It is the headquarter of Mandya district, Sugar factories contribute to the major economic output.

It is also called Sugar City (Kannada: Sakkare Nagara) because sugarcane is a major crop grown here.

The KRS dam was built by Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV and M. Visvesvaraya in Mandya, opening in 1932.

In 2016, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) excavated another 13 ft (4.0 m) statue of Bahubali, a much revered figure among Jains.

He was the son of Adinath, the first tirthankara of Jainism, and the younger brother of Bharata Chakravartin, identified with the 3rd – 9th centuries in Arthipura, Mandya district.