Achalpur
Encyclopedia
Achalpur formerly known as Ellichpur and Illychpur, is a city and a municipal council
in Amravati District
in the India
n state
of Maharashtra
. It has a twin city known as Paratwada.
, Achalpur had a population of 107,304. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Achalpur has an average literacy rate of 88%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 54% of the males and 46% of females literate. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
–Kolkata
standard gauge
railway at Murtajapur
— the 76 km northern leg to Achalpur and the 113 km southeastern leg to Yavatmal
. As of 2004 this line was still owned by a London
-based company which had leased the line to India's Central Railway since 1903.
Paratwada is connected to Nagpur
, Pune
, Amravati, Yavatmal
, Akola
, Aurangabad
, Chandrapur
, Bhandara
, Gondiya, Jalgaon, Indore
, Bhopal, Betul
, Burhanpur
, by the bus.
Nagpur
is the nearest airport (200km). Flights to all important cities are available from Nagpur. Nearest broad gauge railway station is at Amravati
(50km) and Badnera
(62km). Direct trains to all major cities are available from Badnera.
The Leprosy Mission Highschool, Kothara
Delhi Sultanate
after 1294, it remained under Hindu
administration till 1318, when it came directly under the Muslims. It was afterwards capital of the province of Berar at intervals until the Mughal
occupation, when the seat of the provincial governor was moved to Balapur
. The town retains many relics of the Nawabs of Berar.
In 1294, Ala-uddin nephew of Jalaluddm Khilji, the reigning emperor of Delhi, invaded the Deccan with the object of subjugating Devagiri, of the wealth of which kingdom he had heard in the course of his forays in Central Asia. He halted at Ellichpur for two days and from thence marched towards Devagiti from where he carried off an enormous quantity of plunder. Mis route from Ellichpur
In 1642 Shah Beg Khan, a commander of 4,000 horse, was appointed subhedar of Berar in place of the Khan-i-Dauran and two years later Allah Vardi Khan was made a commander of 5,000 horse and received Ellichpur in jahagir on the death of Sipahdar Khan.Early in 1658 Aurangzeb left the Deccan in order to participate in the contest for the imperial throne which ensued on the failure of Shah Jahan's health and having worsted his competitors he gained the prize. He appointed Raja Jai Singh to the viceroyalty of the Deccan and made Irij Khan subhedar of Berar. In 1661, Diler Khan accompanied by Irij Khan, the subhedar of Berar and the Faujdar of the province marched through Berar to attack the Gond Raja of Chanda. The Raja submitted and the expedition terminated on the Raja paying to the imperial exchequer a crore of rupees and promising to pay an annual tribute of 2 lakhs and to raze his fortifications. At this time a new power was gaining ascendency in the Deccan, viz., that of the Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji. Inspired by the ideal of carving a separate State, and backed by the zeal of his followers he had made deep incisions in the Adil Shahi kingdom of Bijapur and had carried out daring attacks against the Moghal possessions in the Deccan. Aurangzeb had sensed this danger and had sent his generals, Shayasta Khan, Mirza Raja Jai Singh and Diler Khan to contain Shivaji's activities in 1665. In 1775 Nizam Ali, taking advantage of the existence of strong party opposed to Mudhoji Bhosle in Nagpur, sent Ibrahim Beg against him, and himself advanced as far as Ellichpur
As the Mughal empire deteriorated in the 18th century, Achalpur along with the rest of Berar came under the rule of the Nizam
of Hyderabad
. In 1853, Berar came under British administration, although it remained formally part of the Hyderabad kingdom until 1903. Achalpur, known by the British as Ellichpur, became part of East Berar District, with Amraoti (Amravati) as capital of the district. In 1867 East Berar was split into the districts of Amraoti
and Ellichpur district
, with Ellichpur as the headquarters of Ellichpur District. The district had an area of 2605 square miles (6,746.9 km²).
In 1901 Achalpur had a population of 29,740, with ginning factories and a considerable trade in cotton and forest produce. It was connected by good roads with Amraoti and Chikhaldara
. Berar was annexed to British India in 1903 and merged with the Central Provinces
, and in 1905 Ellichpur District was merged into Amraoti District. The civil station of Paratwada, 5 km. from the town of Ellichpur, contained the principal public buildings at the beginning of the 20th century.
