Dams in India

Dams in India play a crucial role in India’s water management, agriculture, power generation, and flood control.

Spread across the country, these engineering marvels store water for irrigation, supply drinking water to cities, generate hydroelectric power, and help prevent droughts and floods.

Many dams have also become popular tourist attractions due to their scenic surroundings.

For students and aspirants preparing for competitive exams, remembering the names of major dams along with their locations and rivers is essential, as such questions often appear in Static GK sections of UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railways, and State PSC exams.

Below is the exam-oriented table of major dams in India with their location and river — this list focuses on the ones most frequently asked in Static GK and competitive exams.

Major Dams in India – Location & River

Dam NameState / UTRiver
Bhakra Nangal DamHimachal Pradesh / PunjabSutlej
Pong DamHimachal PradeshBeas
Tehri DamUttarakhandBhagirathi
Rihand DamUttar PradeshRihand
Hirakud DamOdishaMahanadi
Nagarjuna Sagar DamTelangana / Andhra PradeshKrishna
Srisailam DamAndhra Pradesh / TelanganaKrishna
Tungabhadra DamKarnatakaTungabhadra
Almatti DamKarnatakaKrishna
Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) DamKarnatakaKaveri
Mettur DamTamil NaduKaveri
Idukki DamKeralaPeriyar
Mullaperiyar DamKerala / Tamil NaduPeriyar
Sardar Sarovar DamGujaratNarmada
Ukai DamGujaratTapi
Dhom DamMaharashtraKrishna
Jayakwadi DamMaharashtraGodavari
Koyna DamMaharashtraKoyna
Bhavanisagar DamTamil NaduBhavani
Ranjit Sagar DamPunjab / J&KRavi
Salal DamJammu & KashmirChenab
Baglihar DamJammu & KashmirChenab
Indira Sagar DamMadhya PradeshNarmada
Omkareshwar DamMadhya PradeshNarmada
Gandhi Sagar DamMadhya PradeshChambal
Rana Pratap Sagar DamRajasthanChambal
Kota BarrageRajasthanChambal
Doyang DamNagalandDoyang
Kopili DamAssamKopili
Dhansiri DamAssamDhansiri
Umiam DamMeghalayaUmiam
Tipaimukh DamManipurBarak
Mapithel DamManipurThoubal
Ranganadi DamArunachal PradeshRanganadi
Subansiri Lower DamArunachal PradeshSubansiri
Chamera DamHimachal PradeshRavi
Kol DamHimachal PradeshSutlej
Loktak Hydel DamManipurLoktak Lake (Manipur River)

Key Facts about Dams in India

  1. Tehri Dam (Uttarakhand) – Tallest dam in India (260.5 m).
  2. Bhakra Nangal Dam – One of the largest gravity dams in the world.
  3. Hirakud Dam – Longest earthen dam in the world (25.8 km).
  4. Sardar Sarovar Dam – Largest dam on the Narmada River.
  5. Idukki Dam – Arch dam in Kerala, known for hydroelectric power generation.
  6. India’s oldest dam – Kallanai (Grand Anicut) in Tamil Nadu, built around 2nd century CE by the Chola dynasty, still in use.
  7. India ranks 3rd globally in number of large dams after China and USA.
  8. Dams are classified as concrete gravity, earthen, arch, and composite types.
  9. Many dams serve multi-purpose functions — irrigation, drinking water, flood control, and hydropower generation.

Additional Major Dams in India – State & River

Dam NameState / UTRiver
Balimela DamOdishaSileru
Mandira DamOdishaSankh
Upper Kolab DamOdishaKolab
Upper Indravati DamOdishaIndravati
Panshet DamMaharashtraAmbi
Warna DamMaharashtraWarna
Yeldari DamMaharashtraPurna
Isapur DamMaharashtraPenganga
Totladoh DamMaharashtraPench
Manikdoh DamMaharashtraKukadi
Hatnur DamMaharashtraTapi
Bhatsa DamMaharashtraBhatsa
Bansagar DamMadhya PradeshSon
Tawa DamMadhya PradeshTawa
Bargi DamMadhya PradeshNarmada
Baira Siul DamHimachal PradeshBaira Nalla
Nathpa Jhakri DamHimachal PradeshSutlej
Pandoh DamHimachal PradeshBeas
Parbati DamHimachal PradeshParbati
Karcham Wangtoo DamHimachal PradeshSutlej
Dulhasti DamJammu & KashmirChenab
Kishanganga DamJammu & KashmirKishanganga
Uri DamJammu & KashmirJhelum
Dumbur DamTripuraGomati
Gumti DamTripuraGumti
Khuga DamManipurKhuga
Singda DamManipurSingda
Kopili Lower DamAssamKopili
Karbi Langpi DamAssamBorpani
Dikreng DamAssamDikreng
Ranganadi Stage-II DamArunachal PradeshRanganadi
Pare Hydro DamArunachal PradeshPare
Pandoh DamHimachal PradeshBeas
Sillari DamMaharashtraWainganga
Gosikhurd DamMaharashtraWainganga
Medigadda Barrage (Kaleshwaram)TelanganaGodavari
Annaram BarrageTelanganaGodavari
Sundilla BarrageTelanganaGodavari
Jurala DamTelanganaKrishna
Palair DamTelanganaPalair
Manjira DamTelanganaManjira
Singur DamTelanganaManjira
Yeldari DamMaharashtraPurna
Ramganga DamUttarakhandRamganga
Jamrani DamUttarakhandGola
Dhauliganga DamUttarakhandDhauliganga
Lakhwar DamUttarakhandYamuna
Vyasi DamUttarakhandYamuna
Pancheshwar Dam (proposed)UttarakhandMahakali
Ukhrul DamManipurThoubal
Palatana Dam (Hydro plant)TripuraGomati
Polavaram DamAndhra PradeshGodavari
Dowleswaram BarrageAndhra PradeshGodavari
Prakasam BarrageAndhra PradeshKrishna
Gundlakamma ReservoirAndhra PradeshGundlakamma
Mylavaram DamAndhra PradeshPennar
Somasila DamAndhra PradeshPennar
Veligonda ProjectAndhra PradeshGundlakamma
Kanakanala DamKarnatakaVedavathi
Hemavathi DamKarnatakaHemavathi
Harangi DamKarnatakaHarangi
Kabini DamKarnatakaKabini
Bhadra DamKarnatakaBhadra
Supa DamKarnatakaKali
Ghataprabha DamKarnatakaGhataprabha
Malaprabha DamKarnatakaMalaprabha
Linganamakki DamKarnatakaSharavathi
Mani DamKarnatakaNethravathi
Ban Sagar DamMadhya PradeshSon
Gobind Sagar Dam (Reservoir)Himachal PradeshSutlej
Morarji Desai Sagar DamGujaratShetrunji
Dantiwada DamGujaratBanas
Kadana DamGujaratMahi
Dharoi DamGujaratSabarmati
Ukai Left Bank Canal DamGujaratTapi

Key Facts for Competitive Exams

  • India’s dams are managed by the Central Water Commission and various State Irrigation Departments.
  • Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka have the highest number of large dams.
  • Many projects are multi-state, sharing water between different regions.
  • Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (Telangana) is one of the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation projects.
  • Many barrages (like Dowleswaram, Prakasam) are important for delta irrigation.