Consider the following statements about the arrival of tobacco in India : 1. Tobacco plant arrived first in the Deccan. 2. Tobacco spread to northern India in the early years of the seventeenth century. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Tobacco was introduced to India by the Portuguese in the late 16th century. It first arrived in the Deccan region, where the Portuguese had established their initial trade settlements and colonies like Goa. Therefore, Statement 1 is correct.

From the Deccan, the plant spread to Northern India during the early 17th century. Historical records indicate that tobacco reached the Mughal Emperor Akbar's court around 1604-1605, brought by pilgrims and traders from the Bijapur region. Its use became so widespread and addictive in a short span that Akbar's successor, Jahangir, issued a decree in 1617 to prohibit its consumption, though the ban was largely ineffective. Thus, Statement 2 is also correct.