STATIC GK

COMPENDIUM
Comprehensive Reference for Competitive Exams

UPSC | SSC | Banking | Railways | State PSCs

Important Dates Awards National Parks Firsts in India

HQs & Org. Sports Trophies Books & Authors UNESCO Sites
STATIC GK COMPENDIUM Comprehensive Reference for Competitive Exams

TABLE OF CONTENTS
# Section Title

1 Important National Days & Dates (Month-wise)

2 Important International Days (Thematic)

3 Firsts in India

4 National Parks & Wildlife Sanctuaries of India

5 National Awards of India

6 International Awards

7 Important Sports Trophies & Cups

8 Important Organizational Headquarters

9 Capitals & Currencies of World Countries

10 Famous Books & Authors

11 Important Committees & Reports

12 Key Abbreviations & Full Forms

13 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India

14 Indian Classical Dances, Festivals & Arts

★ Quick Reference — Important Facts at a Glance

Static GK Compendium | For Competitive Exam Preparation Page 2

1. IMPORTANT NATIONAL DAYS & DATES (MONTH-WISE)

January

Date Significance

January 1 New Year's Day; Army Medical Corps Establishment Day

January 9 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Non-Resident Indian Day)

January 10 World Hindi Day

January 11 Death Anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri

January 12 National Youth Day — Birthday of Swami Vivekananda

January 15 Army Day

January 23 Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti (Parakram Diwas)

January 24 National Girl Child Day

January 25 National Voters' Day; National Tourism Day

January 26 Republic Day; International Customs Day

January 28 Data Protection Day; Birthday of Lala Lajpat Rai

January 30 Martyrs' Day (Shaheed Diwas); World Leprosy Day

February

Date Significance

February 4 World Cancer Day

February 13 National Women's Day — Birthday of Sarojini Naidu; World Radio Day

February 19 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti

February 20 World Day of Social Justice

February 21 International Mother Language Day

February 24 Central Excise Day

February 28 National Science Day — Discovery of Raman Effect (1928)

March

Date Significance

March 1 Zero Discrimination Day; World Civil Defence Day

March 3 World Wildlife Day; World Hearing Day

March 4 National Safety Day

March 8 International Women's Day

March 15 World Consumer Rights Day

March 16 National Vaccination Day

 Date Significance

March 20 World Sparrow Day; International Day of Happiness

March 21 World Forestry Day; World Down Syndrome Day

March 22 World Water Day; Bihar Day

March 23 Bhagat Singh, Rajguru & Sukhdev Martyrdom Day; World Meteorological Day

March 24 World Tuberculosis Day

March 27 World Theatre Day

April

Date Significance

April 1 Utkal Divas — Odisha Day

April 2 World Autism Awareness Day

April 5 National Maritime Day

April 7 World Health Day

April 10 World Homeopathy Day

April 11 National Safe Motherhood Day

April 13 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Day (1919)

April 14 Dr. Ambedkar Jayanti; Tamil New Year (Puthandu)

April 18 World Heritage Day

April 21 National Civil Services Day

April 22 Earth Day

April 23 World Book and Copyright Day

April 24 National Panchayati Raj Day

April 25 World Malaria Day

April 26 World Intellectual Property Day

April 29 International Dance Day

May

Date Significance

May 1 International Labour Day; Maharashtra Day; Gujarat Day

May 3 World Press Freedom Day

May 7 Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti

May 8 World Red Cross Day; World Thalassaemia Day

May 11 National Technology Day

May 12 International Nurses Day

 Date Significance

May 15 International Family Day

May 16 Sikkim Statehood Day; National Dengue Day

May 17 World Telecommunication Day; World Hypertension Day

May 18 World Museum Day

May 21 Anti-Terrorism Day; Rajiv Gandhi Death Anniversary

May 22 International Day for Biological Diversity

May 29 UN Peacekeepers Day

May 31 World No Tobacco Day

June

Date Significance

June 1 World Milk Day; Global Day of Parents

June 2 Telangana Formation Day

June 3 World Bicycle Day

June 5 World Environment Day

June 8 World Oceans Day; World Brain Tumour Day

June 12 World Day Against Child Labour

June 14 World Blood Donor Day

June 20 World Refugee Day

June 21 International Yoga Day; World Music Day

June 23 International Olympic Day; International Widow's Day

June 25 National Emergency Day — India (1975)

June 26 International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking

July

Date Significance

July 1 National Doctor's Day; GST Day India (2017)

July 6 World Zoonosis Day

July 11 World Population Day

July 12 Malala Day

July 13 Martyrs' Day — Kashmir

July 15 World Youth Skills Day

July 18 Nelson Mandela International Day

July 23 Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak Jayanti

 Date Significance

July 24 Income Tax Day — India

July 26 Kargil Vijay Diwas

July 28 World Hepatitis Day; World Nature Conservation Day

July 29 International Tiger Day

July 30 International Day of Friendship

August

Date Significance

August 6 Hiroshima Day

August 7 National Handloom Day

August 8 Quit India Movement Day (1942)

August 9 Nagasaki Day; International Day of World's Indigenous Peoples

August 10 World Lion Day; World Biofuel Day

August 12 International Youth Day; World Elephant Day

August 13 World Organ Donation Day

August 15 India Independence Day

August 19 World Photography Day; World Humanitarian Day

August 20 Sadbhavna Diwas — Rajiv Gandhi Jayanti

August 29 National Sports Day — Birthday of Major Dhyan Chand

September

Date Significance

September 5 Teachers' Day — Birthday of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan; International Day of Charity

September 8 International Literacy Day

September 10 World Suicide Prevention Day

September 14 Hindi Diwas

September 15 National Engineers Day — Birthday of M. Visvesvaraya; International Day of Democracy

September 16 World Ozone Day

September 21 International Day of Peace; World Alzheimer's Day

September 27 World Tourism Day

September 28 World Rabies Day

September 29 World Heart Day

October
 Date Significance

October 1 International Day of Older Persons; World Vegetarian Day

October 2 Gandhi Jayanti; International Day of Non-Violence; Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti

October 5 World Teachers' Day

October 8 Indian Air Force Day

October 9 World Post Day

October 10 World Mental Health Day

October 11 International Day of the Girl Child

October 15 World Students' Day — Birthday of APJ Abdul Kalam

October 16 World Food Day

October 24 United Nations Day; World Polio Day

October 31 National Unity Day — Birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas)

