Vadodara district is situated in the state of Gujarat. The district is referred to as the "Sanskar Nagari" (City of Culture) due to its rich cultural traditions. The district has 12 talukas, 15 towns and 1,548 villages, of which the major towns are Vadodara (District Headquarter), Savli, Waghodia, Padra, Dabhoi, Karjan and Sankheda. The area of the district is 7,555 sq. km. As per 2001 census the population of Vadodara district is 3.64 million with 482 persons per sq. km. Vadodara is famous for its palaces, parks, temples and museums.
Geography of Vadodara District
Geographical location of Vadodara District is 72.51 degree to 74.17 degree East longitude and 21.49 degree to 22.49 degree North latitude. The maximum temperature of the place is 45 degree centigrade and the minimum temperature is 8 degree centigrade. Mahisagar, Narmada, Jaambua, Surya, Vishwamitri, and Dhadhar are the main rivers which flow through this district. Average Rainfall here is 1732 mm.
Education of Vadodara District
There are around 2404 primary schools, 205 secondary schools and 102 higher secondary schools in Vadodara district. Vadodara has only one university, Maharaja Sayajirao University (MS University), well-known for several departments such as fine arts, medicine, arts and commerce, journalism and communication, among several others. Other prominent institutions include Indian Institute of Materials Management and National Fire Academy. The district also has institutes providing courses in physiotherapy, Ayurvedic and homeopathic medicines. Industrial Training Institutes in Vadodara offer facilities to train the workforce at shop-floor level, which is a major requirement for all industries.
Economy of Vadodara District
The industrial clusters of Vadodara district include Chemicals and Fertilisers, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, Cotton textiles, Machine tools, Glass, Engineering, Tobacco, Fisheries and Dairy. Agriculture contributes a lot to the country`s economy. Major crops cultivated are Rice, Wheat, Sorghum, Yellow Peas, Grams, Oilseeds, Groundnut, Tobacco, Cotton and Sugarcane. Manufacturing plants of several private industry players, as well as Public Sector Units (PSUs) such as Gujarat Alkalis and Chemicals Limited (GACL) and Gujarat State Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd. (GSFC) are located here. There are more than 18,000 SSI units in Vadodara district, the maximum being in the repairing and servicing industry.
Tourism in Vadodara District
Vadodara district has several places of tourist interest. Historic places include Aurobindo Society, Baroda Museum and Gallery, Darbar Hall, EME temple, Champaner, Lehripura Gate, Laxmi Vilas Palace, Mahatma Gandhi Nagar Gruh, Maharaja Fatehsinh Museum, Mandvi gate, Maqbara (Hajira), Nazarbaug Palace, Pratap Vilas Palace, Sayaji Sarovar, Sursagar Lake etc. The Sursagar Lake is a popular hangout of locals, where all festivals are celebrated, including immersion of idols of gods. The town of Sankheda is eminent for its lacquer painted woodwork called Sankheda ware. The Tribal Museum present in the city of Chhota Udepur showcases handicrafts such as toys and musical instruments made of wood and clay.
How to reach Vadodara District
By Road:
Vadodara district is well connected to all major locations such as Delhi (1,028 km) and Mumbai (448 km) through DMIC and National Highway (NH) No. 8. NH 8 also connects Vadodara with Ahmedabad (111km), Rajkot (294 km), Ankleshwar (84 km) Surat (167 km) - the major industrial centers of Gujarat. State Highway 6 connects the district with Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot among other districts. India`s first National Expressway is located in Gujarat connecting Vadodara to Ahmedabad (93 km).
By Rail:
Vadodara is well connected to all major locations such as Delhi and Mumbai, as well as other districts of the State through a Broad Gauge railway line.
By Air:
Vadodara has a domestic airport at Harni, which is well connected with four metro cities in India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru.