Government Medical College, Bhavnagar
History of Government Medical College, Bhavnagar
Bhavnagar is not a very old city - it was founded in 1723 when the then ruler Bhavsinhji shifted his capital from Sihor (20 Kms. away) to Bhavnagar. The Gohil Dynasty itself is quite itself is quite old. They were in Sihor since 1570 and in Umrala/Ghogha and other places prior to that. It is said that their ancestors were from Marwar.
After the death of Bhavsinhji, the state had many rulers. But the one who has possibly left the most lasting contribution is Maharaja Takhtasinhji (born January, 6 1858- died 29th January 1896). When his father Jaswantsinhji passed away in April 1870, he was only 12 years old. Hence the Britishers imposed a Joint Administration on the State.
This Joint Administration of one British and one Indian Administrator continued from 1870 to 1878, i.e. till the time Takhtasinhji became 20 years old. The state was represented by its legendary Chief Minister Gaurishankar Udayshankar Oza (after whom the Gaurishankar Lake or “Bor Talav" is named). The British Representatives in various periods were E.H. Perieval, Major Watson and Colonel Parr.
The Political Agency at Rajkot set up in 1820 oversaw the affairs of princely states in Saurashtra. An idea of its importance can be gauged from the fact that in the entire country there were about 600 small and big kingdoms out of which 222 were in Saurashtra alone.
