States and Capitals of India 2023, Updated List

States and Capitals

States and Capitals of India: India is the seventh-largest country in the world in terms of area and the second-most populous country in the world in terms of population. It is located in South Asia. India is officially known as the Republic of India. The capital of India is New Delhi. India follows a parliamentary form of government.

States and Capitals 2023

There are 28 states and 8 union territories in India in 2023. Management and administration of a large country such as India is not possible from one place and therefore the formation of states was the best option. This blog is about the States and Capitals of India along with their date of formation and official languages.

States and Capitals of India

It can happen that many students, as well as candidates who want to appear for banking and government exams, might not know about the states and union territories of India along with their capitals. In this blog, we will be sharing the complete details of the states and capitals of India along with the union territories and their capital.

There are 28 states and 8 union territories in India in 2023. Each state can have separate administrative, legislative and judicial capitals. It can also happen that one capital serves all the functions.

Each state is ruled by a Chief Minister, who is elected by the people through means of election. The list of states and capitals of India and union territories of India are presented in a tabular format below.

States and Capitals of India – Complete List

The complete list of the 28 states and capitals of India in 2023 is presented below in alphabetical order as follows:

State	Capital	Date of Formation
Andhra Pradesh	Amaravati	1st Nov 1956
Arunachal Pradesh	Itanagar	20th Feb 1987
Assam	Dispur	26th Jan 1950
Bihar	Patna	26th Jan 1950
Chhattisgarh	Raipur	1st Nov 2000
Goa	Panaji	30th May 1987
Gujarat	Gandhinagar	1st May 1960
Haryana	Chandigarh	1st Nov 1966
Himachal Pradesh	Shimla	25th Jan 1971
Jharkhand	Ranchi	15th Nov 2000
Karnataka	Bengaluru	1st Nov 1956
Kerala	Thiruvananthapuram	1st Nov 1956
Madhya Pradesh	Bhopal	1st Nov 1956
Maharashtra	Mumbai	1st May 1960
Manipur	Imphal	21st Jan 1972
Meghalaya	Shillong	21st Jan 1972
Mizoram	Aizawl	20th Feb 1987
Nagaland	Kohima	1st Dec 1963
Odisha	Bhubaneswar	26th Jan 1950
Punjab	Chandigarh	1st Nov 1956
Rajasthan	Jaipur	1st Nov 1956
Sikkim	Gangtok	16th May 1975
Tamil Nadu	Chennai	26th Jan 1950
Telangana	Hyderabad	2nd June 2014
Tripura	Agartala	21st Jan 1972
Uttar Pradesh	Lucknow	26th Jan 1950
Uttarakhand	Dehradun (Winter) Gairsain (Summer)	9th Nov 2000
West Bengal	Kolkata	1st Nov 1956

Union Territories of India and Their Capitals

As of 2021, there are 8 union territories in India as the state of Jammu and Kashmir has been reconstituted into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Union Territories of India and Their Capitals List

Also, the union territories of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu were merged into one union territory. The union territories are presented in alphabetical order as follows:

Union Territories	Capital	Date of Formation
Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Port Blair	1st Nov 1956
Chandigarh	Chandigarh	1st Nov 1966
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu	Daman	26th Jan 2020
Delhi	New Delhi	9th May 1905
Jammu and Kashmir	Srinagar (Summer) Jammu (Winter)	31st Oct 2019
Lakshadweep	Kavaratti	1st Nov 1956
Puducherry	Pondicherry	1st Nov 1954
Ladakh	Leh	31st Oct 2019

States and Capitals: Political Map of India

The latest political map of India contains all the states and capitals of India along with union territories and their capitals which is presented below

States and Capitals of India – Important Points

• There are 28 states and 8 union territories in India as per the latest update, all the states and union territories have a separate capital.
• Of the 8 union territories, three of them have their own legislatures and these are Delhi, Puducherry ( formerly known as Pondicherry) and Jammu and Kashmir.
• Jammu and Kashmir was a state which was bifurcated on 31st October 2019 to form two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
• The Union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were merged to form a single union territory on 26th January 2020.

