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2025-10-16T05:42:24Z

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{{Short description|Former state in India with Bhopal as its capital}}
{{About|a former state|the present-day state|Madhya Pradesh}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox former subdivision
| native_name = मध्य प्रदेश
| conventional_long_name = Madhya Pradesh (1956–2000)
| common_name = Madhya Pradesh
| nation = India
| era = Modern history
| year_start = 1956
| year_end = 2000
| date_start = 1 November
| date_end = 1 November
| event_start = [[States Reorganisation Act, 1956]]
| event_end = [[Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000]]
| p1 = Madhya Bharat
| p2 = Vindhya Pradesh
| p3 = Bhopal State
| p4 = Central Provinces and Berar
| flag_p1 = Flag of India.svg
| flag_p2 = Flag of India.svg
| flag_p3 = Flag of India.svg
| flag_p4 = British Raj Red Ensign.svg
| s1 = Madhya Pradesh
| s2 = Chhattisgarh
| flag_s1 = Flag of India.svg
| flag_s2 = Flag of India.svg
| capital = [[Bhopal]]<ref name="testbook-founding">{{cite web|title=When was Madhya Pradesh established?|url=https://testbook.com/question-answer/when-was-madhya-pradesh-established--5f76203870d78618c9b392e9|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref>
| stat_area1 = 443,446
| stat_pop1 = 48,566,242
| stat_year1 = 1991
| legislature = [[Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly]] (320 seats)
| government_type = [[Federated state]] within the [[India|Union of India]]
| image_map = File:Central India.svg
| image_map_caption = Before the reorganization act, the whole area in red was [[Madhya Pradesh]]
| image_coat = File:Emblem of Madhya Pradesh.svg
}}

'''Madhya Pradesh'''{{efn|Hindi:मध्य प्रदेश}} retrospectively referred to as '''United Madhya Pradesh''' or '''Undivided Madhya Pradesh''', was a state in [[central India]] from 1956 until its bifurcation in 2000, when the new state of [[Chhattisgarh]] was created from its southeastern regions.<ref name="reorg2000">{{cite web|title=Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000|url=https://finance.cg.gov.in/Rules_Act/Reorganisation%20Act-2000/Reorganisation%20Act,2000(English).PDF|website=CG Finance|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref><ref name="hindustantimes-history">{{cite news|title=Six events that changed history and geography of Madhya Pradesh|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/six-events-that-changed-history-and-geography-of-madhya-pradesh/story-yUbG8oSZKKtX5EkE6X01PN.html|publisher=Hindustan Times|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref> It was the [[List of states and union territories of India by area|largest Indian state by area]] and played a significant role in the administrative and political landscape of [[independent India]] during its existence.

== History ==
=== Formation ===
Madhya Pradesh (MP) was reorganized on 1 November 1956 under the [[States Reorganisation Act 1956]], merging the erstwhile states of [[Madhya Bharat]], [[Vindhya Pradesh]], [[Bhopal State|Bhopal]], and the existing "Madhya Pradesh" ([[Central Provinces and Berar|Central Provinces & Berar]], minus Marathi-speaking [[Vidarbha]], which merged with [[Bombay State|Bombay]]).<ref name="statesreorg">{{cite web|title=State Reorganisation Act 1956 Key Provisions|url=https://vajiramandravi.com/upsc-exam/state-reorganisation-act-1956/|website=Vajiram & Ravi|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref><ref name="testbook-merger">{{cite web|title=According to State Reorganisation Commission, 1956, which regions were merged in Madhya Pradesh?|url=https://testbook.com/question-answer/according-to-state-reorganisation-commission-1956--6799e454710274f51fe92a89|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref>

[[Bhopal]] was selected as the capital, primarily for administrative neutrality and readiness.<ref name="testbook-founding"/> Other contenders included [[Gwalior]], [[Indore]], and [[Jabalpur]].<ref name="news18-estb">{{cite web|title=MP की स्थापना के बारे में जानिए पांच रोचक बातें|url=https://hindi.news18.com/news/madhya-pradesh/indore-know-five-interesting-things-about-the-establishment-of-madhya-pradesh-7796465.html|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref>