November

Date Significance

November 1 World Vegan Day; AP, Kerala, Karnataka, MP, Punjab & Haryana Statehood Day

November 5 World Tsunami Awareness Day

November 7 National Cancer Awareness Day

November 9 Legal Services Day; Uttarakhand Foundation Day

November 10 World Science Day for Peace and Development

November 11 National Education Day — Birthday of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

November 14 Children's Day — Birthday of Jawaharlal Nehru; World Diabetes Day

November 15 Jharkhand Foundation Day; Birsa Munda Jayanti

November 16 International Day for Tolerance; National Press Day

November 19 International Men's Day; World Toilet Day

November 21 World Television Day; World Fisheries Day

November 26 Constitution Day of India (Samvidhan Diwas); National Law Day

December

Date Significance

December 1 World AIDS Day; BSF Raising Day

December 2 National Pollution Prevention Day; Bhopal Gas Tragedy Day (1984)

December 3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities

December 4 Indian Navy Day

December 5 World Soil Day; International Volunteer Day

 Date Significance

December 6 Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Mahaparinirvan Diwas

December 7 Indian Armed Forces Flag Day

December 9 International Anti-Corruption Day

December 10 Human Rights Day

December 14 National Energy Conservation Day

December 16 Vijay Diwas — India's victory over Pakistan (1971)

December 19 Goa Liberation Day (1961)

December 22 National Mathematics Day — Birthday of Srinivasa Ramanujan

December 23 Kisan Diwas — National Farmers' Day

December 24 National Consumer Rights Day

December 25 Christmas Day; Good Governance Day — Birthday of Atal Bihari Vajpayee

December 26 Veer Baal Diwas

2. IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL DAYS (THEMATIC)
Key international days grouped by theme for quick revision.

Health & Medicine

Date Day / Observance

February 4 World Cancer Day

March 24 World Tuberculosis Day

April 7 World Health Day

April 25 World Malaria Day

May 12 International Nurses Day

May 31 World No Tobacco Day

June 14 World Blood Donor Day

July 28 World Hepatitis Day

September 10 World Suicide Prevention Day

September 21 World Alzheimer's Day

September 29 World Heart Day

October 10 World Mental Health Day

December 1 World AIDS Day

December 3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Environment & Nature

Date Day / Observance

March 3 World Wildlife Day

March 21 World Forest Day

March 22 World Water Day

April 22 Earth Day

May 22 International Day for Biological Diversity

June 5 World Environment Day

June 8 World Oceans Day

July 29 International Tiger Day

August 12 World Elephant Day

September 16 World Ozone Day

October 4 World Animal Day

December 5 World Soil Day

Education, Science & Culture

Date Day / Observance

February 21 International Mother Language Day

February 28 National Science Day — India

April 23 World Book and Copyright Day

May 3 World Press Freedom Day

June 21 International Yoga Day

August 19 World Photography Day

September 5 Teachers' Day — India

September 8 International Literacy Day

October 5 World Teachers' Day

November 10 World Science Day for Peace and Development

November 16 International Day for Tolerance

3. FIRSTS IN INDIA
Achievement / First Person / Detail

First Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru (1947)

First President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad (1950)

First Vice-President of India Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1952)

First Chief Justice of India Justice H.J. Kania (1950)

First Home Minister of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1947)

First Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1947)

First Finance Minister of India R.K. Shanmukham Chetty (1947)

First Education Minister of India Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1947)

First Law Minister of India Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (1947)

First Defence Minister of India Baldev Singh (1947)

First Indian Governor-General C. Rajagopalachari (1948)

First Speaker of Lok Sabha G.V. Mavalankar (1952)

First Woman Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi (1966)

First Woman President of India Pratibha Patil (2007)

First Woman IPS Officer Kiran Bedi (1972)

First Woman IAS Officer Anna George Malhotra (1951)

First Woman Judge of Supreme Court Justice M. Fathima Beevi (1989)

First Woman Chief Justice of a High Court Leila Seth — Himachal Pradesh High Court (1991)

First Woman Governor of a State Sarojini Naidu — Uttar Pradesh (1947)

First Woman Ambassador of India Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit — USSR (1947)

First Indian to win Nobel Prize Rabindranath Tagore — Literature (1913)

First Indian Olympic Gold (individual) Abhinav Bindra — Shooting, Beijing (2008)

First recipients of Bharat Ratna Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, C. Rajagopalachari, C.V. Raman (1954)

First Indian in Space Rakesh Sharma — Soyuz T-11 mission (April 1984)

First Indian Woman in Space Kalpana Chawla — STS-87 mission (Indian-American, 1997)

First Indian to scale Mount Everest Tenzing Norgay (with Hillary, May 29, 1953)

First Indian Woman to scale Mount Everest Bachendri Pal (May 23, 1984)

First Indian to win Booker Prize Arundhati Roy — The God of Small Things (1997)

First Chief of Army Staff (India) General K.M. Cariappa (1949)

First Field Marshal of India General S.H.F.J. Manekshaw (1973)

First Indian to win Miss World Reita Faria (1966)

First Indian to win Miss Universe Sushmita Sen (1994)

 Achievement / First Person / Detail

First Indian to win Grand Slam (Tennis) Mahesh Bhupathi — French Open Doubles (1997)

First Indian Satellite Aryabhata — launched by USSR (April 19, 1975)

First Nuclear Test by India Pokhran-I 'Smiling Buddha' (May 18, 1974)

First Five Year Plan 1951–1956 (India)

First Indian Silent Film Raja Harishchandra — Dadasaheb Phalke (1913)

First Indian Talking Film Alam Ara — Ardeshir Irani (1931)

First President of Indian National Congress Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee (1885)

First Synchronous Census in India 1881

First Bank in India Bank of Hindustan — Calcutta (1770)

First Railway in India Bombay to Thane — 34 km (April 16, 1853)

First Newspaper in India The Bengal Gazette / Hickey's Gazette (1780)

First University in India (Modern) University of Calcutta (1857)

First Supercomputer in India PARAM 8000 — C-DAC (1991)

First Chief Election Commissioner Sukumar Sen (1950)

First CAG of India V. Narahari Rao (1948)

First Indian Magsaysay Award Acharya Vinoba Bhave (1958)

First Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat (January 1, 2020)
4. NATIONAL PARKS & WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES OF INDIA
India has 106 National Parks and 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries. Major ones listed below, state-wise.

