The correct answer is: a) British East India Company.
The Northern Circars were a group of 14 coastal districts in the Indian subcontinent that were under the control of the British East India Company from 1765 to 1947. The region was originally part of the Mughal Empire, but it was conquered by the Nizam of Hyderabad in the early 18th century. In 1765, the British East India Company defeated the Nizam in the Battle of Buxar and took control of the Northern Circars. The region remained under British control until India’s independence in 1947.
The other options are incorrect. The French East India Company was a trading company that was founded in 1664. The company operated in India from 1668 to 1793. The Dutch East India Company was a trading company that was founded in 1602. The company operated in India from 1602 to 1800. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in India in 1498. They established a number of trading posts along the Indian coast, but they never gained control of any significant territory.