What are the 28 States of India?
The States of India
The world knows a very famous federation: The United States of America. However, it is lesser known that, India too, is a federation of states, called the “Republic of India”.
Working with Indians – a cultural tip to start a conversation
When two Indians meet for the first time, it is a common practice to enquire after their regional identity. The common question “Where in India do you come from?” is usually asked in the beginning of the conversation.
So, if you’re meeting an Indian, ask them about their hometown. It can be a good ice-breaker and you could be treated to a dozen stories about their hometown. It’s even better if you know a bit about that part of India.
Here are five interesting facts about Indian States, which are nice to add to your repertoire.
1. There are 28 Indian States and 8 Union Territories*
Below is the list of Indian States and their capital cities*
1 | Andhra Pradesh | Hyderabad (Proposed Capital Amaravati) |
2 | Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar |
3 | Assam | Dispur |
4 | Bihar | Patna |
5 | Chhattisgarh | Raipur |
6 | Goa | Panaji |
7 | Gujarat | Gandhinagar |
8 | Haryana | Chandigarh |
9 | Himachal Pradesh | Shimla |
10 | Jharkhand | Ranchi |
11 | Karnataka | Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) |
12 | Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram |
13 | Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
14 | Maharashtra | Mumbai |
15 | Manipur | Imphal |
16 | Meghalaya | Shillong |
17 | Mizoram | Aizawl |
18 | Nagaland | Kohima |
19 | Odisha | Bhubaneswar |
20 | Punjab | Chandigarh |
21 | Rajasthan | Jaipur |
22 | Sikkim | Gangtok |
23 | Tamil Nadu | Chennai |
24 | Telangana | Hyderabad |
25 | Tripura | Agartala |
26 | Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow |
27 | Uttarakhand | Dehradun (Winter) Gairsain (Summer) |
28 | West Bengal | Kolkata |
*as at the time of writing this blog
Indian states have a wonderful biodiversity which you can discover in this brilliant video by The Indian Government’s public diplomacy, showcasing different States of India visually.
2. India’s various states contribute to India’s diversity
Each State is well known for distinct cuisines, musical styles, textiles and architecture. On Mastering India learning hub, you can get introduced to Indian Art through a short online course.
Below is an overview of the mouth-watering cuisines, unique to each region, which can be relished to the fullest by visiting that state. Watch this video to relish famous dishes of India visually.
Below are some famous cuisines from across India:
Region | Cuisines |
Uttar Pradesh | Awadhi Cuisine |
Tamil Nadu | Chettinaad Cuisine |
Gujarat | Gujarati Cuisine |
Kerala | Malabari Cuisine |
Orissa | Odia Cuisine |
Each of these cuisines have their own distinctive and famous dishes. Our series on the vastness of India shall cover in greater detail this exquisite subject. Stay tuned for our upcoming course on Indian cuisine.
3. Indian States celebration of State Formation Day
The Indian States of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu were officially formed on November 1st of the years 1956, 1966 and 2000. Delhi, Chandigarh, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar were given the status of union territories on November 1st too.
4. British History and Indian State Formation
It is well known that before being annexed by the British, India was comprised of various princely States. Many books have been written and movies released on Indian Maharajas and Queens. Indian history is full of wars fought between Indian kings.
Before colonisation, the British offered their services to fight many of these wars for the Indians kings against one another. However, an interesting piece of history that is often forgotten, is that there were many wars Indian Kings (and Indian Queens) fought against the British East India Company. Eventually, the British colonized India. Here are three videos by Swiss Learning Exchange on the economic history of India. Watching will help you understand how India transitioned from an era of princely states to the current Republic of India. Head to SLX Learning elearning platform for interesting courses on various topics.
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Mastering India puts India’s potential to the forefront through online courses which allow one to initiate business in the Great Peninsula with minimal effort.
5. What is common amongst States of India ?
Why it is important to know these facts about India’s various States? Knowing that India is made of different states helps one understand India’s diversity. It also brings the comprehension of India’s complexities. as despite this diversity, there are some aspects that are common to all States in India. This blog does not focus on the political aspects.