State / UT National Park Notable Fauna / Remarks

Assam Kaziranga NP One-horned Rhinoceros, Elephant, Bengal Tiger — UNESCO

WHS

Assam Manas NP Golden Langur, One-horned Rhino, Bengal Tiger — UNESCO

WHS

Assam Nameri NP Bengal Florican, River Otter, Tiger

West Bengal Sundarbans NP Royal Bengal Tiger, Saltwater Crocodile — UNESCO WHS

West Bengal Gorumara NP Indian Rhinoceros, Gaur, Elephant

Uttarakhand Jim Corbett NP Bengal Tiger, Asian Elephant — India's FIRST NP (1936)

Uttarakhand Valley of Flowers NP Alpine Flowers, Snow Leopard — UNESCO WHS

Uttarakhand Nanda Devi NP Snow Leopard, Himalayan Brown Bear — UNESCO WHS

Rajasthan Ranthambore NP Bengal Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear

Rajasthan Sariska NP Tiger, Leopard, Caracal

Rajasthan Keoladeo (Ghana) NP Migratory Birds, Siberian Crane — UNESCO WHS

Madhya Pradesh Kanha NP Barasingha (Hard Ground Swamp Deer), Tiger — Jungle Book
Inspiration

Madhya Pradesh Bandhavgarh NP Bengal Tiger (Highest density), Historic White Tiger sightings

Madhya Pradesh Pench NP Tiger, Leopard, Indian Wild Dog (Dhole)

Madhya Pradesh Panna NP Tiger, Vulture, Ken River Gharial

Maharashtra Tadoba Andhari NP Bengal Tiger, Gaur, Indian Leopard

Kerala Periyar NP Asian Elephant, Nilgiri Langur, Tiger

Kerala Eravikulam NP Nilgiri Tahr — endangered mountain goat

Tamil Nadu Mudumalai NP Asian Elephant, Gaur, Leopard

Tamil Nadu Gulf of Mannar Marine NP Dugong (Sea Cow), Sea Turtles, Coral Reefs

Karnataka Bandipur NP Asian Elephant, Tiger, Gaur

Karnataka Nagarhole NP Asian Elephant, Tiger, Leopard

Gujarat Gir NP Asiatic Lion — only remaining wild population in the world

Gujarat Marine NP, Jamnagar Coral Reefs, Dolphins, Sea Turtles

Himachal Pradesh Great Himalayan NP Snow Leopard, Western Tragopan — UNESCO WHS

J&K; / Ladakh Hemis NP Snow Leopard, Tibetan Wolf — Largest NP in India

Arunachal Pradesh Namdapha NP All 4 big cats — Snow Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Tiger,
Leopard

Sikkim Khangchendzonga NP Snow Leopard, Red Panda — UNESCO Mixed Heritage

 State / UT National Park Notable Fauna / Remarks

Jharkhand Betla NP Tiger, Elephant, Gaur, Cheetal

Odisha Simlipal NP Tiger, Elephant, Wild Boar

Manipur Keibul Lamjao NP Sangai (Brow-Antlered Deer) — World's ONLY floating national
park

Meghalaya Balphakram NP Red Panda, Elephant, Hoolock Gibbon

Telangana Mahavir Harina Vanasthali NP Blackbuck, Chinkara, Hyena

Andaman & Nicobar Campbell Bay NP Crocodile, Sea Turtle, Marine Life
5. NATIONAL AWARDS OF INDIA

Bharat Ratna — India's Highest Civilian Honour

Instituted: January 2, 1954. Maximum 3 per year. No monetary award.

Year Recipient(s)

1954 Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, C. Rajagopalachari, C.V. Raman

1955 Bhagwan Das, M. Visvesvaraya, Jawaharlal Nehru

1957 Govind Ballabh Pant

1958 Dhondo Keshav Karve

1961 Bidhanchand Roy, Purushottam Das Tandon

1962 Rajendra Prasad

1963 Zakir Husain, Pandurang Vaman Kane

1966 Lal Bahadur Shastri (posthumous)

1971 Indira Gandhi

1975 V.V. Giri

1976 K. Kamaraj (posthumous)

1980 Mother Teresa

1983 Vinoba Bhave (posthumous)

1987 Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan — First non-Indian recipient

1988 M.G. Ramachandran (posthumous)

1990 B.R. Ambedkar (posthumous), Nelson Mandela

1991 Rajiv Gandhi (posthumous), Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (posthumous), Morarji Desai

1992 J.R.D. Tata, Satyajit Ray, Abul Kalam Azad (posthumous)

1997 Gulzarilal Nanda (posthumous), Aruna Asaf Ali (posthumous), APJ Abdul Kalam

1998 M.S. Subbulakshmi, C. Subramaniam

1999 Jayaprakash Narayan (posthumous), Ravi Shankar, Amartya Sen, Gopinath Bordoloi (posthumous)

2001 Lata Mangeshkar, Bismillah Khan

2008 Bhimsen Joshi

2014 C.N.R. Rao, Sachin Tendulkar

2015 Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumous)

2019 Pranab Mukherjee, Bhupen Hazarika (posthumous), Nanaji Deshmukh (posthumous)

2024 Karpoori Thakur (posthumous), L.K. Advani, Chaudhary Charan Singh (posthumous), P.V. Narasimha Rao
(posthumous), M.S. Swaminathan (posthumous)

Other Major National Awards

 Award Name Key Details

Param Vir Chakra Highest wartime gallantry; First: Major Somnath Sharma (1947)

Maha Vir Chakra Second highest wartime gallantry (1950)

Vir Chakra Third tier wartime gallantry

Ashoka Chakra Highest peacetime gallantry — equivalent to Param Vir Chakra

Kirti Chakra Second highest peacetime gallantry

Shaurya Chakra Third highest peacetime gallantry

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Highest sports honour (renamed from Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, 2021); First:
Viswanathan Anand (1991-92)

Arjuna Award Outstanding sports performance over 4 years; instituted 1961

Dronacharya Award For outstanding sports coaches; instituted 1985

Dhyan Chand Award Lifetime achievement in sports; instituted 2002

Dada Saheb Phalke Award Highest Indian cinema honour; instituted 1969; First: Devika Rani (1969)

Jnanpith Award Highest literary honour in India; First: G. Sankara Kurup (Malayalam, 1965)

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award For performing arts; instituted 1952

Sahitya Akademi Award For literature in 24 languages; instituted 1954

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize For Science & Technology; instituted 1958 by CSIR

National Film Awards Best Film: Golden Lotus; Best Director: Silver Lotus; Instituted 1954

Padma Vibhushan Second highest civilian award — for distinguished service

Padma Bhushan Third highest civilian award — for distinguished service of higher order

Padma Shri Fourth highest civilian award — for distinguished service

6. INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

Nobel Prize — Indian Recipients

Nobel Prizes awarded in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology/Medicine, Literature, Peace, Economic Sciences. Instituted 1895; first awarded
1901.

