India, the south Asian country, the largest democracy, 2nd most populated country and one of the largest nation in the world. Divided into 28 states and 8 Union territories, each location of India has its own charm and beauty. With a great beginning of being divided into 16 Mahajanapadas or the “Great States”, to be classified in areas like “Deccan” or “Doaab” during medieval periods and in presidencies during British era, India has come a long way with its geographical distribution and divisions. After independence, the governments have created many states and union governed bodies known as union territories. Let’s dive in details about the different states of India and their capitals.
Andhra Pradesh: This South Indian state among the states and capitals of India known for its Telugu speaking population, has 26 districts and a population of around 49 million. Known for its rich cultural significance in the field of dance, music and literature, the state is home to one of the major Hindu pilgrim, Shri Venkanteswara Temple, also known as Tirupati Devasthanam.
Capital: The Amravati city of Guntur District is the capital of Andhra Pradesh among the states and capitals of India. Named after the historical city of Satavahna rulers of the region, the city is on the banks of Krishna River and south west of another major city Vijayawada.
Arunachal Pradesh: Known as the “state of rising sun” and “Land of Dawn lit Mountains”, Arunachal Pradesh is a North Eastern state with 26 districts, lies in the lap of lower Himalayas and located strategically, the state shares its international borders with Bhutan, Myanmar, and Tibet at McMohan line. The state houses Tawang Monastery, which is the second largest in the world and was built under the instructions of the 5th Dalai Lama. It is an important place of worship for the followers of Tibetan Buddhism.
Capital: Itanagar is the capital as well as the largest city of Arunachal Pradesh among the states and capitals of India. Named after the Ita Fort or “Fort of Bricks”, it is a major center of cultural, economic, education and industrial activities in the state.
Assam: The ancient region of “Kamarup” and “Pragjyotishpur”, Assam got its present name due to its uneven, yet beautiful geography. Comprising 33 districts, it is the most populous state in North Eastern India. Known for its cane, bamboo and silk products, the state has one of the major technical institutions of the country, IIT Guwahati. The state is also a leading tea producer with some big crude oil refineries in the country.
Capital: Dispur is the capital of Assam which was formerly a suburb of Guwahati, one of the largest city in the state.
Bihar: A very important place in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, Bihar is said to be the place to lay the foundation of the first democracy, the Magadh Empire. Most populous state of India with 38 districts, it holds a very significant position in the history of India.
Capital: Patna, formerly known as Patliputra, has been a major hub of trade, education, and culture for centuries and has emerged as a major industrial sector in the past few years.
Chattisgarh: Named after the 36 big forts in the area, the state is densely forested and known for its temples and waterfalls. A major producer of electricity and coal, it contributes in over 15% steel production of the country through Bhilai Steel Plant by SAIL.
Capital: Raipur is a major industrial city with the biggest market of steel in India among the states and capitals of India. It is also the 6th cleanest city in the country and has around 800 rice milling plants.
Goa: Smallest state of the country with area of just 3702 square KM and known for its beautiful beaches, on looking to Arabian sea. A major tourist destination, the state was once a major Portuguese dominion. The state is rich in forest cover with cashew and pineapple plantations.
Capital: Panaji is the third largest city after Vasco Da Gama and Madgaon among the states and capitals of India. The city has beautiful beaches, churches and plantations.
Gujarat: One of the richest states of the country, Gujarat has been an entrepreneurial hub. A major trade state and birthplace of luminaries like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, the state has 33 districts and is a leading milk producer for the country, through cooperative movements like Amul.
Capital: Gandhinagar is the administrative center of the state with proximity to Ahmedabad. The city has major educational institutes like IIT, NIFT and NID.
Haryana: Getting its name after the word “Hariyanka” meaning “abundant in greenery and crops, ” Haryana is the birthplace of Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta and a major contributor to the defense forces and sports fraternity of the country. The state has 22 districts and is one of the most fertile belts in India.
Capital: Chandigarh is a Union territory as well as the capital of Haryana and Punjab among the states and capitals of India. Known as the first planned city post-independence, the city is reputed for its beauty and architecture.
Himachal Pradesh: Also known as Himbhoomi, Himachal Pradesh is the Northern state, it has 12 districts and is home to many tourist locations and pilgrim centers. Ist also shares its border with China on the eastern side. The famous locations to visit are Jwala devi, Lahaul, Paunta Sahib, Shimla and Kasol.
Capital: Shimla, which was once the summer capital of the British empire, is the largest city of the state and is a major trade and administrative center.
Jharkhand: With 24 districts, Jharkhand is a state that is rich in flora and fauna as well as minerals. Known for its tribal culture, it has major reserves of iron ores and coal fields. It was formerly a part of the state of Bihar and has a diverse demography of population. It has major industrial cities like Dhanbad and Jamshedpur.
Capital: Ranchi is the administrative center and the 3rd largest city of the state. The city is also known as “City of waterfalls”.
