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Indian States and Union Territories - Short Trick

Order of formation, capitals, identity, peaks and union territories — one sentence each

6 trick sentences92 pairs7 parts
0 / 20 learned · 0%
How to read
  • Guru Ram Each coloured word = one name in the list, shown below in the same colour
  • Panda Two colours in one word = two names
  • ➜ Order the numbered order matters · ⇄ Any order no order
1

How the States Were Formed

The order from the 16th to the 29th state, and the key dates of formation and renaming.

Trick 1

From the 16th to the 29th state

➜ in order of formation (1963 → 2014)

1963–1971The Nagin chased Harry up the hill.

1972–1975Mango trips with Megha’s sister are fun.

1987Milk is for Arun’s goat.

2000–2014Chhotu and Uttara put a jhola by the telephone.

  1. 1Nagaland1 December 1963 — 16th (from Assam)
  2. 2Haryana1 November 1966 — 17th (from Punjab)
  3. 3Himachal Pradesh25 January 1971 — 18th (from a UT)
  4. 4Manipur21 January 1972 — 19th
  5. 5Tripura21 January 1972 — 20th
  6. 6Meghalaya21 January 1972 — 21st
  7. 7Sikkim16 May 1975 — 22nd
  8. 8Mizoram20 February 1987 — 23rd
  9. 9Arunachal Pradesh20 February 1987 — 24th
  10. 10Goa30 May 1987 — 25th
  11. 11Chhattisgarh1 November 2000 — 26th (from Madhya Pradesh)
  12. 12Uttarakhand9 November 2000 — 27th (from Uttar Pradesh)
  13. 13Jharkhand15 November 2000 — 28th (from Bihar)
  14. 14Telangana2 June 2014 — 29th (from Andhra Pradesh)

1 November 1956 — States Reorganisation Act (14 states, 6 UTs) · 31 October 2019 — the state of Jammu & Kashmir became two UTs (28 states) · 26 January 2020 — Dadra-Nagar Haveli and Daman-Diu merged (8 UTs).

Pairs

Key dates of formation and renaming

5 sentences

Andy gave the first speech in Telugu.

Andhra State=1 October 1953 — the first state formed on language (after Potti Sriramulu’s fast)

The Ola came on April first.

Odisha=1 April 1936 — separate province on language lines (Utkal Divas) · Orissa → Odisha in 2011

Guru and Mahesh celebrate May Day.

Gujarat · Maharashtra=1 May 1960 — Bombay State split into the two

Tamanna loves Madras coffee.

Tamil Nadu=Earlier Madras State — renamed Tamil Nadu on 14 January 1969

Karan ate Mysore pak.

Karnataka=Earlier Mysore State (1 November 1956) — renamed Karnataka on 1 November 1973

Uttar Pradesh got its name on 24 January 1950 (earlier the United Provinces) · Uttarakhand was formed as “Uttaranchal” in 2000 and renamed in 2007 · Arunachal was once NEFA.

2

Capitals

Every state’s capital — the underlined word sounds like the capital.

Pairs

North and north-west

5 sentences

Punit and Harry met Chandu.

Punjab · Haryana=Both have the capital Chandigarh — itself a union territory

A hill of Shimla mirch

Himachal Pradesh=Shimla · winter capital Dharamshala

Uttara rode the Dehradun Express.

Uttarakhand=Dehradun (winter) · Gairsain / Bharadisain (summer, March 2020)

Uttam wears a Lucknowi kurta.

Uttar Pradesh=Lucknow

The Raja said jai ho.

Rajasthan=Jaipur

Pairs

North-east

8 sentences

Asha washed the dishes.

Assam=Dispur

Arun built it with Italian tiles.

Arunachal Pradesh=Itanagar

The Nagin hid in a coconut.

Nagaland=Kohima

Mango and imli chutney

Manipur=Imphal

Cold milk with ice

Mizoram=Aizawl

Our trip smelt of agarbatti.

Tripura=Agartala

Megha wore a shiny long dress.

Meghalaya=Shillong

My sister dipped her feet in the Ganga.

Sikkim=Gangtok

Pairs

East and centre

6 sentences

The bike tyre needs a patch.

Bihar=Patna

The jhola belongs to the Rani.

Jharkhand=Ranchi

A west wind brought Komal home.

