Which one of the following is a crater lake in India ?

Lonar Lake, located in the Buldhana district of Maharashtra, is the most prominent example of a crater lake in India [1][3]. It was formed during the Pleistocene Epoch by a meteorite impact on the basaltic rock of the Deccan Plateau [2][6]. This unique geological feature is a saline and alkaline lake and is recognized as a Ramsar site [2]. In contrast, Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan is an inland saltwater lake primarily used for salt production [5]. Chilika Lake in Odisha is the largest coastal lagoon in India, formed by the silting action of the Mahanadi River [4]. Vembanad Lake in Kerala is the longest lake in India and is classified as a lagoon or backwater system [5]. While other potential impact craters like Dhala and Ramgarh exist, Lonar remains the primary confirmed impact crater lake in the country [3][6].

Sources

1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > 2. The Crater Lakes > p. 28
2. [3] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 2: The Solar System > Meteorite Craters in India > p. 37
3. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 11: Volcanism > Difference Between Crater Lake and Caldera Lake > p. 152
4. [6] https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/maharashtra/nagpur/lonar-crater-lake
5. [5] CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Drainage > LAKES > p. 22
6. [4] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > Chilka Lake (Chilika Lake) > p. 29