=== Bifurcation ===
On 1 November 2000, under the [[Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000]], the southeastern region was separated to form the new state of [[Chhattisgarh]].<ref name="reorg2000"/><ref name="indiacode2000">{{cite web|title=Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000|url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/1992?view_type=browse|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref>

== Geography ==
Undivided Madhya Pradesh was the "heart of India," with a land area of 443,446 km{{sup|2}}.<ref name="mp-area">{{cite web|title=Madhya Pradesh Movement and Formation MCQ|url=https://testbook.com/objective-questions/mcq-on-madhya-pradesh-movement-and-formation--628ce8c0c6cc936fd08f0862|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref> It stretched 996 km east–west and 1,127 km north–south, sharing borders with [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan]], [[Maharashtra]], [[Gujarat]], and [[Orissa]] (now Odisha), and, after 2000, [[Chhattisgarh]].<ref name="studyadda-mp">{{cite web|title=MP State Exams Geography Madhya Pradesh - Studyadda.com|url=https://www.studyadda.com/notes/mp-state-exams/geography/madhya-pradesh-introduction/madhya-pradesh-introduction-mppsc-geography/19510|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref>

The state encompassed several physiographic regions:
* [[Malwa Plateau]] (west)
* [[Vindhya Range|Vindhyan Range]] (north-east plateau)
* [[Narmada Valley]] (central rift valley)
* [[Satpura Range|Satpura]]-[[Maikal Hills|Maikal]] Hills (south and southeast)
* [[Chhattisgarh#Geography|Chhattisgarh plains]] (east, till 2000)

Major rivers included the [[Narmada]], [[Mahanadi]], [[Indravati River|Indravati]] [[Tapti River|Tapti]], [[Chambal River|Chambal]], [[Son River|Son]], and [[Betwa]].<ref name="wiki-mp">{{cite web|title=Madhya Pradesh - Wikipedia|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhya_Pradesh|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=July 2025}}

=== Administrative Divisions ===
At bifurcation in 2000, the state had 45 districts, 8 revenue divisions, and key cities included [[Bhopal]] (capital), [[Indore Lok Sabha constituency|Indore]] (largest city), [[Gwalior]], [[Jabalpur]], [[Ujjain]], and [[Rewa, Madhya Pradesh|Rewa]].

== Demographics ==
=== Population Growth ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Population of Undivided Madhya Pradesh (select censuses)
! Year !! Population !! Density (per km{{sup|2}})
|-
| [[1961 census of India|1961]] || 23,217,910 || 52
|-
| [[1971 census of India|1971]] || 30,016,625 || 68
|-
| [[1981 census of India|1981]] || 38,168,507 || 86
|-
| [[1991 census of India|1991]] || 48,566,242 || 110
|}
<ref name="studyadda-pop">{{cite web|title=Population trends in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh|url=https://www.studyadda.com/notes/12th-class/biology/blank/population-trends-in-madhya-pradesh-and-chhattisgarh/9831|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref><ref name="survey-pop">{{cite web|title=Etable-5: Population of India (1951-2001)|url=https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/budget_archive/es2006-07/chapt2007/tab97.pdf|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref>

