How Many Zeros in an Ank?
By Vinitha Published Updated
How many zeros in an ank? An ank has 21 zeros in the Indian numbering system: 1021 — equal to one sextillion (1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) in the international system. The word "ank" means "digit" or "figure" in Sanskrit and Hindi, reflecting its role as an endpoint in a counting system developed for astronomical calculations in ancient India. Padma zeros covers the extended Indian numbering scale alongside the Sanskrit word for lotus.
An ank has
21
zeros
- Written Form
- 1 followed by 21 zeros
- Scientific
- 10²¹
- Western
- 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
Ank as the Final Step in the Classical Scale
The direct answer: exactly 21 zeros. It sits two zeros above mahashankh (19) and matches the international unit sextillion in value — the classical scale's final step.
| Unit | Zeros | International equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Mahashankh | 19 | 10 quintillion |
| Ank | 21 | 1 sextillion |
1021 is also the value of one zettabyte in digital storage — a coincidence in scale between an ancient Indian counting tradition and a modern data measurement standard. Zeros in a crore also looks at the Sanskrit word koti.
What Does Ank Equal in the International System?
One ank equals one sextillion. To put this in perspective: 1 ank = 1,000 quintillion = 1,000,000 quadrillion = 1,000,000,000 trillion. Ank exceeds the range of any quantity encountered in everyday life or modern economics.
The Full Classical Indian Scale
- Lakh (105) — 100 thousand
- Crore (107) — 10 million
- Arab (109) — 1 billion
- Kharab (1011) — 100 billion
- Neel (1013) — 10 trillion
- Padma (1015) — 1 quadrillion
- Shankh (1017) — 100 quadrillion
- Mahashankh (1019) — 10 quintillion
- Ank (1021) — 1 sextillion
Above ank, the classical Sanskrit system does not provide further standardized names — ancient texts sometimes referenced still larger values using compound descriptive phrases rather than single coined terms.
Watch: How Many Zeros in an Ank?
How many zeros in an ank? An ank has 21 zeros — 1 followed by 21 zeros. Watch this short video for the zero count, the written form and the notation at a glance.
Zeros in an Ank: FAQ
What comes before an ank?
Quick answer
Mahashankh comes right before an ank — it takes 100 mahashankh to make one ank.
What comes after an ank?
Quick answer
The classical Indian scale has no standardized name beyond ank.
How many digits does an ank have?
An ank has 22 digits in total — that's the digit 1 followed by 21 zeros.
Is ank the largest named number in the Indian system?
Yes — ank is the final, largest unit in the traditional extended Indian numbering scale.
Is an ank the same as a sextillion?
Yes — an ank and a sextillion are exactly the same value, 1021.
What does "ank" mean in Sanskrit?
"Ank" means "digit" or "figure" — fitting for the endpoint of a counting scale.
About the Author
Designer and Developer · Palakkad, Kerala, India
Vinitha holds a bachelor's degree in Textile and Apparel Design from Avinashilingam University, plus a C-Tech certificate in Graphic Design from Image Creative Education. She builds free, no-clutter reference tools like How Many Zeros. Read her full bio.