After India's independence in 1947, the Central Provinces became the province, and after 1950 the state, Madhya Pradesh
. The 1956 States Reorganisation Act
redrew the boundaries of India's states along linguistic lines, and the predominantly Marathi
-speaking Amravati District was transferred to Bombay State
, which was renamed Maharashtra
in 1960 when it was split from Gujarat.
During the reign of the British in India a military camp was established on the outskirts of the city. Paratwada during British Rule was known as Paltanwada or Achalpur Camp. After Independence the name was later changed to Paratwada from a marathi word "Parat". It has been said that British camp was set up in the Civil Lines area of Paratwada and a big American Hospital was also built in Civil Lines which is now converted to the Maharashtra State Electricity Board office. Presently it is one of the most developed (largest city) civil townships in Amaravati district as well as in Maharashtra. It provides milk and milk related products to the market. Paratwada is the biggest supplier of Honey and Teak wood to all over Asia. There is a famous hill station nearly an hour away known as Chikhaldara. Also a famous religious Digambar Jain Tirth known as Muktagiri is located about 20 km from Paratwada.Paratwada is very closed to Madhyaya Pradesh. Various dams are being built on the outskirts of the city which is becoming a well known picnic spot.
India's President Pratibha Patil
on 6 September 2008 laid the foundation stone of the Finlay textile mill at Paratwada/Achalpur in Amravati district of Maharashtra. The textile mill, which was initiated as a private enterprise in 1903, was closed down in 1959. Then, it was taken over by the Government of Maharashtra and brought under state textile corporation in 1972 and subsequently nationalised on April 1, 1974 and was known as Vidharbha Mills. The unit was closed down once again in 2003. The new Finlay mill is now being relocated on this spot with the sophisticated machinery through the investment of Rs 326 crores. The plant, which has a potential of around 1250 employees, has started production in 2010. "Kandli" is small village attached to the paratwada.It is a gram panchayat.
The Hospital is the only Christian Mission hospital in this backward area. It is also located in a community with a low paying capacity. It thus has an important role to play in providing much needed services to the community. A well-equipped laboratory, general physiotherapy services, X-ray, ECG and optical services, supports the speciality services. Over 30,000 Outpatient visits were recorded in 2005 for various specialities.
The Hospital networks with other NGOs in the area to provide basic medical and healthcare to the tribal population, especially those living in the interior villages, where medical care is non-existent. Kothara Community Hospital offers tertiary level care in Leprosy and secondary level care in the specialties of Ophthalmology, Dermatology and General Medicine. General Surgery through visiting surgeons both from TLM and outside was also a service provided at set times. Specialized services like Diabetic clinics, Glaucoma clinics and special eye clinics for leprosy home inmates were run. Low vision services for the visually impaired who cannot benefit from surgery or spectacles was a new service provided. Computerization of all OP services and billing since November 2007 was a major change. Evaluations of the Base Hospital and the CCC project were completed in 2007. CMAI recognized 2 ½ year Diploma in Ophthalmic Technology course was started with 3 students enrolled in 2007. The hospital also had a change in leadership in the Superintendent, Dy Superintendent, Dy Superintendent (admin) and Administrative assistant posts.
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
in Amravati District
Amravati district
Amravati district is a district of Maharashtra state in central India. Amravati is the administrative headquarters of the district.The district is situated between 20°32' and 21°46' north latitudes and 76°37' and 78°27' east longitudes. The district occupies an area of 12,235 km²...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. It has a twin city known as Paratwada.
Geography
Achalpur and Paratwada as a twin city is located at 21°15′26"N 77°30′31"E. It has an average elevation of 369 metres (1210 ft).Demographics
As of 2001 India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Achalpur had a population of 107,304. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Achalpur has an average literacy rate of 88%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 54% of the males and 46% of females literate. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Transportation
Achalpur is the northern terminus of the 762 mm narrow gauge railway known locally as the Shakuntala railway. This line is composed of two legs intersecting with the MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
–Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
railway at Murtajapur
Murtajapur
Murtijapur is a municipal council and one of the taluka of district of Akola of Amravati division of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.-Geography:...
— the 76 km northern leg to Achalpur and the 113 km southeastern leg to Yavatmal
Yavatmal
Yavatmal is a city and municipal council of the Yavatmal district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The name derives from the Marathi Yavat and mal .-Demographics:yavatmal ,district in Amravati administrative division....
