Alluri Sitharama Raju District
Alluri Sitharama Raju district is named after Alluri Sitarama Raju, “Manyam Veerudu”, who led the Rampa Rebellion against British rule from these hills between 1922 and 1924.
District Profile
The district was formed on 4 April 2022 from the Paderu and Rampachodavaram revenue divisions. On 31 December 2025 Rampachodavaram was carved out as Polavaram district, leaving 11 mandals in one revenue division with headquarters at Paderu.
The district lies in the Eastern Ghats at 900 m and above. It is known for Araku coffee, Lambasingi, the coldest place in Andhra Pradesh, the Borra Caves and the Dhimsa dance.
Tribal Communities
- Bagata
- Konda Dora
- Khond
- Konda Reddy
- Konda Kapu
- Parangi Porja
- Valmiki
- Kotia
- Nooka Dora
- Gadaba
- Mali
- Goudu
Mother tongues (Census 2011)
- Telugu 66.5%
- Odia 17.4%
- Kuvi 11.1%
- Konda 3.2%
District at a Glance
| Formed | 4 April 2022 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Paderu |
| Reorganised | 31 December 2025 |
| Revenue division | Paderu (1) |
| Mandals | 11 |
| Population (Census 2011, current area) | 6,04,047 |
| Scheduled Tribe population | 90.7% |
| Lok Sabha constituency | Araku (ST) |
| Assembly constituencies | Araku Valley (ST), Paderu (ST) |
| Borders | Odisha, Polavaram, Anakapalli, Vizianagaram |
Mandal Map
Select a mandal on the map to see details. Positions are approximate.
Mandal 7 / 11
Paderu
District and ITDA headquarters at 904 m. Sri Modakondamma temple and its annual jatara.
18.08° N, 82.67° E
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗Mandals
| S.No. | Mandal | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Munchingiputtu | Northern mandal on the Odisha border, with a large Odia- and Kuvi-speaking population. |
| 2 | Pedabayalu | Remote hill mandal in the north-west of the agency. |
| 3 | Dumbriguda | Next to Araku; known for waterfalls such as Chaparai. |
| 4 | Araku Valley | Tourism centre: Tribal Museum, Padmapuram Gardens, Coffee Museum and the Araku Chali Utsav festival. |
| 5 | Ananthagiri | Coffee plantations on the ghat road to Araku; Borra Caves and the Tyda nature camp. |
| 6 | Hukumpeta | Neighbouring mandal of Paderu with coffee and pepper growers. |
| 7 | Paderu | District and ITDA headquarters at 904 m. Sri Modakondamma temple and its annual jatara. |
| 8 | G. Madugula | Hill mandal south-west of Paderu. |
| 9 | Chintapalli | Home to Lambasingi, the coldest place in Andhra Pradesh, with strawberry and apple farming. |
| 10 | G.K. Veedhi | Regional Coffee Research Station at R.V. Nagar, set up in 1976. |
| 11 | Koyyuru | Southern mandal where Alluri Sitarama Raju was killed in May 1924. |
District Collectors
| S.No. | Name | Period | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smt. T. Nishanthi, IAS Current | 2025 – present | — |
| 2 | Sri A.S. Dinesh Kumar, IAS | 2024 – 2025 | — |
| 3 | Smt. M. Vijaya Suneetha, IAS | Feb 2024 – 2024 | — |
| 4 | Sri Sumit Kumar, IAS | Apr 2022 – Feb 2024 | Collector, West Godavari |
Places to Visit
Araku Valley
Coffee estates, Tribal Museum and Padmapuram Gardens.
Lambasingi
Misty hill village, “the Kashmir of Andhra Pradesh”.
Borra Caves
Million-year-old limestone caves near Ananthagiri.
Vanajangi
Sea-of-clouds viewpoint near Paderu at sunrise.