The Union Cabinet gave its approval for introduction in Parliament, a Bill, namely, the Central Universities (Amendment), Bill, 2023 further to amend the Central Universities Act, 2009 for setting up of Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University at Mulugu District in the State of Telangana.
- The new university will not only increase access and improve the quality of higher education in the State but also promote avenues of higher education and advance knowledge by providing instructional and research facilities in tribal art, culture and traditional knowledge system for the benefit of the tribal population in the State.
- The university will be named after the tribal goddesses— Samakka and Sarakka.
Medaram Jatara
- Medaram Jatara is the second-largest fair of India, after the Kumbh Mela, celebrated by the second-largest Tribal Community of Telangana- the Koya tribe for four days in Medaram village in Mulugu district.
- As the largest tribal fair in Asia, Medaram Jathara is conducted in honour of the Goddesses Sammakka and Saralamma.
- It is celebrated once in two years in the month of ‘Magha’ (February) on the full moon day. Saralamma was the daughter of Sammakka.
- Her idol, according to the rituals, is installed in a temple at Kannepalli, a small village near Medaram.
- The fair is organised to commemorate a tribal revolt led by Sammakka and Saralamma, a mother-daughter duo, against levy of taxes on tribal people during drought conditions by the then Kakatiya rulers in the 12th century.
