States and Capitals of India: A Complete List for Students 

India is made up of 28 states and 8 union territories, each with its own capital, culture, and language. Whether you're studying for a school exam, preparing for a quiz, or building your general knowledge, learning the states and capitals of India is one of the first and most important geography lessons for students.

Let's get started with Indian states and Capitals!

How Many States and Capitals Are There in India?

India has 28 states and 8 union territories. Together, they have 36 capital cities.

Key facts about the states and capitals of India

A state is a big region that has its own government chosen by the people. A union territory is a smaller area that is looked after by the central government of India. The last change happened in the year 2019, when Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh became union territories.

What Are the 28 States of India and Their Capitals?

Here is the full list of total states in India and, their capitals, and the main language people speak there.

What Are the 8 Union Territories and Their Capitals?

India also has 8 union territories. Here they are with  state and capital of India.

Tip: Jammu and Kashmir has two capitals. Srinagar is the capital in summer, and Jammu is the capital in winter.

What Is the Difference Between a State and a Union Territory?

A state has its own government chosen by the people. A union territory is run by the central government of India.

Which Are the Largest and Smallest States in India?

Rajasthan is the largest state, and Goa is the smallest state in India.

Which City Is the Capital of Two States?

Chandigarh is the capital of two states: Punjab and Haryana.

It is the only city in India that is the capital of two states at the same time. Isn't that interesting?

What Are Easy Tricks to Remember States and Capitals?

The easiest way is to learn just a few states at a time, and to group them by region.

Learning 36 names all at once is hard. So use these simple tricks instead:

• Trick 1: Learn by direction. Split India into North, South, East, West and North-East. Learn one small group each day. Small groups are much easier than one long list.
• Trick 2: Match the first letter. Some states and capitals start with the same sound. Like Andhra Pradesh - Amaravati, Gujarat - Gandhinagar, and Maharashtra - Mumbai. These are easy to remember!
• Trick 3: Make a funny sentence. Turn a few capital names into a silly little story. Silly stories are fun and they stay in your mind.
• Trick 4: Use the map. Point to a state on the map and say its capital out loud. Seeing it and saying it helps your brain remember faster.

Quick Quiz Time

Now let's have some fun! Try these 25 questions and see how many you can get right. Do them on your own first, then check the answers at the end. You can even play this with a friend and see who scores more.

Part 1: Capitals of States

1. What is the capital of Maharashtra?

2. What is the capital of Kerala?

3. What is the capital of Rajasthan?

4. What is the capital of Gujarat?

5. What is the capital of Karnataka?

6. What is the capital of Tamil Nadu?

7. What is the capital of West Bengal?

8. What is the capital of Uttar Pradesh?

9. What is the capital of Bihar?

10. What is the capital of Telangana?

11. What is the capital of Madhya Pradesh?

12. What is the capital of Assam?

13. What is the capital of Odisha?

Part 2: Union Territories and Their Capitals

14. What is the capital of India?

15. What is the capital of Ladakh?

16. What is the capital of Puducherry?

17. What are the two capitals of Jammu and Kashmir?

18. What is the capital of Lakshadweep?

Part 3: Fun Facts and Numbers

19. How many states does India have?

20. How many union territories does India have?

21. Which city is the capital of two states?

22. Which is the largest state in India?

23. Which is the smallest state in India?

24. Which state has the most people?

25. Which is the newest state of India?

Answers

1. Mumbai   2. Thiruvananthapuram   3. Jaipur   4. Gandhinagar   5. Bengaluru

6. Chennai   7. Kolkata   8. Lucknow   9. Patna   10. Hyderabad

11. Bhopal   12. Dispur   13. Bhubaneswar   14. New Delhi   15. Leh

16. Puducherry   17. Srinagar and Jammu   18. Kavaratti   19. 28 states   20. 8 union territories

21. Chandigarh   22. Rajasthan   23. Goa   24. Uttar Pradesh   25. Telangana

How did you do? 20 or more correct is excellent! If you missed a few, don't worry — go back to the list, use the tricks, and try again tomorrow. Want to practice more? Check out our Fruit Names and Vegetable Names learning guides to improve your vocabulary and general knowledge.

Fun Facts About Indian States and Capitals

Learning is more fun with some interesting facts. Here are a few you can share with your friends and family:

• New Delhi is the capital of the whole country. It is where the President and the Prime Minister of India work.
• Mumbai is called the financial capital of India, because a lot of big business and money work happens there. It is also the home of Bollywood films.
• Chandigarh is very special — it is the capital of two states, Punjab and Haryana, at the same time. It was carefully planned before it was built, so its roads are very neat and straight.
• Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is called the "Pink City" because many of its old buildings are painted pink.
• Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, sits high up in the beautiful Himalayan mountains.
• Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, is famous all over the world for its yummy biryani.
• Some states share the same language. For example, both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana speak Telugu.
• Jammu and Kashmir is the only place with two capitals — Srinagar in the warm summer and Jammu in the cold winter.
• Lakshadweep is the smallest union territory. It is made up of tiny, pretty islands in the sea.
• Ladakh is very high and cold, and it is famous for its snowy mountains and clear blue lakes.
• Telangana is the newest state in India. It was created quite recently, in the year 2014.

Conclusion

Now you know all 28 states and 8 union territories of India and their capitals, that is 36 capitals in all! Learning about our country becomes simple when you take it one small step at a time, so save this page, practice a little every day, and keep testing yourself.

And that is exactly how learning should feel: simple, clear, and fun. This is what we care about most at Sunbeam World School, an online school for children from nursery all the way to grade 12. Our friendly teachers make hard topics easy to understand, just like this guide made states and capitals simple. Children learn from the comfort of their home, at their own pace, with live online classes, fun activities, and caring teachers who give every child personal attention. If you want your child to enjoy learning like this every day, come and explore Sunbeam World School.