== Language ==
[[Hindi language|Hindi]], in the [[Devanagari]] script, was adopted as the official language of Madhya Pradesh by the State Official Language Act, 1957.<ref name="lang1957">{{cite web|title=The Madhya Pradesh Official Language Act, 1957|url=https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/12800/1/the_chhattisgarh_official_language_act,_1957_no._5_of_1958,_date_24.01.1958.pdf|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref><ref name="testbook-hindi">{{cite web|title=Which of the following is the official language of Madhya Pradesh?|url=https://testbook.com/question-answer/which-of-the-following-is-the-official-language-of--5fdb0831700e8d42cd0d5039|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref> About 85.5% of the population reported Hindi or its dialects as mother tongue in the 1991 census.<ref name="hindi1991">{{cite web|title=Hindi Demography - LIS-India|url=http://lisindia.ciil.org/Hindi/Hindi_demo.html|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref> Major Hindi dialects and related languages included [[Malvi language|Malvi]], [[Nimadi language|Nimadi]], [[Bundeli language|Bundeli]], [[Bagheli language|Bagheli]]; tribal and minority groups widely spoke [[Gondi language|Gondi]], [[Bhili language|Bhili]], [[Korku language|Korku]], [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[Marathi language|Marathi]], [[Urdu]], [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]], and [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]].<ref name="wiki-mp"/>

== Government ==
A unicameral [[Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly]] (Vidhan Sabha) consisted of 320 constituencies until 2000.<ref name="mp-area"/> The state sent 40 representatives to the [[Lok Sabha]], and 16 to the [[Rajya Sabha]].<ref name="wikipedia-reorg2000">{{cite web|title=Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000 - Wikipedia|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhya_Pradesh_Reorganisation_Act,_2000|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=July 2025}}

Politicians from the [[Chhattisgarh|Chhattisgarh region]] made significant contributions to the political landscape of undivided Madhya Pradesh. Leaders such as [[Ravishankar Shukla|Pt. Ravishankar Shukla]], who was the [[Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh|first Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh]], hailed from the [[Chhattisgarh]] area and played a foundational role in shaping the state's politics.<ref name="shukla">{{cite web|title=Pandit Ravishankar Shukla Samman...|url=http://www.cgculture.in/samman_front_list.aspx?id=Feu8+%2F4vBVtYVePmqSZUlw%3D%3D|access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref> Other influential figures included [[Nareshchandra Singh]], who briefly served as Chief Minister, and [[Motilal Vora]], who was Chief Minister from 1985 to 1988; both represented constituencies from present-day [[Chhattisgarh]].<ref name="ncsingh">{{cite web|title=Nareshchandra Singh|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nareshchandra_Singh|access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=July 2025}}<ref name="vora">{{cite web|title=Motilal Vora: A loyal and devoted congressman...|url=https://inc.in/congress-sandesh/tribute/motilal-vora-a-loyal-and-devoted-congressman-whose-many-decades-of-service-inspired-generations-of-workers|access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref> [[Ajit Jogi]] and [[Raman Singh]] who represented the region in the [[Lok Sabha]] during the undivided era, also worked within the political framework of Madhya Pradesh before becoming the [[Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh|Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh]].<ref name="jogi">{{cite web|title=Ajit Jogi - Wikipedia|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajit_Jogi|access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=July 2025}} Tribal, OBC and other leaders such as [[Vishnu Deo Sai]], [[Baliram Kashyap]], [[Prem Prakash Pandey]], [[Brijmohan Agrawal]] and others were elected to the [[Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly]] from constituencies in [[Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly|Chhattisgarh]] and held important positions, reflecting the area's rising political influence before statehood.<ref name="vishnudeo">{{cite web|title=BJP chief ministers for Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan|url=https://nagalandtribune.in/bjp-chief-ministers-for-chhattisgarh-madhya-pradesh-and-rajasthan-who-are-they/|access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref><ref name="pandey">{{cite web|title=Prem Prakash Pandey - Wikipedia|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prem_Prakash_Pandey|access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=July 2025}} Through active involvement in legislative, ministerial, and party organizational roles, Chhattisgarh's politicians played an integral part in state politics and laid the groundwork for the region's eventual separation and the formation of Chhattisgarh in 2000.<ref name="explainedcg">{{cite web|title=A political history of Chhattisgarh: From Ajit Jogi to Bhupesh Baghel|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-politics/bhupesh-baghel-political-history-of-chhattisgarh-ajit-jogi-raman-singh-creation-of-a-new-state-9015135/|access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref>

