Meghalaya was once ruled by the ancient tribes known as the Khasis, Jaintias and Garos. Each had its own kingdom. In the 19th century, these kingdoms came under the administration of the British Raj; Meghalaya was annexed under the British Empire. Further in 1935, Meghalaya became a part of Assam. However, Meghalaya enjoyed a semi-independent status due to the treaty that was signed between Meghalaya and the British Crown. When India became independent, the region was included in the state of Assam for administrative reasons. This led to an agitation by the local population. The region was accorded full statehood was accorded full statehood on January 21st, 1972.
