ExamShortcut

SSC static GK quick reference

The static GK tables SSC draws from year after year, on one searchable page. Type a state, river or name to filter every table at once, or jump straight to a table.

Classical dances of India (9)

Sangeet Natak Akademi recognises 8 classical dances. The Ministry of Culture also lists Chhau, making 9.

DanceStateRemember
BharatanatyamTamil NaduOldest classical form; based on Natya Shastra; earlier called Sadir
KathakUttar Pradesh (North India)Only classical form linked to North India; Lucknow, Jaipur, Banaras gharanas
KathakaliKeralaDance-drama with elaborate make-up; performed by men traditionally
KuchipudiAndhra PradeshNamed after a village in Krishna district; Tarangam on a brass plate
OdissiOdishaTribhanga posture; linked to temple Maharis
ManipuriManipurThemes from Radha-Krishna Raslila; soft, rounded movements
MohiniyattamKeralaSolo dance by women; “dance of the enchantress”
SattriyaAssamIntroduced by Srimanta Sankardeva; added to the list in 2000
ChhauOdisha, Jharkhand, West BengalMayurbhanj, Seraikela and Purulia styles; masks in Seraikela and Purulia

Folk dances by state (28)

StateFolk dances
Andhra PradeshKolattam, Burrakatha (ballad form)
AssamBihu, Bagurumba, Jhumur
BiharJat-Jatin, Bidesia, Jhijhiya
ChhattisgarhPanthi, Raut Nacha, Karma
GoaFugdi, Dekhni, Dhalo
GujaratGarba, Dandiya Raas, Tippani
HaryanaPhag, Saang
Himachal PradeshNati
Jammu & KashmirRouf, Dumhal
JharkhandJhumar, Paika, Karma, Chhau (Seraikela)
KarnatakaYakshagana, Dollu Kunitha
KeralaTheyyam, Thiruvathirakali, Ottamthullal
Madhya PradeshMatki, Jawara
MaharashtraLavani, Koli, Tamasha
ManipurThang-Ta, Lai Haraoba
MeghalayaNongkrem, Shad Suk Mynsiem, Wangala
MizoramCheraw (bamboo dance)
NagalandChang Lo
OdishaGotipua, Dalkhai, Ghumura
PunjabBhangra, Giddha, Jhumar
RajasthanGhoomar, Kalbelia, Terah Taali, Chari, Kachchhi Ghodi
SikkimSinghi Chham
Tamil NaduKummi, Karagattam, Kolattam, Kavadi
TelanganaPerini Sivatandavam
TripuraHojagiri
Uttar PradeshNautanki, Raslila, Charkula
UttarakhandChholiya
West BengalGambhira, Chhau (Purulia), Jatra

Major festivals by state (28)

StateFestivals
Andhra PradeshUgadi, Sankranti
Arunachal PradeshLosar, Solung (Adi), Dree (Apatani)
AssamBihu (Bohag/Rongali, Kati, Magh), Ambubachi Mela (Kamakhya)
BiharChhath Puja, Sama-Chakeva
ChhattisgarhBastar Dussehra
GoaCarnival, Shigmo, Sao Joao
GujaratNavratri (Garba), Uttarayan (kite festival), Rann Utsav
Himachal PradeshKullu Dussehra
JharkhandSarhul, Karma
KarnatakaMysuru Dasara, Ugadi
KeralaOnam, Vishu, Thrissur Pooram
LadakhHemis Festival, Losar
Madhya PradeshKhajuraho Dance Festival
MaharashtraGanesh Chaturthi, Gudi Padwa
ManipurLai Haraoba, Yaoshang
MeghalayaWangala (100 Drums), Shad Suk Mynsiem
MizoramChapchar Kut
NagalandHornbill Festival (1–10 December)
OdishaRath Yatra (Puri), Raja Parba, Nuakhai
PunjabBaisakhi, Lohri
RajasthanGangaur, Teej, Pushkar Fair
SikkimLosar, Saga Dawa, Losoong
Tamil NaduPongal (with Jallikattu), Karthigai Deepam
TelanganaBathukamma, Bonalu
TripuraKharchi Puja
Uttar PradeshKumbh Mela (Prayagraj), Dev Deepawali (Varanasi)
UttarakhandHarela, Nanda Devi Raj Jat, Kumbh (Haridwar)
West BengalDurga Puja, Poila Baisakh