== Chief Ministers ==
{{Main|List of chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh}}
{| class="wikitable"
! #
! Name
! Term(s)
! Political party
|-
| 1
| [[Ravishankar Shukla]]
| 1956
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| 2
| [[Bhagwantrao Mandloi]]
| 1957
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| 3
| [[Kailash Nath Katju]]
| 1957–62
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| (2)
| [[Bhagwantrao Mandloi]]
| 1962–63
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| 4
| [[Dwarka Prasad Mishra]]
| 1963–67
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| 5
| [[Govind Narayan Singh]]
| 1967–69
| style="background:{{party color|Samyukta Vidhayak Dal}}; color:white;" | [[Samyukta Vidhayak Dal]]
|-
| 6
| [[Nareshchandra Singh]]
| 1969
| style="background:{{party color|Samyukta Vidhayak Dal}}; color:white;" | [[Samyukta Vidhayak Dal]]
|-
| 7
| [[Shyama Charan Shukla]]
| 1969–72
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| 8
| [[Prakash Chandra Sethi]]
| 1972–75
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| (7)
| [[Shyama Charan Shukla]]
| 1975–77
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| 9
| [[Kailash Joshi]]
| 1977–78
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}} ; color:white;" | [[Janata Party]]
|-
| 10
| [[Virendra Kumar Sakhlecha]]
| 1978–80
| style="background:{{party color|Janata Party}} ; color:white;" | [[Janata Party]]
|-
| —
|''[[President's rule|President’s rule]]''
| 1980
| —
|-
| 12
| [[Arjun Singh (Madhya Pradesh politician)|Arjun Singh]]
| 1980–85
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| 13
| [[Motilal Vora]]
| 1985–88
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| (12)
| [[Arjun Singh (Madhya Pradesh politician)|Arjun Singh]]
| 1988–89
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| (13)
| [[Motilal Vora]]
| 1989
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| (7)
| [[Shyama Charan Shukla]]
| 1989–90
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|-
| 14
| [[Sunder Lal Patwa|Sundarlal Patwa]]
| 1990–92
| style="background:{{party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}} ; color:white;" | [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
|-
| —
| ''[[President's rule|President’s rule]]''
| 1992–93
| —
|-
| 15
| [[Digvijaya Singh]]
| 1993–2000
| style="background:{{party color|Indian National Congress}} ; color:white;" | [[Indian National Congress]]
|}
<ref name="vajiram-cms">{{cite web|title=Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, List from 1956 to 2025, Tenure|url=https://vajiramandravi.com/current-affairs/chief-ministers-of-madhya-pradesh/|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref>

== Governors ==
{{Main|List of governors of Madhya Pradesh}}
{| class="wikitable"
! #
! Name
! Term(s)
|-
| 1
| [[Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya|Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya]]
| 1956–57
|-
| 2
| [[Hari Vinayak Pataskar]]
| 1957–65
|-
| 3
| [[K. Chengalaraya Reddy]]
| 1965–71
|-
| 4
| [[Satya Narayan Sinha]]
| 1971–77
|-
| 5
| [[N. N. Wanchoo|N. N. Wanchu]]
| 1977–78
|-
| 6
| [[C. M. Poonacha]]
| 1978–80
|-
| 7
| [[B. D. Sharma]]
| 1980–84
|-
| 8
| [[K. M. Chandy (politician)|K. M. Chandy]]
| 1984–89
|-
| 9
| [[Sarla Grewal]]
| 1989–90
|-
| 10
| [[M. A. Khan]]
| 1990–93
|-
| 11
| [[M. S. Qureshi]]
| 1993–98
|-
| 12
| [[Bhai Mahavir]]
| 1998–2003
|}
<ref name="wiki-govs">{{cite web|title=List of governors of Madhya Pradesh|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_governors_of_Madhya_Pradesh|access-date=21 July 2025}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=July 2025}}

