGodavari River Basin Irrigation Projects.

Madhya Pradesh is divided into the following agro-climatic zones:

Madhya Pradesh is divided into 55 districts for administrative purposes. The district is the main unit of administration. These districts are arranged in 10 divisions, listed below:^[37]

The population of Madhya Pradesh consists of a number ofethnic groups andtribes,castes and communities. Thescheduled castes and thescheduled tribes constitute a significant portion of thepopulation of the State 15.6% and 21.1% respectively.

The main tribal groups in Madhya Pradesh areGond,Bhil,Baiga,Korku,Bhadia (or Bhariya), Halba,Kaul,Mariya,Malto andSahariya.Mandla,Dhar,Dindori,Barwani,Jhabua andAlirajpur districts have more than 50% tribal population, with Jhabua and Alirajpur having nearly 90% tribal population. InKhargone,Khandwa,Burhanpur,Betul,Chhindwara,Seoni,Anuppur,Umaria,Shahdol andSingrauli districts 30–50% of the population is tribal. According to the 2011 census, thetribal population in Madhya Pradesh was 15.34 million, constituting 21.1% of the total population. There were 46 recognised Scheduled Tribes and three of them have been identified as "Special Primitive Tribal Groups" in the State.^[40]

Madhya Pradesh ranks 33rd on theHuman Development Index with a value of 0.606 (2018).^[41] The state's per-capitagross state domestic product (nominal GDP) is the 26th highest in the country (2018–19). According to the SDG India Index 2020–21 compiled by theNITI Aayog, Madhya Pradesh ranks 21st on sustainable development goals, 9th on gender equality, and 10th on clean water and sanitation.^[42]

Madhya pradesh ranked ninth in the Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025, with a score of 42.2.^[43]

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  Children in Raisen district, Bhil tribe
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  Shepherds in Chambal
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  A young farmer in Umaria district
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  YoungBaiga women

At the2011 census, Bihar was thethird most populous state of India with a total population of 104,099,452. It was also India's most densely populatedstate, with 1,106 persons per square kilometre. Thesex ratio was 1090 females per 1000 males in the year 2020.^[46] Almost 58% of Bihar's population was below 25 years age, which is the highest in India. In 2021, Bihar has had an urbanisation rate of 20%.^[47][48] Bihar has an adultliteracy rate of 68.15% (78.5% for males and 57.8% for females) in 2020.^[46] Population increased to 130,725,310 as per the Bihar caste survey conducted in 2023.^[45]

The official language of the state isHindi, which is spoken by over two-thirds of the population and is used for all government business.^[4] In urban areas Standard Hindi is the main language, whileUrdu is spoken by Muslims. In rural areas, however, most speak varieties counted as dialects of Hindi in the census, although most are quite distinct. In the west areMalvi andNimadi in theMalwa andNimar regions, which are more closely related to theRajasthani languages. InBundelkhand in the north andBaghelkhand in the east are spokenBundeli andBagheli which are eastern varieties of the Hindi languages, similar toAwadhi orChhattisgarhi. In the southeast is spoken Chhattisgarhi andPowari is the language of the far south, both Eastern Hindi languages. Most speakers of these languages consider them to be dialects of Hindi and so report their language as 'Hindi' on the census.^[49]

Marathi is another significant language. Due toMaratha rule over much of what is now Madhya Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh is home to the largest number of Marathis outside Maharashtra. Although large numbers of Marathis can be found in urban centres like Indore, the highest concentrations are in the southern areas of the state adjoining Maharashtra. Marathi is the most-spoken language in Burhanpur district, while it is a major minority language in the southern parts of Mahakoshal especially Betul, Chhindwara and Balaghat districts.^[49]

There are several languages spoken by the Adivasis. The variousBhil languages are Indo-Aryan languages spoken by 50 lakh Bhils of western Madhya Pradesh. Although many, especially in the eastern parts of their range, have adopted the regional languages as mother tongue, the languages are still strong in the far-western hills especially Barwani, Jhabua and Alirajpur districts where they are in the majority.Bhili, theBareli languages andBhilali are the major varieties spoken in the state.

Gondi is the second-largest Adivasi language, spoken by 11 lakh Gonds in the state. ADravidian language related toTelugu, it is mainly spoken in the southern Satpura highlands of Mahakoshal, where it is spoken with the regional languages. Some in the more remote valleys of the Satpuras speak a poorly-described Dravidian dialect calledBharia. Smaller minorities of Gondi speakers can be found in Khandwa and Dewas districts in the west as well as Anuppur, Sidhi and Singrauli districts in the east. Elsewhere in the state, the Gonds have almost totally abandoned their original language.