National parks & tiger reserves (48)

Park / reserveStateKnown for
Jim Corbett NPUttarakhandIndia’s first national park (1936, as Hailey NP); Project Tiger launched here in 1973
Kaziranga NPAssamOne-horned rhinoceros; UNESCO site
Manas NPAssamTiger reserve on the Bhutan border; UNESCO site
Nameri NPAssamTiger reserve on the Jia Bharali river
Gir NPGujaratOnly natural home of the Asiatic lion
Marine NP, Gulf of KutchGujaratIndia’s first marine national park
Velavadar (Blackbuck) NPGujaratBlackbuck
Sundarbans NPWest BengalRoyal Bengal tiger; mangrove delta; UNESCO site
Buxa Tiger ReserveWest BengalTiger reserve in the Dooars
Ranthambore NPRajasthanTigers; Ranthambore fort
Sariska Tiger ReserveRajasthanTigers reintroduced after local extinction
Keoladeo NP (Bharatpur)RajasthanBird sanctuary (Siberian crane); UNESCO site
Desert NPRajasthanGreat Indian Bustard
Kanha NPMadhya PradeshBarasingha (hard-ground swamp deer)
Bandhavgarh NPMadhya PradeshHigh density of tigers
Pench NPMadhya Pradesh & MaharashtraSetting of Kipling’s The Jungle Book
Panna NPMadhya PradeshTiger reserve on the Ken river
Kuno NPMadhya PradeshCheetah reintroduction (2022)
Satpura NPMadhya PradeshTiger reserve in the Satpura range
Tadoba-Andhari TRMaharashtraOldest national park of Maharashtra
Sanjay Gandhi NPMaharashtraInside Mumbai city; Kanheri caves
Periyar NPKeralaElephants; tiger reserve around Periyar lake
Silent Valley NPKeralaTropical evergreen forest; lion-tailed macaque
Eravikulam NPKeralaNilgiri tahr
Bandipur NPKarnatakaTigers and elephants
Nagarhole NPKarnatakaAlso called Rajiv Gandhi NP
Mudumalai NPTamil NaduTiger reserve in the Nilgiris
Guindy NPTamil NaduInside Chennai city
Simlipal NPOdishaTiger reserve in Mayurbhanj
Bhitarkanika NPOdishaSaltwater crocodiles; mangroves
Dudhwa NPUttar PradeshTigers and swamp deer on the Nepal border
Valmiki Tiger ReserveBiharBihar’s only tiger reserve
Palamau Tiger Reserve (Betla NP)JharkhandOne of the first nine Project Tiger reserves
Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam TRAndhra PradeshAmong the largest tiger reserves in India
Amrabad Tiger ReserveTelanganaNallamala forest
Indravati NPChhattisgarhWild buffalo; tiger reserve
Kanger Ghati NPChhattisgarhLimestone caves
Great Himalayan NPHimachal PradeshUNESCO site
Valley of Flowers NPUttarakhandAlpine flowers; UNESCO site (with Nanda Devi NP)
Rajaji NPUttarakhandElephants; tiger reserve
Hemis NPLadakhSnow leopard; largest national park in India
Dachigam NPJammu & KashmirHangul (Kashmir stag)
Keibul Lamjao NPManipurOnly floating national park (Loktak lake); Sangai deer
Namdapha NPArunachal PradeshTiger reserve; four big cats
Khangchendzonga NPSikkimUNESCO mixed (natural + cultural) site
Nokrek NPMeghalayaWild citrus; biosphere reserve
Dampa Tiger ReserveMizoramMizoram’s tiger reserve
Mahatma Gandhi Marine NPAndaman & NicobarCoral reefs (Wandoor)

Major dams & the rivers they are on (29)

