A project uncovering the rich tapestry of Indian states and districts from 1941 to 2021. Explore the diverse historical and political narratives shaping the subcontinent. Join us to discover untold stories and hidden facets of India's regions ↓
The foundational statement of India in the Constitution defines India as a union of states. Yet, none of the states that occupy India’s current geographical boundary existed in the same structure back in 1950.
How did this come to be?
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None of the states that occupy India’s current geographical boundary existed in the same structure back in 1950. The political map of India in 1951 is unrecognizable from the map of 2021. How did this come to be?
Read more!
Public policy and administration rarely address the evolution of the ‘district’ in India. Why are they split, who bears the costs & benefits? Does creating new districts lead to better administration?
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Important Disclaimer!
The content on this website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided, we cannot guarantee it is entirely error-free or up-to-date. Any use of the data, materials, or resources from this website should be properly acknowledged and credited. By using this website, you agree to assume full responsibility for how you use the information and to respect copyright and intellectual property rights.
Maps:
Administrative maps of India (at the provincial/state and district levels) from 1872–2001 have been digitized from the Administrative Atlas of India (Census of India Publications). India’s external boundary has been set according to the Government of India norms. While utmost care has been taken to ensure accuracy, errors in digitization may persist in administrative boundaries and labeling. These maps are for representative purposes and may not achieve high spatial accuracy. Please use them with caution.
Text Content:
The articles and blogs on this website, such as the state story blogs, have been meticulously curated by the authors and the team through extensive study of historical sources, books, articles, and maps. While we have not been able to provide inline citations or links for every story, a comprehensive list of sources will be provided in due course of time.
District Data:
The district evolution database—covering district splits, carve-outs, new districts, and name changes—has been created by mapping district transitions over time and verifying them through government and publicly available sources. Due to the rapid pace of district creation and renaming, the data may not always be fully updated. Given the complexity of this task, some errors may have occurred. Feedback on these errors is highly appreciated.
Images:
Most images, including those of prominent personalities, are sourced from the public domain. Some images have been extracted from books and publicly available reports, such as the White Paper on Indian States.
If you notice any mistakes or inaccuracies in the data or maps, we encourage you to write to us. We are committed to rectifying errors at the earliest. We also welcome readers' inputs on the political and social histories of district creation and renaming. Your comments and suggestions are invaluable to us.​​