Q. Match the following high-ranking officers of Shivaji’s Ashta Pradhan with their primary roles:
Official TitlePrimary Role
1. PeshwaChief Minister and head of the administration.
2. Surnavis / SachivIn charge of the Royal Correspondence, ensuring royal writs were drafted and dispatched.
3. Sar-i-Naubat / SenapatiThe chief justice and religious head, responsible for judicial and ceremonial functions.
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Answer: B
Notes:
Explanation:
- Pair 1: Correct. The Peshwa was the Mukhya Pradhan (Chief Minister), the foremost among the eight.
- Pair 2: Correct. The Surnavis (or Chitnis/Sachiv) was the Superintendent of Royal Correspondence, responsible for checking and drafting official letters and orders.
- Pair 3: Incorrect. Sar-i-Naubat or Senapati was the Commander-in-Chief of the forces. The official responsible for judicial and ceremonial functions was the Nyayadish (Chief Justice) or the Pandit Rao (Religious Head).