Korku, aMunda language, has over 400,000 speakers in the central highlands of the state. In the far-southeast of Burhanpur can be found some speakers of the language isolateNihali who live among the Korku. All speakers of tribal languages face significant pressure to switch to the dominant regional languages while their own tongues are considered 'backward' and 'rural'.^[49]

The following languages are taught in schools in Madhya Pradesh under the Three Language Formula:^[50]

First language: AnyScheduled Language

Second language: Hindi, Urdu or English

Third language: Another Scheduled Language,Arabic,Persian,French,Russian

According to the census of 2011, 90.9% of residents followedHinduism, while minorities areMuslim (6.6%),Jain (0.8%),Buddhists (0.3%), Christians (0.3%), andSikhs (0.2%). Madhya Pradesh is home to several pilgrimage sites includingAmarkantak at the source of the Narmada and the Ghats ofOmkareshwar, also on the Narmada. Temples can be found throughout the state. Buddhism and Jainism were once prominent religions in the state, especially in the central plateau near Raisen and Bhopal. Malwa is still home to a significant Jain minority. Jains are particularly concentrated in the urban centres of the Malwa region. Islam arrived with Muslim rule in the 14th century, although its influence was and is limited to major urban centres. Islam is a major religion in Bhopal and Burhanpur, and Bhopal is home to many prominent Islamic shrines. Buddhism in modern times is mainly practised by Marathis in the south. Most respondents who answered 'Other' self-identified as following Adivasi religions such as Koya Punem of the Gonds.^[51]

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  Bagh Print Traditional hand block print craft inBagh.
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  A man playing flute inOrchha, with a whitetilak on his forehead, and holy saffron-coloured clothes.
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  Sand sculpture bySudarshan Pattnaik at Bandrabhan near Narmadapuram

Three sites in Madhya Pradesh have been declaredWorld Heritage Sites byUNESCO: theKhajuraho Group of Monuments (1986) includingDevi Jagadambi temple,Khajuraho,Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989) and theRock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003). Other architecturally significant or scenic sites includeAjaigarh,Amarkantak,Asirgarh,Bandhavgarh,Bawangaja,Bhopal,Vidisha,Chanderi,Chitrakuta,Dewas,Dhar,Gwalior,Indore,Nemavar,Jabalpur,Burhanpur,Maheshwar,Mandleshwar,Mandu,Omkareshwar,Orchha,Pachmarhi,Shivpuri,Sonagiri,Mandla andUjjain.

Madhya Pradesh is noted for its classical and folk music. Some of the notedHindustani classical musicgharanas in Madhya Pradesh include theMaihar gharana, theGwalior gharana andSenia gharana. Two of the medieval India's most noted singers,Tansen andBaiju Bawra, were born near Gwalior in present-day Madhya Pradesh. NotedDhrupad exponentsAminuddin Dagar (Indore),Gundecha Brothers (Ujjain) andUday Bhawalkar (Ujjain) were also born in present-day Madhya Pradesh.^[52] Renowned classical singerKumar Gandharva spent his life at Dewas. The birthplaces of notedplayback singersKishore Kumar (Khandwa) andLata Mangeshkar (Indore) and singer and composer Aadesh Shrivastava (Jabalpur) are also located in MP. The local styles of folk singing are Faga, Bhartahari, Sanja geet,Bhopa,Kalbelia, Bhat, Bhand, Vasdeva, Videsia, Kalgi Turra, Nirgunia, Alha, Pandwani Gayan andGarba Garbi Govalan.^[53]

The major folk dances of MP areRai, Karma, Saila, Matki, Gangaur,Badhai, Baredi, Naurata, Ahiri and Bhagoria.^[54]

Madhya Pradesh'sgross state domestic product (nominal GDP) for 2013–14 was₹ 4,509 billion (approximatelyUS$ 72,726,000,000). The per-capita figure wasUS$ 871.45 in 2013–14, the sixth-lowest in the country.^[55] Between 1999 and 2008, the annualised growth rate of the state was very low: 3.5%.^[56] Subsequently, the state's GDP growth rate has improved significantly, rising to 8% during 2010–11 and 12% during 2011–12.^[57]

Madhya Pradesh is also famous for honey production in district Morena.

