Rihand Dam, associated with the Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar reservoir, is located in which Indian state?

Introduction / Context:
Rihand Dam is one of India's important multipurpose river valley projects and creates a large reservoir known as Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar. It is frequently mentioned in questions on Indian rivers, dams, and power projects. This question focuses on locating the state in which Rihand Dam is situated, reinforcing understanding of the link between key infrastructure projects and their regional geography within India.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Rihand Dam creates the Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar reservoir.
• The task is to identify the state where this dam is located.
• The options are Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Arunachal Pradesh.
• We assume current state boundaries and well known locations of major dams.

Concept / Approach:
The correct approach is to recall that Rihand River is a tributary of the Son River and that the dam is constructed near Pipri in the Sonbhadra district. Sonbhadra district lies in the southeastern part of Uttar Pradesh, close to the borders of Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh. This establishes a clear association between Rihand Dam and Uttar Pradesh. The other states listed in the options are either further south, in the Himalayas, or in northeastern India, and are not connected with this dam.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Rihand Dam is built across the Rihand River, a tributary of the Son River. Step 2: Remember that the dam site is near Pipri in Sonbhadra district. Step 3: Identify Sonbhadra as a district in the southeastern part of Uttar Pradesh. Step 4: Check the options and locate Uttar Pradesh among them. Step 5: Conclude that Rihand Dam is located in Uttar Pradesh and that other states mentioned are not correct.

Verification / Alternative Check:
As an alternative check, you might recall that Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar is often cited as Uttar Pradesh's largest man made reservoir, created by Rihand Dam. Maps of major dams in India also mark Rihand in the Sonbhadra region of Uttar Pradesh. None of the standard references place this project in Telangana, Uttarakhand, or Arunachal Pradesh. Combining these facts confirms that Uttar Pradesh is the correct state.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Telangana is wrong because while it has major projects on the Godavari and Krishna rivers, such as Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam in its vicinity, it does not host the Rihand Dam. Uttarakhand is wrong because its major dam projects involve rivers like Bhagirathi and Alaknanda, such as Tehri Dam, rather than the Rihand River. Arunachal Pradesh is wrong because it lies in the far northeast and is associated with projects on the Brahmaputra system, not the Son or Rihand.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to assume that because Sonbhadra is close to several state boundaries, the dam might lie in a neighbouring state such as Madhya Pradesh or a hill state like Uttarakhand. Another pitfall is confusing Rihand with other large reservoirs in southern India, leading to a guess like Telangana. To avoid such confusion, it is helpful to study thematic maps of dams and identify both the river and the host state for each major project.

Final Answer:
Rihand Dam, creating the Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar reservoir, is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh.