The correct answer is: a) Dutch.
Pulicat was an important center of trade for the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, or VOC) from the 17th century to the 19th century. The VOC established a trading post in Pulicat in 1612, and the city became a major center for the export of cotton textiles, spices, and other goods. The Dutch also built a fort in Pulicat, which was used to protect their interests in the region.
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Pulicat, in 1502. They established a trading post there, but it was never as important as the Dutch trading post. The French also established a trading post in Pulicat in the 17th century, but it was abandoned after a few years.
The British arrived in Pulicat in the 17th century, but they did not establish a permanent presence there until the 18th century. They built a fort in Pulicat in 1750, but it was never as important as the Dutch fort. The British eventually took control of Pulicat from the Dutch in 1781, but it remained a relatively minor trading post for them.
Pulicat declined in importance as a center of trade in the 19th century, as other ports, such as Chennai, became more important. The Dutch abandoned their fort in Pulicat in 1825, and the British abandoned their fort in 1854. Pulicat is now a small town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.