In the Nilgiri Hills of southern India, which peak is recognised as the highest point in this hill range?

Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on Indian physical geography and tests your familiarity with important peaks in different hill ranges. The Nilgiri Hills form a prominent part of the southern Western Ghats, and knowing their highest peak is a standard fact for school level geography as well as many competitive exams that cover the geography of India.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The hill range mentioned is the Nilgiri Hills in southern India.
• The task is to identify the highest point in the Nilgiri range.
• Options include Kalsubai, Salher, Doddabetta, Pushpagiri and Anamudi.
• No additional numerical elevation values are given, so the answer is based on standard factual knowledge.

Concept / Approach:
To solve this, you should connect each peak with its correct location. Doddabetta is a well known peak located near Ooty in Tamil Nadu and is widely cited as the highest point of the Nilgiri Hills. Kalsubai and Salher are significant peaks in the Western Ghats and the Satmala range of Maharashtra. Pushpagiri is in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, and Anamudi is in Kerala and is the highest peak in South India as a whole, but it belongs to the Anaimalai range rather than the Nilgiris.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Nilgiri Hills lie at the junction of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. Step 2: Remember that Doddabetta is located close to Ooty and is described in textbooks as the highest peak of the Nilgiris. Step 3: Match other options with their correct ranges, such as Kalsubai with Maharashtra and Anamudi with the Anaimalai region in Kerala. Step 4: Eliminate all peaks that belong to other hill systems. Step 5: Select Doddabetta as the only peak that is explicitly the highest point of the Nilgiri Hills.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by consulting an Indian atlas, a school geography textbook or reliable online references. Doddabetta is often marked along with its height and labelled as the highest peak of the Nilgiri range. Tourism information for Ooty and Nilgiris also highlights Doddabetta as a major viewpoint and highest summit in the local hills, which confirms the fact used in this question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Kalsubai is the highest peak of Maharashtra but lies in the Sahyadri range, not in the Nilgiris. Salher is another important peak in the Satmala range of Maharashtra and again is not in the Nilgiri Hills. Pushpagiri is an important peak in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, famous for trekking, but it is not part of the Nilgiri range. Anamudi is the highest peak in South India and is located in Kerala, yet it belongs to a different hill system and so cannot be the highest point of the Nilgiris.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse Anamudi and Doddabetta because both are high peaks in South India and both are frequently mentioned in geography questions. Another pitfall is to focus only on the height of a peak without checking which hill system it belongs to. Always remember that Anamudi is the highest in South India overall, whereas Doddabetta is specifically the highest in the Nilgiri Hills.

Final Answer:
Doddabetta