India is known for its diverse natural resources. There are many resources out of which water bodies have a significant hold on the scenic beauty of our country. Lakes are one of the major sources of natural beauty in India and there are many lakes in almost every state.
This topic holds great significance for UPSC and various government exams in India. Important Lakes of India falls under static GK in the UPSC exam, you can check more articles on other static GK topics on the linked page.
Lakes can be classified into various categories:
| S.No | Category of Lake in India |
| 1. | Freshwater Lakes |
| 2. | Saltwater Lakes |
| 3. | Natural Lakes |
| 4. | Oxbow Lakes |
| 5. | Artificial Lakes |
| 6. | Crater Lakes |
List of Important Lakes of India:- Download PDF Here
| To complement your preparation for the upcoming exam, check the following links: |
Top 10 largest Lakes in India
The list of largest lakes is mentioned in the table below:
| List of largest Lakes(Decreasing order of area covered) | State/UT |
| Vembanad Lake | Kerala |
| Chilika Lake | Odisha |
| Shivaji Sagar Lake | Maharashtra |
| Indira Sagar lake | Madhya Pradesh |
| Pangong Lake | Ladakh |
| Pulicat Lake | Andhra Pradesh |
| Sardar Sarovar Lake | Gujarat |
| Nagarjuna Sagar Lake | Telangana |
| Loktak Lake | Manipur |
| Wular lake | Jammu and Kashmir |
List of Important Lakes in India
The list of important lakes in India is given below:
| Lakes in India | State/UT |
| Pulicat lake | Andhra Pradesh |
| Kolleru Lake | Andhra Pradesh |
| Haflong Lake | Assam |
| Deepor Beel | Assam |
| Chandubi Lake | Assam |
| Kanwar lake | Bihar |
| Hamirsar Lake | Gujarat |
| Kankaria Lake | Gujarat |
| Badkhal Lake | Haryana |
| Brahma Sarovar | Haryana |
| Chandra Taal | Himachal Pradesh |
| MaharanaPratap Sagar | Himachal Pradesh |
| Dal Lake | Jammu Kashmir |
| Wular Lake | Jammu Kashmir |
| Agara Lake | Karnataka |
| Ulsoor Lake | Karnataka |
| Kuttanad Lake | Kerala |
| Sasthamkotta | Kerala |
| Bhojtal | Madhya Pradesh |
| Shivsagar | Maharashtra |
| Loktak lake | Manipur |
| Umiam Lake | Meghalaya |
| Tam Dil | Mizoram |
| Chilika Lake | Odisha |
| Harike | Punjab |
| Kanjli | Punjab |
| Sambhar Lake | Rajasthan |
| Tsomgo Lake | Sikkim |
| Chembarambakkam | Tamil Nadu |
| Hussain Sagar | Telangana |
| Govind Bhallabh Pant Sagar | Uttar Pradesh |
| Belasagar | Uttar Pradesh |
| Bhimtal | Uttarakhand |
| Kaliveli | Tamil Nadu |
Lakes in India – Application
Apart from being a symbol of natural beauty, lakes can be of many uses for the inhabitants.
Lakes in India are a great source of :
- Irrigation
- Drinking-Water
- Navigation
- Livelihood
Important Facts about Lakes for UPSC Prelims
- Wular lake is one of the biggest freshwater lakes in Asia and it was formed as a result of tectonic activity.
- Chilika Lake in Odisha is the largest saline water lake in India.
- Vembanad Lake in Kerala is the longest lake in India.
- Cholamu Lake in Sikkim is the highest lake in India.
- Lonar Lake is a notified National Geo-heritage Monument, saline, soda lake, located at Lonar in Buldhana district, Maharashtra.
List of Important Lakes of India:- Download PDF Here
Practice question for UPSC IAS Prelims
1. Consider the following statement with respect Wular Lake
a. It is located in Kashmir
b. It was created by Tectonic activity
c. It is fed by river Jhelum
Select the correct option
- a only
- b and c only
- a and c only
- a b and c
Also read:
| GI Tags in India | List of National Parks in India | Major Ports in India |
| Natural Vegetation in India | Major River Systems in India | UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India |
Frequently Asked Questions on Lakes in India
Q 1. Which is the largest saltwater lake in India?
Q 2. Which Indian city is known as the City of Lakes in India?
Related Links:
| Government Exams | UPSC Admit Card 2024 |
| UPSC 2024 | UPSC Books |
| IAS Exam | IAS Toppers Marks Subject Wise |
| UPSC Geography Questions | UPSC Syllabus |
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