India is a Union of States, consisting of 28 states and 8 Union Territories (UTs). Each state has its own elected government, while Union Territories are governed directly by the Central Government, though some (like Delhi and Puducherry) have partial state-like powers with legislative assemblies.
The capital city is the administrative seat where the state’s or UT’s government functions. Some regions even have dual or seasonal capitals, reflecting historical, political, or geographical reasons.
States and Their Capitals
| State | Capital | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati | Planned capital; Hyderabad served as joint capital until 2024 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar | Strategically important, near India-China border |
| Assam | Dispur | Capital shifted from Shillong in 1972 |
| Bihar | Patna | One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities |
| Chhattisgarh | Raipur | Naya Raipur (Atal Nagar) being developed as smart capital |
| Goa | Panaji | Known for Portuguese heritage |
| Gujarat | Gandhinagar | Capital moved from Ahmedabad in 1970s |
| Haryana | Chandigarh | Shared with Punjab |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter) | Dual capital arrangement |
| Jharkhand | Ranchi | Rich in mineral resources |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru | Known as India’s IT hub |
| Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram | Formerly called Trivandrum |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal | Judicial functions in Jabalpur |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai (Main), Nagpur (Winter) | Nagpur hosts winter legislature |
| Manipur | Imphal | Culturally diverse |
| Meghalaya | Shillong | Known as “Scotland of the East” |
| Mizoram | Aizawl | Scenic hill capital |
| Nagaland | Kohima | Historic WWII battle site |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar | Capital shifted from Cuttack in 1949 |
| Punjab | Chandigarh | Shared with Haryana |
| Rajasthan | Jaipur | Judicial capital at Jodhpur |
| Sikkim | Gangtok | Gateway to the Himalayas |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai | Formerly known as Madras |
| Telangana | Hyderabad | Technology hub; shared with Andhra Pradesh until 2024 |
| Tripura | Agartala | Near Bangladesh border |
| Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow | Judicial capital at Prayagraj |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun (Winter), Bhararisain (Summer) | Summer capital shift for regional balance |
| West Bengal | Kolkata | Major cultural and economic hub |
Union Territories and Their Capitals
| Union Territory | Capital(s) | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Port Blair | Important naval base |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh | Serves as capital of Punjab & Haryana |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | Daman | Merged UT formed in 2020 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Srinagar (Summer), Jammu (Winter) | Seasonal capitals due to climate |
| Ladakh | Leh (Summer), Kargil (Winter) | Established as UT in 2019 |
| Lakshadweep | Kavaratti | Smallest UT of India |
| Delhi (NCT) | New Delhi | National capital of India |
| Puducherry | Puducherry | Retains French heritage |
Special Highlights
- Shared Capitals: Chandigarh serves as capital for both Punjab and Haryana.
- Seasonal Capitals: States/UTs like Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Maharashtra, and Uttarakhand maintain dual capitals for administrative or climatic reasons.
- Planned Capitals: Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh), Gandhinagar (Gujarat), and Naya Raipur (Chhattisgarh) are examples of modern, purpose-built capitals.
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