N.K. Chauhan 
Dams are mainly built in order to produce electricity by using water, this form of electricity is known as hydroelectricity.
India has 4,407 large dams, the third highest number in the world after China (23,841) and the USA (9,263).
Tehri Dam in Uttarakhand is the "highest dam" in India built on Bhagirathi river.
Hirakud Dam in Odisha built on river Mahanadi is the "longest dam" of India.
Kallanai Dam in Tamil Nadu is the oldest dam of India. It is built on the Kaveri river and is about 2000 years old.
The hydro-electric power plants at Sidrapong, Darjeeling (West Bengal) and Shivanasamudram (Karnataka) were established in 1898 and 1902, respectively. They were among the first in Asia and India has been a dominant player in global hydroelectric power development.
Image Source
| Dam | State | River |
|---|---|---|
| Bhavani Sagar dam | Tamil Nadu | Bhavani |
| Tungabhadra Dam | Karnataka | Tungabhadra |
| Govind Ballabh Sagar | Uttar Pradesh | Rihand, tributary of Son |
| Rani Laxmibai Dam Project | Uttar Pradesh | Betwa |
| Dul Hasti Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab |
| Ukai Dam | Gujarat | Tapi River |
| Idukki Dam | Kerala | Periyar River |
| Maithon Dam | Jharkhand | Barakar |
| Tilaiya Dam | Jharkhand | Barakar |
| Kalpong Dam | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Kalpong River |
| Shivanasamudra | Karnataka | Kaveri River |
| Nagarjuna Sagar Dam | Andhra Pradesh | Krishna River |
| Baglihar Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab River |
| Sabarigiri Dam | Kerala | Pamba River |
| Almatti Dam ( Lal Bahadur Shastri Dam) | Karnataka | Krishna |
| Massanjore Dam (Canada Dam) | Jharkhand | Mayurakshi |
| Matatila Dam | Uttar Pradesh & MP | Betwa River |
| Sriram Sagar (Pochampadu) | Andhra Pradesh | Godavari |
| Jayakwadi Dam | Maharashtra | Godavari |
| Kalagarh Dam | Uttarakhand | Ramganga |
| Maharana Pratap Sagar (Pong Dam) | Himachal Pradesh | Beas River |
| Kalpasar Dam | Gulf of Khambhat (Gujarat) | Coastal reservoir |
| Bajaj Sagar Dam | Rajasthan | Mahi River |
| Tulbul Project | Jammu & Kashmir | Jhelum |
| Koyna Dam | Maharashtra | Koyna |
| Bisalpur Dam | Rajasthan | Banas |
| Mettur Dam | Tamil Nadu | Kaveri |
| Krishnarajasagar Dam | Karnataka | Kaveri |
| Indira Sagar Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Narmada |
| Omkareshwar Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Narmada |
| Bargi Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Narmada |
| Bansagar Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Son River |
| Cheruthoni Dam | Kerala | Cheruthoni |
| Sardar Sarovar Dam | Gujarat | Narmada |
| Hirakud dam | Odisha | Mahanadi |
| Bhakra Nangal Dam | Himachal Pradesh | Sutlej |
| Tehri Dam | Uttarakhand | Bhagirathi & Bhilangna |
| Gandhi Sagar | Madhya Pradesh | Chambal River |
| Jawahar Sagar Dam | Rajasthan | Chambal River |
The Sardar Sarovar Project is one of the largest water resources project of India covering four beneficiary states - Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat (Max Beneficiary) and Rajasthan.
. . .
Bhakra Nangal Dam is a joint venture of the states like Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan intended to tackle the valuable water of the Sutlej to serve the concerned states.
The dam forms the Gobind Sagar reservoir
. . .
Chambal Valley Project is a joint venture of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
It was initiated in 1954 on the Chambal River (the main tributary of the Yamuna).
The project aims at harnessing the Chambal River for irrigation, power generation, and prevention and control of soil erosion in the valley.
. . .
The Indira Gandhi Canal (Rajasthan Canal) is the longest canal of India.
It starts from the Harike Barrage at Harike, a few kilometers below the confluence of the Satluj and Beas rivers in the Indian state of Punjab and terminates in irrigation facilities in the Thar Desert in the north west of Rajasthan state.
