Padma Awards

Padma Awards - one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, 
''Padma Vibhushan'' is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service
''Padma Bhushan'' for distinguished service of high order 
''Padma Shri'' for distinguished service in any field. 

The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.

History
Padma Awards were instituted in 1954 to be awarded to citizens of India in recognition of their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the arts, education, industry, literature, science, sports, medicine, social service and public affairs. It has also been awarded to some distinguished individuals who were not citizens of India but did contribute in various ways to India.
The selection criteria have been criticised in some quarters with the claim that many highly deserving artists have been left out in order to favour certain individuals. India has now created an online nomination platform for the common citizens to recommend the nomination for the annually given civilian "Padma" awards.
On its obverse, the words "Padma", meaning lotus in Sanskrit, and "Shri", a Sanskrit-derived honorific equivalent to 'Mr.' or 'Ms.' (ie., "Noble One in Blossom"), appear in Devanagari above and below a lotus flower. The geometrical pattern on either side is in burnished bronze. All embossing is in white gold.
As of 2020, 3123 people have received the award.

Padma Shri
Padma Shri, also spelt Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. It is awarded by the Government of India every year on India's Republic Day.

Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri.  As of 2020, the award has been bestowed on 1270 individuals, including twenty-four posthumous and ninety-seven non-citizen recipients. When instituted in 1954, twenty-three recipients were honoured with the Padma Bhushan. 

Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "exceptional and distinguished service", without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. The award criteria include "service in any field including service rendered by Government servants" including doctors and scientists, but excluding those working with the public sector undertakings. As of 2020, the award has been bestowed on 314 individuals, including seventeen posthumous and twenty-one non-citizen recipients.
Famous Lakes And Rivers In India And World

Lake Baikal (Russia) is the deepest lake of the world. One of the biggest and most ancient lakes of world is situated nearly in the center of Asia in a huge stone bowl set 445 m above sea level. 
Lake Eyre is a important lake of Australia.
Lake Onakal (Uganda) and Lake Aswan (Egypt) are man made lakes.
Lake Tso Sekuru located on the Tibetan Plateau is the highest lake of the world.
Lake Titicaca, located at the boundary of Bolivia and Peru is the highest navigable lake of the world.
The highest lake in India is Devtal, located at a height of 17,745 ft in the Garhwal Himalayas.
Dead Sea is the lowest lake of the world, its base is located 2500 ft below the sea level.
Lake Van (Turkey) is the most saline lake of the world, with salinity of330%. It is followed by Dead Sea (238%) Jordan, and Great Salt Lake (220% salinity) USA.
Caspian Sea is the largest lake of the world. It is a salt water lake. Ural and Volga rivers drain into it from the north, therefore its northern part is less saline.
Lake Victoria, forms the border between Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.
Lake Nyasa or Lake. Malawi forms the border of Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique.
Lake Tanganyika forms the border of Zaire. Tanzania and Zambia.
Lake Superior is the largest fresh water lake of the world.
The nuclear test range of China is located near the lake Lop Nor.
Lake Chad forms the border of Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Camroon.
Lake Great Bear it is famous as Port Radium.
Lake Athabasca famous as Uranium City.
LakeVolta in Ghana is a largest man made lake.
Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela is famous for oil reserves.

Wular Lake: Wular Lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in Asia and the largest in India, is located in Jammu and Kashmir. 
Dal Lake: The Kashmir valley is blessed with exotic natural beauty of landscape and water bodies, out of them one of the best is Dal Lake. The Dal lake is situated in the beautiful city of Srinaga,Some of the most famous mosques are also located in Srinagar city to visit.
Loktak Lake: Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in northeastern India, located in Manipur. It is also called the only floating lake in the world due to the floating phumdis. This ancient lake plays an important role in the economy of Manipur.
Chilka Lake: Chilka Lake is the brackish water lake and is the largest coastal lake in India. The Chilka Lake in situated in Orissa and is Asia’s largest inland salt-water lagoon.  The beautiful chilka lake is paradise for the migratory birds.

Pulicat lake: It is a saline backwater lake lying along the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh coast; part extending to Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu. It has an area of 481 sq. KM and it is the 2nd largest brackish water lagoon in India after Chilka lake in Orissa.
Books and Authors Current Affairs 2020 – 2021


मनोहर पार्रिकर – ऑफ द रिकॉर्ड – वामन सुभा प्रभु

In Pursuit of Justice – स्व. जस्टिस राजिंदर सच्चर

Vahana Masterclass – अल्फ्रेडो कोवेल्ली

द कॉमनवेल्थ ऑफ क्रिकेट – रामचंद्र गुहा

द पॉपुलेशन मिथ : इस्लाम, फैमिली प्लानिंग एंड

 पॉलिटिक्स इन इंडिया – याकूब कुरैशी

राइट अंडर आवर नोज – आर. गिरिधरन

इंडियाज 71-इयर टेस्ट : द जर्नी टू ट्रायम्फ इन ऑस्ट्रेलिया – आर. कौशिक

कोविड 19 : सभ्यता का संकट और समाधान – कैलाश सत्यार्थी

ओह मिजोरम – पी. एस. श्रीधरन पिल्लई

नाइट ऑफ द रेस्टलेस परिट्स – सर्बप्रीत सिंह

जुगलबंदी : द बीजेपी बिफोर मोदी – विनय सीतापति

द लास्ट क्वीन – चित्रा बनर्जी दिवाकरूनी

माझी भींत (मेरी दीवार) – राजेन्द्र दर्डा

हाऊ टू बी ए राईटर – रस्किन बॉन्ड

आई एम नॉट ए मसीहा – सोनू सूद द (आत्मकथा)