DamRiverState
Tehri DamBhagirathiUttarakhand — tallest dam in India
Bhakra DamSutlejHimachal Pradesh — Gobind Sagar reservoir
Pong DamBeasHimachal Pradesh
Ranjit Sagar (Thein) DamRaviPunjab
Salal DamChenabJammu & Kashmir
Baglihar DamChenabJammu & Kashmir
Uri DamJhelumJammu & Kashmir
Hirakud DamMahanadiOdisha — one of the longest earthen dams in the world
Sardar Sarovar DamNarmadaGujarat
Indira Sagar DamNarmadaMadhya Pradesh
Ukai DamTapiGujarat
Gandhi Sagar DamChambalMadhya Pradesh
Rana Pratap Sagar DamChambalRajasthan
Rihand Dam (Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar)RihandUttar Pradesh
Nagarjuna Sagar DamKrishnaTelangana / Andhra Pradesh
Srisailam DamKrishnaAndhra Pradesh / Telangana
Almatti DamKrishnaKarnataka
Koyna DamKoynaMaharashtra
Tungabhadra DamTungabhadraKarnataka
Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) DamKaveriKarnataka
Mettur DamKaveriTamil Nadu
Kallanai (Grand Anicut)KaveriTamil Nadu — built by Chola king Karikala
Bhavanisagar DamBhavaniTamil Nadu
Idukki DamPeriyarKerala — arch dam
Mullaperiyar DamPeriyarKerala (operated by Tamil Nadu)
Maithon DamBarakarJharkhand (DVC)
Tilaiya DamBarakarJharkhand (DVC)
Panchet DamDamodarJharkhand (DVC)
Farakka BarrageGangaWest Bengal

Major rivers: origin & where they end (14)

RiverOriginEnds in
GangaGangotri glacier (Gaumukh), UttarakhandBay of Bengal
YamunaYamunotri glacier, UttarakhandJoins the Ganga at Prayagraj
BrahmaputraChemayungdung glacier, Tibet (near Mansarovar)Bay of Bengal (with the Ganga)
IndusNear Lake Mansarovar, TibetArabian Sea
SutlejRakshastal, TibetJoins the Chenab / Indus system (Panjnad)
NarmadaAmarkantak, Madhya PradeshArabian Sea (Gulf of Khambhat) — flows west through a rift valley
TapiMultai (Betul), Madhya PradeshArabian Sea (Gulf of Khambhat)
GodavariTrimbakeshwar (Nashik), MaharashtraBay of Bengal — longest peninsular river (“Dakshin Ganga”)
KrishnaMahabaleshwar, MaharashtraBay of Bengal
KaveriTalakaveri (Kodagu), KarnatakaBay of Bengal
MahanadiSihawa (Dhamtari), ChhattisgarhBay of Bengal
SonAmarkantak, Madhya PradeshJoins the Ganga near Patna
ChambalJanapav (near Mhow), Madhya PradeshJoins the Yamuna
LuniAravalli hills near Ajmer, RajasthanRann of Kutch (inland drainage)

Important days — national (37)

DateDayLinked to
9 JanuaryPravasi Bharatiya DivasGandhi’s return from South Africa (1915)
12 JanuaryNational Youth DayBirth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda
15 JanuaryArmy DayK.M. Cariappa took over as first Indian Commander-in-Chief (1949)
23 JanuaryParakram DiwasBirth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
24 JanuaryNational Girl Child Day
25 JanuaryNational Voters’ DayFoundation of the Election Commission (1950)
26 JanuaryRepublic DayConstitution came into force (1950)
30 JanuaryMartyrs’ Day (Shaheed Diwas)Death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
28 FebruaryNational Science DayDiscovery of the Raman Effect (1928)
5 AprilNational Maritime DayVoyage of SS Loyalty (1919)
21 AprilCivil Services DaySardar Patel’s address to probationers (1947)
24 AprilNational Panchayati Raj Day73rd Amendment came into force (1993)
11 MayNational Technology DayPokhran-II nuclear tests (1998)
21 MayAnti-Terrorism DayDeath anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi
29 JuneNational Statistics DayBirth anniversary of P.C. Mahalanobis
1 JulyNational Doctors’ DayBirth anniversary of Dr B.C. Roy
26 JulyKargil Vijay DiwasVictory in the Kargil war (1999)
7 AugustNational Handloom DaySwadeshi Movement launched (1905)
15 AugustIndependence Day1947
23 AugustNational Space DayChandrayaan-3 landing (2023)
29 AugustNational Sports DayBirth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand
5 SeptemberTeachers’ DayBirth anniversary of Dr S. Radhakrishnan
14 SeptemberHindi DiwasHindi adopted as official language (1949)
15 SeptemberEngineers’ DayBirth anniversary of M. Visvesvaraya
2 OctoberGandhi JayantiBirth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
8 OctoberIndian Air Force DayIAF founded (1932)
31 OctoberRashtriya Ekta DiwasBirth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
11 NovemberNational Education DayBirth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
14 NovemberChildren’s DayBirth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru
26 NovemberConstitution Day (Samvidhan Divas)Constitution adopted (1949)
4 DecemberNavy DayOperation Trident (1971)
7 DecemberArmed Forces Flag Day
16 DecemberVijay DiwasVictory in the 1971 war
22 DecemberNational Mathematics DayBirth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan
23 DecemberKisan DiwasBirth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh
24 DecemberNational Consumer DayConsumer Protection Act (1986)
25 DecemberGood Governance DayBirth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Important days — international (38)

