SINDHUDURG

Sindhudurg district is part of the Konkan division in India and was created by separating it from the former Ratnagiri district. It stands as an administrative district with its unique identity and geographical boundaries within the Konkan region. With the reorganization of the states in 1956, the district was included in the Bombay state, and since 1960, it has formed a part of Maharashtra. The name of the district has been adopted from the famous sea fort of Sindhudurg. This was built by Shivaji Maharaj near Malwan, and it means ‘Sea Fort’.

The Sindhudurg district consists of the joint Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha, which comprises the following six Vidhan Sabha segments:

Within the Vidhan Parishad, the Sindhudurg District is represented by Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Local Bodies Authorities Constituency, the Konkan Teachers’ Constituency, and the Konkan Graduates Constituency. The Graduates and Teachers’ Constituencies are based on the administrative divisions of Maharashtra.

The given maps provide an overview of the boundaries of the Sindhudurg district and the Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha Constituencies that fall within and around it.

The joint Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency was formed only after the latest delimitation committee of 2002. The 2009 elections implemented the delimitation.

The following is the current Member of Parliament (MP) representing Sindhudurg district in the Lok Sabha, as of 2024:

The following are the current Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) representing constituencies in Sindhudurg district, as of 2024:

There is no member from the Sindhudurg district currently in the Rajya Sabha representing Maharashtra.

Nitesh Rane (BJP) is the current Guardian Minister for Sindhudurg district, as of 2024.

The following table lists the current Members of the Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad representing Sindhudurg district through various constituencies, as of 2024:

The following are the key administrative heads of Sindhudurg district, as of 2024:

There are 8 Urban Local Bodies in the Sindhudurg District: 1 Mahanagar Palika, 3 Nagar Parishad, 5 Nagar Panchayat. There are 433 Gram Panchayats and 8 Panchayat Samiti.

On 1 May 1981, the Ratnagiri district was bifurcated to create the Sindhudurg district, in response to local demands for focused industrial and agricultural development in the southern Konkan region. Sindhudurg now represents the southern part of Maharashtra’s western coastline and functions as a distinct administrative unit. Following the district’s formation, the Zilla Parishad Sindhudurg was also established. It currently comprises 50 seats.

Sindhudurg district has three municipal councils: Malwan Nagar Parishad, Sawantwadi Nagar Parishad, and Vengurla Nagar Parishad. These councils are responsible for urban governance and civic administration in their respective towns.

The district also includes five Nagar Panchayats: Devgad-Jamsande, Kasai-Dodamarg, Kankavali, Kudal, and Vabhave Vaibhavwadi. These town councils manage civic services in semi-urban and developing areas.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, there were a total of nine contestants from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha. Out of these, two candidates had criminal cases against them, with only one contestant having serious cases registered. The elected MP, Narayan Tatu Rane from the BJP, has 7 criminal cases against him: the highest among the candidates. 

Sitaram Patwardhan, born on 4 November, 1894, in the village of Agargule in Ratnagiri taluka (near Ganpatipule), was a renowned freedom fighter and social reformer, fondly known as "Koknache Gandhi" (Gandhi of Konkan). A devoted follower of Mahatma Gandhi, Patwardhan pursued his early education in Ratnagiri before continuing his studies in Pune, where he also briefly worked at Fergusson College.

In 1916, he had the opportunity to meet Gandhi during the Bombay session of the Indian National Congress, an encounter that deeply inspired him. Motivated by Gandhi's ideals, Patwardhan resigned from his job at Fergusson College and joined the Sabarmati Ashram in 1919. There, he was entrusted by Gandhi with the responsibility of publishing the weekly journal Young India.

Patwardhan's commitment to the freedom struggle led to his imprisonment for three and a half years due to his participation in the Satyagraha movement. After his release, he returned to Konkan, where he focused on uplifting the marginalized Kunbi community by establishing the 'Kunbi Seva Sangh.' His efforts helped the Indian National Congress gain a strong foothold in the region, and he served as the district president of the party.

In addition to his political work, Patwardhan founded the 'Gopuri Ashram' in Kankavli (Sindhudurg), where he championed social equality. He broke caste barriers by engaging in manual scavenging himself and producing manure (Sonkhat) at the ashram. Defying societal norms, he and his upper-caste colleagues even skinned dead animals to make leather, a task traditionally restricted to the Mahar caste. His ashram became a measure of unity, where people from 20-25 different castes lived together harmoniously.

In 1952, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited Patwardhan’s Gopuri Ashram and recognized his efforts. Later, Patwardhan worked alongside Vinoba Bhave in the Bhoodan movement, advocating for land redistribution.

Sitaram Patwardhan passed away on 10 March 1971, leaving behind a legacy of social justice and reform. His life embodied the Gandhian principles of equality, selflessness, and service to the downtrodden.

Mahadev Tukaram Walawalkar, affectionately known as Aba, was born on 20 May 1887 in Sindhudurg. He completed his secondary education at Sawantwadi High School and later graduated from Wilson College, Mumbai. Strongly influenced by Lokmanya Tilak, he became an active participant in the freedom movement, including protests against Bible education in schools. Aba responded to Mahatma Gandhi's call to boycott colonial educational institutions and graduated from Tilak Maharashtra University, later joining the National School Industry. He engaged in promoting national pride, self-respect, cow protection, and liquor prohibition, writing patriotic poems to inspire others. Upon returning to his village, Aba established schools focused on national education and dedicated himself to serving the Dalit community by constructing wells, hostels, and providing educational resources.

He was deeply involved in 'Harijan Seva' and the promotion of 'Khadi' (handspun cloth), embodying Gandhian principles of self-reliance. Despite personal losses, including the death of his wife, Aba remained committed to the freedom struggle, rejecting offers of wealth from colonial powers. He worked tirelessly in fields like yarn spinning, khadi promotion, and boycotting foreign goods. Even after India gained independence, he continued his life of selfless service. His dedication to Satyagraha and spinning yarn daily made him perhaps as a symbol of Gandhian values. In recognition of his contributions, he was honored by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the 25th year of Indian independence. Aba Walawalkar's legacy is that of a selfless freedom fighter who played a pivotal role in the independence movement, focusing on social justice, national education, and the promotion of self-reliance through Khadi.

During the Civil Disobedience Movement, the region then comprising Ratnagiri and present-day Sindhudurg districts became a significant site of protest against British colonial rule. One of the most prominent events occurred in Shiroda village, Vengurla, between May 12 and 15, 1930. As part of the Salt Satyagraha, volunteers organized Satyagraha camps, held public meetings, and sold illegally procured salt in defiance of British laws. The agitation in Shiroda drew widespread attention and became a momentous act of civil resistance in the Konkan region.

In November 2003, violence erupted in Kankavli following the murder of NCP leader Satyavijay Bhise, allegedly by Shiv Sena workers. In retaliation, a mob of NCP supporters set fire to the house of former Chief Minister Narayan Rane. The unrest also led to the burning and looting of several shops. Bhise, who had recently been elected as head of the Kalsuli gram panchayat, was accused by local Shiv Sena activists of using coercive tactics to influence the election. Approximately 50 individuals were arrested in connection with the incident.