Akola

The name "Akola" is believed to have originated from the Marathi word "Akol," which means "the end" or "the boundary." This term is thought to refer to the city's historical role as a boundary or administrative center in the region. According to local tradition, the city was named after Maharaja Akolsingh, who was an influential figure in the area.

The evolution of the name "Akola" reflects its historical and cultural significance in the Vidarbha region. The city's etymology encapsulates its role in regional governance and its geographical context as a prominent location in Maharashtra.{{cite book|title=The Place Names of Maharashtra|author=V. S. Khandekar|year=2000|publisher=Marathi Vidnyan Parishad|page=45}}{{cite web|url=https://www.maharashtra.gov.in/english/ecoSurvey/ataglanc.pdf|title=Economic Survey of Maharashtra|access-date=30 April 2023}}

Akola is mentioned to be a part of Berar province and the legendary kingdom of Vidarbha in the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mahanbharat.net/geography/mahabharat-map|title=Mahabharat Map - Come, let us create a Mahan Bharat.|website=www.mahanbharat.net|accessdate=30 April 2023}}

The period of Muslim rule began when Alauddin Khalji, Sultan of Delhi, conquered the region in the early 14th century.{{Cite web |last=TheIndianTrip |title=Akola excursion Guide - India Information & Tips on Travel, Tourism & FAQs |url=https://theindiantrip.com/uk/akola-city/info |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=TheIndianTrip |language=English}} Subsequently, the region became part of the Bahmani Sultanate, which had seceded from the Delhi Sultanate in the mid-14th century. By the end of the 15th century, the Bahmani Sultanate fragmented into smaller kingdoms, and in 1572, Berar was incorporated into the Nizam Shahi Sultanate of Ahmednagar. The Nizam Shahis ceded Berar to the Mughal Empire in 1595, and the Mughals ruled the Berar province during the 17th century.{{Cite web |last=TheIndianTrip |title=Akola excursion Guide - India Information & Tips on Travel, Tourism & FAQs |url=https://theindiantrip.com/uk/akola-city/info |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=TheIndianTrip |language=English}} The Akola fort was heavily fortified during Mughal king Aurangzeb's rule.{{cite web|title=Friends of Forts|url=http://www.fortsofsahyadri.friendsofforts.com/list_of_maharashtraforts.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405125744/http://www.fortsofsahyadri.friendsofforts.com/list_of_maharashtraforts.htm|archive-date=5 April 2009|access-date=2009-02-04}} As Mughal rule started to unravel at the start of the 18th century, Asif Jah I, Nizam of Hyderabad seized the southern provinces of the empire (including Berar) in 1724 to form an independent state.{{Cite web|title=Berar {{!}} region, India|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Berar|access-date=2020-08-06|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}

The Battle of Argaon in 1803 was fought in Akola between the British and the Marathas during the Second Anglo-Maratha War. In the third Anglo-Maratha War, the last Peshwa, Baji Rao II, was defeated. In 1853, the Akola district together with the rest of Berar, came under the administration of the British East India Company.{{cite web |title=Akola District Gazetteer, Mediaeval Period History |url=https://cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/AKOLA/his_mediaeval%20period.html |website=Maharashtra State Gazetteers, Akola District |access-date=24 July 2020}}

After India's independence in 1947 from the British Government, the newly formed country was divided into different states. The Congress's proposed linguistic provinces plan before the Independence of India had positioned Akola as the headquarters of the Berar region.{{cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_partition/101.html|title=101|access-date=19 September 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_partition/tables/101a.html|title=101a|access-date=19 September 2014}}

Akola is located on the banks of the Morna River in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India. It is situated approximately {{convert|580|km|mi|abbr=on}} east of Mumbai and {{convert|250|km|mi|abbr=on}} west of Nagpur. The city lies in the Tapti River valley, which contributes to its significance as a commercial and agricultural hub. Akola also serves as an important road and rail junction.

Akola experiences a tropical wet and dry climate, characterized by high temperatures and significant variations in rainfall throughout the year. The climate includes hot, dry summers, a monsoon season with substantial rainfall, and relatively mild winters.

The highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded were 47.8 °C and 2.2 °C, respectively.

