Important Days, Nicknames and Headquarters
Important Days, Nicknames and Headquarters
This topic is pure recall: dates of national and international days and the reason behind each date, nicknames of cities and states, and headquarters of Indian boards and international bodies. The reason behind a date (a birthday, a founding day, an event) is the best memory hook, and NTPC often asks it along with the date.
1. National Days and the Reason Behind the Date
| Date | Day | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 12 January | National Youth Day | Birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda |
| 25 January | National Voters' Day | Founding of the Election Commission (1950); observed since 2011 |
| 28 February | National Science Day | Discovery of the Raman Effect (1928) |
| 4 March | National Safety Day | Founding of the National Safety Council (1966) |
| 24 April | National Panchayati Raj Day | 73rd Amendment came into force (1993) |
| 11 May | National Technology Day | Pokhran-II tests (1998) |
| 1 July | National Doctors' Day | Birth and death anniversary of Dr B.C. Roy |
| 7 August | National Handloom Day | Swadeshi Movement launched (1905) |
| 23 August | National Space Day | Chandrayaan-3 landing (2023) |
| 29 August | National Sports Day | Birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand |
| 5 September | Teachers' Day | Birth anniversary of S. Radhakrishnan |
| 15 September | Engineers' Day | Birth anniversary of M. Visvesvaraya |
| 31 October | Rashtriya Ekta Diwas | Birth anniversary of Sardar Patel |
| 26 November | Constitution Day | Constitution adopted (1949) |
| 22 December | National Mathematics Day | Birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan |
2. International Days
| Date | Day |
|---|---|
| 8 March | International Women's Day |
| 22 March | World Water Day |
| 7 April | World Health Day (WHO founding) |
| 22 April | Earth Day |
| 5 June | World Environment Day |
| 21 June | International Day of Yoga (since 2015) |
| 16 September | World Ozone Day |
| 10 December | Human Rights Day |
3. Nicknames and Headquarters
| Nickname | Place |
|---|---|
| Steel City | Jamshedpur |
| Pink City | Jaipur |
| Blue City | Jodhpur |
| City of Lakes | Udaipur |
| Silicon Valley of India | Bengaluru |
| Manchester of India | Ahmedabad |
| City of Joy | Kolkata |
| Diamond City | Surat |
| Scotland of the East | Shillong |
| Coal Capital of India | Dhanbad |
| Sorrow of Bihar | River Kosi |
| Body | Headquarters |
|---|---|
| National Turmeric Board (2025) | Nizamabad, Telangana |
| Tea Board | Kolkata |
| Coffee Board | Bengaluru |
| Spices Board | Kochi |
| Rubber Board | Kottayam |
| ISRO | Bengaluru |
| RDSO (Indian Railways) | Lucknow |
| UNESCO | Paris |
| WHO, WTO and ILO | Geneva |
| IMF and World Bank | Washington, D.C. |
| UNEP | Nairobi |
| International Solar Alliance | Gurugram |
✗ National Science Day marks C.V. Raman's birthday | ✓ It marks the discovery of the Raman Effect on 28 February 1928
✗ The Spices Board is in Kottayam | ✓ The Spices Board is in Kochi; the Rubber Board is in Kottayam
हिंदी नोट: राष्ट्रीय मतदाता दिवस 25 जनवरी (निर्वाचन आयोग की स्थापना), राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा दिवस 4 मार्च और राष्ट्रीय विज्ञान दिवस 28 फरवरी को मनाया जाता है। स्टील सिटी जमशेदपुर है। राष्ट्रीय हल्दी बोर्ड का मुख्यालय निज़ामाबाद (तेलंगाना) में है।
Exam Pointer: Verified NTPC patterns: the theme of National Voters' Day (March 2026 Graduate CBT-1), the theme of National Safety Day (August 2025 UG CBT-1), the Steel City nickname (June 2025 Graduate CBT-1) and the National Turmeric Board headquarters (June 2025 Graduate CBT-1). Themes change every year, so check the current year's theme from the Current Affairs chapter.
Pariksha Pattern: Every Way NTPC Asks This Topic
Pattern 1: National Voters' Day and election-related days
[PYQ: NTPC Graduate CBT-1 17-Mar-2026 Shift-3]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. On which date is National Voters' Day observed, and why that date?
On 25 January, the day the Election Commission of India was founded in 1950. It has been observed since 2011.
Answer: 25 January
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which constitutional body organises National Voters' Day, and which day falls one day later in the same month?
The Election Commission of India organises it. One day later, 26 January, is Republic Day.
Answer: Election Commission of India; Republic Day
Pattern 2: Days with themes and founding dates
[PYQ: NTPC UG CBT-1 28-Aug-2025 Shift-2]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. National Safety Day is observed on which date, and what does the date commemorate?
On 4 March, the founding day of the National Safety Council in 1966.
Answer: 4 March
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Match the day with its date: National Technology Day, National Space Day, Engineers' Day.
National Technology Day is 11 May (Pokhran-II, 1998), National Space Day is 23 August (Chandrayaan-3 landing) and Engineers' Day is 15 September (M. Visvesvaraya).
Answer: 11 May, 23 August, 15 September
Pattern 3: Nicknames of cities
[PYQ: NTPC Graduate CBT-1 14-Jun-2025 Shift-1]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Which city is called the Coal Capital of India?
Dhanbad in Jharkhand.
Answer: Dhanbad
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which pair is wrongly matched: Blue City and Jodhpur, City of Lakes and Udaipur, Manchester of India and Kanpur, City of Joy and Kolkata?
Ahmedabad is called the Manchester of India for its textile mills. The other pairs are correct.
Answer: Manchester of India and Kanpur
Pattern 4: Headquarters of boards and organisations
[PYQ: NTPC Graduate CBT-1 20-Jun-2025 Shift-2]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Where is the headquarters of the Tea Board of India?
Kolkata.
Answer: Kolkata
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Match the body with its headquarters: Spices Board, International Solar Alliance, UNEP.
The Spices Board is in Kochi, the International Solar Alliance in Gurugram and UNEP in Nairobi.
Answer: Kochi, Gurugram, Nairobi
60-Second Revision
- 25 Jan Voters' Day; 28 Feb Science Day; 4 Mar Safety Day; 11 May Technology Day; 23 Aug Space Day.
- Steel City Jamshedpur; Coal Capital Dhanbad; Pink City Jaipur; Blue City Jodhpur.
- Turmeric Board Nizamabad; Spices Board Kochi; Rubber Board Kottayam; Tea Board Kolkata.
- WHO, WTO, ILO Geneva; UNESCO Paris; UNEP Nairobi; ISA Gurugram.