The Oriental Institute is a post-graduate teaching and research Institute right from its very inception. His Highness SirSayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda conceived the idea in 1893 and felt the need for establishing the Oriental Institute which can collect and preserve the ancient treasure of rare Manuscripts and books. He founded the Institute in 1927 and invited scholars to edit these  ancient works based upon Manuscripts under the Gaekwad?s Oriental Series. For educating the common persons, he also started by donating Rs. 2 lacs, the Translation Branch, in which important works were translated and published under different Mala Series in vernaculars. After the establishment of the M.S.University in 1949, the Oriental Institute became the constituent part of the University. The publications under the Gaekwad?s Oriental Series and the other Mala Series are still being published.

The Oriental Institute has huge treasure of rare, important, illustrated manuscripts (30,299) and Printed books (1,00,000) which includes many rare old editions. Right from its inception, the Institute is rich in Manuscripts and books on diverse subjects, some of the books and manuscripts are unique in their nature, rarely to be found anywhere else. The scholars from all the corners of India and abroad visit this Institute, consult the manuscripts and books for their research-projects or research-works. The main activity of the Institute is Research and Publication. The Institute publishes important unpublished works on all subjects relating to Oriental Studies in general and Indology in particular.

This year Vol. 68 of Journal of Oriental Institute (JOI) and 55th Vol. of Svadhyaya were printed and circulated. Preparations of 69th Vol. of JOI & 56 th Issue of Svadhyaya (collecting articles, sending them to experts etc.) were carried on. The fifth volume of Manuscript?s Catalogue is also under print. Second proof of the Volume has been checked. With the publication of this Catalogue, all the manuscripts of the Institute (30,299) will be known to the scholars of the world. The Reprinting work of Sangitamakaranda and Vadodara Rajyana Itihas is finalized.