{{Weather box

| location = Akola (1991–2020, extremes 1901–2024)

| metric first = yes

| single line = yes

| width = auto

| Jan record high C = 38.2

| Feb record high C = 40.5

| Mar record high C = 44.4

| Apr record high C = 47.0

| May record high C = 47.8

| Jun record high C = 47.2

| Jul record high C = 40.6

| Aug record high C = 40.0

| Sep record high C = 40.0

| Oct record high C = 40.0

| Nov record high C = 38.9

| Dec record high C = 36.7

| year record high C = 47.8

| Jan high C = 30.0

| Feb high C = 33.2

| Mar high C = 37.4

| Apr high C = 41.0

| May high C = 42.4

| Jun high C = 37.5

| Jul high C = 32.2

| Aug high C = 30.8

| Sep high C = 32.3

| Oct high C = 33.8

| Nov high C = 32.4

| Dec high C = 30.7

| year high C = 34.5

|Jan mean C = 21.9

|Feb mean C = 24.9

|Mar mean C = 28.7

|Apr mean C = 33.0

|May mean C = 35.3

|Jun mean C = 31.9

|Jul mean C = 28.3

|Aug mean C = 27.3

|Sep mean C = 27.8

|Oct mean C = 27.4

|Nov mean C = 24.8

|Dec mean C = 22.1

| Jan low C = 13.7

| Feb low C = 16.3

| Mar low C = 20.1

| Apr low C = 24.7

| May low C = 28.0

| Jun low C = 26.4

| Jul low C = 24.5

| Aug low C = 23.7

| Sep low C = 23.3

| Oct low C = 20.8

| Nov low C = 17.1

| Dec low C = 13.5

| year low C = 21.0

| Jan record low C = 3.9

| Feb record low C = 2.2

| Mar record low C = 5.6

| Apr record low C = 11.1

| May record low C = 11.9

| Jun record low C = 19.8

| Jul record low C = 20.0

| Aug record low C = 18.3

| Sep record low C = 15.4

| Oct record low C = 10.0

| Nov record low C = 5.6

| Dec record low C = 3.9

| year record low C = 2.2

| rain colour = green

| Jan rain mm = 10.6

| Feb rain mm = 5.5

| Mar rain mm = 14.2

| Apr rain mm = 4.2

| May rain mm = 10.1

| Jun rain mm = 146.8

| Jul rain mm = 215.0

| Aug rain mm = 181.8

| Sep rain mm = 137.7

| Oct rain mm = 42.5

| Nov rain mm = 11.8

| Dec rain mm = 3.1

| year rain mm = 783.4

| Jan rain days = 0.8

| Feb rain days = 0.5

| Mar rain days = 1.3

| Apr rain days = 0.6

| May rain days = 1.0

| Jun rain days = 7.4

| Jul rain days = 12.4

| Aug rain days = 9.9

| Sep rain days = 7.0

| Oct rain days = 2.8

| Nov rain days = 1.1

| Dec rain days = 0.2

| year rain days = 44.9

| time day = 17:30 IST

| Jan humidity = 37

| Feb humidity = 27

| Mar humidity = 23

| Apr humidity = 19

| May humidity = 21

| Jun humidity = 46

| Jul humidity = 67

| Aug humidity = 72

| Sep humidity = 65

| Oct humidity = 47

| Nov humidity = 45

| Dec humidity = 41

| year humidity = 42

| source 1 = India Meteorological Department,{{cite web

| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/Climatological%20Tables%201991-2020.pdf

| title = Climatological Tables of Observatories in India 1991-2020

| publisher = India Meteorological Department

| access-date = April 8, 2024

}} Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1991–2020)

{{cite web

| url = https://ds.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/tcc/tcc/products/climate/normal/parts/NrmMonth_e.php?stn=42933

| title = Normals Data: Daltonganj – India Latitude: 20.70°N Longitude: 77.03°E Height: 281 (m)

| publisher = Japan Meteorological Agency

| access-date = 1 December 2022}}

| source 2 = Government of Maharashtra

| date = August 2024

}}Akola has been ranked 34th best “National Clean Air City” under (Category 2 3-10L Population cities) in India.{{Cite web |date=7 September 2024 |title=Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2024 |url=https://prana.cpcb.gov.in/ncapServices/robust/fetchFilesFromDrive/Swachh_Vayu_Survekshan_2024_Result.pdf |website=Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2024}}

