The correct answer is 1639. Explanation & Key Takeaways: • The town of Madrasapatnam, which later evolved into modern-day Chennai, was purchased by the East India Company (EIC) in the year 1639. • The purchase was facilitated by Francis Day, who was an agent of the East India Company, and the land was acquired from the local Nayak rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire. • The land was acquired to establish a trading post and fortification, which eventually became known as Fort St. George. • Fort St. George, established in 1644, became the first major English settlement in India and played a pivotal role in the expansion of British influence in the region. • Chennai, originally Madrasapatnam, grew around Fort St. George and became a significant administrative and commercial hub for the British in southern India. Related Concepts: • 1690 • In 1690, Job Charnock of the East India Company established a settlement in Bengal, which eventually developed into the city of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). • It marked the beginning of British influence in the Bengal region and the establishment of another major administrative hub of the British Empire in India. • 1620 • In 1620, the British East India Company set up a factory at Masulipatnam (Machilipatnam) on the Coromandel Coast, which was one of their earliest trading posts in India. • Masulipatnam played a critical role in the early trade of textiles and spices between India and Europe. • 1658 • 1658 marks the period during which the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb seized the throne after defeating his brothers in the war of succession. • This year is significant in Indian history for the beginning of Aurangzeb's reign, which marked the expansion of the Mughal Empire to its largest territorial extent.