Name Field Year Reason / Work

Rabindranath Tagore Literature 1913 First Asian Nobel laureate in Literature — Gitanjali

C.V. Raman Physics 1930 Raman Effect — scattering of light

Har Gobind Khorana Medicine 1968 Interpretation of genetic code (Indian-American)

Mother Teresa Peace 1979 Humanitarian work among the poor in India

Subrahmanyan Physics 1983 Chandrasekhar limit on stellar mass (Indian-American)

Chandrasekhar

Amartya Sen Economics 1998 Welfare economics, theory of famines

V.S. Naipaul Literature 2001 Indian-origin Trinidadian author

Venkatraman Chemistry 2009 Structure and function of the ribosome (Indian-British)

Ramakrishnan

Kailash Satyarthi Peace 2014 Struggle against suppression of children and child labour

Abhijit Banerjee Economics 2019 Experimental approach to alleviating global poverty

(Indian-American)

Other Major International Awards

Award / Prize Key Details & Indian Connections

Booker Prize — UK Best novel in English; Indian winners: Arundhati Roy (1997), Aravind Adiga (2008),
Salman Rushdie (1981, Booker of Bookers)

Pulitzer Prize — USA For journalism, literature, music; Indian-origin: Jhumpa Lahiri (Interpreter of Maladies,
Fiction, 2000)

Ramon Magsaysay Award Asia's Nobel Prize; instituted 1957 (Philippines); First Indian: Vinoba Bhave (1958)

Templeton Prize For spiritual research; Mother Teresa (1973)

Goldman Environmental Prize For grassroots environmental leadership — global award

Right Livelihood Award Called 'Alternative Nobel'; for practical solutions to global challenges

Oscar (Academy Award) RRR's Naatu Naatu won Best Original Song 2023 — first Oscar win for Indian cinema

Grammy Award — USA For music; Ravi Shankar won multiple Grammys

BAFTA Awards — UK For film and television excellence

Fields Medal — Mathematics For mathematicians under 40; Manjul Bhargava (Indian-American, 2014)

Abel Prize — Mathematics Norway's top mathematics award — equivalent to Nobel

Pritzker Architecture Prize Highest honour in Architecture — 'Nobel of Architecture'

UNESCO Confucius Prize For literacy promotion

 Award / Prize Key Details & Indian Connections

Whitley Award — UK For nature conservation

FIFA World Player of the Year For football excellence — associated with Ballon d'Or

Laureus World Sports Award For global sports achievement — 'Oscars of Sport'
7. IMPORTANT SPORTS TROPHIES & CUPS
Sport Trophy / Cup Name Significance

Cricket ICC Men's Cricket World Cup International 50-over championship (every 4 years)

Cricket Border-Gavaskar Trophy India vs Australia Test series

Cricket Pataudi Trophy India vs England Test series

Cricket Wisden Trophy England vs West Indies Test series

Cricket ICC World Test Championship Mace Best Test team over 2-year cycle

Cricket Ranji Trophy National domestic First-Class cricket — India

Cricket Duleep Trophy Zonal domestic cricket — India

Cricket Irani Cup Ranji Trophy winner vs Rest of India

Cricket Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy National T20 tournament — India

Cricket Deodhar Trophy One-day domestic cricket — India

Football FIFA World Cup International; held every 4 years; Most wins: Brazil (5)

Football UEFA Champions League European Club Football — 'La Coupe aux Grandes Oreilles'

Football Durand Cup Oldest football tournament in Asia — India (1888)

Football Santosh Trophy National Football Championship — India

Football AFC Asian Cup Asian Football Confederation championship

Hockey Sultan Azlan Shah Cup International Hockey — Malaysia

Hockey Beighton Cup India's oldest Hockey tournament (1895)

Hockey Aga Khan Cup Hockey — Bombay (Mumbai)

Hockey Rangaswami Cup Domestic Hockey championship — India

Tennis Davis Cup International men's team tennis championship

Tennis Billie Jean King Cup International women's team tennis (formerly Fed Cup)

Tennis Wimbledon Trophy Grand Slam — grass court, London, UK

Tennis US Open Trophy Grand Slam — hard court, New York, USA

Tennis Australian Open Trophy Grand Slam — hard court, Melbourne, Australia

Tennis French Open (Roland Garros) Grand Slam — clay court, Paris, France

Badminton Thomas Cup International Badminton — Men's team

Badminton Uber Cup International Badminton — Women's team

Badminton Sudirman Cup International Badminton — Mixed team

Chess FIDE World Chess Championship Individual World Chess title

Chess Chess Olympiad Trophy Team chess; India hosted in Chennai (2022)

Rugby Webb Ellis Cup Rugby World Cup

Table Tennis Swaythling Cup International TT — Men's team

 Sport Trophy / Cup Name Significance

Table Tennis Corbillon Cup International TT — Women's team

Basketball NBA Championship Trophy (Larry North American Basketball

O'Brien)

