25. Identify the river of the Indian sub-continent on the basis of the following information:

25. Identify the river of the Indian sub-continent on the basis of the following information:

1. It has an antecedent drainage system.

2. It flows through three countries.

3. It originates in the Tibetan Plateau and is an important river for irrigation.

4. It does not form distributaries.

Select the answer from the following:

(a) Brahmaputra (b) Indus (c) Sutlej (d) Teesta

Answer: (c) Sutlej

The Sutlej fits all four points: it is an antecedent river (predates and cuts through the rising Himalayas via deep gorges); it flows through China (Tibet), India, and Pakistan; it originates near Lake Rakshastal (close to Mansarovar) on the Tibetan Plateau and is vital for irrigation (e.g., Bhakra-Nangal Dam, canal systems in Punjab/Haryana/Rajasthan); and as a tributary of the Indus system (joining the Chenab to form the Panjnad), it does not form independent distributaries or its own delta. Brahmaputra and Indus form deltas with distributaries; Teesta originates mainly in Sikkim (not the Tibetan Plateau) and flows primarily through two countries (India and Bangladesh).

Proper nouns and their appearancesKey terms: Sutlej (also Satluj/Shatadru), Brahmaputra, Indus, Teesta, Tibetan Plateau, antecedent drainage system, and related features such as Rakshastal/Mansarovar, Shipki La, Bhakra-Nangal, and Indus Waters Treaty references.

• NCERT and standard textbooks: Antecedent drainage (Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra cutting gorges through the Himalayas), origins on the Tibetan Plateau, and the Indus system rivers appear in Class 11 India: Physical Environment (drainage systems, Himalayan rivers) and related geography chapters.

• Government sources (PIB, official sites): Frequent coverage of Bhakra-Nangal and other multipurpose projects on the Sutlej for irrigation and power; Indus Waters Treaty allocations (eastern rivers including Sutlej to India); water-sharing disputes (e.g., SYL canal); and hydrological data. MoEFCC/Jal Shakti Ministry materials and project reports reference the river’s transboundary nature and irrigation role.

• The Hindu, Indian Express, and other English newspapers: Regular static and recent coverage of Sutlej in the context of the Indus Waters Treaty, Punjab–Haryana water disputes (SYL), floods/hazard surveys, irrigation dependence in Punjab, climate impacts on eastern Indus tributaries (rainfall/groundwater decline), and occasional features on its Tibetan origin or historical role (e.g., Partition boundary). India Today and similar outlets have published explanatory pieces on its course through three countries, Tibetan source, and non-flow through Nepal. Brahmaputra and Indus appear far more often in flood, geopolitics (China/Bangladesh/Pakistan), and delta contexts; Teesta features in India–Bangladesh water-sharing news. “Antecedent drainage” itself is mainly textbook/exam terminology and rarely appears in general newspaper reporting.