State and Capitals of India – Official Languages

The official languages of the 28 states of India are represented in alphabetical order in a tabular format below

Sl.no	State	Official language(s)
1.	Andhra Pradesh	Telugu
2.	Arunachal Pradesh	English
3.	Assam	Assamese
4.	Bihar	Hindi
5.	Chhattisgarh	Hindi
6.	Goa	Konkani, English
7.	Gujarat	Gujarati
8.	Haryana	Hindi
9.	Himachal Pradesh	Hindi
10.	Jharkhand	Hindi
11.	Karnataka	Kannada
12.	Kerala	Malayalam
13.	Madhya Pradesh	Hindi
14.	Maharashtra	Marathi
15.	Manipur	Manipuri
16.	Meghalaya	English
17.	Mizoram	Mizo
18.	Nagaland	English
19.	Odisha	Odia
20.	Punjab	Punjabi
21.	Rajasthan	Hindi
22.	Sikkim	English, Nepali, Sikkimese, Lepcha
23.	Tamil Nadu	Tamil
24.	Telangana	Telugu
25.	Tripura	Bengali, English, Kokborok
26.	Uttar Pradesh	Hindi
27.	Uttarakhand	Hindi
28.	West Bengal	Bengali, English

Union Territories and Official languages

The official languages of the union territories of India are as follows:

Sl.No	Union territory	Official language(s)
1.	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Hindi, English
2.	Chandigarh	English
3.	Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	Gujarati, Konkani, Marathi, Hindi
4.	Delhi	Hindi, English
5.	Lakshadweep	Malayalam
6.	Jammu and Kashmir	Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi, Urdu, English
7.	Ladakh	Hindi, English
8.	Puducherry	Tamil, French, English

Important Points Related to Different States and Capitals in India

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Popularly known as the Emerald Isles, the Andaman and Nicobar group of islands located in the Bay of Bengal among India’s major tourist destinations in India. This UT is home to numerous aboriginal tribes.

The inhabitants of these islands comprise mainly of two types- the Andamanese and the Negroites. The Negritoes are dark-skinned peoples of small stature. This makes their culture distinct and unique. The inhabitants are friendly and cheerful people.

Apart from this they are multi-ethnic so they celebrate each and every festival with a lot of enthusiasm.

Some of the popular tourist spots in the union territory include Anthropological museum, National Memorial monument (Cellular Jail), Samudrika – Naval Marine Museum, Zoological Parks apart from the various beaches and the limestone Caves.

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh is famous for its distinct culture and fine arts. The state is mostly dominated by Telugu speaking people. The important festivals celebrated in the state are Dussehra, Diwali, Ramanavami, Vinayaka Sankranti and Chavithi.

The famous tourists places in the state include Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, Nagarjuna Konda in Nagarjunasagar, Araku Valley and Borra Caves in Vishakhapatnam, Amaravati in Vijaywada.

Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh is home to numerous tribes and sub tribes, the population of Arunachal Pradesh consists mostly of people of Asiatic origin.

The one thing that is unique about the state is its belief in ‘animism’, which means that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. The state is home to several popular tourist hubs like Gekar Sinyi (Ganga lake), Bomdila town, Tawang (monastery)

Assam

Assam is situated in North-eastern India. The population of Assam is a mix of people of Tibetan, Aryan, and Burmese origin. The population of Assam is made up of numerous tribes who believe in celebrating all the religious festivals.

However the one festival that is most popular in Assam is Bihu. Assam has developed into an important tourist destination with attractions such as Gandhi Mandap, Kamakhya Temple, Uma-nanda temple, Navagraha (Temple of nine planets), State Zoo, State Museum, etc.

Bihar

Situated in Eastern India, Bihar boasts of a rich cultural heritage that dates back to ancient India. The people of Bihar are lively and co-exist in peace and harmony. The festivals celebrated in the state include Chatth Puja, Shravani Mela, Sonepur Cattle Fair, Makar Sankranti Mela, Buddha jayanti.

Chandigarh

Chandigarh is the first planned city of post independent India; Chandigarh is a Union Territory and serves as the capital for Punjab and Haryana. Chandigarh gas many tourists places such as Rock Garden, Rose Garden, Sukhna Lake, and Leisure Valley, etc.

Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh is a located in Central India and is famous as a source of electricity and steel. The state is filled with rich cultural heritage. The main tourist attractions are waterfalls, Tamor Pingla, Bhairamgarh, sitanadi wildlife sanctuaries, Indravati national parks, the Kutumsar, Kailash and Dandak Caves etc.

Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu

Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu used to be separate UTs, but now these two have been merged into a single union territory in western India.

The territory has four separate geographical entities Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Daman and the island of Diu. Dadra is a small enclave in Gujarat. Nagar Haveli is located between Gujarat and Maharashtra. Daman is an enclave on the coast of Gujarat and Diu is an island off the coast of Gujarat.