Golf Ryder Cup Europe vs USA golf team event

Boxing Val Barker Trophy Best boxer at the Olympic Games

Snooker World Snooker Championship Sheffield, UK

Trophy

Kabaddi Kabaddi World Cup International Kabaddi — India undefeated historically

8. IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

United Nations System

Organization Headquarters

United Nations (UN) New York, USA

International Court of Justice (ICJ) The Hague, Netherlands

International Criminal Court (ICC) The Hague, Netherlands

UNICEF New York, USA

UNDP New York, USA

UNFPA New York, USA

UN Women New York, USA

UNESCO Paris, France

WHO Geneva, Switzerland

ILO Geneva, Switzerland

WTO Geneva, Switzerland

UNHCR Geneva, Switzerland

UNCTAD Geneva, Switzerland

ITU (Intl. Telecom. Union) Geneva, Switzerland

WMO Geneva, Switzerland

WIPO Geneva, Switzerland

ICRC (Intl. Committee of Red Cross) Geneva, Switzerland

UNODC Vienna, Austria

IAEA Vienna, Austria

UNIDO Vienna, Austria

FAO Rome, Italy

IFAD Rome, Italy

WFP Rome, Italy

IMF Washington D.C., USA

World Bank (IBRD) Washington D.C., USA

IMO London, UK

ICAO Montreal, Canada

UNEP Nairobi, Kenya

UN-Habitat Nairobi, Kenya

International & Regional Organizations

 Organization Headquarters

NATO Brussels, Belgium

European Union / Commission Brussels, Belgium

European Parliament Strasbourg, France / Brussels, Belgium

Interpol Lyon, France

OECD Paris, France

ICC (Intl. Chamber of Commerce) Paris, France

OPEC Vienna, Austria

IUCN Gland, Switzerland

WEF (World Economic Forum) Cologny / Davos, Switzerland

BIS Basel, Switzerland

MSF (Doctors Without Borders) Geneva, Switzerland

African Union (AU) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

ASEAN Jakarta, Indonesia

SAARC Kathmandu, Nepal

BIMSTEC Dhaka, Bangladesh

Commonwealth Secretariat London, UK

SCO Beijing, China

ADB (Asian Development Bank) Manila, Philippines

NDB (BRICS Bank) Shanghai, China

AIIB Beijing, China

IOC (Olympic Committee) Lausanne, Switzerland

FIFA Zurich, Switzerland

ICC (Cricket Council) Dubai, UAE

FIDE (Chess Federation) Lausanne, Switzerland

Amnesty International London, UK

Transparency International Berlin, Germany

World Customs Organization Brussels, Belgium

Indian National Organizations

Organization Headquarters

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Mumbai, Maharashtra

SEBI Mumbai, Maharashtra

NABARD Mumbai, Maharashtra

EXIM Bank of India Mumbai, Maharashtra

 Organization Headquarters

IRDAI Hyderabad, Telangana

TRAI New Delhi

CCI New Delhi

NITI Aayog New Delhi

NHRC New Delhi

CBI New Delhi

NIA New Delhi

Enforcement Directorate (ED) New Delhi

DRDO New Delhi

CSIR New Delhi

ICMR New Delhi

ICAR New Delhi

ISRO Bengaluru, Karnataka

NCA (National Cricket Academy) Bengaluru, Karnataka

Sports Authority of India (SAI) New Delhi

SIDBI Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

9. CAPITALS & CURRENCIES OF WORLD COUNTRIES
Selected major countries — capitals and official currencies.

Country Capital Currency (Code)

India New Delhi Indian Rupee (INR)

Pakistan Islamabad Pakistani Rupee (PKR)

Bangladesh Dhaka Bangladeshi Taka (BDT)

Sri Lanka Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (comm: Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
Colombo)

Nepal Kathmandu Nepalese Rupee (NPR)

Bhutan Thimphu Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN)

Maldives Male Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR)

Afghanistan Kabul Afghan Afghani (AFN)

China Beijing Renminbi / Yuan (CNY)

Japan Tokyo Japanese Yen (JPY)

South Korea Seoul South Korean Won (KRW)

North Korea Pyongyang North Korean Won (KPW)

Myanmar Naypyidaw Kyat (MMK)

Thailand Bangkok Thai Baht (THB)

Indonesia Jakarta (moving to Nusantara) Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)

Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)

Singapore Singapore City Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Philippines Manila Philippine Peso (PHP)

Vietnam Hanoi Vietnamese Dong (VND)

Iran Tehran Iranian Rial (IRR)

Iraq Baghdad Iraqi Dinar (IQD)

Saudi Arabia Riyadh Saudi Riyal (SAR)

UAE Abu Dhabi UAE Dirham (AED)

Qatar Doha Qatari Riyal (QAR)

Kuwait Kuwait City Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD)

Bahrain Manama Bahraini Dinar (BHD)

Oman Muscat Omani Rial (OMR)

Jordan Amman Jordanian Dinar (JOD)

Israel Jerusalem (disputed); Tel Aviv (intl. New Israeli Shekel (ILS)
recognition)

Turkey Ankara Turkish Lira (TRY)

 Country Capital Currency (Code)

Kazakhstan Astana Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT)

Uzbekistan Tashkent Uzbekistani Som (UZS)

United Kingdom London Pound Sterling (GBP)

France Paris Euro (EUR)

Germany Berlin Euro (EUR)

Italy Rome Euro (EUR)

Spain Madrid Euro (EUR)

Russia Moscow Russian Ruble (RUB)

Ukraine Kyiv Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH)

Poland Warsaw Polish Zloty (PLN)

Netherlands Amsterdam (seat of govt: The Hague) Euro (EUR)

Belgium Brussels Euro (EUR)

Switzerland Bern Swiss Franc (CHF)

Sweden Stockholm Swedish Krona (SEK)

Norway Oslo Norwegian Krone (NOK)

Denmark Copenhagen Danish Krone (DKK)

Finland Helsinki Euro (EUR)

Portugal Lisbon Euro (EUR)

Greece Athens Euro (EUR)

Austria Vienna Euro (EUR)

USA Washington D.C. US Dollar (USD)

Canada Ottawa Canadian Dollar (CAD)

Mexico Mexico City Mexican Peso (MXN)

Brazil Brasilia Brazilian Real (BRL)

Argentina Buenos Aires Argentine Peso (ARS)

Cuba Havana Cuban Peso (CUP)

Colombia Bogota Colombian Peso (COP)

Chile Santiago Chilean Peso (CLP)

South Africa Pretoria (admin) / Cape Town (legis.) / South African Rand (ZAR)
Bloemfontein (judi.)

