Datanomics: 65 years on, Gujarat leads Maharashtra in key economic metrics

The shift is most stark in manufacturing - historically a core strength of Maharashtra

May 1, 2025, marks 65 years since the bifurcation of the primarily bilingual Bombay State, which led to the creation of Maharashtra and Gujarat. 

While the division was primarily linguistic, with Marathi and Gujarati speakers forming majorities in their respective new states, it was also politically charged. 

One of the fiercest debates centred around Mumbai —  the megapolis formerly known as Bombay. Though there were proposals to either assign the city to Gujarat or convert it into a Union Territory, these were firmly rejected by leaders from Maharashtra. Eventually, Mumbai was retained in Maharashtra, reinforcing its centrality to the state’s