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National symbols of India: GK questions and answers

Every country has symbols that stand for its identity. These questions are about India's flag, emblem, anthem and the animals and plants chosen as national symbols.

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Ten questions picked at random from this topic, four choices each. Or go through every question as flash cards.

20 questions on national symbols of India

  1. What is the national animal of India? Tiger The Royal Bengal tiger.
  2. What is the national bird of India? Peacock Its proper name is the Indian peafowl.
  3. What is the national flower of India? Lotus The lotus grows in water and stands for purity in Indian culture.
  4. What is the national tree of India? Banyan Its branches send down roots that grow into new trunks, so one tree can spread over a wide area.
  5. What is the national fruit of India? Mango The mango is often called the king of fruits.
  6. Who wrote the national anthem "Jana Gana Mana"? Rabindranath Tagore It was first sung in 1911 and was adopted as the national anthem on 24 January 1950.
  7. Who wrote the national song "Vande Mataram"? Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay It appears in his novel Anandamath.
  8. About how long does it take to sing the full national anthem? 52 seconds A short version, the first and last lines, takes about 20 seconds.
  9. How many spokes are there in the Ashoka Chakra on the national flag? 24 The wheel stands for the wheel of dharma, or law.
  10. Which colour is at the top of the national flag? Saffron White is in the middle and green at the bottom.
  11. What is the colour of the Ashoka Chakra on the flag? Navy blue The wheel is taken from the Lion Capital of Ashoka.
  12. The national emblem of India is adapted from the Lion Capital of Ashoka at which place? Sarnath Sarnath is near Varanasi. The emblem was adopted on 26 January 1950.
  13. Which words are written below the national emblem? Satyameva Jayate It means "Truth alone triumphs".
  14. "Satyameva Jayate" is taken from which ancient text? Mundaka Upanishad The Upanishads are ancient Sanskrit texts of philosophy.
  15. Who designed the flag on which the Indian national flag is based? Pingali Venkayya The Constituent Assembly adopted the national flag on 22 July 1947.
  16. What is the national aquatic animal of India? Ganges river dolphin It lives in the Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems and is nearly blind.
  17. Which river is the national river of India? Ganga The Ganga was declared the national river in 2008.
  18. Which animal is the national heritage animal of India? Elephant The elephant was given this status in 2010.
  19. The national calendar of India is based on which era? Saka era Its first month is Chaitra.
  20. Who designed the symbol of the Indian rupee (₹)? D. Udaya Kumar The symbol was adopted in 2010.

These are well-established facts, written in our own words and last checked on 11 November 2026. If your textbook says something different, follow your textbook and tell us.

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