The Princely State of Panna was administered by the native rulers under the indirect control of the British Government of India. Presently the district of Panna is a part of the Sagar Division in the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. The headquarters of the district is at the Panna town. Panna state covered a total area of 2,596 sq miles and comprised of a total population of 231,170 in the year 1941. The princely state was incorporated into the Central India Agency in Bundelkhand Agency. The princely state of Panna had 812 villages and 1 town in Bundelkhand. The region consisted of 2 main parts of territory of uneven size and several small enclaves. Panna state was bordered the British districts of Saugor and Jabalpur in the Central Provinces in the south, by the British United Provinces of Agra and Oudh in the north, Orchha and Chhatarpur in the west and by Baraundha and Nagod to the east.

The Princely State of Panna was honoured as an 11 gun salute state and the native ruler implemented final and absolute control over the administrative functions of the state. The ruler implemented full civil and criminal jurisdiction and managed the administration of the state. Panna state was segregated into 11 distinct parganas for various administrative purposes.

History of Princely State of Panna
Until the 13th century the territory of Panna was a Gond settlement. Later the Gonds were overpowered by the Chandelas and they moved to other parts of Madhya Pradesh. Panna also served as the capital of the Bundela Rajput leader Chhatar Sal who initiated a rebellion against the Mughal rulers. After he died in the year 1732, his empire was split among his sons. The eldest son of Chhatar Sal, Harde Sah, received the kingdom of Panna. The territory was appointed as one of the princely states of India, under the indirect rule of the British Empire in India, in the early 19th century. It attained control of the states of Nagod and Sohawal. Raja Nirpat Singh supported the British in the Great Revolt of 1857 and for his loyal services; the British administration honoured him with the title and style of Maharaja.

After the withdrawal of the British and the independence of India, Maharaja Mahendra Yadvendra Singh acceded his state to the Union of India on 1st January 1950. The district of Panna was formed during this period from the region of several erstwhile Indian princely states. This included the territories of Panna, Ajaigarh, Jaso and part of Paldeo. The erstwhile princely state of Panna was merged with the district of Panna of the new state of Vindhya Pradesh. Later on November 1, 1956, Vindhya Pradesh was merged with Madhya Pradesh state.

Rulers of the Princely State of Panna
The Bundela Rajputs were the ruling family of Panna state. The chronology of the rulers of the state are mentioned below-
* Raja Chhatar Sal
* Raja Harde Sah (1731- 1739)
* Raja Sabha Singh (1739- 1752)
* Raja Aman Singh (1752- 1758)
* Raja Hindupat Singh (1758- 1778)
* Raja Anirudh Singh (1778- 1779)
* Interregnum (1779- 1785)
* Raja Dhokal Singh (1785- 1798)
* Raja Kishor Singh (1798- 1834)
* Raja Harbans Rai (1834- 1849)
* Maharaja Mahendra Nirpat Singh (1849- 1870)
* Maharaja Rudra Pratap Singh (1870- 1893)
* Maharaja Mahendra Lokpal Singh (1893- 1898)
* Maharaja Mahendra Madho Singh (1898- 1902)
* Maharaja Mahendra Yadvendra Singh (1902- 1950)