Baroda, Western India and Gujarat States Agency


The Baroda, Western India and Gujarat States Agency was a political agency of British India, managing the relations of the British government of the Bombay Presidency with a collection of princely states.
The political agent in charge of the agency resided at Baroda.

History

In 1937 the princely states of the Baroda Agency were merged with those of the agencies adjacent to the northern part of the Bombay Presidency, Rewa Kantha Agency, Surat Agency, Nasik Agency, Kaira Agency and Thana Agency, in order to form the Baroda and Gujarat States Agency.
On 5 November 1944 the Baroda and Gujarat States Agency was merged with the Western India States Agency to form the larger Baroda, Western India and Gujarat States Agency.
After the Independence of India in 1947, as India and Pakistan, the rulers of the princely states of the agency signed the Instrument of Accession and joined India. Only a few princely states such as Junagadh and Manavadar lingering over joining Pakistan. Finally following the accession to India the territories managed by the agency were integrated into the following newly created states:
On 1 November 1956, Bombay State was re-organized under the States Reorganisation Act, absorbing various territories including the Saurashtra and Kutch States, which ceased to exist. Bombay State was split along linguistic lines in 1960, and some princely states which had formerly belonged to this agency became part of Gujarat and others of Maharashtra.

Residents at Baroda for Western India and Gujarat States Agency

The number of separate princely states was above 250, but most were minor or petty states, some not even included here. Some of them had beed integrated after 1940 during the 'attachment scheme' right before the creation of the agency; the largest one was Baroda State, which merged with Bombay State in 1949.

Former Baroda and Gujarat States Agency

Former [Baroda Agency]

:
Non-salute states :
Salute states :
Non-salute states :
; Major Mehwas
; minor Mehwas, in two geographical divisions
Sankheda :
Pandu :
Former Kaira Agency :
Salute state :
Former Nasik Agency :
Former Surat Agency :
Salute states :
Non-salute state :
Former Thana Agency :
Salute state :

Former Eastern Kathiawar Agency

Salute states :
Non-salute states :
Salute states :
Non-salute states :
Former Palanpur Agency
Salute states :
Non-salute states :
; Salute states
; Non-Salute states :
; Lesser Estates
The agency included as well a large number of estates belonging to Kolis and/or Rajput, formerly feudatories of the Gaekwar Baroda; several of the states paid tribute to Baroda, and some, being classed as non-jurisdictional thalukdars, were under British administration.