Gwalior is a city in Madhya Pradesh, India, lying 122 kilometres (76 mi) south of Agra, and 423 kilometres (263 mi) north of Bhopal, the state capital. Gwalior occupies a strategic location in the Gird region of India, and the city and its fortress have served as the center of several of historic northern Indian kingdoms. Gwalior is the administrative headquarters of Gwalior district and Gwalior division.
It is famous for Gwalior Fort, which has changed hands many times. From the Tomaras in the 8th century, it passed to the Mughals, then the Marathas under the Scindias (1754).
The city has several important educational institutions, including the Atal Bihari Vajpayee - Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management, Scindia School, Madhav Institute of Technology and Science, Laxmibai National Institute of Physical Education. Gwalior has five government universities: Jiwaji University, Maharaja Maan Singh Tomar music and arts university, Rajmata Vijyarahe Scindia agricultural university, Laxmibai National University of Physical Education and ABV-IIITM government universities. A few private institutions are also well known in this region, such as Aditya College, ITM University, Amity University, and others.
Gwalior can be seen as the headquarters of the Chambal Region[citation needed], and it is surrounded by industrial and commercial zones of neighboring districts (Malanpur - Bhind, Banmor - Morena) at all three main directions. Gwalior is the fourth largest city of Madhya Pradesh and is often referred to as the tourist capital of the state. Gwalior was the capital of Madhya Bharat (1947–1956) before the creation of the Madhya Pradesh state.