. As of 2004 this line was still owned by a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based company which had leased the line to India's Central Railway since 1903.
Paratwada is connected to Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
, Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, Amravati, Yavatmal
Yavatmal
Yavatmal is a city and municipal council of the Yavatmal district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The name derives from the Marathi Yavat and mal .-Demographics:yavatmal ,district in Amravati administrative division....
, Akola
Akola
Akola is a city in the state of Maharashtra located in the Vidarbha region of central India. It is located around 600 km east of Mumbai and 250 km west of Nagpur. Akola is the headquarters of Akola District located in Amravati Division.Akola district has an area of about 54.31 square...
, Aurangabad
Aurangabad
-Places:Cities* Aurangabad, Maharashtra, a city in Maharashtra, India* Aurangabad, Bihar, a city and a municipality in Aurangabad district, Bihar, India* Aurangabad Bangar, a census town in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh, India...
, Chandrapur
Chandrapur
Chandrapur is city and a municipal council in Chandrapur district in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is also the headquarters of Chandrapur district....
, Bhandara
Bhandara
Bhandara is a city and a municipal council in Bhandara district in the state of Maharashtra, India.- Overview :It is the second major city in Vidharba a region that is Maharashtra. Bhandara is an agricultural centre for the farmers around its region majorly growing rice. The district speaks...
, Gondiya, Jalgaon, Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
, Bhopal, Betul
Betul
Betul is a city and a municipality in Betul district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative center of Betul District located in southern Madhya Pradesh. It forms the southernmost part of the Bhopal Division.-Etymology:...
, Burhanpur
Burhanpur
Burhanpur is an important city in Madhya Pradesh state, India. It is the administrative seat of Burhanpur District. It is situated on the north bank of the Tapti River, southwest of Bhopal and northeast of Mumbai...
, by the bus.
Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
is the nearest airport (200km). Flights to all important cities are available from Nagpur. Nearest broad gauge railway station is at Amravati
Amravati
Amravati is a city in the state of Maharashtra, India and the seventh most populous metropolitan area in Maharashtra. It is also the administrative headquarters of the Amravati district...
(50km) and Badnera
Badnera
Badnera is a part of Amravati district of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra state in India.Badnera is a railway junction on Bhusawal-Badnera railway line of Central Railway...
(62km). Direct trains to all major cities are available from Badnera.
Economic Activity
The town had been major trade center for Palmarosa oil in India. The major commodities for trade include- CottonCottonCotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
- Bananas
- OrangeOrange (fruit)An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
s - Red chilis
- GroundnutPeanutThe peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
- HoneyHoneyHoney is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
- Coffee
- Ayurvedic Medicine
The Leprosy Mission Highschool, Kothara
Places of Visit
- Chikhaldara Hill Station 35 km
- MuktagiriMuktagiriMuktagiri is a Jain Pilgrimage centre, located on border of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in India. It comes under Bhainsdehi tehsil of Betul district or Baitul district in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is 14 km away from Paratwada, Dist. Amravati, Maharashtra. Muktagiri is 7 km away from Kharpi...
Digambar Jain Tirth 15 km - Chandrabhaga Dam
- Vazzar Dam
- Achalpur Bhool Bhulayya
- Orange Farms
- Shivaji Statue
- ChikhaldaraChikhaldara----This article originally appeared in wikinews , and was transferred over here, as this is more suitable project. It was originally licensed under the license, which is one-way compatible with the GFDL. Atributation goes to the wikinews community, and the only contributor to this article was the...
Wind Mill - Ashtamahasiddhi temple (Chakradhar Swami)
- Naldamyanti dam
- Shah Dulha Rehman Gazi Dargha (shrine)
- Waghamata and Kalimata Temple
- Bhairam Temple
- Dharkhora water fall
- Jungle Safari
- Haud katora
- Kartikswami Temple
- Mandalsha
History
It is first mentioned authentically in the 13th century as one of the famous cities of the Deccan. Though tributary to the MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
after 1294, it remained under Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
administration till 1318, when it came directly under the Muslims. It was afterwards capital of the province of Berar at intervals until the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
occupation, when the seat of the provincial governor was moved to Balapur
Balapur
Balapur is a city and a municipal council in Akola district in the state of Maharashtra, India.The name Balapur is after the Village Goddess called Baladevi, the temple of which has a very ancient history.-Geography:Balapur is located at...