West Bengal=Kolkata

The Ola came for Bhuvan.

Odisha=Bhubaneswar

Madhu ate bhelpuri.

Madhya Pradesh=Bhopal

Chhotu ate raita.

Chhattisgarh=Raipur (Nava Raipur Atal Nagar)

Pairs

West and south

8 sentences

Guruji wears a Gandhi cap.

Gujarat=Gandhinagar

Mahesh gave Munna Nagpur oranges.

Maharashtra=Mumbai · second capital Nagpur

The goat ate paneer.

Goa=Panaji

Karan rang the bell.

Karnataka=Bengaluru

The kettle is tilted.

Kerala=Thiruvananthapuram

Tamanna wears a chain.

Tamil Nadu=Chennai

Andy stays with Amar.

Andhra Pradesh=Amaravati — declared by an Act of Parliament (2026), effective from 2 June 2024

A telephone order for Hyderabadi biryani

Telangana=Hyderabad — the “common capital” of both states in 2014-2024

Amaravati is the first city made a state capital by a law of Parliament.

3

What Each State Is Known For

Nicknames, firsts and records, and the one fact exams ask about each state.

Pairs

North and north-west

6 sentences

Punit kept five glasses of water.

Punjab=Name = Persian panj (five) + ab (water): Beas, Sutlej, Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum · cradle of the Green Revolution

Harry’s blanket covered Deepu on three sides.

Haryana=Surrounds Delhi on three sides · land of the Bharata clan (Kurukshetra, Panipat)

The hill is full of apple trees.

Himachal Pradesh=Apples and hydropower · formed from 30 hill states (1948) · Bhakra Dam (Sutlej)

Uttara lives in the land of the gods.

Uttarakhand=“Devbhoomi” · source of the Ganga and Yamuna · Garhwal = Kedarkhand, Kumaon = Manaskhand

Uttam’s house has the most guests.

Uttar Pradesh=First in population, fourth in area · borders 8 states and Delhi

The Raja has the biggest treasure.

Rajasthan=Largest by area (~10.4%) · “a museum of minerals” · 30 March — Rajasthan Day

Pairs

North-east

7 sentences

Asha serves tea at the gate.

Assam=The “gateway” and “sentinel” of the north-east · about half of India’s tea · Digboi (1901) — Asia’s oldest working refinery

Arun sees the sun first.

Arunachal Pradesh=“Land of the rising sun” — India’s first sunrise (Dong, Anjaw) · once NEFA · largest state of the north-east

The Nagin came to the December Hornbill fair.

Nagaland=Hornbill Festival in December · the first new state of the north-east (1963)

A mango floated in the park.

Manipur=Keibul Lamjao — the world’s only floating national park (Sangai deer) · Loktak — the largest freshwater lake of the north-east · Shirui lily

Our trip had bananas on three sides.

Tripura=Bangladesh on three sides (about 856 km of border) · second in rubber after Kerala · Manikya dynasty

Megha lives in a cloud house run by her mother.

Meghalaya=“Abode of clouds” · matrilineal society · Mawsynram — the world’s highest average rainfall

My sister grows organic food.

Sikkim=India’s first fully organic state (2016) · Khangchendzonga — the first “mixed” UNESCO site · least populous state

Pairs

East and centre

6 sentences

The bike rider was sad at the Kosi.

Bihar=Kosi — the “Sorrow of Bihar” · the most densely populated state (1,106)

The jhola is full of coal and iron.

Jharkhand=The “Ruhr of India” — coal, iron ore, copper, mica, uranium (Jaduguda) · name = jhar (forest) + khand

A west wind blew the jute bag into the Sundarbans.

West Bengal=First in jute · the Sundarbans (UNESCO) · IIT Kharagpur — the first IIT (1951)

An Ola took us to Chilika lake.

Odisha=Ancient Kalinga · Chilika — Asia’s largest brackish-water lagoon, India’s first Ramsar site · 62 tribes

Madhu went to see a tiger.

Madhya Pradesh=The “Tiger State” — the most tigers · Khajuraho, Sanchi, Bhimbetka (UNESCO)

Chhotu carried a bowl of rice.

Chhattisgarh=The “rice bowl” · name from the 36 forts of the Kalachuri rulers · the only tin-producing state

Pairs

West and south

8 sentences

The guru made salt on the longest coast.

Gujarat=Longest coastline (2,340 km) · over 80% of India’s salt · Gir — the only home of the Asiatic lion

Mahesh has the most money.

Maharashtra=India’s financial capital, Mumbai · second in population, third in area

The goat won its freedom in sixty-one.

Goa=Portuguese rule from 1510 · liberated on 19 December 1961 (Operation Vijay)

Karan sells coffee silk and sandalwood.

Karnataka=First in coffee, raw silk and sandalwood · Bengaluru — “Silicon Valley of India”

The kettle sits in God’s own country.

Kerala=“God’s Own Country” · sex ratio 1,084 (highest) · largest rubber producer

Tamanna loves the winter rain.

Tamil Nadu=Main rain from the October-December north-east monsoon · the Eastern and Western Ghats meet in the Nilgiris

Andy found gems after the storm.

Andhra Pradesh=“Ratnagarbha” — rich variety of minerals · Kuchipudi dance · Sriharikota space centre

The telephone is new.

Telangana=The newest state (29th) · from 10 north-western districts of old Andhra · 33 districts today

Pairs

Famous national parks

3 sentences

Kajal saw a rhino with Asha.

Kaziranga=Assam — one-horned rhino (UNESCO)

Coral is the oldest friend of Uttara.

Jim Corbett=Uttarakhand — India’s oldest national park (1936, then “Hailey”); Project Tiger began here in 1973

Girish saw a lion with the guru.

Gir=Gujarat — the only home of the Asiatic lion

Hemis (Ladakh) — the largest national park · Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam (Andhra) — the largest tiger reserve · Marine NP (Gulf of Kutch) — the first marine park · Kuno (MP) — cheetahs.

4

Highest Peaks

The highest peak of each state and UT — the underlined word is the state’s keyword.

Pairs

Peak — which state

14 sentences

Kanchan climbs with her sister.

Kangchenjunga=Sikkim — 8,586 m, India’s highest, the world’s third

Nanda meets Uttara.

Nanda Devi=Uttarakhand — 7,816 m

Salt fell on the laddoos.

Saltoro Kangri=Ladakh — 7,742 m

Sara saw a Nagin.

Saramati=Nagaland — 3,826 m (not Manipur)

A sandal blew west.

Sandakphu=West Bengal — 3,636 m

The phone fell into the milk.

Phawngpui (Blue Mountain)=Mizoram — 2,157 m

Anand filled the kettle.

Anamudi=Kerala — 2,695 m, the highest in South India

The mule carried Karan.

Mullayanagiri=Karnataka — 1,925 m (Chikkamagaluru)

Jinny helped Andy.

Jindhagada=Andhra Pradesh — 1,690 m, the highest in the whole Eastern Ghats (nearby Arma Konda 1,680 m)

Dev booked an Ola.

Deomali=Odisha — 1,672 m

Kalpana met Mahesh.

Kalsubai=Maharashtra — 1,646 m

Paras carried a jhola.

Parasnath=Jharkhand — 1,365 m

Sonu fed the goat.

Sonsogor=Goa — about 1,167 m

The saddle bag held an anda.

Saddle Peak=Andaman & Nicobar — 732 m

Highest of all is K2 (Godwin Austen) — in the PoK part of the Karakoram.

5

Neighbours and Borders

Which north-eastern states touch Bangladesh and Myanmar, and Chhattisgarh’s seven neighbours.

Trick 2

The 4 north-eastern states touching Bangladesh

⇄ Any order

Asha and Megha took milk on a trip.

  1. Assam
  2. Meghalaya
  3. Mizoram
  4. Tripura
Trick 3

The 4 states touching Myanmar

⇄ Any order

Arun fed a mango and milk to the Nagin.

  1. Arunachal Pradesh
  2. Manipur
  3. Mizoram
  4. Nagaland

Mizoram is in both lists — it borders Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Trick 4

Chhattisgarh’s 7 neighbouring states

⇄ Any order

Uttam made Mahesh telephone Andy to bring an Ola with a jhola.

  1. Uttar Pradesh
  2. Madhya Pradesh
  3. Maharashtra
  4. Telangana
  5. Andhra Pradesh
  6. Odisha
  7. Jharkhandto the north-east

Uttar Pradesh borders 8 states and Delhi — the most.

