Rajkot

Rajkot is the fourth-largest city and administrative headquarters of the Rajkot district in the Indian state of Gujarat. One of the largest urban agglomerations in India, Rajkot is one of the fastest developing cities in the world.

Rajkot is famous for its textile, silk embroidery, jewelry and watch parts manufacturing industries. It is also well known for its casting and forging industries. Apart from these, the city is well known for textile printing units that produce silk sarees and cotton salwar suits.

Geographically, Rajkot is located in the Saurashtra region and lies on the banks of the rivers Nyari and Aji. Bhavnagar and Surendranagar in the east, Jamnagar in the west, Kutch in the north, and Junagadh and Amreli in the south surround the district. The strategic location of the city makes it one of the leading industrial centers of Gujarat.

Rajkot is also a popular tourist destination and home to many historical landmarks like Jubilee Garden, Mohandas Gandhi High School, Watson Museum and Lang Library. The city of Rajkot has top-notch education facilities and a booming real estate market.

Stats and Facts

• The population of Rajkot city, as per the provisional reports of the 2011 national census, is 12,86,995. Its urban/metropolitan population, on the other hand, is 13,90,933
• As per the same reports, Rajkot has a sex ratio of 905 per 1000 males. The child sex ratio, however, is below par, standing at 828 per 1000 boys
• The same reports indicate an average literacy rate in the city is 88.82%
• Rajkot has a sister city called Morbi
• The region is well known for its Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), like automobile parts, light engineering, brass parts and foundries
• Gujarati and Hindi are the primary languages spoken in Rajkot
• The city was founded by Thakore Sahib Vibhoji Ajoji Jadeja in 1620
• Rajkot is the place where Mahatma Gandhi spent the early years of his life
• The city of Rajkot is home to an international cricket stadium called Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium
• Rajkot experiences a tropical wet and dry climate

Economy and Industrial Profile

• Rajkot is an industrial base for sectors such as jewelry, textiles, silk embroidery and watch parts. The automobile industry has been witnessing a major boom in the recent times
• A number of private conglomerates are present in Rajkot, including Macpower CNC Machines Pvt. Ltd., Jyoti CNC Automation Pvt. Ltd. and Atul Auto Ltd
• There are about 500 foundry units in Rajkot, owing to the casting requirements of the local diesel engine industry
• Software services have also been growing rapidly in this region, with many new multinational software companies and call centers setting up their operation and development centers
• Tourism is another major industry that contributes to the city’s economy

Connectivity

• By air, Rajkot connects to Mumbai and intermittently to Ahmedabad, served by Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and other carriers
• Rajkot has an extensive network of roads and is equipped with state and private transport buses. Through the national and state highways, Rajkot is connected across India
• Rajkot Railway Station, also known as Rajkot Junction, is the main railway station in the city of Rajkot. The city has frequent trains to Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Coimbatore, Kochi, Bhopal and other cities.