Question

Which of the following statements regarding Colonel Colin Mackenzie are correct? Choose the correct option:
I.\hspace{0.3cm}The ruins of Hampi were brought to light in 1800 by him.
II.\hspace{0.3cm}He was an official of East India Company.
III.\hspace{0.3cm}He prepared the first survey maps of the site.
IV.\hspace{0.3cm}He received information of Vijayanagara empire from the Duarte Barbosa.

• A. I, II and III
• B. II, III and IV
• C. I, III and IV
• D. I, II and IV

Hint:

When asked about Colin Mackenzie, remember: 1800, East India Company, and first surveys of Hampi. Statements linking him to Portuguese sources are historically inaccurate.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Colonel Colin Mackenzie, a British army officer and surveyor for the East India Company, is recognized as the first Surveyor General of India.
Statement I is accurate: Mackenzie's 1800 visit to Hampi significantly brought its ruins to scholarly notice.
Statement II is accurate: He served as an East India Company official, conducting surveys for them.
Statement III is accurate: Mackenzie and his team produced the initial detailed survey maps and drawings of Hampi, significantly documenting its historical importance.
Statement IV is inaccurate: While Mackenzie gathered information from local scholars and inscriptions, there is no evidence he received information from Duarte Barbosa, a Portuguese traveler from an earlier era.
Therefore, the correct choice is Option (A).