Dams in India – Static GK / General Awareness for Competitive Exams (with Memory Tricks)

Introduction

India’s geography—Himalayas, Peninsular Plateau, and coastal plains—offers ideal conditions for dam construction. With 4,000+ large dams, India uses them for irrigation, hydropower, flood moderation, and water supply.
This topic is a favourite in SSC, Banking Awareness, UPSC Prelims, Railways, Defence, and State PCS, often asked as match-the-following or statement-based questions.

Categorized Deep-Dive

A. Dams by Purpose (Exam Favorite Classification)

1) Multipurpose Dams

Used for irrigation + power + flood control.
Examples:

• Bhakra Nangal – Sutlej
• Hirakud – Mahanadi
• Sardar Sarovar – Narmada

Why asked? SSC & UPSC test understanding of multipurpose projects.

2) Hydroelectric Dams

Primary focus on power generation.
Examples: Tehri, Nathpa Jhakri, Idukki, Koyna.

3) Irrigation Dams

Mainly for agriculture.
Examples: Nagarjuna Sagar, Mettur, Tungabhadra.

B. State-wise Important Dams (High-Yield for Match the Following)

Northern & Himalayan States

• Himachal Pradesh: Bhakra (Sutlej), Pong (Beas), Chamera (Ravi)
• Uttarakhand: Tehri, Koteshwar (Bhagirathi)
• J&K: Baglihar, Salal (Chenab), Uri (Jhelum)

Peninsular India

• Odisha: Hirakud (Mahanadi), Rengali (Brahmani)
• Telangana/Andhra: Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar (Krishna)
• Tamil Nadu: Mettur, Kallanai (Kaveri), Vaigai
• Karnataka: Almatti, Narayanpur (Krishna), KRS (Kaveri)

Central & Western India

• Madhya Pradesh: Gandhi Sagar (Chambal), Bargi (Narmada)
• Maharashtra: Koyna, Jayakwadi, Ujani (Bhima), Mulshi
• Gujarat: Ukai (Tapti), Dharoi (Sabarmati), Sardar Sarovar

C. Superlatives (Very Important for One-Liners)

D. River-wise Major Dams (UPSC Style)

• Krishna: Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, Almatti
• Narmada: Sardar Sarovar, Indira Sagar, Omkareshwar
• Kaveri: KRS, Mettur, Kallanai
• Mahanadi: Hirakud, Gangrel
• Godavari: Jayakwadi, Gangapur

Exam-Friendly Core Table: Dams, States, Rivers

Sticky Memory Zone (Mnemonics that Work)

Why mnemonics help? They reduce revision time and boost recall in MCQs.

1. “Hi-Te-Ka” → Hirakud (Longest) – Tehri (Highest) – Kallanai (Oldest)
2. “NK GO” → Narmada – Krishna are biggest dam rivers
3. “Be-Ra-Su” → Beas (Pong), Ravi (Chamera), Sutlej (Bhakra)
4. “K-M-V” → Koyna (MH), Mettur (TN), Vaigai (TN)

Don’t Confuse These! (High-Error Area)

• Tehri Dam (Highest) ❌ Hirakud (Longest)
• KRS (Kaveri) ❌ Tungabhadra Dam (Tungabhadra)
• Sardar Sarovar (Narmada) ❌ Ukai (Tapti)
• Nagarjuna Sagar (Krishna) ❌ Mettur (Kaveri)

Key Points & Important Features

• India ranks 3rd globally in number of large dams.
• Most dams are located in Peninsular India.
• Damodar Valley Project = first multipurpose project.
• Dams often cause displacement & ecological concerns (UPSC mains angle).

Important One-Liners for SSC / Banking / UPSC Prelims

• Hirakud Dam is built on the Mahanadi River.
• Tehri Dam is located in Uttarakhand.
• Kallanai Dam was built by Chola king Karikalan.
• Bhakra Nangal is on the Sutlej River.
• Sardar Sarovar is India’s largest dam project.
• Koyna Dam is in Maharashtra.
• Mettur Dam is also called Stanley Reservoir.
• Idukki Dam is on the Periyar River.
• Nagarjuna Sagar lies between Telangana & Andhra Pradesh.
• Jayakwadi Dam is on the Godavari River.

Previous Year Questions (PYQ) Analysis: How Dams in India Are Asked

• SSC & Railways: Match the following (Dam–River–State)
• Banking/Insurance: One-liner GK (Longest/Highest)
• UPSC Prelims: Statement-based (location, river basin)
• State PCS: Regional dams + superlatives

Quick-Summary Table (Most Asked Facts at a Glance)