RAJKOT

town, west-central Gujarat state, west-central India, near the centre of the Kathiawar Peninsula. The capital of the former princely state of Rajkot and of the former Western India States Agency, it is now an important commercial and industrial centre. Manufacture of cotton and woolen textiles is the major activity. Educational institutions include Rajkumar College (1870) and several colleges affiliated with Saurashtra University. The town is an important junction on the Western Railway, with connections to most major towns in the state. It is also served by major highways and an airport. The terrain surrounding Rajkot is undulating, its stony soil watered by several streams. Principal crops are grains, sugarcane, and cotton; cotton and woolen textiles are the main manufactures. Pop. (1981) 445,076.