Which was the first State to be merged under Dalhousie's "Doctrine of lapse"?

The correct answer is (D) Satara.

• Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General of India (1848–1856), implemented the 'Doctrine of Lapse' as a policy to expand British dominion. Under this policy, any princely state under the suzerainty of the British, which had no legitimate male heir, would be annexed by the British East India Company. Satara was the first state annexed under this doctrine in 1848.
• The policy aimed to consolidate British control over Indian territories by rejecting the traditional Hindu right of adoption. Following the annexation of Satara, the policy was applied to several other states, significantly altering the political map of 19th-century India and contributing to the grievances leading to the 1857 Revolt.
• Option breakdown: (A) Jaitpur was annexed in 1849; (B) Sambhalpur was annexed in 1849; (C) Jhansi was annexed in 1853. Satara remains the earliest historical instance of this policy's implementation in 1848.