How ‘the threatened fragmentation’ of India was averted by the rulers of sovereign Indian States by signing the Instrument of Accession and Standstill Agreement just before independence. Excerpt from ‘The Story of the Integration of Indian States’ by V.P. Menon

The position of sovereign Indian States on the eve of independence, ultimately leading to integration with the Union of India later

The things Maharaja Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla will always be remembered for