District Magistrate / Collector
Abhishek Surana
Churu district
Since 2024
Know Your District
Churu
Thar gateway district with Salasar, Tal Chhapar and desert plains
Last verified: 2026-05-06
Churu is described as the gateway to the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. Census 2011 recorded 2,039,547 people in the district and a density of 147 persons per square kilometre. Its exam profile combines desert geography, Salasar Balaji, Tal Chhapar Sanctuary, agriculture-led markets and Churu Lok Sabha politics.
District at a Glance
| 2011 population | Churu district had a 2011 Census population of 2,039,547 persons. |
|---|---|
| 2011 gender count | Churu district comprised 1,051,446 males and 988,101 females in Census 2011. |
| 2011 density | Churu district had a population density of 147 persons per square kilometre in Census 2011. |
| 2011 sex ratio | Churu district recorded a 2011 sex ratio of 940 females per 1,000 males. |
| 2011 literacy rate | Churu district recorded a 2011 literacy rate of 66.8 percent. |
| Headquarters | Churu city is the administrative headquarters of Churu district. |
District Administration
Current officeholders — sourced from public records.
Additional District Magistrate
Arpita Soni
Churu district
District and Sessions Judge
Sonika Purohit
Churu judgeship
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Rahul Kaswan
Churu Parliamentary Constituency
Indian National CongressSince 2024
Member of Legislative Assembly
Harlal Saharan
Churu Assembly Constituency
Bharatiya Janata PartySince 2023
Member of Legislative Assembly
Anil Kumar Sharma
Sardarshahar Assembly Constituency
Indian National CongressSince 2023
Superintendent of Police
Nischay Prasad M
Churu district
Since 2026
History — Ancient → Medieval → Modern
Thar Gateway
Churu district is described as the gateway to the Thar Desert of Rajasthan.
District Headquarters
The district portal states that Churu city is the district headquarters.
Bikaner Legacy
The district portal states that Churu was part of Bikaner district before Indian independence.
Post-Independence Reorganisation
The district portal states that Churu was separated from Bikaner in 1948 when Bikaner was reconstituted.
Thakur Conflicts
The DCHB describes Churu as the scene of many encounters between Churu Thakurs and rulers of erstwhile Bikaner State.
Bikaner Annexation
The DCHB states that Churu was annexed by erstwhile Bikaner State in 1818 AD.
Churu Fort
The DCHB states that Churu fort was built in 1739 AD by Thakur Kushal Singh.
City Founding
The export plan states that Churu was founded in AD 1620 by a Jat ruler named Churu.
Taranagar Name
Taranagar was historically known as Reni.
Taranagar Conquest
The DCHB says Taranagar was conquered by the founder of Bikaner State in the fifteenth century AD.
Taranagar Fort
A fort at Taranagar was constructed by Maharaja Surat Singh, whose reign is given as 1788-1826.
Ancient Jain Temple
The DCHB records a Jain temple at Taranagar built in 942 AD.
Salasar Temple
Salasar Balaji temple was constructed in Samvat 1811, corresponding to 1754 AD.
Art, Culture, Heritage & Tourism
Salasar Balaji Devotion
Salasar Balaji is a religiously important place for devotees of Hanuman.
Salasar Balaji Location
Salasar Balaji is located in Salasar town near Sujangarh in Churu district.
Chaitra Ashvin Fairs
Large fairs are held at Salasar Balaji on Chaitra Purnima and Ashvin Purnima.
Salasar Fair Calendar
The district export plan says two fairs are organized at Salasar Balaji in April and October.
Gogaji Folk Deity
Gogaji Maharaj is described in the DCHB as a folk deity and warrior-hero of the region.
Snake God Worship
Gogaji is venerated as a saint and a snake-god.
Gogaji Fair Days
The Gogaji fair lasts for three days from Goga Navami to the eleventh day of Bhadrapada dark half.
Dadrewa Birthplace
Dadrewa is identified as the birthplace of Gogaji Chauhan and lies 16 km from Rajgarh.
Folk Entertainment
The DCHB lists folk dances, drama performances and indoor games among local entertainment sources.
Jain Temple
Churu has a Jain temple built by Yati Ridhi Karan.
Painted Havelis
Old mansions with wall paintings and cenotaphs are listed as tourist attractions in Churu.
Merchant Havelis
Oswal Jain merchant families constructed the Kothari and Surana painted havelis.
Malji Kothari Haveli
Malji Kothari Haveli is described as the most popular haveli in Churu.
Surana Double Haveli
The Surana Double Haveli is noted for about 111 windows and doors.
Geography, Climate & Ecology
District Area
Churu district is spread over 13,835 square kilometres in the northeast region of Rajasthan.
Latitude Range
Churu district lies between 27 degrees 24 minutes and 29 degrees north latitude.
Longitude Range
Churu district lies between 73 degrees 40 minutes and 75 degrees 41 minutes east longitude.
Northern Boundary
Churu district is bounded by Hanumangarh district in the north.
Western Boundary
Churu district is bounded by Bikaner in the west and Nagaur in the south.
Eastern Boundary
Churu district is bounded by Sikar to the south-east and Jhunjhunun and Haryana to the east.
Thar Desert
Churu district is part of the Thar Desert.
Sand Dunes
Sand dunes in Churu district range from 6 to 30 metres.
Physical Regions
The DCHB divides Churu physiographically into Desert Area, Plains of Matiyars and Taal Area.