The state has anagrarian economy.^[57] The major crops of Madhya Pradesh are wheat, soybean, gram, sugarcane, rice, maize, cotton, rapeseed, mustard and arhar.^[58]Minor Forest Produce (MFP), such astendu leaves used to rollbeedi, sal seed, teak seed, and lak also contribute to state's rural economy.

Madhya Pradesh has 5Special Economic Zones (SEZs): 3IT/ITeS (Indore,Gwalior), 1 mineral-based (Jabalpur) and 1 agro-based (Jabalpur). In October 2011, approval was given to 14 proposed SEZs, out of which 10 were IT/ITeS-based.^[58]Indore is the major commercial centre of the state. Because of the state's central location, a number ofconsumer goods companies have established manufacturing bases in MP.^[58]

The Industrial Belts ofIndore-Dewas-Pithampur andMandideep (Bhopal) are the prominent Industrial Hubs of Madhya Pradesh. Numerous industrial units and factories are present there such as Mechanical and Industrial Parts (gears, cables), Chemical Production Units, Pharmaceutical Units, Food Processing & FMCG Industries, Textile Production, Food Grain Processing Units, Leather Industry and Sanitary Products etc.

Madhya Pradesh has natural white stone production inGwalior, which is exported worldwide.

The state has the largest reserves of diamond and copper in India. Other major mineral reserves include those of coal,coalbed methane,manganese anddolomite.^[58]

Madhya Pradesh has sixOrdnance Factories, four of which are located atJabalpur (Vehicle Factory, Grey Iron Foundry,Gun Carriage Factory,Ordnance Factory Khamaria) and one each at Katni and Itarsi. The factories are run by theOrdnance Factories Board, and manufacture a variety of products for theIndian Armed Forces.

There are two major Security Press Units ofSecurity Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited presently operating in the state. The first unit is situated inDewas. Also known as Bank Note Press (BNP). It is an industrial unit of SPMCIL, established in the year 1974 is wholly owned byGovernment of India,Ministry of Finance andDepartment of Economic Affairs. BNP Dewas prints Indian Currency Notes (known asIndian Rupee or INR; Symbol: '₹') of denominations ₹50, ₹100, ₹500 and ₹2000 and is capable of printing Bank Notes of any denomination. There is also a specialised Security Ink Factory at BNP Dewas which supplies specialised inks for currency and other government approved documents.

The second unit is a Security Paper Mill was established in 1968 atHoshangabad. It produces papers for banknotes and non–judicial stamps and further prints with new enhanced unit.

Madhya Pradesh won the 10th National Award for excellent work in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005.

The state's tourism industry is growing, fuelled by wildlife tourism and a number of places of historical and religious significance.Gwalior,Sanchi andKhajuraho are frequented by external tourists. Alongwith cities likeBhedaghat,Jabalpur,Bhimbetka,Bhojpur,Maheshwar,Mandu,Orchha,Pachmarhi,Kanha,Amarkantak andUjjain, Tumen Vindhyavasini temple ancient temple. This south facing Ashok Nagar district located in Tuman (Tumvn).

The state has a total installed power generation capacity of 27108.55 MW as of 31 March 2024. The Madhya Pradesh Electric Board is located atJabalpur. TheRewa Ultra Mega Solar project is a photovoltaic solar park spread over an area of 1,590 acres (6.4 km²) in the Gurh tehsil of Rewa District of Madhya Pradesh.^[60] The project was commissioned with 750 MW capacity.^[61] 97% households have electricity access in the state.^[62]

The Singrauli region on the eastern end of Madhya Pradesh is a major energy producer enclave for the country. The region has vast reserves of coal mines, which are excavated by Northern Coalfields Limited, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, which is in turn used in local power plants of NTPC, Sasan Power and Hindalco. The area has more than 10,000 MW installed capacity for energy production.

The region of Malwa were selected to establish Wind Energy Production units by State Government. Constant wind flows in the region are suitable for harvesting wind energy. There are more than 100 wind mills on a series of hills 13 km (8.1 mi) fromDewas, generating more than 30 megawatts of power. These were financed by a few private companies which sought a reliable power supply.