6

Biggest and Smallest

The six largest states by area, and the extremes of density, forest and size.

Trick 5

Six largest states by area

➜ largest first

The Raja made Mahesh Uttam and Guru eat karela.

  1. 1Rajasthan3,42,239 sq km
  2. 2Madhya Pradesh3,08,252
  3. 3Maharashtra3,07,713
  4. 4Uttar Pradesh2,40,928
  5. 5Gujarat1,96,024
  6. 6Karnataka1,91,791

By population (2011) — Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu · Chhattisgarh is 9th by area.

Pairs

Most and least

3 sentences

The bike shop was crowded and Arun’s was empty.

Bihar · Arunachal Pradesh=Most densely populated state — Bihar (1,106) · most sparsely — Arunachal Pradesh (17)

Madhu owns the biggest forest but the milkman owns the thickest.

Madhya Pradesh · Mizoram=Largest forest area — Madhya Pradesh (77,073 sq km) · highest forest share — Mizoram (85.34%); among all units Lakshadweep (91.33%) · ISFR 2023

The goat is the smallest and my sister is next.

Goa · Sikkim=Smallest states by area — Goa (3,702 sq km), then Sikkim (7,096) · Sikkim is the least populous

Largest UT Ladakh, smallest Lakshadweep (32 sq km) · most populous UT Delhi — also the densest · coastline about 11,098.8 km by the new count (2025).

7

Union Territories

The three with a legislature, the capitals of all eight and what each one is known for.

Trick 6

The 3 union territories with a legislature

⇄ Any order

Deepu ate pudding with jam.

  1. Delhi (NCT)
  2. Puducherry
  3. Jammu & Kashmir

The other five — Chandigarh, Ladakh, Dadra-Nagar Haveli & Daman-Diu, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar — have no legislature; an Administrator / Lieutenant Governor runs them for the President.

Pairs

Capital / headquarters

5 sentences

In the jam factory Sri works in summer and Jamal in winter.

Jammu & Kashmir=Srinagar (summer) · Jammu (winter) — the “Darbar Move” resumed in November 2025

A laddoo with lemon

Ladakh=Leh

Dada lives by the dam.

Dadra-Nagar Haveli & Daman-Diu=Daman

Lakshmi wrote a kavita.

Lakshadweep=Kavaratti

One anda for Sri Vijay

Andaman & Nicobar=Sri Vijaya Puram (earlier Port Blair, September 2024)

Delhi — New Delhi · Chandigarh — Chandigarh · Puducherry — Puducherry.

Pairs

What each union territory is known for

8 sentences

Deepu scored sixty-nine in ninety-one.

Delhi=1991 — the 69th Amendment (Article 239AA) made it the National Capital Territory · a UT since 1 November 1956 · the highest density (11,320)

Chandu drew a map of the new city.

Chandigarh=A planned city — architect Le Corbusier · capital of Punjab and Haryana (since 1966) · Capitol Complex UNESCO (2016)

The jam has saffron in it.

Jammu & Kashmir=Saffron (Pampore, karewa deposits) · a UT with a legislature since 31 October 2019 · Dal and Wular lakes

Laddoos stay fresh in the cold desert.

Ladakh=High cold desert — India’s lowest rainfall · Hemis — the largest national park · Siachen — the “Third Pole” · 7 districts (April 2026)

Dada married on Republic Day.

Dadra-Nagar Haveli & Daman-Diu=Two UTs merged — 26 January 2020 · Dadra-Nagar Haveli freed in 1954, joined India on 11 August 1961

The pudding came from France.

Puducherry=Former French settlements — came to India on 1 November 1954 (formally 1962) · four districts: Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe, Yanam · renamed Puducherry in 2006

Lakshmi wears a tiny coral necklace.

Lakshadweep=Coral atolls — the smallest UT by area (32 sq km) and population · 36 islands, 10 inhabited · named Lakshadweep in 1973

The anda cooked on a volcano.

Andaman & Nicobar=Barren Island — India’s only active volcano · Indira Point — the southernmost point · Cellular Jail (“Kala Pani”)

Read the full chapter for the complete notes — a trick helps you remember the list; understanding comes from the notes.