Karnataka: Known for its beautiful temples, gardens and palaces, the state holds a cultural significance in the history of India. Having historical sites like Vijayanagara kingdom to modern, high tech hubs like Bengaluru is a prominent feature of the state.
Capital: Bengaluru is the largest and most advanced city of the state which is also a major IT city, known as “Silicon Valley of India”. Besides this, Mysuru, Belgaum and Bijapur are also major industrial centers.
Kerala: The most literate state of India and “God’s own country”, Kerala is the southern state which is adorned with natural beauty of coconut and palm trees, backwaters and elephants.
Capital: Thiruvanantpuram is the capital city which is also the home to the famous Padmanabhan Swamy temple.
Madhya Pradesh: Dubbed as “Hindustan ka Dil”, Madhya Pradesh holds a rich industrial and cultural significance. Being the 2nd largest state in India, it is one of the greenest states with one of the largest tiger reserves in India.
Capital: Bhopal is one of India’s greenest cities and also has Taj ul Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India and Asia.
Maharashtra: The peninsular state is land of Shri Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and 4th most populous state in India. Known for its economic and cultural diversity, it is the largest contributor to India’s GDP.
Capital: Mumbai is a major economic center of the state as well as the country. Being an important trade port, it has the highest number of billionaires in Asia.
Manipur: Known as “the jeweled land”, it is the lush green state of North East India. With Nilgiri hills and pristine water bodies, it is a nature lover’s paradise.
Capital: Named after the Imphal River and former seat of the royal family of Manipur, and has a historic polo ground of great significance.
Meghalaya: Known as “Abode of Clouds”, Meghalaya is famous for heavy rains and crystal clear rivers. Previously a part of the state of Assam, the state has a strong network of living root bridges.
Capital: Shillong is the capital city named after a local deity and has many tourist attractions like Elephant falls and Shillong Peak.
Mizoram: Named after the Mizo tribes, it is one of the most literate state of India with more than 90% workforce communicate in English and is densely forested region.
Capital: Aizawl is the city with highest sex ratio and literacy rate in India and one of the least populated cities in the country.
Nagaland: Getting its name from the Naga tribes, the state has 17 districts and is reputed for its dense forests, horticulture and cottage industries.
Capital: Kohima was a major battleground during the British era known for “Battle of Tennis Court” and the second largest city in the state.
Odisha: Formerly known as Kalinga, Odisha is known for its ancient temples, sand art and famous Jagannath Rath Yatra, it holds a significant importance in Hinduism and Buddhism.
Capital: Bhubaneshwar is the largest city of the state which is also a major center for sports, art, culture and IT.
Punjab: Dubbed as “Land of 5 Rivers”, it is one of the most fertile belts in the world and known for the “Green Revolution”. A cultural powerhouse, it has been a major location since Indus Valley Civilization.
Capital: It shares Chandigarh as its capital with Haryana.
Rajasthan: Known as “Land of Kings”, the state is famous for its beautiful palaces, monuments, forts, deserts and wildlife. It also contributes to the tourism sector of the country.
Capital: Jaipur, also known as the Pink city is famous for its Hawa Mahal and Blue Pottery. It is also one of the earliest planned cities of India dated since 17th century.
Sikkim: Home of India’s highest mountain peak, Kanchenjunga, the state is full of glaciers, meadows, and Buddhist monasteries. It is also known as the valley of rice due to its paddy fields.
Capital: Gangtok is the largest and most populated city of Sikkim among its 6 districts.
Tamil Nadu: Known for its Dravidian style of Hindu temples, the state has the southernmost tip of the country and has around 38 districts. During the colonial period, the region was called Madras presidency.
Capital: Chennai, previously known as Madras, is a major cultural, technological and industrial center of the state.
Telangana: Formed in 2014 from United Andhra Pradesh, Telangana is the newest state of India and is a major IT and defense sector hub with institutes like DRDO.
Capital: Hyderabad is the largest city and capital of the state with a major trade hub and has corporate offices of many big IT companies.
Tripura: With 8 districts, it is the third smallest state in the country. Formerly a princely state, it is one of the most literate states in the country. It has 60% of its land area under forest cover.
Capital: Agartala, named after the forests of Agarwood, is the second most populous city in the North East after Guwahati and a major administrative center of the state.
Uttarakhand: Also known as Devbhoomi or “Land of Gods”, it is a beautiful state with industries like pharma, mining, floriculture and tourism.
Capital: Dehradun is an administrative center with major institutes like IMA, Doon School and LBSNAA.
Uttar Pradesh: Named as “Northern State”, it is the most populated state of the country, the state houses many holy and historic places of importance and is now emerging as a major industrial zone in the country with 75 districts.
Capital: Lucknow is known for its multicultural setups, cuisines and beautiful gardens with poetry and music.
West Bengal: Culturally vibrant state with a major hub for arts, music, literature and intellectualism, West Bengal is the cultural hotspot with many eminent personalities that contributed in the Indian freedom struggle and later.
Capital: Kolkata, known as “City of Joy”, is the largest city and one of the major metropolitan areas of the country.