. The town retains many relics of the Nawabs of Berar.
In 1294, Ala-uddin nephew of Jalaluddm Khilji, the reigning emperor of Delhi, invaded the Deccan with the object of subjugating Devagiri, of the wealth of which kingdom he had heard in the course of his forays in Central Asia. He halted at Ellichpur for two days and from thence marched towards Devagiti from where he carried off an enormous quantity of plunder. Mis route from Ellichpur
In 1642 Shah Beg Khan, a commander of 4,000 horse, was appointed subhedar of Berar in place of the Khan-i-Dauran and two years later Allah Vardi Khan was made a commander of 5,000 horse and received Ellichpur in jahagir on the death of Sipahdar Khan.Early in 1658 Aurangzeb left the Deccan in order to participate in the contest for the imperial throne which ensued on the failure of Shah Jahan's health and having worsted his competitors he gained the prize. He appointed Raja Jai Singh to the viceroyalty of the Deccan and made Irij Khan subhedar of Berar. In 1661, Diler Khan accompanied by Irij Khan, the subhedar of Berar and the Faujdar of the province marched through Berar to attack the Gond Raja of Chanda. The Raja submitted and the expedition terminated on the Raja paying to the imperial exchequer a crore of rupees and promising to pay an annual tribute of 2 lakhs and to raze his fortifications. At this time a new power was gaining ascendency in the Deccan, viz., that of the Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji. Inspired by the ideal of carving a separate State, and backed by the zeal of his followers he had made deep incisions in the Adil Shahi kingdom of Bijapur and had carried out daring attacks against the Moghal possessions in the Deccan. Aurangzeb had sensed this danger and had sent his generals, Shayasta Khan, Mirza Raja Jai Singh and Diler Khan to contain Shivaji's activities in 1665. In 1775 Nizam Ali, taking advantage of the existence of strong party opposed to Mudhoji Bhosle in Nagpur, sent Ibrahim Beg against him, and himself advanced as far as Ellichpur
As the Mughal empire deteriorated in the 18th century, Achalpur along with the rest of Berar came under the rule of the Nizam
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
of Hyderabad
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
. In 1853, Berar came under British administration, although it remained formally part of the Hyderabad kingdom until 1903. Achalpur, known by the British as Ellichpur, became part of East Berar District, with Amraoti (Amravati) as capital of the district. In 1867 East Berar was split into the districts of Amraoti
Amravati district
Amravati district is a district of Maharashtra state in central India. Amravati is the administrative headquarters of the district.The district is situated between 20°32' and 21°46' north latitudes and 76°37' and 78°27' east longitudes. The district occupies an area of 12,235 km²...
and Ellichpur district
Ellichpur District
Ellichpur District is a former district of British India. It encompassed the western portion of present-day Amravati District in Maharashtra state....
, with Ellichpur as the headquarters of Ellichpur District. The district had an area of 2605 square miles (6,746.9 km²).
In 1901 Achalpur had a population of 29,740, with ginning factories and a considerable trade in cotton and forest produce. It was connected by good roads with Amraoti and Chikhaldara
Chikhaldara
----This article originally appeared in wikinews , and was transferred over here, as this is more suitable project. It was originally licensed under the license, which is one-way compatible with the GFDL. Atributation goes to the wikinews community, and the only contributor to this article was the...
. Berar was annexed to British India in 1903 and merged with the Central Provinces
Central Provinces
The Central Provinces was a province of British India. It comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered parts of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur....
, and in 1905 Ellichpur District was merged into Amraoti District. The civil station of Paratwada, 5 km. from the town of Ellichpur, contained the principal public buildings at the beginning of the 20th century.
After India's independence in 1947, the Central Provinces became the province, and after 1950 the state, Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
. The 1956 States Reorganisation Act
States Reorganisation Act
The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 was a major reform of the boundaries and governance of India's states and territories. The act reorganised the boundaries of India's states along linguistic lines, and amended the Indian Constitution to replace the three types of states, known as Parts A, B,...
redrew the boundaries of India's states along linguistic lines, and the predominantly Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
-speaking Amravati District was transferred to Bombay State
Bombay State
The Bombay State was a state of India, dissolved with the formation of Maharashtra and Gujarat states on May 1, 1960.-History:During British rule, portions of the western coast of India under direct British rule were part of the Bombay Presidency...
