Recently, for the first time in our country, which of the following States has declared a particular butterfly as ‘State Butterfly’?

The correct answer is Maharashtra.

Maharashtra made history by becoming the first state in India to officially declare a "State Butterfly." The state chose the Blue Mormon (Papilio polymnestor) as its State Butterfly. This declaration was announced in 2015, marking a significant milestone in wildlife conservation awareness in the country.

Let us understand why this is a notable achievement and why the other options are incorrect:

Why Maharashtra?
Maharashtra's government took the pioneering step of recognizing the ecological and cultural importance of butterflies by giving one species an official state symbol status — just like a State Bird or State Animal. The Blue Mormon is the second largest butterfly found in India and is commonly spotted across the Western Ghats region of Maharashtra. It is a large, striking butterfly with beautiful blue and black wing patterns, making it both ecologically significant and visually iconic for the state.

Why not the other options?
- Arunachal Pradesh — While Arunachal Pradesh is rich in biodiversity and home to many rare butterfly species, it was not the first state to declare a State Butterfly.
- Himachal Pradesh — Himachal Pradesh has a diverse mountain ecosystem but did not precede Maharashtra in making this declaration.
- Karnataka — Karnataka is also biodiversity-rich and has significant butterfly populations in its forests, but it was not the first to declare a State Butterfly.

Key Fact to Remember:
The concept of declaring a "State Butterfly" is relatively new in India. Maharashtra set the precedent in 2015 by officially designating the Blue Mormon as its State Butterfly. Following Maharashtra's lead, other states such as Uttarakhand (which declared the Common Peacock butterfly) and others began adopting similar initiatives in subsequent years.

Summary:
Maharashtra → State Butterfly → Blue Mormon (Papilio polymnestor) → First state in India to do so → Year: 2015.
This makes Maharashtra the definitive and correct answer to this question.