Bus and train services cover most of Madhya Pradesh. The 99,043-kilometre-long (61,542 mi) road network of the state includes 20national highways.^[58] A 4,948-kilometre-long (3,075 mi) rail network criss-crosses the state, withJabalpur serving as headquarters for theWest Central Railway Zone of theIndian Railways. TheCentral Railway and theWestern Railway also cover parts of the state. Most of the western Madhya Pradesh comes underRatlam Rail Division ofWestern Railways, including cities like Indore, Ujjain, Dewas, Mandsaur, Khandwa,Neemuch and Bairagarh in Bhopal. The state has a total of 20 major railway junctions. More than 455 trains transit through Madhya Pradesh daily. 220 trains transit through the State's capital Bhopal alone. North–South & East–West corridors cut across Madhya Pradesh, including theNew Delhi–Chennai main line.

Theinter-state bus terminals are located inBhopal,Gwalior,Indore andJabalpur. More than 2,000 buses are conducted daily from these four cities. The intra-city transit systems mostly consist of buses, privateautos and taxis.There is convenient access to major ports such as Kandla port and Jawaharlal Nehru port in the state^[63]

The state does not have a coastline, but is home to 5 functional ICD's (Inland/Dry Ports) which provide facilities to clear and load cargoes directly for dispatch within the state, they are located inBhopal,Indore andGwalior. Most of the sea trade happens through theKandla andJawaharlal Nehru Port (Nhava Sheva) in the neighbouring states, which are well-connected to MP by road and rail networks.

Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport inIndore is the busiest airport in Madhya Pradesh, followed byRaja Bhoj International Airport in the state capital ofBhopal.

Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Airport,Gwalior is the largest airport of Madhya Pradesh having two take off runways.

Dumna Airport inJabalpur andKhajuraho Airport also have scheduled commercial passenger services.Rewa Airport is under construction with operations expected to start by 2025. Besides these, minorairstrips are located atChhindwara,Sagar,Neemuch,Ratlam,Mandsaur,Ujjain,Khandwa,Guna andSatna.

The state has 55 districts hospitals, 333 community health centres, 1,155 primary health centres and 8,860 sub-centres.^[64][65]

The urban infrastructure has improved considerably in the past decade. 22 projects costing above $500 million have been sanctioned under theJawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission for the development of Bhopal, Indore,Jabalpur and Ujjain.^[58]

Seven Cities of Madhya PradeshBhopal,Indore,Gwalior,Jabalpur,Satna,Ujjain, andSagar have been selected underSmart cities mission^[66][67]

Indore has been part of theSwachh Survekshan Cleanliness Program initiated by Government of India. It has been ranked asIndia's cleanest city seven years in a row as per the Swachh Survekshan for the years 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Gwalior has been globally recognised by the UNESCO as the City of Music of India. This is considered as a remarkable and significant milestone putting Madhya Pradesh as music tourism hub worldwide.

Dainik Bhaskar,Dainik Jagran, The Indian Observer, Nava Bharat,Deshbandhu, Nai Duniya,Rajasthan Patrika, Raj Express and Dainik Dabang Dunia are the leadingHindi newspapers. Other local newspapers are published in the cities. In English Times of India,Hindustan Times, The Hitavada, Central Chronicle andFree Press have editions from Bhopal with The Hitavada also being inJabalpur. A Sindhi daily, i.e., Challenge (Now also in Hindi) is published from Bhopal is the only Sindhi newspaper in state.

Madhya Pradesh has a 230-seat state legislative assembly. The state also sends 40 members to theParliament of India: 29 are elected to theLok Sabha (Lower House) and 11 to theRajya Sabha (Upper House). The constitutional head of the state is theGovernor, appointed by thePresident of India. The executive powers lie with theChief Minister, who is the elected leader of the state legislature. The current governor is Mangubhai C. Patel, and the current chief minister isMohan Yadav of theBharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The political scenario of Madhya pradesh can be defines as below:

Post-Independence (1950s–1970s): The Indian National Congress (INC) held power for a significant period, with leaders like Ravishankar Shukla and Kailash Nath Katju as Chief Ministers. However, parties like Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) – the precursor to BJP – started gaining ground in the 1960s.

Shifting Tides (1980s–1990s): This era saw a rise in regional parties and national alternatives. Janata Party (JP), Janata Dal (JD), and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) challenged the INC's dominance for a while.

Bi-polar Politics (2000s–present): Since the early 2000s, a two-party system has emerged. BJP and INC have become the main contenders, with occasional forays by smaller parties.

The dominant political parties in the state are theBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and theIndian National Congress (INC).