== Economy ==
Undivided MP was primarily [[Agrarianism|agrarian]], with [[Black Soil|black soil]] regions favoring [[cotton]] and [[soybean]] in [[Malwa]] and [[Nimar]], and rice in [[Chhattisgarh]] (till 2000). [[Narmada]] and [[Chambal River|Chambal]] valleys produced wheat and [[pulses]]. The [[Dandakaranya|forested east and south]] supported major government forestry, mining (diamonds at [[Panna, Madhya Pradesh|Panna]], coal at [[Singrauli]]), and tribal livelihoods.<ref name="studyadda-mp"/>

Major industries included [[Bhilai Steel Plant]] (1959), [[Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited|BHEL Bhopal]], and [[Singrauli Super Thermal Power Station|NTPC Singrauli]].<ref name="hindustantimes-history"/>

== Culture ==
The region is home to the [[List of World Heritage Sites in India|UNESCO World Heritage sites]] at [[Khajuraho]], [[Sanchi]], and [[Bhimbetka rock shelters|Bhimbetka]]. Tribal cultures such as the [[Gondi people|Gond]], [[Baiga]], [[Bhil]], and [[Korku language|Korku]] in [[Bastar district|Bastar]] are prominent, with vibrant traditions in dance, music, and crafts.

== Chhattisgarh Movement ==
The movement for a separate [[Chhattisgarh]] state was rooted in the region's unique cultural identity, historic [[Tribe|tribal presence]], and persistent economic grievances within undivided Madhya Pradesh. Early demands emerged as far back as the 1920s, with the [[Indian National Congress|Raipur Congress]] unit formally raising the issue in 1924 and subsequent debates surfacing during the Indian National Congress session at [[Tewar, Madhya Pradesh|Tripuri]] and before the [[States Reorganisation Commission]] in the 1950s.<ref name="wikipedia">{{cite web|title=Chhattisgarh – Wikipedia|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chhattisgarh|access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=July 2025}}<ref name="pscnotes">{{cite web|title=Constitution or Formation of Chhattisgarh|url=https://chhattisgarh.pscnotes.com/chhattisgarh-history/constitution-or-formation-of-chhattisgarh/|access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref> The movement gained new momentum in the 1990s, particularly with the rise of organizations like ''Chhattisgarh Rajya Nirman Manch'', which mobilized popular support through public rallies, strikes, and multi-party coordination.<ref name="cgpscnotes">{{cite web|title=Formation of Chhattisgarh as a Separate State|url=https://chhattisgarh.pscnotes.com/chhattisgarh-history/formation-of-chhattisgarh-as-a-separate-state/|access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref> Both the [[Indian National Congress]] and [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] eventually endorsed the call for statehood, and a resolution supporting separate Chhattisgarh was unanimously passed in the [[Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly|Madhya Pradesh Assembly]] in 1994. During the [[1999 Indian general elections]], [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] promised the creation of [[Chhattisgarh]] state if his party received electoral support from the region. He famously appealed to voters with the slogan: ''Aap mujhe Chhattisgarh ki 11 seat dijiye, main aapko Chhattisgarh dunga'' (“Give me Chhattisgarh’s 11 Loksabha seats, and I will give you Chhattisgarh”).<ref name="indianexpressvajpayee">{{cite news|title=Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the making of Chhattisgarh|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/atal-bihari-vajpayee-and-the-making-of-chhattisgarh-5312610/|access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref> Later, [[Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act]] was approved by the Parliament and signed by the [[President of India]] on 25 August 2000, leading to the official creation of Chhattisgarh as the country's 26th state on [[Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava|1 November 2000]].<ref name="wikipedia"/>

== Legacy ==
The bifurcation in 2000 addressed aspirations for focused development in resource-rich, tribal-dominated Chhattisgarh.<ref name="reorg2000"/>

== See also ==
* [[States Reorganisation Act, 1956]]
* [[Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000]]
* [[History of Chhattisgarh|History of Chhattisgarh (1947–present)]]
* [[Baghelkhand Agency]]
* [[Vindhya Pradesh]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Former states and territories of India]]

Madhya Pradesh (1956–2000) - Revision history

Sherrie7069: created basic details w/ infobox.