RULERS AND RAJKOT

Nawab Rule

Masum Khan conquered Rajkot in the year 1720 AD. He was a deputy Faujdar of Junagadh's Nawab. Masum Khan changed the name of Rajkot to Masumabad. He also built the fortress in 1722 AD, which was about 4 to 5 kilometers in perimeter and had walls that were 8 feet wide. There were Eight Gates, each studded with iron spikes on its outer side, for access to Masumabad: Kotharia Naka, Nava Naka, Raiya Naka, Bedi Naka, Bhichari Naka, Sardhar Naka and Pal no Darwajo. Further, there was a gate without spikes called Khadaki Naka near Nakalank Temple. The ruins of the fort wall can be seen in the bastion in the Ramnath para area. Gates of Bedi Naka and Raiya Naka were modified during the colonial times. The chief Engineer of British Agency, Sir Robert Bell Booth, renovated Bedi gate and Raiya Naka gate and built the present three storied clock towers in 1892.

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Jadeja rule
Flag of Rajkot Principality until 1948

Masumabad was later conquered by the Jadeja clan and its name restored to Rajkot. Bavajiraj Jadeja built Darbargadh, the first palace of this princely state. Bavajiraj was succeeded by his son, Sir Lakhjiraj Jadeja, the most prominent ruler amongst the Jadeja rulers to that time, who constructed Lalpari and Randarda lakes. Dharmendrasingji Jadeja, succeeded his father, Sir Lakhjiraj, but died while hunting of Lion in Sasan Gir and was succeeded by his brother Pradumansign Jadeja, Sir Lakhjiraj Jadeja's second son. Rajkot was merged into Republic of India during Pradumansign Jadeja's reign.

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British rule

British East India Company founded the Saurashtra agency in Rajkot to moderate all princely states. The regional headquarters and residency of this agency was at Kothi Compound. British constructed many impressive colonial buildings and educational institutions, such as Connaught Hall and The Rajkumar College.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, a.k.a. Mahatma Gandhi, spent the early years of his life in Rajkot when his father was a Diwan to the king of Rajkot. Gandhi fasted to ask to form a people's council and liberation of people of Rajkot at Rashtriya Shala in 1939.

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Post independence

After independence Rajkot became capital of the State of Saurashtra, headed by U. N. Dhebar as Chief Minister. Rajkot was merged into the newly-created Gujarat State when it was separated from the bilingual Bombay State on May 1, 1960.