Q. Which one among the following states was first annexed by Lord Dalhousie under the Doctrine of Lapse?
(a) Nagpur
(b) Jhansi
(c) Sambalpur
(d) Satara
Ans: (d) Satara
Explanation: The correct answer is (d) Satara.
Lord Dalhousie, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856, implemented the Doctrine of Lapse as a policy of annexation. According to this policy, if a ruling Indian prince died without a male heir, his kingdom would be annexed by the British East India Company.
Among the options provided, Satara was the first state to be annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse. Satara was a Maratha princely state located in present-day Maharashtra, India. In 1848, after the death of the ruler of Satara, Pratap Singh, who had no legitimate male heir, Lord Dalhousie applied the Doctrine of Lapse and annexed the state to British territory.
The annexation of Satara under the Doctrine of Lapse was one of the early instances of the application of this controversial policy. It was followed by the annexation of other states, such as Jhansi and Nagpur, using the same principle. Therefore, the first state to be annexed by Lord Dalhousie under the Doctrine of Lapse was Satara (option d).