Goa

Goa is situated along the Malabar Coast of India. It is populated with a mix of Christians and Hindus, Goa’s culture is unique in its own way. Known as the most happening states in India, it is home to fun loving and easy going people.

The major attraction of the state is its long stretch of pristine beaches. Some of the important beaches in Goa are Colva, Vagator, Calangute, Harmal, Anjuna and Miramar and Baga.

Gujarat

Gujrat is known as ‘Jewel of the West’, Gujarat is situated in the Western part of India. It is historically one of the main centres of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Gujratis is known for their businesses. Dance and music are important parts of the celebrations for the Gujaratis. Garba and dandiya raas are famous dance forms of the state and musical ragas like Lati, Todi and Khambavati have originated here.

Haryana

Haryana was carved out of Punjab and was declared a separate state on 1 November 1966. There are many important sites in the state which belong to the Indus Valley Civilization and Vedic civilization. Haryana has an important contribution in the history of India.

The epic battle of Indian history- the Mahabharat was also fought in Kurukshetra here. The people of the state have kept their old cultural and social customs alive till now. Haryana is also known for sports, as many athletes in India come from Haryana.

Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is known for its beauty and splendor. Himachal is a tourism hub and attracts tourists from different parts of the world. The major attractions are the adventure sports which the state offers like paragliding, ice skating, rafting and many more.

Jammu and Kashmir

The government of India scrapped Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and divided the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. It comprises two regions- Jammu, Kashmir Valley.

Kashmir Valley is known as the ‘Paradise on Earth’ and therefore attracts many tourists. Many Hindu tourists visit Jammu and Kashmir for pilgrimage as the holy shrines of Vaishno Devi and Amarnath are located in this region.

As people from different religious groups live in this region, festivals of different communities are celebrated with equal zeal such as Eid, Baisakhi, Hemis Festival in Ladhak (dedicated to lord Padmasambhava), Urs, Diwali and many more. Ladakh is known for famous blue lake, Pangong Tso.

Jharkhand

Jharkhand is known as the ‘Land of Forests’, Jharkhand is rich in mineral resources. It is a tribal dominated state and the people here consider nature to be an important part of their lives. The famous tourist places in Jharkhand are Ranchi Hills, Netarhat, Sun Temple, Baidynath Dham etc.

Karnataka

Karnataka is located in South-west India. The main language spoken in Karnataka is Kannada. There are various ethnicities based on language and religion in the state. Ancient temples, attractive hills, modern infrastructure, beaches and forests, Karnataka has an extensive range of all these features.

Mysore Dusshera, Makar Sankranti, Basava Jayanti, Ramzan and Ugadi are some of the major festivals celebrated in the state. Bengaluru is the capital city of Karnataka, which is also called silicon valley of India.

Kerala

Kerala is popularly known as “God’s Own Country”, Kerala is popular for its spices and rubber production. It is also one of the major producers of fish in India. Different dance forms such as Kathakali, Koodiyattam, Mohiniyattam are famous in the state. Kerala is one of the favourite destinations in India among the tourists. Beaches, temples, churches, wildlife sanctuaries are the tourist hubs in the state. Kerala is the state with highest literacy rate in India.

Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep is a group of 36 islands in the Laccadive Sea and is the smallest Union Territory of India. Many religions and customs are followed in Lakshadweep but majority of the population practices Islam. People of this Union Territory lead a simple life and live in harmony with each other.

Ladakh

Ladakh is known for its scenic beauty. The beauty of rugged Himalayas, mystifying lakes, charming monasteries and the aura of the festivities of the place is unmatchable. It is needless to say that Ladakh is the tourist hub of India. People of all religions are living here with peace.

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is located in Central India and known as the ‘heart of India’. Majority of the population practices Hinduism in MP. Folk and classical music hold a prominent place among the people of Madhya Pradesh. Maihar gharana, Senia gharana and Gwalior gharana are some of the renowned classical music gharanas of this Indian state.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra is the second most populated state of India. Ganesh Chaturthi is the main festival in Maharashtra. The capital city of Maharastra is Mumbai which is famous for Bollywood Industry.

Manipur

Manipur is located in the North-eastern region of India. People from several cultures like Mizo, Kuki, Naga reside in Manipur. Women in the state enjoy a high status in the society. Theatre has been an important part of the Lai Haraoba festivals of the state.

