According to the British records, the Gurjar population in Central India was around 56,000 in the year 1911. Gujjars in Madhya Pradesh were mostly concentrated in the Nimar and Hoshangabad regions of the Valleys of Narmada. Most of these were migrants from the Gwalior region, while some of the members of the Gujjar community in Nimar area were immigrants from the state of Gujarat. At present the Gujjars in Madhya Pradesh are classified as Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Bagelkhand (or Baghelkhand) is a region in the north-eastern part of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. It incorporates the Madhya Pradesh districts of Rewa, Anuppur, Shadol, Satna, Sidhi and Umaria, and the neighbouring districts of Sonbhadra in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The Baghels, after whom this region is named are a division of the Solanki Gujjars who once ruled in Gujarat and then moved eastwards in the 13th century. Vyaghra Dev was the earliest Solanki leader who came to this region from the state of Gujarat and started his rule. Vyaghra is in fact a Sanskrit word which in Hindi means Bagh. The descendants of Vyaghra Dev are identified as Baghels. The famous Bagelkhand Agency derived its name from the region.

Bagelkhand Agency was a compilation of princely states during British rule in India. The agency was set up in March 1871. Before the formation of this agency, Bagelkhand was a part of the Bundelkhand agency, with which it had geographical as well as historical connection. From 1871 to 1933 Bagelkhand agency was politically supervised by the Governor-General of India`s agent for Central India. This agent was also the superintendent of the Rewa State and used to reside at Satna or Rewa. The agency comprised of the Rewa state and eleven small states and estates. Some of the important ones were Maihar, Nagod and Sohawal. The other states were Kothi, Jaso, Baraunda, Kamta-Rajaula, Paldeo, Pahra, Taraon, and Bhaisaunda. The agency covered a total area of 14,323 square miles. In 1901, it had a population of 1,555,024, an 11 per cent decrease from that of the previous decade, owing to the attack of famine. The rainfall was very scarce from 1895 to 1897 resulting in famine in 1897. During the period 1899 to 1900 there was drought in some sections. After India got its independence in 1947, the princely states that constituted the Bagelkhand Agency were merged with Rewa to form Vindhya Pradesh state, which was in turn fused into the state of Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 1956.