Madhya Pradesh state is made up of 55Districts, which are grouped into 10 divisions. As of 2023, the state has 55 jila (district)panchayats, 376 tehsil, 313 janpad panchayats/blocks, and 23043 gram (village) panchayats. The municipalities in the state include 18Nagar Nigams, 100Nagar Palikas and 264Nagar Panchayats.^[68]

• Dhekal Badi

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  Rajiv Gandhi Technical University's main gate
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  IIM Indore's aerial panoramic view
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  St. Aloysius Senior Secondary School, Jabalpur, established in the year 1868 is among the oldest schools in India

According to the 2011 census, Madhya Pradesh had a literacy rate of 69.32%. According to the 2009–10 figures, the state had 105,592 primary schools, 6,352 high schools, and 5,161 higher secondary schools. The state has 208 engineering and architecture colleges, 208 management institutes, and 12 medical colleges.^[58]

The state is home to some of the premier scientific educational and research institutions of India includingIIT Indore,IIM Indore,AIIMS Bhopal,NIT Bhopal,IISER Bhopal,SPA Bhopal,IIIT Jabalpur,IIIT Gwalior.

Other premier institutes includeIndian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM Gwalior),Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) Bhopal,National Law Institute University (NLIU) BhopalJabalpur Engineering College, andDharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur,VIT Bhopal University

The state has two central universities namelyDr. Hari Singh Gour University (Sagar) andIndira Gandhi National Tribal University (Amarkantak,Anuppur), while former being the first university of Madhya Pradesh.

There are 500 degree colleges, which are affiliated with one of the universities in the state. The specialised universities includeRajiv Gandhi Technical University,Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University,Jawaharlal Nehru Agriculture University andNanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University. The general universities areAwadhesh Pratap Singh University (Rewa),Barkatullah University (Bhopal),Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (Indore),Rani Durgavati University (Jabalpur),Vikram University (Ujjain),Masarovar Global University,Jiwaji University (Gwalior),Dr. Hari Singh Gour University (Sagar),Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (Amarkantak,Anuppur),Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication (Bhopal).

The Professional Examination Board was initialised as Pre Medical Test Board by Government of Madhya Pradesh in the year 1970. After some year in 1981, Pre Engineering Board was constituted. Then after, in the year 1982 both these boards were amalgamated and named asMadhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB).

In 2013, state govt declaredMallakhamba as the state sport.^[81]

Cricket,kabaddi,hockey,football,basketball,volleyball,cycling,swimming,badminton, andtable tennis are the popular sports in the state. Traditional games likekho kho,gilli danda,sitoliya,kanche, andlangdi are popular in the rural areas.

Snooker, a cue sport, generally regarded as having been invented inJabalpur byBritish Army officers, is popular in many of the English-speaking and Commonwealth countries, with top professional players attaining multimillion-pound career earnings from the game.

Cricket is the most popular sport in Madhya Pradesh.^{[citation needed]} There are three internationalcricket stadiums in the state –Nehru Stadium (Indore),Roop Singh Stadium (Gwalior) andHolkar Cricket Stadium (Indore).Madhya Pradesh cricket team's best performances inRanji Trophy was in 1998–99, when theChandrakant Pandit-led team ended as the runner-up. Its predecessor, the Indore-basedHolkar cricket team, had won the Ranji Trophy four times. In year 2022,Chandrakant Pandit coachedMadhya Pradesh cricket team defeated 41-time champion Mumbai Cricket Team inRanji Trophy 2021–22 season. It is Madhya Pradesh's maiden title atM. Chinnaswamy Stadium.^[82]

Aishbagh Stadium in Bhopal is the home ground forWorld Series Hockey teamBhopal Badshahs. The state also has afootball team that participates in theSantosh Trophy.

MP United FC is an Indian football that played in the2nd Division I-League.

On 6 December 2017, the Madhya PradeshChief MinisterShivraj Singh Chouhan announced that players from the state would be given government jobs on winning medals in international events.

Madhu Yadav, the former Captain of theIndia women's national field hockey team, a 1982Asian Games gold medallist and an Arjuna Award recipient, is fromJabalpur.^[83]

• Outline of Madhya Pradesh
• Directorate Sports and Youth Welfare
• Districts of Madhya Pradesh
• List of forts in Madhya Pradesh
• List of people from Madhya Pradesh

Government

• Official website 

General information

• Madhya Pradesh web resources provided by GovPubs at theUniversity of Colorado Boulder Libraries
• Madhya Pradesh at theEncyclopædia Britannica
•  Wikimedia Atlas of Madhya Pradesh
•   Geographic data related toMadhya Pradesh atOpenStreetMap