English: South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Kerala Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry , occupying 19.31% of area. South India lies in the peninsular Deccan Plateau and is bounded by the Arabian Sea , Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal in the west, south and east respectively. The geography of the region is diverse, encompassing two mountain ranges — the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats and a plateau heartland. Godavari , Krishna , Tungabhadra and Kaveri rivers are important non-perennial sources of water. Inhabitants of South India are referred to as South Indians .