Chhattisgarh is a State in Central India, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi - speaking South-Eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh gained separate statehood on 1 November 2000. Raipur is the biggest city and the capital of the state. Chhattisgarh is the 10th-largest state in India with an area of 52,199 sq mi ( 135,190 km2 ). By population it ranks as the seventeenth largest state of the nation. It is an important electrical power and steel producing state of India.Chhattisgarh produces 15 per cent of the steel made in the country. Chhattisgarh borders the states of Madhya Pradesh on the northwest, Maharashtra on the west, Andhra Pradesh on the south, Orissa on the east, Jharkhand on the northeast and Uttar Pradesh on the north.In ancient times this region was known as Dakshin-Kausal.

This finds mention in Ramayana and Mahabharata also. Between the sixth and twelfth centuries Sarabhpurias, Panduavanshi, Somvanshi, Kalchuri and Nagvanshi rulers dominated this region. Kalchuris ruled in Chhattisgarh from 980 to 1741 AD. Chhattisgarh was under Maratha rule ( Bhonsales of Nagpur ) from 1741 to 1845 AD. It came under British rule from 1845 to 1947. With the advent of the British in 1845, Raipur gained prominence instead of capital Ratanpur. In 1905 Sambalpur district was transferred to Orissa and estates of Sarguja were transferred from Bengal to Chhattisgarh.