The Union of India is a federal union made up of 28 states and 8 union territories. India achieved independence from British Raj on 15 August 1947 and became a republic on 26 January 1950. Many states celebrate a state day to mark its formation, statehood, reorganisation or other associated events while some like Assam and Bengal celebrate it on other specific days. Some of the states and union territories have declared official holidays. State functions, parades, cultural events and award ceremonies are generally organized. Many states celebrate their state day on their formation date or statehood date.

List

States

StateDayDateSignificanceTimelineRef.
Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh Day1 NovemberReorganisation (1956)1953 – State of Andhra separated from the State of Madras by Andhra State Act, 1953 1956 – Merged with State of Hyderabad to form the State of Andhra Pradesh by States Reorganisation Act, 1956
Arunachal PradeshArunachal Pradesh Day20 FebruaryStatehood (1987)1972 – Created as a union territory from Assam by North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971 1987 – Converted to a state by State of Arunachal Pradesh Act, 1986
AssamAssam Day2 DecemberEstablishment of Ahom kingdom (1228) Technically Statehood (1950)1874 – Divided from Bengal Presidency to form North-East Frontier Province 1905 – Merged into Eastern Bengal and Assam 1912 – Re-established as Province of Assam 1950 – Achieved statehood as State of Assam
BiharBihar Day22 MarchFormation (1912)1912 – Founded as Province of Bihar and Orissa 1936 – Divided to form Province of Bihar by Government of India Act 1935 1950 – Achieved statehood as State of Bihar
ChhattisgarhChhattisgarh Rajyotsava1 NovemberFormation (2000)2000 – Divided from Madhya Pradesh by Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000
GoaGoa Liberation Day19 DecemberLiberation (1961)1961 – Annexed to India after Portuguese-Indian War as a part of Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu 1987 – Made a State by State of Goa Act, 1986
Goa Day30 MayStatehood (1987)
GujaratGujarat Day1 MayFormation (1960)1924 – Organised as States of Western India Agency 1944 – Reorganised as Baroda, Western India and Gujarat States Agency 1948 – Organized as State of Saurashtra and United State of Kathiawar 1956 – Merged with State of Bombay per States Reorganisation Act, 1956 1960 – State of Bombay bifurcated to form State of Gujarat
HaryanaHaryana Day1 NovemberFormation (1966)1966 – Carved out from the State of Punjab by Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966
Himachal PradeshHimachal Pradesh Day25 JanuaryFormation (1971)1948 – Organized as Chief Commissioner's Province of Himachal Pradesh 1971 – Achieved statehood by State of Himachal Pradesh Act, 1970
JharkhandJharkhand Day15 NovemberFormation (2000)2000 – Divided from Bihar by Bihar Reorganisation Act, 2000
KarnatakaKarnataka Rajyotsava1 NovemberReorganisation (1956)Originally the Kingdom of Mysore in the Indian Empire 1948 – Admitted as State of Mysore in the Indian Union 1956 – Southern Kannada-speaking parts of Bombay State added to Mysore State per States Reorganisation Act, 1956 1973 – Renamed as State of Karnataka
KeralaKerala Day1 NovemberFormation (1956)1949 – Organized as Travancore-Cochin State from former Kingdom of Cochin and Kingdom of Travancore in the Indian Empire 1956 – Merged with parts of Madras State to form State of Kerala by States Reorganisation Act, 1956
Madhya PradeshMadhya Pradesh Day1 NovemberFormation (1956)1956 – Created by merging Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh, Central Provinces and Berar and Bhopal State by States Reorganisation Act, 1956
MaharashtraMaharashtra Day1 MayFormation (1960)1960 – Bifurcation of State of Bombay to form State of Maharashtra by Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960
ManipurManipur Day21 JanuaryStatehood (1972)1972 – Achieved statehood by State of Manipur Act, 1971
MeghalayaMeghalaya Day21 JanuaryStatehood (1972)1970 – Established as an autonomous state in Assam by Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act, 1969 1972 – Achieved statehood by North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971
MizoramMizoram Day20 FebruaryStatehood (1987)1971 – Founded as a union territory by North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971 1987 – Established as Mizoram state by State of Mizoram Act, 1986
NagalandNagaland Day1 DecemberFormation (1963)1963 – Statehood given by State of Nagaland Act, 1962
OdishaOdisha Day1 MayFormation (1936)1912 – Founded as Province of Bihar and Orissa 1936 – Divided to form Province of Orissa by Government of India Act 1935 2011 – Renamed as Odisha by Orissa (Alteration of Name) Act, 2011
PunjabPunjab Day1 NovemberReorganisation (1966)1947 – Founded as East Punjab Province from Undivided Punjab Province 1950 – Renamed as Punjab State 1966 – Reorganised by Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966
RajasthanRajasthan Day1 NovemberFormation (1949)1949 – Founded as United State of Rajasthan from erstwhile Matsya and Rajasthan 1950 – Renamed as Rajasthan 1956 – Reorganized by States Reorganisation Act, 1956
SikkimSikkim Day16 MayFormation (1975)Originally the Kingdom of Sikkim in the Indian Empire 1975 – Accession and establishment by the 35th amendment to the Constitution of India
Tamil NaduTamil Nadu Day18 JulyRenaming of Madras to Tamil Nadu (1969)1950 – Province of Madras renamed as State of Madras 1953 – Divided by Andhra State Act, 1953 1956 – Reorganized by States Reorganisation Act, 1956 1969 – Renamed as Tamil Nadu by Madras State (Alteration of name) Act, 1968
TelanganaTelangana Day2 JuneFormation (2014)2014 – Divided from Andhra Pradesh by Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014
TripuraTripura Day21 JanuaryStatehood (1972)1949 – Tripura acceded to the Indian Union by Tripura Merger Agreement 1950 – Became a part C state by Constitution of India 1956 – Organized as a union territory by States Reorganisation Act, 1956 1972 – Achieved statehood by North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971
Uttar PradeshUttar Pradesh Day1 NovemberStatehood and renaming United Provinces to Uttar Pradesh (1950)1902 – Founded as United Provinces of Agra and Oudh from North-Western Provinces 1936 – Renamed as United Province by Government of India Act 1935 1950 – Reorganized as state of Uttar Pradesh with addition of parts of Delhi Territory
UttarakhandUttarakhand Day9 NovemberFormation (2000)2000 – Divided from Uttar Pradesh by Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000
West BengalWest Bengal Day15 AprilPohela Boishakh Technically Statehood (1950)1947 – Province of Bengal divided to form Province of West Bengal 1950 – Gained statehood as State of West Bengal

