(a) Devaraya I.
The ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire who constructed a large dam across the Tungabhadra River and a canal-cum-aqueduct from the river to the capital city was (a) Devaraya I.
Explanation:
Devaraya I, also known as Devaraya II or Devaraja II, was a prominent ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire. He reigned from 1422 CE to 1446 CE. Devaraya I is credited with the construction of a significant dam across the Tungabhadra River, as well as a canal-cum-aqueduct that extended for several kilometers from the river to the capital city.
The credit for making the capital city of the Vijayanagara Empire one of the biggest cities in the 15th century goes to Deva Raya I. He realized that the scarcity of water supply, both for drinking and for irrigation, was restricting the growth of the royal capital. In c.1410 he had a barrage constructed across the Tungabhadra river and commissioned a 24 km long aqueduct from the Tungabhadra river to the capital.
Authenticative Reference Source:
The primary source for this information is the textbook "History: Themes in Indian History - Part III" published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The relevant chapter for this topic is "Kings and Chronicles: The Vijayanagara Empire." This textbook is widely used for the preparation of the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) examinations and is recommended by the Government of India.
Here is the link to the NCERT website where you can find the relevant textbook:
NCERT official website: https://ncert.nic.in/textbook.php?lehy4=0-15
