What is the Indian National Calendar?

The Indian National Calendar, also known as the Saka calendar, is the official civil calendar of the Republic of India. It was adopted on March 22, 1957. The calendar is based on the Saka era, which starts in 78 CE.

What is the Saka era?

The Saka era is an ancient Indian calendar era. Year 1 of the Saka era corresponds to 78 CE in the Gregorian calendar. To convert a Gregorian year to a Saka year, subtract 78 (or 79 before the Gregorian new year in late March).

How many months does the Indian National Calendar have?

The Indian National Calendar has 12 months: Chaitra, Vaisakha, Jyaistha, Asadha, Sravana, Bhadra, Asvina, Kartika, Agrahayana, Pausa, Magha, and Phalguna. Chaitra has 30 days (31 in a leap year), while months 2-6 have 31 days and months 7-12 have 30 days.

When does the Saka new year begin?

The Saka new year (1st of Chaitra) falls on March 22 in a regular year and March 21 in a Gregorian leap year.

Is this the same as the Hindu calendar?

No. The Indian National Calendar is a reformed, standardized civil calendar. Traditional Hindu calendars (Vikram Samvat, regional lunisolar calendars) differ in structure and era. The Saka calendar is a solar calendar used officially by the Indian government.

What years are leap years in the Saka calendar?

A Saka year is a leap year when the corresponding Gregorian year is a leap year. Since Chaitra 1 aligns with March 22/21, you check if the Gregorian year that contains most of that Saka year is a Gregorian leap year.

Indian National Calendar Converter

Convert any date between the Indian National Calendar (Saka era) and the Gregorian calendar instantly.

Date Converter

Gregorian Date

Enter a date and click Convert to see results.

Conversion Result

Input Date

Converted Date

Saka Year

Saka Month

Saka Day

Gregorian Date

#	Saka Month	Days	Gregorian Start

Summary

The Indian National Calendar (also called the Saka calendar) is the official civil calendar of India, adopted in 1957. It uses the Saka era, which begins in 78 CE on the Gregorian calendar. This tool lets you convert any Gregorian date to its Saka equivalent and vice versa, showing the Saka month name, day, and year.

How it works

Select the conversion direction: Gregorian to Saka, or Saka to Gregorian.
Enter the date values in the input fields provided.
Click "Convert" to calculate the equivalent date.
The result shows the full date in the target calendar system.
Use the "Today" button to convert the current date instantly.

Use cases

Find the Saka calendar date for any Gregorian date.
Verify official Indian government document dates.
Research historical Indian dates in the Saka era.
Convert Saka dates found in legal or administrative records.
Explore Indian calendar systems for academic study.
Determine the Indian National Calendar date for a birthday or anniversary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-11 · Reviewed by Nham Vu