DateDay
4 JanuaryWorld Braille Day
4 FebruaryWorld Cancer Day
21 FebruaryInternational Mother Language Day
8 MarchInternational Women’s Day
15 MarchWorld Consumer Rights Day
20 MarchInternational Day of Happiness
21 MarchInternational Day of Forests; World Poetry Day
22 MarchWorld Water Day
23 MarchWorld Meteorological Day
24 MarchWorld Tuberculosis Day
7 AprilWorld Health Day (WHO founded 1948)
22 AprilEarth Day
23 AprilWorld Book and Copyright Day
1 MayInternational Labour Day (May Day)
3 MayWorld Press Freedom Day
8 MayWorld Red Cross Day
22 MayInternational Day for Biological Diversity
31 MayWorld No Tobacco Day
5 JuneWorld Environment Day
8 JuneWorld Oceans Day
14 JuneWorld Blood Donor Day
20 JuneWorld Refugee Day
21 JuneInternational Day of Yoga
11 JulyWorld Population Day
28 JulyWorld Hepatitis Day
12 AugustInternational Youth Day
8 SeptemberInternational Literacy Day
16 SeptemberWorld Ozone Day (Preservation of the Ozone Layer)
21 SeptemberInternational Day of Peace
27 SeptemberWorld Tourism Day
1 OctoberInternational Day of Older Persons
2 OctoberInternational Day of Non-Violence
16 OctoberWorld Food Day (FAO founded 1945)
24 OctoberUnited Nations Day
1 DecemberWorld AIDS Day
3 DecemberInternational Day of Persons with Disabilities
9 DecemberInternational Anti-Corruption Day
10 DecemberHuman Rights Day

Books & authors (59)

BookAuthor
ArthashastraKautilya (Chanakya)
IndicaMegasthenes
Natya ShastraBharata Muni
Abhijnanashakuntalam, Meghaduta, RaghuvamshaKalidasa
BuddhacharitaAshvaghosha
MudrarakshasaVishakhadatta
HarshacharitaBanabhatta
PanchatantraVishnu Sharma
RajataranginiKalhana
Gita GovindaJayadeva
Kitab-ul-Hind (Tahqiq-i-Hind)Al-Biruni
Prithviraj RasoChand Bardai
PadmavatMalik Muhammad Jayasi
RamcharitmanasTulsidas
Baburnama (Tuzuk-i-Baburi)Babur
Humayun-namaGulbadan Begum
Akbarnama, Ain-i-AkbariAbul Fazl
AnandamathBankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
Neel DarpanDinabandhu Mitra
Gitanjali, GoraRabindranath Tagore
DevdasSarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Godaan, GabanMunshi Premchand
KamayaniJaishankar Prasad
MadhushalaHarivansh Rai Bachchan
YamaMahadevi Verma
Poverty and Un-British Rule in IndiaDadabhai Naoroji
Gita RahasyaBal Gangadhar Tilak
Hind Swaraj, My Experiments with TruthMahatma Gandhi
The Discovery of India, Glimpses of World HistoryJawaharlal Nehru
India Wins FreedomMaulana Abul Kalam Azad
Annihilation of CasteB.R. Ambedkar
The Indian StruggleSubhas Chandra Bose
Why I Am an AtheistBhagat Singh
Sultana’s DreamBegum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain
Wings of Fire, Ignited MindsA.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Untouchable, CoolieMulk Raj Anand
The Guide, Malgudi DaysR.K. Narayan
Train to PakistanKhushwant Singh
TamasBhisham Sahni
A Suitable BoyVikram Seth
Midnight’s ChildrenSalman Rushdie (Booker 1981)
The God of Small ThingsArundhati Roy (Booker 1997)
The Inheritance of LossKiran Desai (Booker 2006)
The White TigerAravind Adiga (Booker 2008)
The RepublicPlato
The PrinceNiccolò Machiavelli
Don QuixoteMiguel de Cervantes
Hamlet, MacbethWilliam Shakespeare
Paradise LostJohn Milton
Gulliver’s TravelsJonathan Swift
The Wealth of NationsAdam Smith
Pride and PrejudiceJane Austen
Oliver TwistCharles Dickens
On the Origin of SpeciesCharles Darwin
Das KapitalKarl Marx
War and PeaceLeo Tolstoy
The Adventures of Tom SawyerMark Twain
Unto This LastJohn Ruskin
Animal Farm, Nineteen Eighty-FourGeorge Orwell (born in Motihari, Bihar)

Sports: cups & trophies (31)

Trophy / cupSportNote
Ranji TrophyCricketDomestic first-class championship
Duleep TrophyCricketDomestic zonal first-class
Irani CupCricketRanji champion vs Rest of India
Vijay Hazare TrophyCricketDomestic one-day
Syed Mushtaq Ali TrophyCricketDomestic T20
Deodhar TrophyCricketDomestic one-day (zonal)
C.K. Nayudu TrophyCricketUnder-23 / under-25 domestic
Cooch Behar TrophyCricketUnder-19 domestic
The AshesCricketEngland vs Australia Tests
Border-Gavaskar TrophyCricketIndia vs Australia Tests
Durand CupFootballAsia’s oldest football tournament (1888)
Santosh TrophyFootballNational championship for states
Subroto CupFootballInter-school tournament
IFA ShieldFootballPlayed in Kolkata
Copa AméricaFootballSouth American championship
Beighton CupHockeyOne of the oldest hockey tournaments (Kolkata)
Aga Khan CupHockey
Rangaswamy CupHockeyNational hockey championship
Sultan Azlan Shah CupHockeyInternational invitational (Malaysia)
Davis CupTennisMen’s international team event
Billie Jean King CupTennisWomen’s team event (formerly Fed Cup)
Thomas CupBadmintonMen’s team world championship
Uber CupBadmintonWomen’s team world championship
Sudirman CupBadmintonMixed team world championship
Swaythling CupTable tennisMen’s team (World Championships)
Corbillon CupTable tennisWomen’s team (World Championships)
Ryder CupGolfUSA vs Europe (men)
Walker CupGolfAmateur, USA vs GB & Ireland
America’s CupYachtingOldest international sporting trophy
Val Barker TrophyBoxingBest boxer at the Olympic Games
Bermuda BowlBridgeWorld team championship

Sports: terms & players per side (16)

SportPlayers per sideTerms
Cricket11LBW, googly, doosra, yorker, bouncer, maiden over, duck, hat-trick, follow-on, stumped, silly point, gully
Football11Offside, penalty kick, corner kick, dribble, hat-trick, free kick
Hockey11Bully, penalty corner, short corner, striking circle, dribble
Tennis1 or 2Deuce, love, ace, volley, let, advantage, Grand Slam
Badminton1 or 2Shuttlecock, smash, drop, let, deuce
Volleyball6Spike, block, service, dig
Basketball5Dunk, free throw, dribble, rebound
Kabaddi7Raider, cant, lona, bonus line
Kho-Kho9 (on field)Chaser, runner, pole, kho
Polo4Chukker, mallet
Baseball9Home run, pitcher, strike, innings
Chess1Checkmate, stalemate, castling, gambit, en passant
Golf—Birdie, bogey, eagle, par, tee, putt, caddie
Boxing—Knockout, jab, hook, uppercut
Wrestling—Half Nelson, full Nelson
Swimming—Butterfly, freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke

First in India (56)

First …Person / event
President of IndiaDr Rajendra Prasad
Vice-President of IndiaDr S. Radhakrishnan
Prime Minister of IndiaJawaharlal Nehru
Governor-General of independent IndiaLord Mountbatten
Indian (and last) Governor-GeneralC. Rajagopalachari
Governor-General of BengalWarren Hastings
Governor-General of IndiaLord William Bentinck
Viceroy of IndiaLord Canning
Chief Justice of IndiaH.J. Kania
Chief Election CommissionerSukumar Sen
Speaker of the Lok SabhaG.V. Mavalankar
Muslim PresidentDr Zakir Husain
Woman PresidentPratibha Patil
Woman Prime MinisterIndira Gandhi
Woman Governor of a stateSarojini Naidu (Uttar Pradesh)
Woman Chief MinisterSucheta Kripalani (Uttar Pradesh)
Woman judge of the Supreme CourtM. Fathima Beevi (1989)
Woman IPS officerKiran Bedi (1972)
Woman IAS officerAnna Rajam Malhotra
Indian Commander-in-ChiefK.M. Cariappa
Field MarshalSam Manekshaw
Chief of Defence StaffGeneral Bipin Rawat (2020)
Indian Governor of the RBIC.D. Deshmukh
Indian in the ICSSatyendranath Tagore
President of the INCW.C. Bonnerjee (Bombay, 1885)
Woman President of the INCAnnie Besant (1917)
Indian woman President of the INCSarojini Naidu (1925)
Nobel laureateRabindranath Tagore (Literature, 1913)
Nobel in scienceC.V. Raman (Physics, 1930)
Woman Nobel laureate (Indian citizen)Mother Teresa (Peace, 1979)
Bharat Ratna recipients (1954)C. Rajagopalachari, S. Radhakrishnan, C.V. Raman
Jnanpith AwardG. Sankara Kurup (Malayalam, 1965)
Dadasaheb Phalke AwardDevika Rani (1969)
Oscar winnerBhanu Athaiya (costume design, Gandhi, 1983)
Indian citizen to win the Booker PrizeArundhati Roy (1997)
Miss WorldReita Faria (1966)
Miss UniverseSushmita Sen (1994)
Person to climb Everest (with Edmund Hillary)Tenzing Norgay (1953)
Indian woman to climb EverestBachendri Pal (1984)
Indian in spaceRakesh Sharma (1984)
Indian-born woman in spaceKalpana Chawla (1997)
Individual Olympic medalK.D. Jadhav (wrestling bronze, 1952)
Woman Olympic medallistKarnam Malleswari (weightlifting bronze, 2000)
Individual Olympic goldAbhinav Bindra (shooting, 2008)
Olympic gold in athleticsNeeraj Chopra (javelin, Tokyo 2020)
Chess GrandmasterViswanathan Anand (1988)
To swim the English ChannelMihir Sen (1958)
Woman to qualify as a doctor in Western medicineAnandibai Joshi (1886)
Woman teacher (modern India)Savitribai Phule
Feature filmRaja Harishchandra (1913), Dadasaheb Phalke
Talkie filmAlam Ara (1931)
Passenger trainBombay (Bori Bunder) to Thane, 16 April 1853
Metro railKolkata (1984)
SatelliteAryabhata (1975)
Nuclear testPokhran, 1974 (Smiling Buddha)
Lok Sabha general election1951–52

Headquarters of international organisations (59)

OrganisationHeadquarters
United Nations (UN)New York
UNICEFNew York
UNDPNew York
UNFPANew York
UN WomenNew York
UNESCOParis
OECDParis
International Energy Agency (IEA)Paris
World Health Organization (WHO)Geneva
International Labour Organization (ILO)Geneva
World Trade Organization (WTO)Geneva
UNHCRGeneva
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)Geneva
WIPOGeneva
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)Geneva
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)Geneva
World Economic ForumCologny (Geneva)
WWFGland, Switzerland
IUCNGland, Switzerland
Universal Postal Union (UPU)Bern
FIFAZurich
International Olympic Committee (IOC)Lausanne
Bank for International Settlements (BIS)Basel
International Monetary Fund (IMF)Washington, D.C.
World BankWashington, D.C.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)Rome
IFADRome
World Food Programme (WFP)Rome
UNEPNairobi
UN-HabitatNairobi
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)Vienna
UNIDOVienna
OPECVienna
International Court of Justice (ICJ)The Hague
International Criminal CourtThe Hague
OPCWThe Hague
Amnesty InternationalLondon
Commonwealth SecretariatLondon
International Maritime Organization (IMO)London
InterpolLyon
NATOBrussels
European UnionBrussels
ICAOMontreal
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)Montreal
UN Tourism (UNWTO)Madrid
Transparency InternationalBerlin
Greenpeace InternationalAmsterdam
International Cricket Council (ICC)Dubai
ASEANJakarta
SAARCKathmandu
BIMSTECDhaka
Asian Development Bank (ADB)Manila
APECSingapore
AIIBBeijing
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)Beijing
New Development Bank (BRICS)Shanghai
African UnionAddis Ababa
Arab LeagueCairo
International Solar AllianceGurugram, India

Indian states & UTs: capitals and key facts (36)

Only stable facts — formation dates, renamings and superlatives. No office-holders.

State / UTCapitalRemember
Andhra PradeshAmaravatiAndhra State (1953) was the first state formed on linguistic lines
Arunachal PradeshItanagar“Land of the Rising Sun”; statehood 1987
AssamDispurLargest tea-producing state; Kaziranga, Majuli river island
BiharPatnaAncient Magadha; Nalanda and Bodh Gaya
ChhattisgarhRaipurFormed 1 November 2000 from Madhya Pradesh
GoaPanajiSmallest state by area; liberated 1961, statehood 1987
GujaratGandhinagarLongest coastline of any state
HaryanaChandigarh (shared with Punjab)Formed 1 November 1966 from Punjab
Himachal PradeshShimla (winter capital Dharamshala)Statehood 1971
JharkhandRanchiFormed 15 November 2000 from Bihar
KarnatakaBengaluruRenamed from Mysore State in 1973
KeralaThiruvananthapuramHighest literacy rate (Census 2011)
Madhya PradeshBhopal“Heart of India”; second-largest state by area
MaharashtraMumbai (second capital Nagpur)Formed 1 May 1960
ManipurImphalLoktak lake; statehood 1972
MeghalayaShillongMawsynram and Cherrapunji, among the wettest places on Earth; statehood 1972
MizoramAizawlStatehood 1987
NagalandKohimaStatehood 1963 (16th state)
OdishaBhubaneswarSeparate province 1 April 1936; renamed from Orissa in 2011
PunjabChandigarh (shared with Haryana)“Land of five rivers”
RajasthanJaipurLargest state by area
SikkimGangtokBecame the 22nd state in 1975; first fully organic state (2016)
Tamil NaduChennaiRenamed from Madras State in 1969
TelanganaHyderabadFormed 2 June 2014 — the youngest state
TripuraAgartalaStatehood 1972
Uttar PradeshLucknowMost populous state (Census 2011)
UttarakhandDehradun (summer capital Gairsain)Formed 9 November 2000 from Uttar Pradesh
West BengalKolkataSundarbans; Kolkata was British India’s capital till 1911
Andaman & Nicobar Islands (UT)Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair)Cellular Jail
Chandigarh (UT)ChandigarhPlanned by Le Corbusier
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (UT)DamanFormed by merger in 2020
Delhi (NCT)New DelhiCapital of India since 1911 (New Delhi inaugurated 1931)
Jammu & Kashmir (UT)Srinagar (summer), Jammu (winter)UT since 31 October 2019
Ladakh (UT)LehUT since 31 October 2019
Lakshadweep (UT)KavarattiSmallest UT by area
Puducherry (UT)PuducherryFormer French territory

Musical instruments & maestros (18)

InstrumentMaestros
SitarPt. Ravi Shankar, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Nikhil Banerjee
SarodUstad Ali Akbar Khan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Buddhadev Das Gupta
ShehnaiUstad Bismillah Khan
TablaUstad Alla Rakha, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pt. Kishan Maharaj
SantoorPt. Shivkumar Sharma, Pt. Bhajan Sopori
Flute (bansuri)Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pannalal Ghosh
ViolinL. Subramaniam, M.S. Gopalakrishnan, Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, N. Rajam
VeenaS. Balachander, E. Gayathri
Rudra veenaUstad Asad Ali Khan, Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar
SarangiPt. Ram Narayan, Ustad Sultan Khan
Mohan veenaPt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
SurbaharAnnapurna Devi
MridangamPalghat Mani Iyer, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman
GhatamT.H. Vinayakram (Vikku Vinayakram)
NadaswaramT.N. Rajarathinam Pillai
Saxophone (Carnatic)Kadri Gopalnath
MandolinU. Srinivas
Hawaiian (slide) guitarBrij Bhushan Kabra

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India (44)

44 sites as of the July 2025 list: 36 cultural, 7 natural, 1 mixed. Most recent: Maratha Military Landscapes (2025, 44th), Moidams of Assam (2024, 43rd).

SiteStateYearType
Agra FortUttar Pradesh1983Cultural
Ajanta CavesMaharashtra1983Cultural
Ellora CavesMaharashtra1983Cultural
Taj MahalUttar Pradesh1983Cultural
Group of Monuments at MahabalipuramTamil Nadu1984Cultural
Sun Temple, KonarkOdisha1984Cultural
Churches and Convents of GoaGoa1986Cultural
Fatehpur SikriUttar Pradesh1986Cultural
Group of Monuments at HampiKarnataka1986Cultural
Khajuraho Group of MonumentsMadhya Pradesh1986Cultural
Elephanta CavesMaharashtra1987Cultural
Great Living Chola TemplesTamil Nadu1987Cultural
Group of Monuments at PattadakalKarnataka1987Cultural
Buddhist Monuments at SanchiMadhya Pradesh1989Cultural
Humayun’s TombDelhi1993Cultural
Qutb Minar and its MonumentsDelhi1993Cultural
Mountain Railways of India (Darjeeling, Nilgiri, Kalka–Shimla)West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh1999Cultural
Mahabodhi Temple Complex, Bodh GayaBihar2002Cultural
Rock Shelters of BhimbetkaMadhya Pradesh2003Cultural
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological ParkGujarat2004Cultural
Chhatrapati Shivaji TerminusMaharashtra2004Cultural
Red Fort ComplexDelhi2007Cultural
Jantar Mantar, JaipurRajasthan2010Cultural
Hill Forts of RajasthanRajasthan2013Cultural
Rani-ki-Vav, PatanGujarat2014Cultural
Nalanda Mahavihara (archaeological site)Bihar2016Cultural
Capitol Complex, Chandigarh (Architectural Work of Le Corbusier)Chandigarh2016Cultural
Historic City of AhmedabadGujarat2017Cultural
Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of MumbaiMaharashtra2018Cultural
Jaipur CityRajasthan2019Cultural
Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) TempleTelangana2021Cultural
Dholavira: a Harappan CityGujarat2021Cultural
SantiniketanWest Bengal2023Cultural
Sacred Ensembles of the HoysalasKarnataka2023Cultural
Moidams — Mound-Burial System of the Ahom DynastyAssam2024Cultural
Maratha Military Landscapes of IndiaMaharashtra, Tamil Nadu2025Cultural
Kaziranga National ParkAssam1985Natural
Keoladeo National ParkRajasthan1985Natural
Manas Wildlife SanctuaryAssam1985Natural
Sundarbans National ParkWest Bengal1987Natural
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National ParksUttarakhand1988Natural
Western GhatsKerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra2012Natural
Great Himalayan National Park Conservation AreaHimachal Pradesh2014Natural
Khangchendzonga National ParkSikkim2016Mixed

16 tables, 550 rows. Static facts only — no office-holders or current affairs, so nothing here goes out of date between notifications. Where sources disagree we left the entry out rather than guess.