Egypt Cairo Egyptian Pound (EGP)

Nigeria Abuja Nigerian Naira (NGN)

Kenya Nairobi Kenyan Shilling (KES)

Ethiopia Addis Ababa Ethiopian Birr (ETB)

 Country Capital Currency (Code)

Ghana Accra Ghanaian Cedi (GHS)

Morocco Rabat Moroccan Dirham (MAD)

Libya Tripoli Libyan Dinar (LYD)

Australia Canberra Australian Dollar (AUD)

New Zealand Wellington New Zealand Dollar (NZD)

10. FAMOUS BOOKS & AUTHORS
Important books by Indian leaders, Nobel laureates & world-famous authors.

Book Title Author Notable Note

Discovery of India Jawaharlal Nehru Indian history, culture & philosophy — written in
Ahmednagar Fort prison

Glimpses of World History Jawaharlal Nehru World history — written as letters to daughter Indira

An Autobiography (Toward Jawaharlal Nehru Nehru's autobiography

Freedom)

My Experiments with Truth M.K. Gandhi Gandhi's autobiography — spiritual and political
journey

Hind Swaraj M.K. Gandhi Vision of Indian self-rule — critique of modern

civilization

India of My Dreams M.K. Gandhi Gandhi's vision for post-independence India

Annihilation of Caste Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Critique of the caste system in Hinduism

The Buddha and His Dhamma Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Life and teachings of Buddha

Pakistan or Partition of India Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Analysis of the partition question

Gita Rahasya Bal Gangadhar Tilak Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita — written in
Mandalay prison

Arctic Home in the Vedas Bal Gangadhar Tilak Vedic civilization theory — Arctic origin

Poverty and Un-British Rule in India Dadabhai Naoroji Economic drain theory — first to quantify British
exploitation

India Wins Freedom Maulana Abul Kalam Partition memoirs — full version released 30 years later
Azad

Wings of Fire APJ Abdul Kalam Autobiography — missile programme and life story

Ignited Minds APJ Abdul Kalam Vision for India's youth — Developed India by 2020

India 2020 APJ Abdul Kalam Vision for India's development

Gitanjali Rabindranath Tagore Nobel Prize for Literature 1913 — devotional songs

Gora Rabindranath Tagore Novel on Indian identity and social reform

The God of Small Things Arundhati Roy Booker Prize 1997 — set in Kerala, India

The White Tiger Aravind Adiga Booker Prize 2008 — social inequality in modern India

Midnight's Children Salman Rushdie Booker Prize 1981; Booker of Bookers — India's
independence

A Fine Balance Rohinton Mistry Emergency era India — Parsi-Canadian author

The Guide R.K. Narayan Sahitya Akademi Award — Malgudi Days series

Train to Pakistan Khushwant Singh Partition of India — set in a Punjab village

Interpreter of Maladies Jhumpa Lahiri Pulitzer Prize 2000 — Indian diaspora in America

Kim Rudyard Kipling Set in British India; Kipling won Nobel 1907
 Book Title Author Notable Note

The Jungle Book Rudyard Kipling Inspired by Kanha NP, Madhya Pradesh

1984 George Orwell Dystopian fiction — surveillance state; Big Brother

Animal Farm George Orwell Political allegory — Soviet Communism critique

A Brief History of Time Stephen Hawking Cosmology for general readers — black holes & Big
Bang

The Origin of Species Charles Darwin Theory of evolution by natural selection (1859)

Das Kapital Karl Marx Foundation of Marxism and Communist theory

The Wealth of Nations Adam Smith Foundation of modern economics — free market
(1776)

The Prince Niccolo Machiavelli Political power and statecraft — Renaissance Italy

One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel Garcia Marquez Nobel Literature 1982 — magical realism

Don Quixote Miguel de Cervantes First modern European novel (1605)

11. IMPORTANT COMMITTEES & REPORTS
Committee / Commission Chairman Key Purpose / Output

Constituent Assembly Drafting Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Drafted the Indian Constitution (1946-49)
Committee

Narasimham Committee I M. Narasimham Banking sector reforms (1991)

Narasimham Committee II M. Narasimham Financial sector reforms (1998)

Kelkar Committee Vijay Kelkar Direct tax reforms; fiscal consolidation roadmap

Raja Chelliah Committee Raja Chelliah Tax reforms (1991) — GST predecessor ideas

Urjit Patel Committee Urjit Patel Monetary policy framework; inflation targeting (2013)

PJ Nayak Committee P.J. Nayak Governance of public sector bank boards

Swaminathan Commission (NCRF) M.S. Swaminathan National Commission on Farmers (2004-06); MSP = cost +
50%

Kothari Commission D.S. Kothari Education policy 1964-66; '3% of GDP for education'

Kasturirangan Committee K. Kasturirangan National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020)

National Knowledge Commission Sam Pitroda Knowledge infrastructure & e-governance (2005-09)
(NKC)

Hathi Committee Jaisukhlal Hathi Drug policy; generic drugs promotion (1975)

Goswami Committee Dinesh Goswami Electoral reforms (1990)

Indrajit Gupta Committee Indrajit Gupta State funding of elections (1998)

Balwantrai Mehta Committee Balwantrai Mehta Panchayati Raj 3-tier system recommendation (1957)

Ashok Mehta Committee Ashok Mehta Strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions (1977)

First ARC Morarji Desai Administrative restructuring (1966)

Second ARC Veerappa Moily Comprehensive governance reform — 15 reports

(2005-09)

Sarkaria Commission R.S. Sarkaria Centre-State relations — 247 recommendations (1983)

Punchhi Commission M.M. Punchhi Revisiting Centre-State relations (2007)

Justice Verma Committee J.S. Verma Strengthened laws against sexual assault (post Nirbhaya,
2013)

Liberhan Commission M.S. Liberhan Babri Masjid demolition probe (1992) — report submitted
2009

Nanavati-Mehta Commission G.T. Nanavati 2002 Gujarat riots investigation

Asim Dasgupta Committee Asim Dasgupta GST structure design and state consensus

National Police Commission (NPC) Dharam Vira Police reforms — 8 reports (1977-81)
12. KEY ABBREVIATIONS & FULL FORMS
Abbreviation Full Form / Explanation

AIIMS All India Institute of Medical Sciences

ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations

BIMSTEC Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation

BIS Bureau of Indian Standards / Bank for International Settlements (context-dependent)

BRICS Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa

BSE Bombay Stock Exchange

NSE National Stock Exchange

CBSE Central Board of Secondary Education

CBI Central Bureau of Investigation

CDS Chief of Defence Staff

CGST Central Goods and Services Tax

CSIR Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

CRR Cash Reserve Ratio

SLR Statutory Liquidity Ratio

DRDO Defence Research and Development Organisation

ED Enforcement Directorate

EVM Electronic Voting Machine

VVPAT Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail

EXIM Export-Import (Bank of India)

