Saka Calendar Date Today: India's Official National Calendar
How to read today's Saka Samvat date, why it is the national calendar of India, and how to convert Saka to Gregorian.
By Indian Date Today Editorial ·
The Saka Era began in 78 CE. In 1957 it became India's official national calendar (Saka Samvat). Check today's Saka calendar date, months, and how to convert Saka year to the Gregorian date used in daily life.
Adoption and Standardization in 1957
Recognizing the extreme diversity of traditional calendars across India, the Indian Government appointed the Calendar Reform Committee headed by renowned astrophysicist Meghnad Saha in 1952. The committee formulated a unified, solar-based Indian National Calendar based on the ancient Saka Era. When people search “national calendar” or even the common misspelling “national calender,” they mean this Saka civil calendar — not Vikram Samvat, which remains the ritual Hindu calendar.
Structure of the Saka Calendar
The Saka year begins on Chaitra 1, which corresponds to March 22 in normal years and March 21 in leap years. The months have fixed day counts: - Chaitra: 30 days (31 in leap year) - Vaisakha, Jyeshtha, Ashadha, Shravana, Bhadra: 31 days each - Ashwin, Kartika, Agrahayana, Pausha, Magha, Phalguna: 30 days each
Converting Saka to Gregorian Year
To find the Saka year, subtract 78 from the Gregorian year for dates on or after March 22 (Chaitra 1), or subtract 79 for dates before March 22.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the Saka calendar date today?
Open the Saka Calendar page on Indian Date Today for today's Saka day, month and year. After 22 March (Chaitra 1; 21 March in leap years), subtract 78 from the Gregorian year; before that date subtract 79.
Q: What is India's national calendar?
India's official national calendar is the Saka calendar (Saka Samvat), adopted in 1957 for gazettes and government use. The Gregorian calendar is used alongside it in daily civil life.
Q: What is the current Saka year in 2026?
The current Saka year for 2026 is Saka 1948 (from Chaitra 1 / 22 March 2026).