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The first accurate map of India was prepared in 1782 by:
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Answer: Option B — James Rennell
Detailed Solution
Major James Rennell (1742-1830), an English geographer and surveyor working for the East India Company, prepared the first reasonably accurate map of India, called "Map of Hindoostan", published in 1782. He is often called the "Father of Indian Geography".
About James Rennell:
He joined the Royal Navy as a boy and later joined the East India Company.
In 1767, Robert Clive appointed him as the first Surveyor General of Bengal. This was the beginning of the Survey of India, which was founded in 1767 and is India's oldest scientific department.
He carried out a detailed survey of Bengal, especially of the courses of the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers, often in difficult and dangerous conditions; he was seriously wounded in an attack during the survey.
His "Bengal Atlas" (1779) and "Map of Hindoostan" (1782) were the most accurate maps of the region at that time, and they were used by the British for administration and military purposes.
He also wrote "Memoir of a Map of Hindoostan" (1783), describing his methods.
After returning to England, he became an important figure in oceanography by studying ocean currents, and he is also called the "Father of Oceanography".
Later developments in the mapping of India:
William Lambton began the "Great Trigonometrical Survey" (GTS) of India in 1802 at Madras, to measure the subcontinent precisely using triangulation.
George Everest succeeded Lambton and became Surveyor General of India (1830-1843). The world's highest peak was named Mount Everest after him in 1865, on the recommendation of his successor Andrew Waugh.
Radhanath Sikdar, an Indian mathematician, calculated in 1852 that Peak XV (Everest) was the highest mountain in the world.
Colin Mackenzie became the first Surveyor General of India in 1815 and collected many historical manuscripts.
The Survey of India's headquarters is in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
Why not the other options?
- ✗George Everest was Surveyor General of India (1830-43).
- ✗William Lambton started the Great Trigonometrical Survey (1802).
- ✗Colin Mackenzie was the first Surveyor General of India (1815).
Quick tip
Remember: First accurate map of India = James Rennell ("Map of Hindoostan", 1782), first Surveyor General of Bengal (1767), "Father of Indian Geography"; Great Trigonometrical Survey = Lambton (1802).
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Firsts in India & World — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Firsts in India & World, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the first persons and events in India and the world: the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize, the first woman to hold major offices, the first to climb Everest or reach space, and India's first institutions, newspapers, railways and satellites. It also covers the largest, longest, highest and smallest records in India and the world. These are pure memory questions, so revise them as short lists by theme: first women, first in sports, first in science and space, and first in governance. Be careful with the exact wording, such as 'first Indian' versus 'first person of Indian origin', or 'first woman President' versus 'first woman Prime Minister', since options are often designed to exploit this. Practise the firsts in India and the world questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.