Union territories

Union TerritoryDayDateSignificanceTimelineRef.
Andaman and Nicobar IslandsAndaman and Nicobar Day1 NovemberUnion Territory (1956)1950 – A Part D state 1956 – Established as union territory by the States Reorganisation Act, 1956
ChandigarhChandigarh Day1 NovemberFormation (1966)1953 – Established as capital of East Punjab 1966 – Reorganized as union territory Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and DiuDadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Day26 JanuaryFormation (2020)1961 – Annexed to India after Indo-Portuguese War as a part of Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu 1987 – Reorganized as union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu by State of Goa Act, 1986 2020 – Reorganized by merging by Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Act, 2019
DelhiDelhi Day1 NovemberUnion Territory (1956)1911 – Established as the Chief Commissioner's Province of Delhi and Capital of India 1956 – Reorganized as union territory by States Reorganisation Act, 1956
Jammu and KashmirJammu and Kashmir Accession Day26 OctoberAccession (1947)1947 – Accession to India 2019 – Reorganized as union territory by Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019
-31 OctoberUnion Territory (2019)
LadakhLadakh Day31 OctoberFormation (2019)*2019 – Formed as union territory by Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019
LakshadweepLakshadweep Day1 NovemberFormation (1956)1956 – Split from Madras state to create union territory by States Reorganisation Act, 1956
PuducherryPuducherry Liberation Day1 NovemberDe Facto (unofficial) transfer (1954)1954 – De facto cession of French establishments of India 1962 – De jure transfer to India 1963 – Organized as union territory
De Jure Transfer Day16 AugustDe Jure (official) transfer (1962)

See also

Notes