रसाथी : द अदर साइड ऑफ ट्रांसजेंडर – ससिंद्रन कल्लिंकेल

योर बेस्ट डे इज टुडे – अनुपम खेर

टील वी वीन – रणदीप गुलेरिया

मिस्टर प्राइम मिनिस्टर : वी श्रैंक द ड्रैगन – प्रदीप गुहा

ऑन द ट्रायल ऑफ बुद्धा : ए जनी टू द ईस्ट – दीपांकर एरान

द खालिस्तान कॉन्सपेरेसी – जीबीएस सिद्धू

द बैटल ऑफ बेलॉगिंग – शशि थरूर

डिस्कवरिंग द हेरिटेज ऑफ असम – पदमपाणी बोरा

बापू : अनफॉरगेटेबल – विमोचन-मनीष सिसोदिया

संसद में हिमालय – डॉ. रमेश पोखरियाल निशंक

क्वीरिस्तान – परमेश शाहनी

किचेन्स ऑफ ग्रटीट्यूड – विकास खन्ना

ए बुके ऑफ फ्लावर्स – डॉ. कृष्णा सक्सेना
सच कहूँ तो – नीना गुप्ता

वॉयसेज ऑफ डिसेण्ट – रोमिला थापर

‘संवाद उपनिषद’ और ‘अक्षर यात्रा’ – गुलाब कोठारी

माई लाइफ इन डिजाइन – गौरी खान

द इंड ऑफ एन एरा, इंडिया एग्जिट्स तिब्बत – क्लाउड अरपी

रॉ : ए हिस्ट्री ऑफ इंडियाज कोवर्ट ऑपरेशन्स – यतीश यादव

द बिग थॉट्स ऑफ लिटिल लव – करण जौहर

आजादी : फ्रीडम, फेसिज्म, फिक्शन – अरुंधति रॉय

थिंक लाइक ए माँक – जय शेट्टी

बिहाइन्ड द मास्क – मोहम्मद अब्दुल मन्नान

आवर ओनली होम – ए क्लाइमेट अपील टू द वर्ल्ड – दलाई लामा

क्रिकेट द्रोण – जतिन परांजपे एवं आनंद वसु

हू प्वाइंटेड माई लस्ट रेड – श्री अय्यर

वन अरेंज्ड मर्डर – चेतन भगत

नेताजी : इंडियाज इंडिपेंडेंस एंड ब्रिटिश

 आर्काइव्स – कल्याण कुमार डे

ग्रीनलाइट्स – मैथ्यू मैक्नाधे

कनेक्टिंग, कम्युनिकेटिंग, चेजिंग – राजनाथ सिंह (विमोचन)

अमेजिंग अयोध्या – नीना राय

कोरोना कविताकाल – पी. एस. श्रीधरन पिल्लई

स्वच्छ भारत क्रांति – गजेन्द्र सिंह शेखावत एवं स्मृति ईरानी

ग्रैण्ड पैरेंटस बैग ऑफ स्टोरिज – सुधा मुर्ति

शिखर का छूते ट्राइब्लस – संदीप मुरारका

सियासत में सदस्यता – विजय कुमार चौधरी (बिहार विधान सभा अध्यक्ष)

मेरा युद्ध, कैंसर विरूद्ध – डॉ. जसवंत राठी

इफ इट ब्लीड्स – स्टीफन किंग

सेव युथ सेव नेशन – सीमा हिंगोनिया

स्पिरिट ऑफ क्रिकेट – स्टीव वॉग

ए सॉन्ग ऑफ इंडिया – रस्किन बॉण्ड

फ्यूचर ऑफ हायर एजुकेशन-नाइन मेगा ट्रेंडस – सीएवी पट्टाभि राम

द एंड गेम – एस. हुसैन जैदी

महावीर : द सोल्जर हू नेवर डाईड– रूपा श्रीकुमार व ए.के. श्रीकुमार

गेटिंग कॉम्पिटिटिव : ए प्रैक्टिशनर गाइड फॉर इंडिया – आर. सी. भार्गव

ओवरड्राफ्ट : सेविंग द इंडियन सेवर – उर्जित पटेल

लीजेंड ऑफ सुहेलदेव – अमीश त्रिपाठी
द इकाबॉग – जे. के. रॉलिंग

वुहान डायरी : डिस्पैच फ्रॉम ए क्वारंटाइन सिटी – फ़न्ग फ़न्ग

फीयर ऑफ गॉड – बोमदेवरा चंद्रबदन

विजयंट एट कारगिल : द लाइफ ऑफ ए

 कारगिल हीरो – वीएन थापर एवं नेहा द्विवेदी

होप ऑन : माई एडवेंचर्स ऑन बोट्स, ट्रेन्स एंड प्लांस– रस्किन बॉन्ड

मसीहा मोदी : ए ग्रेट टेल ऑफ एक्सपेक्टेशंस – तवलीन सिंह

लिगेसी ऑफ लर्निंग – सविता छाबड़ा

माई इनकाउंटर इन पार्लियामेंट – भालचंद्र मुंगेकर

एन एक्स्ट्राऑर्डिनरी लाइफ : ए बायोग्राफी ऑफ मनोहर पर्रिकर – सदगुरू पाटिल एवं मायाभूषण नागवेकर

द एयर, एक्ट 1981 – के. के. खंडेलवाल, अपूर्व कुमार सिंह

डेथ एन इंसाइड स्टोरी – जग्गी वासुदेव

द थीन माइंड मैप बुक – धर्मेंद्र राय

वी आर डिस्प्लेस्ड – मलाला यूसुफजई