Karimnagar is a Municipal Corporation and district headquarters of Karimnagar district of Telangana state. It is situated on the banks of Manair River, which is a tributary of the Godavari River.It is the fourth largest and fastest growing urban settlement in the state, according to 2011 census. It has registered a population growth rate of 45.46% and 38.87% respectively over the past two decades between 1991 and 2011, which is highest growth rate among major cities of Telangana. It serves as a major educational and health hub for the northern districts of Telangana. It is a major business center and widely known for Granite and Agro-based industries. It has been selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under PM Narendra Modi's flagship Smart Cities Mission. Satavahana dynasty: Kotilingala in Karimnagar district was the first capital of the Satavahana Kingdom (230 BCE–220 CE). Formerly known as Sabbinadu, inscriptions dating to the Kakatiya dynasty (1083–1323) by kings Prola II and Prataparudra found at Karimnagar and Srisailam provide evidence of the area's rich history. The history of the Karimnagar district began in the Old Stone Age around 1,48,000 BC. Archaeological excavations in Pedda Bonkur, Dhulikatta and Kotilingalu show that the area was once ruled by the Satvahanas, Mauryas and Asaf Jahis. It was previously part of Hyderabad State before 1 November 1956, Andhra Pradesh state till 2 June 2014 and became the part of newly formed state of Telangana by Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.