With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs:

1. Aurang: In-charge of treasury of the State

2. Banian: Indian agent of the East India Company

3. Mirasidar: Designated revenue payer to the State

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

The correct option is 2 and 3 only.

Let us analyze each of the given pairs to understand why they are correctly or incorrectly matched:
1. Aurang: An Aurang is a Persian term referring to a warehouse, a depot, or a place where goods are collected and stored before being sold, shipped, or exported. During the Mughal era and the British colonial period, aurangs served as manufacturing workshops and storage houses, especially for textiles. The officer in charge of the state treasury was typically known as the Khazanchi or treasurer. Therefore, Pair 1 is incorrectly matched.
2. Banian: A Banian (derived from the Sanskrit word Vanija, meaning merchant) was an Indian merchant, broker, or private agent who worked for European merchants and the East India Company. Banians acted as key intermediaries, managing local business transactions, accounting, and sourcing goods from local weavers and artisans. Therefore, Pair 2 is correctly matched.
3. Mirasidar: In Southern India, particularly under the colonial land revenue settlements, a Mirasidar was a hereditary landholder who held traditional ownership rights over land (known as Mirasi). The Mirasidars were the designated revenue payers responsible for paying land tax directly to the State. Therefore, Pair 3 is correctly matched.

Since only pairs 2 and 3 are correctly matched, the correct option is indeed 2 and 3 only.