Name all the states of India: 29 states with their capitals and 9 union territories with their capitals.
The correct answer and explanation is:
Here are the 29 states of India with their capitals and the 9 union territories with their capitals as of now:
States of India and Their Capitals:
- Andhra Pradesh – Amaravati
- Arunachal Pradesh – Itanagar
- Assam – Dispur
- Bihar – Patna
- Chhattisgarh – Raipur
- Goa – Panaji
- Gujarat – Gandhinagar
- Haryana – Chandigarh
- Himachal Pradesh – Shimla
- Jharkhand – Ranchi
- Karnataka – Bengaluru
- Kerala – Thiruvananthapuram
- Madhya Pradesh – Bhopal
- Maharashtra – Mumbai
- Manipur – Imphal
- Meghalaya – Shillong
- Mizoram – Aizawl
- Nagaland – Kohima
- Odisha – Bhubaneswar
- Punjab – Chandigarh
- Rajasthan – Jaipur
- Sikkim – Gangtok
- Tamil Nadu – Chennai
- Telangana – Hyderabad
- Tripura – Agartala
- Uttar Pradesh – Lucknow
- Uttarakhand – Dehradun
- West Bengal – Kolkata
- Jammu and Kashmir – Srinagar (summer), Jammu (winter)
Union Territories of India and Their Capitals:
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands – Port Blair
- Chandigarh – Chandigarh
- Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu – Daman
- Lakshadweep – Kavaratti
- Delhi (National Capital Territory) – New Delhi
- Puducherry – Puducherry
- Ladakh – Leh
- Jammu and Kashmir – Srinagar (summer), Jammu (winter)
- Lakshadweep – Kavaratti
Explanation:
India is a federal union comprising 29 states and 9 union territories. Each state has a legislative government with its own capital, serving as the administrative headquarters where the state government functions. The capitals vary widely in size and importance, with some being major metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai, while others are smaller cities that serve primarily administrative functions.
Union territories are regions governed directly by the Central Government of India. Some union territories have their own legislatures (like Delhi and Puducherry), while others are governed entirely by appointed administrators. Capitals of union territories serve as the central point for administration and governance within those regions.
The distinction between states and union territories is significant in terms of autonomy, legislative powers, and administrative control. States have greater autonomy, with elected governments responsible for a broad range of local governance issues. Union territories are often smaller or strategically important areas where direct central oversight is preferred.
The capitals often reflect the historical, cultural, or strategic importance of their regions. For example, Chandigarh is a planned city serving as capital for two states, Haryana and Punjab, and also a union territory itself.
India’s diverse geography and demographics make the distribution of states and union territories important for political representation, administrative efficiency, and cultural preservation. This division enables better management and governance of a large and diverse country.