, which was renamed Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
in 1960 when it was split from Gujarat.
Paratwada
Paratwada is quite a modern city. Its existence being due to its selection as a military camp when Salabat Khan's reformed troops were converted into the Achalpur Bridge and made a part of Hyderabad Contingent. The city is divided into seven puras or quarters named Chhota Bazaar, Motha Bazaar, Mogalaipura, Gatarmal pura, Vakil line, Pension pura etc. The civil station is well laid out area with broad roads and excellent bungalows and public offices. There are two temples of Lord Datta and Vitthal. The Paratwada Municipal Council was established in the year 1893. Now both, Achalpur and Paratwada Municipal Councils are amalgamated.During the reign of the British in India a military camp was established on the outskirts of the city. Paratwada during British Rule was known as Paltanwada or Achalpur Camp. After Independence the name was later changed to Paratwada from a marathi word "Parat". It has been said that British camp was set up in the Civil Lines area of Paratwada and a big American Hospital was also built in Civil Lines which is now converted to the Maharashtra State Electricity Board office. Presently it is one of the most developed (largest city) civil townships in Amaravati district as well as in Maharashtra. It provides milk and milk related products to the market. Paratwada is the biggest supplier of Honey and Teak wood to all over Asia. There is a famous hill station nearly an hour away known as Chikhaldara. Also a famous religious Digambar Jain Tirth known as Muktagiri is located about 20 km from Paratwada.Paratwada is very closed to Madhyaya Pradesh. Various dams are being built on the outskirts of the city which is becoming a well known picnic spot.
India's President Pratibha Patil
Pratibha Patil
Pratibha Devisingh Patil is the 12th President of the Republic of India and first woman to hold the office. She was sworn in as President of India on 25 July 2007, succeeding Dr. A.P.J...
on 6 September 2008 laid the foundation stone of the Finlay textile mill at Paratwada/Achalpur in Amravati district of Maharashtra. The textile mill, which was initiated as a private enterprise in 1903, was closed down in 1959. Then, it was taken over by the Government of Maharashtra and brought under state textile corporation in 1972 and subsequently nationalised on April 1, 1974 and was known as Vidharbha Mills. The unit was closed down once again in 2003. The new Finlay mill is now being relocated on this spot with the sophisticated machinery through the investment of Rs 326 crores. The plant, which has a potential of around 1250 employees, has started production in 2010. "Kandli" is small village attached to the paratwada.It is a gram panchayat.
Kothara Community Hospital
The Central India Korku and Hill Mission originally established the Kothara Community Hospital as a leprosy home in 1898. It functioned as a leprosy asylum until the 1970s when it was converted into a leprosy hospital. Presently it is a 90-bed multi-speciality Community hospital providing high quality, comprehensive and compassionate healthcare to the mainly rural and tribal community. The Hospital has grown from being a purely leprosy referral hospital, with no scope for self-sufficiency. Today it is a well reputed community hospital providing secondary level care in Ophthalmology, Dermatology, General Medicine and Tertiary level care in Leprosy. This progress towards financial self-sufficiency indicates the great strides that hospital has made over the last few years.The Hospital is the only Christian Mission hospital in this backward area. It is also located in a community with a low paying capacity. It thus has an important role to play in providing much needed services to the community. A well-equipped laboratory, general physiotherapy services, X-ray, ECG and optical services, supports the speciality services. Over 30,000 Outpatient visits were recorded in 2005 for various specialities.
The Hospital networks with other NGOs in the area to provide basic medical and healthcare to the tribal population, especially those living in the interior villages, where medical care is non-existent. Kothara Community Hospital offers tertiary level care in Leprosy and secondary level care in the specialties of Ophthalmology, Dermatology and General Medicine. General Surgery through visiting surgeons both from TLM and outside was also a service provided at set times. Specialized services like Diabetic clinics, Glaucoma clinics and special eye clinics for leprosy home inmates were run. Low vision services for the visually impaired who cannot benefit from surgery or spectacles was a new service provided. Computerization of all OP services and billing since November 2007 was a major change. Evaluations of the Base Hospital and the CCC project were completed in 2007. CMAI recognized 2 ½ year Diploma in Ophthalmic Technology course was started with 3 students enrolled in 2007. The hospital also had a change in leadership in the Superintendent, Dy Superintendent, Dy Superintendent (admin) and Administrative assistant posts.