The Indian Rivers play an important role in the lives of the Indians. Rivers provide drinking water, low-priced transportation, electricity, and the necessities of life for a large number of people all over the country. This is an important topic for General Awareness section of different competitive exams.
River valleys and plains provide fertile soils. Farmers in dry regions irrigate their cropland using water carried by irrigation ditches from nearby rivers.  The rivers also have an important role in Hindu Dharma and are considered holy by all Hindus in the country.

Seven major rivers along with their numerous tributaries make up the river system of India. The largest basin system of the rivers pour their waters into the Bay of Bengal however, some of the rivers whose courses take them through the western part of the country and towards the east of the state of Himachal Pradesh empty into the Arabian Sea. Parts of Ladakh, northern parts of the Aravalli range and the arid parts of the Thar Desert have inland drainage.

• River Saraswati is a mythical river and is part of the Hindu triveni Sangam mythology of the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers. Saraswati river is thought to be flowing under the ground and meeting Ganga and Yamuna at the Kumbh mela spot.


• Meghna a major river in Bangladesh is a tributary if Indian Brahmaptura river and also empties in Bay of Bengal.

Below liisted are the Important and Famous Indian Rivers: