Self Help Groups (SHGs) enable women to expand their savings and access the credit which banks are increasingly willing to lend. In the present study an attempt has been made to analyse the structure, conduct and performance of self help groups and their impact on socio economic development of 500 Sugali tribal women in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, by administering a descriptive research design. 85 percent of the women in the study were married.71 percent of the sample comes under Nuclear family type, gained colony houses constructed by the Government and the formation of SHG was initiated by Government agencies to an extent of 80 percent. Illiteracy was noticed to an extent of 31 percent. In the study area a maximum of 93 percent of the SHG members use to have group meeting monthly once and also members use to save Rs. 50 per month. 72 percent of the sample was still surviving as members only and the same percent was observed in members lending amount from private sector banks while one quarter of them are lending from public sector commercial banks. 92 percent of the members expressed that they joined in the group to promote the culture of savings among themselves. Almost half of the sample was utilizing the loan amount towards their children education, cattle and construction of house. After joining the SHG, 98 percent of the women habituated for vivid purposes like independently to approaching the bank for their needs, speak with outsiders, communication skills to deal with the main stream life, awareness of rights and procedures and confidence to start a new SHG. In conclusion the results inferred that a remarkable change in their social and economic life was noticed among the Sugali tribal women upon becoming member in the SHG.