Desert Area
The Desert Area includes all of Sardarshahar and major parts of Churu and Ratangarh tehsils.
Matiyar Plains
The Plains of Matiyars include Rajgarh and Taranagar tehsils and northeast Churu tehsil.
Taal Area
The Taal Area includes Sujangarh tehsil and southeast Ratangarh tehsil.
No Hill Terrain
The DCHB says Churu district has no hilly or rocky area.
Seasonal Drainage
Churu has no river or stream that flows throughout the year.
Katli River
Katli is described as the only river associated with the district and it ends in Rajgarh tehsil.
Economy — Sectors, Industry, Energy
Agriculture Livestock
Churu town and its surrounding area are mainly based on agriculture and animal husbandry.
Mustard Oilseed
The district economy page identifies mustard seed as a predominant oilseed crop.
Crop Diversity
Wheat, kharif pulses, bajra and guar are listed as other produce around Churu.
Main Mandi
Churu is described as the main mandi for agricultural produce of the area.
Mandi Committee
Churu town has a Krishi Upaj Mandi Samiti.
Food Warehouses
The Food Corporation of India has warehouses in Churu.
Bajra Acreage
The DCHB records bajra as a kharif crop with 402,905 hectares sown in 2010-11.
Moth Acreage
The DCHB records moth as a kharif crop with 422,419 hectares sown in 2010-11.
Guar Acreage
The DCHB records guar with 247,427 hectares sown in 2010-11.
Mandi Markets
Five APMC markets are listed for Churu district: Churu, Sadulpur, Sadulpur phase 3, Sujangarh and Sardarshahar.
Industrial Backwardness
The DCHB states that Churu district is industrially backward.
Large Industry Absence
The DCHB states that large-scale or medium-scale industries were absent in Churu district.
Industrial Areas
RIICO had developed eight industrial areas in Churu district by the DCHB account.
Export Plan Areas
The district export plan lists eight industrial areas in Churu district as of 31 March 2019.
Political & Administrative Setup
Lok Sabha Seat
Churu parliamentary constituency is constituency number 3 in Rajasthan for Lok Sabha elections.
Assembly Segments
Within Churu district, Churu Lok Sabha constituency includes the assembly constituencies Sadulpur, Taranagar, Sardarshahar, Churu, Ratangarh and Sujangarh.
Sadulpur MLA
The 2023 Rajasthan successful-candidates list records Manoj Kumar S/o Swai Singh as the winner from Sadulpur.
Taranagar MLA
The 2023 Rajasthan successful-candidates list records Narendra Budania as the winner from Taranagar.
Sardarshahar MLA
The 2023 Rajasthan successful-candidates list records Anil Kumar Sharma as the winner from Sardarshahar.
Churu MLA
The 2023 Rajasthan successful-candidates list records Harlal Saharan as the winner from Churu.
Ratangarh MLA
The 2023 Rajasthan successful-candidates list records Poosaram Godara as the winner from Ratangarh.
Sujangarh MLA
The 2023 Rajasthan successful-candidates list records Manoj Kumar as the winner from Sujangarh (SC).
Sadulpur Party
Sadulpur winner Manoj Kumar S/o Swai Singh won as a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate.
Churu Party
Churu winner Harlal Saharan won as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate.
District Magistrate
A RajKaj report last updated on 5 May 2026 lists Abhishek Surana as Collector and District Magistrate, Churu.
Governance Initiatives & Schemes (2025-26)
Aapni Water Supply
Aapni Yojana is described as part of the Indira Gandhi Canal Project for drinking water supply to Hanumangarh, Churu and Jhunjhunun.
Aapni Project Cost
The DCHB states that Aapni Yojana was a Rs 645 crore scheme starting from Dhannasar village in Hanumangarh district.
Aapni First Phase
The first phase of Aapni Yojana was to provide drinking water to Taranagar, Sardarshahar and Rajgarh tehsils of Churu district.
Gandheli Sahaba Supply
The Gandheli-Sahaba Water Supply Scheme supplies drinking water through the Rawatsar branch of the Indira Gandhi Canal Project.
Canal Irrigation Projects
The Sidhmukh Project of the Bhakhra Canal System and Sahiba Lift Canal were expected to provide irrigation to villages of Rajgarh and Taranagar tehsils.
Groundnut Products
Under PMFME ODOP, Churu district is listed for Groundnut Products.
Wood Products
The Rajasthan Economic Review 2025-26 identifies Wood Products as Churu district’s ODOP Policy 2024 product.
PYQ One-Liners (RAS / RPSC / RSSB)
Verify exact options from official RPSC / RSSB question papers before any examination use.
RPSC March 2016 Paper 1
Q. The district of Rajasthan having no river is?
A. Churu
Test yourself — 10 questions
A quick self-check drawn from the district reference above. Bilingual, no login required.
Question 1 of 10
Which Rajasthan district is described in the District Census Handbook as part of the Thar Desert, with sand dunes ranging from 6 to 30 metres?
Frequently asked questions
What is Churu district known as?
It is known as the gateway to the Thar Desert of Rajasthan.
Which city is Churu district headquarters?
Churu city is the administrative headquarters.
Which sanctuary is associated with blackbuck in Churu?
Tal Chhapar Sanctuary is known for rare blackbuck.
What was the 2011 population of Churu district?
The 2011 Census population was 2,039,547.
Which major fairs are linked with Salasar Balaji?
Large fairs are held on Chaitra Purnima and Ashvin Purnima.