FEMA Foreign Exchange Management Act

FDI Foreign Direct Investment

FPI Foreign Portfolio Investment

FRBM Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act

GDP Gross Domestic Product

GNP Gross National Product

GST Goods and Services Tax

IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank arm)

IIT Indian Institute of Technology

IIM Indian Institute of Management

IMF International Monetary Fund

IRDAI Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India

ISRO Indian Space Research Organisation

Abbreviation Full Form / Explanation

ITR Income Tax Return

JAM Jan Dhan - Aadhaar - Mobile (Trinity)

KVIC Khadi and Village Industries Commission

LAC Line of Actual Control — India-China border

LOC Line of Control — India-Pakistan border

MGNREGS Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme

MSME Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

NABARD National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development

NASSCOM National Association of Software and Service Companies

NBFC Non-Banking Financial Company

NDB New Development Bank — BRICS Bank

NHB National Housing Bank

NIA National Investigation Agency

NITI Aayog National Institution for Transforming India Aayog

NPA Non-Performing Asset

NRI Non-Resident Indian

NEFT National Electronic Funds Transfer

RTGS Real Time Gross Settlement

IMPS Immediate Payment Service

UPI Unified Payments Interface

PAN Permanent Account Number

PFRDA Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority

PIB Press Information Bureau

PIL Public Interest Litigation

PM-KISAN Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi

PMAY Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

PMJDY Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana

POSCO Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act

PSU Public Sector Undertaking

RBI Reserve Bank of India

RTE Right to Education Act

RTI Right to Information Act

SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SCO Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Abbreviation Full Form / Explanation

SDR Special Drawing Rights — IMF

SEBI Securities and Exchange Board of India

SEZ Special Economic Zone

SIDBI Small Industries Development Bank of India

SOP Standard Operating Procedure

SWIFT Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication

TRAI Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

UIDAI Unique Identification Authority of India

UMANG Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

UNICEF United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund

WHO World Health Organization

WTO World Trade Organization

DPIIT Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade

OBC Other Backward Class

SC Scheduled Caste

ST Scheduled Tribe

NDA National Democratic Alliance

UPA United Progressive Alliance

13. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN INDIA
As of 2024, India has 42 UNESCO World Heritage Sites — 34 Cultural, 7 Natural, 1 Mixed.

Cultural World Heritage Sites

Site Name State Year Key Feature / Significance

Agra Fort Uttar Pradesh 1983 Mughal military architecture

Ajanta Caves Maharashtra 1983 Buddhist rock-cut caves (2nd c. BC - 6th c. AD)

Ellora Caves Maharashtra 1983 Hindu, Buddhist and Jain rock-cut temples

Taj Mahal Uttar Pradesh 1983 Mughal mausoleum; 'Crown of the Palace'

Mahabalipuram Monuments Tamil Nadu 1984 Pallava period rock-cut temples and rathas

Konark Sun Temple Odisha 1984 13th-century chariot-shaped Surya temple

Churches and Convents of Goa Goa 1986 Portuguese Baroque architecture

Fatehpur Sikri Uttar Pradesh 1986 Emperor Akbar's capital city

Hampi Karnataka 1986 Vijayanagara Empire ruins

Khajuraho Temples Madhya Pradesh 1986 Medieval Hindu-Jain temples with erotic sculptures

Elephanta Caves Maharashtra 1987 Shiva rock-cut temple complex near Mumbai

Champaner-Pavagadh Gujarat 2004 Medieval Islamic architecture and archaeological

remains

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Maharashtra 2004 Victorian Gothic railway station

(Mumbai)

Red Fort Complex Delhi 2007 Mughal-era fort; annual Independence Day ceremony

Jantar Mantar Rajasthan 2010 18th-century astronomical observatories

Hill Forts of Rajasthan Rajasthan 2013 Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Jaisalmer and others

Rani-ki-Vav (Queen's Stepwell) Gujarat 2014 Intricate Maru-Gurjara architecture stepwell, Patan

Nalanda Mahavihara Bihar 2016 Ancient Buddhist monastic university ruins

Le Corbusier's Chandigarh Chandigarh 2016 Modernist architecture — transnational serial property

Capitol

Dholavira Gujarat 2021 Harappan / Indus Valley civilization city

Hoysala Temples Karnataka 2023 Star-shaped temples at Belur, Halebidu & Somnathpura

Santiniketan West Bengal 2023 Rabindranath Tagore's school and Visva-Bharati

University

Moidams — Ahom Mound Burial Assam 2024 Ahom kingdom royal mound burial sites
System

Natural World Heritage Sites

 Site Name State Year Key Feature

Kaziranga National Park Assam 1985 Greater one-horned rhinoceros — highest population

Keoladeo National Park Rajasthan 1985 Critically important migratory bird refuge

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary Assam 1985 Tiger, elephant, rhinoceros — also Tiger Reserve &
Biosphere

Sundarbans National Park West Bengal 1987 World's largest mangrove forest; Bengal Tiger

Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers Uttarakhand 1988 / High-altitude Himalayan flora and fauna
2005

Western Ghats Multi-state 2012 Global biodiversity hotspot — 4 states

Great Himalayan National Park Himachal 2014 Alpine meadows, glaciers, diverse fauna
Pradesh

Mixed World Heritage Site

Site Name State Year Key Feature

Khangchendzonga National Park Sikkim 2016 Sacred landscape combining natural biodiversity and
indigenous Lepcha culture — India's first Mixed Heritage
site
14. INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCES, FESTIVALS & ARTS

Classical Dances of India — Sangeet Natak Akademi Recognised

Dance Form State of Origin Key Features

Bharatanatyam Tamil Nadu Oldest classical dance; Natya Shastra-based; Devadasi tradition

Kathak Uttar Pradesh / Storytelling dance; Mughal-era influence; Lucknow & Jaipur gharanas
Rajasthan

Kathakali Kerala Elaborate makeup and costumes; stories from Ramayana & Mahabharata

Kuchipudi Andhra Pradesh Dance-drama; Brahmins historically performed all roles

Manipuri Manipur Ras Leela of Radha-Krishna; soft graceful movements

Mohiniyattam Kerala Dance of the enchantress; lyrical and graceful feminine style

