History

From the historical aspect, Vidisha is exceptionally rich in ancient monuments and historic places. Looking to its other sides, till 1956, its name was Bhilsa. After that it was renamed as Vidisha for its close proximity to that glorious city of great antiquity.

The district was created in 1904 by joining the tehsils of Vidisha and Basoda, which were then part of Gwalior state. After India’s independence in 1947, the former princely state of Gwalior became part of Madhya Bharat state, which was formed in 1948. Vidisha District was enlarged in 1949 by the addition of the small princely state of Kurwai.

The district took its present form in 1956, when Madhya Bharat state, Bhopal state, and the tehsil of Sironj, then part of Rajasthan state and previously part of the princely state of Tonk, were both merged into Madhya Pradesh state. Sironj tehsil and the small pargana of Piklone from Bhopal state were merged into Vidisha District.