Culturally, many festivals are celebrated all across India, from North to South and from East to West. For instance, Dussehra is celebrated across several parts India like Tamil Nadu in the South, Uttar Pradesh in the North, Gujarat in the West and in West Bengal in East of India. If you consider that the expanse of India is 2933 kms from East to West and 3214 kms from north to south.
Go to hub.masteringindia.org now to explore the numerous online courses on various aspects of Indian society, which can effectively facilitate your transition to this market; whether to expand your reach or to benefit from Indian expertise and smoothen the operations of your primary market. The efforts of LinkedIn, Nokia, Thales, among others, demonstrate this so well. What are you waiting for?
Hub.masteringindia.org, a multilingual site covering all your learning needs about the business world in India, online, from the comfort of home.
- Published in Blogs, Uncategorized
Culture Quotient
Written by Divya Badri with inputs from Shruti Rao
You have heard of IQ and EQ, but have you heard of CQ? Culture quotient or CQ is increasingly becoming important to have in today’s day. If you want to set up a business in India it is advised to beef up your culture quotient to avoid any culture shock in India.
What is culture quotient?
We live in a globalized world and that makes work more dynamic and complex. Doing business in any country without a culture quotient makes businesses miss out on opportunities. Culture quotient has 3 major components – cultural knowledge, cross-cultural skills, and cultural mindfulness. These mean:
- Cultural knowledge – this is the ‘how’ and ‘what’ of someone’s culture.
- Cross-cultural skills – these are skills that demonstrate one’s cultural quotient. Skills such as being empathetic, tolerant, adaptable, and so on
- Cultural mindfulness – this is the process of being aware of the cultural context or being aware of the different cultural context and responding accordingly
Read More: What it means to understand a country like India?
What having a culture quotient means when in India?
How do you prepare yourself before travelling overseas? You learn about the land, its people and its culture. Many businesses or individuals who come to work to India from conformist and homogenous societies find the Indian societies intriguing due to the incredible diversity. Like all cultures and societies around the world, Indian culture is woven intricately in the everyday life and interactions of Indians. It gives you a glimpse into the thought processes of Indians. In a Eurocentric world, it is easy to learn about the dominant european culture, languages and ways. However, what if you want to learn about other parts of the world? India is an important emerging market and it is necessary to demonstrate one’s cultural quotient when in India.
You could demonstrate cultural knowledge in India by understanding the culture and heritage of India. You could attempt to understand the history or significance of the traditions, practices, monuments, etc. India has a treasure of cultural practices, various art forms, ancient heritage which differ from region to region. Learning more about the significance and history behind these aspects or even the basic differences, would help you demonstrate cultural knowledge in India.
You could demonstrate cross-cultural skills by approaching the Indian lifestyle or the culture and traditions of India with empathy and adaptability. Everyone loves it when the outsider shows appreciation for the home culture. In the same way, when a visitor to India makes an effort to interact and understand with India, it demonstrates a very strong cross-cultural skill. Infact, what makes it even easier for the visitor to India to pick up this skill is that inherently, most Indians believe in Atithi Devo Bhava ethos- that a guest is always welcome.
Be culturally mindful. As mentioned before, Indian culture is woven into the everyday life and interactions of Indians. Being observant of their calendar, which may differ from the Gregorian calendar, touchless greetings, and your own behavior in different cultural settings in India will demonstrate cultural mindfulness.
Watch: Business in India
How do you develop a culture quotient in India?
The best way to develop a strong culture quotient vis-à-vis India is by either learning about Indian culture or experiencing the Indian culture and heritage in person. Mastering India – a learning hub for all things India is the perfect platform for you to learn about India.
Mastering India will help you understand India not only as an emerging market but also as the cultural diversity hotspot it is. On Mastering India, people from across the sectors in India come together to share their knowledge about India with you. It is a blended learning platform which means you can not only take courses on India and Indian culture online but also be part of events, experiences and workshops which will let you experience India and demystify India for you.
Mastering India is a platform not only for people who are unfamiliar with India but also for Indians who want to re-connect with Indian culture. So sign up with Mastering India today and start sharpening your culture quotient!
Watch: India Bootcamp
- Published in Blogs