Odissi Odisha Lord Jagannath devotion; Tribhangi posture; Mahari tradition

Sattriya Assam Vaishnavite monasteries (Sattras); instituted by Sankaradeva; added

2000

Chhau Jharkhand / Odisha / Martial tribal dance; Seraikella, Mayurbhanj, Purulia styles
[Link]

Major Festivals of India

Festival Region Significance / Timing

Diwali Pan-India Festival of lights; Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya (Oct-Nov)

Holi Pan-India (esp. North) Festival of colours; spring festival (Feb-Mar)

Durga Puja West Bengal Goddess Durga's victory over Mahishasura (Sep-Oct)

Onam Kerala King Mahabali's annual visit; harvest festival (Aug-Sep)

Pongal / Sankranti Tamil Nadu / AP / Harvest festival; thanksgiving to Sun God (Jan 14-15)
Telangana

Bihu Assam Rongali/Bohag (spring), Kongali (autumn), Bhogali (winter)

Navratri / Garba Gujarat & Pan-India 9-night festival; Goddess Durga worship; Garba dance

Ganesh Chaturthi Maharashtra & South India Birth of Lord Ganesha (Aug-Sep); 10-day public festival

Baisakhi Punjab & North India Harvest festival; Khalsa founding anniversary (April 13/14)

Chhath Puja Bihar / UP / Jharkhand Sun worship; Kosi river ritual (Oct-Nov)

Kumbh Mela Prayagraj, Haridwar, World's largest religious gathering; every 12 years (Maha Kumbh)
Ujjain, Nashik

Pushkar Fair Rajasthan World's largest camel fair; Kartik Purnima (November)

Hornbill Festival Nagaland Celebration of Naga cultural heritage (December 1-10)

Hemis Festival Ladakh Tibetan Buddhist masked dance festival (June-July)

Thrissur Pooram Kerala Grand temple festival with decorated elephants (Apr-May)
 Festival Region Significance / Timing

Rath Yatra Puri, Odisha Chariot procession of Lord Jagannath (June-July)

Lohri Punjab Bonfire festival marking end of winter (January 13)

Losar Sikkim / Ladakh / Tibetan New Year — Buddhist new year celebration
Arunachal

Eid ul-Fitr Pan-India End of Ramadan — Islamic festival of breaking the fast

Eid ul-Adha Pan-India Feast of Sacrifice — commemorating Ibrahim's devotion

Guru Nanak Jayanti Punjab & Pan-India Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji — Gurpurab

Christmas Pan-India Birth of Jesus Christ — celebrated December 25

★. QUICK REFERENCE — IMPORTANT FACTS AT A GLANCE
Fact / Category Answer / Detail

India's Longest River Ganga (2,525 km in India); Indus is longer overall but mostly in Pakistan

India's Highest Peak Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) in Sikkim — 3rd highest in the world

India's Largest State (by Area) Rajasthan (342,239 sq km)

India's Smallest State (by Area) Goa (3,702 sq km)

India's Most Populous State Uttar Pradesh

India's Least Populous State Sikkim

India's Largest District (Area) Kutch, Gujarat

India's Longest Dam Hirakud Dam, Odisha (4.8 km across the Mahanadi)

India's Highest Dam Tehri Dam, Uttarakhand (260.5 m — also Asia's highest)

India's Longest National Highway NH-44: Srinagar to Kanyakumari (~3,745 km)

India's First Metro Railway Kolkata Metro (1984) — first underground metro in India

World's Largest Democracy India

World's Most Populous Country (2023) India — surpassed China in 2023 (UN estimates)

World's Largest Ocean Pacific Ocean

World's Deepest Ocean Trench Mariana Trench, Pacific Ocean (~11,034 m)

World's Longest River Nile, Africa (6,650 km)

World's Largest Country (Area) Russia (17.1 million sq km)

World's Smallest Country Vatican City (0.44 sq km)

World's Highest Mountain Mount Everest, Nepal-China (8,848.86 m — remeasured 2020)

World's Largest Hot Desert Sahara Desert, Africa

World's Largest Cold Desert Antarctica

World's Deepest Lake Lake Baikal, Russia (1,642 m)

World's Highest Waterfall Angel Falls, Venezuela (979 m)

India's National Animal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)

India's National Bird Indian Peacock (Pavo cristatus)

India's National Flower Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

India's National Fruit Mango (Mangifera indica)

India's National Tree Indian Banyan (Ficus benghalensis)

India's National River Ganga

India's National Aquatic Animal River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica)

India's National Reptile King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)

India's National Heritage Animal Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus)

 Fact / Category Answer / Detail

India's Currency Symbol Rs adopted 2010; designed by D. Udaya Kumar

India's National Anthem Jana Gana Mana — Rabindranath Tagore; adopted January 24, 1950

India's National Song Vande Mataram — Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (Anandamath novel, 1882)

India's National Calendar Saka Calendar — adopted March 22, 1957

Highest Civilian Award — India Bharat Ratna

Highest Military Award (Wartime) Param Vir Chakra

Highest Military Award (Peacetime) Ashoka Chakra

Constitution — Original Articles 395 Articles, 8 Schedules, 22 Parts (adopted November 26, 1949)

Constitution — Current Articles Approx. 448 Articles, 12 Schedules, 25 Parts

First Constitutional Amendment 1951 — Land reforms; Ninth Schedule created

Latest Constitutional Amendment 106th Amendment (2023) — Women's Reservation (33%) in Lok Sabha & State
Assemblies

Lok Sabha — Total Seats 543 (elected); 2 Anglo-Indian seats now abolished (104th Amendment, 2020)

Rajya Sabha — Total Seats 250 (238 elected by states + 12 nominated by President)

Number of High Courts in India 25 High Courts (as of 2024)

India's Space Agency ISRO — Indian Space Research Organisation; founded 1969; HQ: Bengaluru

India's First Satellite Aryabhata — launched April 19, 1975 by the Soviet Union

Chandrayaan-3 Landing August 23, 2023 — near lunar south pole; India became 4th nation to soft-land
on Moon

Gaganyaan Mission India's first crewed spaceflight mission — planned 2025

ISRO's PSLV Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle — most reliable launch vehicle; 104 satellites in
one launch (2017 record)

Disclaimer: This compendium has been carefully compiled from authoritative sources for educational purposes. Some data (especially
recent appointments and award recipients) may be updated. Always cross-check with official notifications for exam-critical facts.