The last ruler of the Pallava dynasty, who was defeated by the Chola king Aditya I, was:

Aparajitavarman (Aparajita) was the last important ruler of the Pallava dynasty; he was defeated and killed by the Chola king Aditya I in about 897 CE, which ended Pallava rule.

About Aparajitavarman:

He ruled in the late 9th century (about 880-897 CE).

He fought the Battle of Sripurambiyam (Thirupurambiyam) in about 885 CE against the Pandya king Varaguna II, with the help of his allies, the Ganga king Prithvipati I and the Chola king Aditya I; the Pandyas were defeated.

However, later, Aditya I turned against him, defeated and killed him, and annexed the Pallava territory (Tondaimandalam) to the Chola kingdom.

With this, the Pallava dynasty came to an end.

About the Pallavas:

• They ruled northern Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh, with their capital at Kanchipuram, from about the 3rd to the 9th centuries CE.
• The early Pallavas issued inscriptions in Prakrit and Sanskrit.

Important rulers:

• Simhavishnu (late 6th century): established the power of the Pallavas.
• Mahendravarman I (about 600-630 CE): a patron of art and literature; he wrote the satirical play "Mattavilasa Prahasana"; according to tradition, he was converted from Jainism to Shaivism by a Tamil saint.
• Narasimhavarman I (about 630-668 CE): defeated Pulakeshin II.
• Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha, about 700-728 CE): built the first structural temples.
• Nandivarman II (about 731-796 CE): built the Vaikuntha Perumal temple.
• Nandivarman III and Nripatunga: later rulers.
• Aparajitavarman: the last.

Pallava contributions:

• They initiated Dravidian temple architecture.
• They promoted Sanskrit and Tamil literature.
• Kanchi was a great centre of learning (the "ghatika").

Why not the other options?

• ✗Nandivarman III and Narasimhavarman II were earlier Pallava rulers.
• ✗Dantivarman was a Pallava ruler of the late 8th-9th century.