Meghalaya

Meghalaya is landlocked between Assam and Bangladesh. Meghalaya is known for high rainfall, the wettest place on earth Mawsynram is located in Meghalaya. Around 70% area of the state is forested and the forests here receive plenty of rainfall and support large varieties of flora and fauna. There are three major tribes which reside in Meghalaya – Jaintias, Khasis and Garos.

Mizoram

Mizoram is located in North-east India. Almost 95% of the population of the state comprises of tribal groups. Majority of the population of the state practices Christianity. Minority population includes Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists.

Nagaland

Nagaland is one of the ‘seven sisters’ states of India. There are 16 tribes in the state and each tribe is distinctive in terms of language, dress and traditions. Christianity is the main religion of the state. Hornbill is the mains Festival among Naga People. Nagaland is known for its NAGA tribe.

National Capital Territory (Delhi)

Delhi is the capital city of India. Historically, Delhi had been the capital of many kingdoms and rulers such as Mughals.

Delhi is not only the political capital of the country but is also the administrative unit of the Indian Government as the Indian Parliament and many Ministries are present here. People from different parts of the country reside in Delhi.

Odisha

Odisha is known as ‘The Land of Temples. Historically, Odisha became popular because of the bloodiliest battle of Kalinga which was fought under the Maurayan king Ashoka. Odisha is Known for Konark Sun temple.

Puducherry

Puducherry is a famous tourist destination among people from India and abroad. It is also known as ‘the French Riviera of the East’. The Union Territory has a French influence as it was ruled by the French for a long time. The French infrastructure and the French colonies are the major attractions here.

Punjab

Punjab means the ‘Land of Five Rivers’. Punjab shares its boundary with Pakistan. The state is popular throughout the world for its rich and colourful culture. Punjabis are known for their flamboyant and rich lifestyle.

The Golden Temple of Amritsar is one of the most visited places by the tourists from all over the world.

Rajasthan

Rajasthan is the largest state of India in terms of area. The state is in the semi-arid region of India. Rajasthan is famous for its grandeur palaces and rich culture. The dances of the state like Ghoomar and Kalbeliya are internationally recognized.

Sikkim

Sikkim is situated in the North-eastern region of India and is the least populated state of the country. Sikkim shares international boundaries with China, Bhutan and Nepal.

Its culture is a blend of Hinduism and Buddhism and many Buddhist festivals like Losoong, Tseshi, Lhabsol, Dasain, etc. are widely celebrated in every part of the state.

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is located in the South India and is surrounded by Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Puducherry and Karnataka.

Tamilians are very fond of dance, music and literature. Bharatnatyam dance form and Carnatic music has grown here since ages. Major festivals celebrated in the state are Diwali, Dussehra, Pongal, Karthika besides many more.

Telangana

The 28th state of India, Telangana came into being on 2 June 2014. Earlier it was a part of Andhra Pradesh. Telegu is the language spoken by majority of the population. Hydarabad is the capital city of Telangana.

Tripura

Tripura shares its borders with Bangladesh, Mizoram and Assam. There are many ethnic groups in the state such as Tripuri, Garo, Munda, Oran and as many as 14 more. The bamboo and cane handicrafts in the state are very popular. Jhum dance, lebang dance, mamita dance are some of the popular dance forms of the state.

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh is located in Northern India. it is the largest state in terms of population. It shares its borders with many other states like Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand and many more. UP has many tourist destinations such as Taj Mahal, Ghats of Varanasi, Fatehpur Sikri etc. UP is also famous for its rich culture.

Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand previously known as Uttaranchal, is a state located in Northern India. The society of the state is a heterogeneous mix of different ethnic groups from Garhwal and Kumaon regions.

The state festivals celebrated here are Ghee Sankranti, Khatarua, Nanda Devi Mela, Phool Dei and many others. Uttarakhand offers immense options for tourism to the visitors such as Mussoorie, Nainital, Kausani etc.

West Bengal

West Bengal is located in the North Eastern part of the country. Historically Bengal was the wealthiest province under the British Empire.

West Bengal is surrounded by three different countries – Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan, and states of India – Jharkhand, Odisha, Sikkim, Assam and Bihar. Bengali is the main language spoken in West Bengal.

State and Capitals of India – Importance

As responsible citizens of India, it is necessary to know the different states and capitals of India, also it is a very important part of general knowledge and current affairs which is a vital section in almost all of the competitive exams held in India for government jobs like SSC, banking and other government exams.

State and Capitals of India: FAQs