 He returned to India as dewan of Baroda State, a post he had been offered before he left for Britain.He was extremely popular in Baroda where the king, Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, along with his family members and all other staff members used to call him ‘Babu Dewan’, as a mark of personal respect.In 1907, he also became a member of the Royal Commission on Indian Decentralisation.