According to the 2011 Census of India,{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=2004-06-16|title= Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=2008-11-01|publisher= Census Commission of India}} Akola City had a population of 425,817 and an area of about {{Convert|128|km2|mi2|abbr=}}. After the city's municipal limits were extended in August 2016, the estimated population of Akola city is above 603,000. The population estimate for the Akola metropolitan area is currently not available. The most recent census, conducted in 2011, recorded a population of [last known census figure]. The scheduled 2021 census for Akola city was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Current estimates are based on historical growth rates.{{cite web|url=https://www.census2011.co.in/census/city/348-akola.html#:~:text=The%20current%20estimate%20population%20of,based%20on%20past%20growth%20rate.|title=Akola Population Estimate|website=census2011.co.in|access-date=23 August 2024}}

{{Main|Akola Municipal Corporation}}

The local government of Akola is administered by the Akola Municipal Corporation, which operates under a Mayor-Council system. The Mayor, assisted by a Deputy Mayor, heads the corporation, with elections occurring every five years.{{cite web|url=https://akola.gov.in/municipal-corporation|title=Akola Municipal Corporation Official Website|website=akola.gov.in|access-date=23 August 2024}} The corporation was established on 1 July 1967 and governs an area of approximately 124 km².{{cite web|url=https://akola.gov.in/about-district|title=Akola District Overview|website=akola.gov.in|access-date=23 August 2024}}

The city's administrative functions are managed by a District Collector. As of the latest update, Ajit Kumbhar (IAS) serves in this role.{{cite web|title=District Collector Profile|url=https://akola.gov.in/about-district/whos-who/|website=akola.gov.in|access-date=23 August 2024}} The Municipal Commissioner, currently Kavita Dwiwedi (IAS), is responsible for overseeing the executive functions of the Akola Municipal Corporation.{{cite web|title=Municipal Commissioner Profile|url=https://akola.gov.in/about-district/whos-who/|website=akola.gov.in|access-date=23 August 2024}} The Mayor, Archana Masne, oversees the implementation of policies and administrative functions within the Akola Municipal Corporation.{{cite web|title=Mayor Profile|url=https://akola.gov.in/about-district/whos-who/|website=akola.gov.in|access-date=23 August 2024}}

Additionally, Akola has a range of local administrative services and multiple police stations operating under the jurisdiction of the Akola Police.{{cite web|title=Akola Police|url=http://akolapolice.gov.in/home#section2|website=akolapolice.gov.in|access-date=23 August 2024}}

{{More citations needed section|date=November 2020}}

Akola Police maintains eight police stations in the Akola city subdivision that cover the metropolitan area of the city.{{cite web|title=Akola Police|url=http://akolapolice.gov.in/home#section2|website=akolapolice.gov.in}}

The government also approved the creation of a new Railway Police Akola subdivision that will include Akola, Wardha, and Badnera railway police units. The Akola Police subdivision falls under the Nagpur District of Railway.{{cite web|date=13 November 2020|title=Akola Railway Police|url=https://www.nagpurrailwaypolice.gov.in/en/jurisdiction-nagpur-railway-police|access-date=13 November 2020}}

{{See also|List of schools in Akola}}

• Vasantrao Deshpande
• Anand Modak
• Vijay P. Bhatkar
• Patrick Barr
• Hasnain Aaqib
• Vitthal Wagh
• Sudharak Olwe
• Shivdeep Lande
• Ranjit Patil
• Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre
• T. S. Korde
• Vallabhdas Aidan Mohta
• Mahesh Kakde
• Swaminathan Aiyar

• Akola railway station
• Akola Airport
• Vidarbha
• Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth
• Varhadi language
• List of cities in Maharashtra

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{Official website|http://akola.nic.in/ }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120426061802/http://bharatkrushaksamajmah.org/team.html Bharat Krushak Samaj]
• [https://paarivahan.com/maharashtra/akola-mh30 Akola Regional Transport Office]

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Akola

|North = AKOT

|Northeast = Daryapur, Amravati district

|East = Murtizapur

|Southeast = Barshitakli

|South = Patur

|Southwest =

|West = Balapur

|Northwest = Telhara, Shegaon

}}

{{Akola district}}

{{vidarbha}}

{{Maharashtra}}

Category:Akola district

Category:Talukas in Maharashtra

Category:Cities in Maharashtra