Which Mughal Emperor appointed the first separate Subahdar of Odisha, and in which year did Odisha become a separate Subah?

Answer & Explanation

Correct answer: (D) Jahangir, 1607

• Emperor Akbar appointed the first separate Subahdar (governor) of Odisha, making it a distinct Subah (province) of the Mughal Empire in 1593.
• Before this, Odisha was part of Bengal or administered along with other territories. The conquest of Odisha was completed by Akbar’s forces under Man Singh in 1592, and the following year (1593), Akbar formally established Odisha as a separate Subah with its own administration. This marked an important administrative reorganization that recognized Odisha’s distinct geographic, cultural, and economic identity within the Mughal empire.
• The creation of Odisha as a separate Subah allowed for more focused governance and better revenue collection from this strategically important coastal region.