Gayekvad , Gayakvad or Gaykvad ( Guj. ગાયકવાડ ; Marath. गायकवाड ) - Marathi clan from which came the famous generals and rajas.
The rise of the clan began with the Marathi conquest of Gujarat at the beginning of the 18th century, when in 1721 the Maratha general Pilaji Gayekvad received from Peshwa the right to collect the tax “chauth” (“Marath quarter”) from Gujarat, and settled in Fort Songadh, which became the residence of the clan. So the Principality of Baroda was founded with the Gaekwadas as the ruling dynasty. In 1805, following the results of the second Anglo- Marath war, the Gaekwada, having concluded a separate subsidiary agreement with the British , became British vassals, transferring foreign relations into their hands in exchange for internal autonomy.
After the division of British India, Maharaja Pratap Singh Gaekwad signed an agreement according to which since 1949 the principality of Baroda became part of the Indian Union , and he ceased to be a ruler. Representatives of the Gaekwad clan still live in India and are actively involved in the political life of the country.