Tamil Nadu CM Announces $1 Million Prize for Deciphering Indus Valley Script

In a significant announcement marking the centenary of the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilisation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has pledged a $1 million prize for experts or organizations that succeed in deciphering the mysterious Indus Valley script. Speaking at a three-day International Conference in Chennai, the Chief Minister highlighted the importance of unraveling this ancient script and reaffirmed Tamil Nadu’s commitment to supporting research and archaeological endeavors.

Key Highlights

$1 Million Prize Announcement

• Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a $1 million reward for those who can successfully decipher the Indus Valley script, which remains undeciphered even after a century of its discovery.

Significance of Indus Valley Civilization

• The Indus Valley Civilisation, discovered by Sir John Marshall, is a turning point in historical studies, challenging previous notions about the origins of Indian civilisation.
• Stalin emphasized that the Indus Valley Civilisation predated the Aryan Civilisation, with its language possibly being Dravidian.

Iravatham Mahadevan Chair and Grant

• The Tamil Nadu government will establish a ₹2-crore endowed chair in the name of Iravatham Mahadevan, a noted archaeologist and epigraphist, to further Indus script research.
• Research will be conducted collaboratively by the State Department of Archaeology and the Indus Research Centre at the Roja Muthiah Library in Chennai.

Institutions of Awards For Numismatists and Epigraphits

• Two awards will be created to honor experts in numismatics and epigraphy, highlighting their contributions to Tamil culture.

Graffiti and Indus Seal Parellels

• Over 60% of Tamil Nadu’s graffiti marks have parallels with Indus seals.
• Archaeologists have found that more than 90% of South Indian graffiti resembles Indus Valley symbols.

Cultural Continuity

• The presence of bulls in Indus Valley symbols aligns with Tamil Nadu’s bull-taming tradition, as seen in jallikattu.
• Ancient Tamil literature references similar practices, demonstrating a cultural link between the Indus Valley and Tamil Nadu.

Tribute to Sir John Marshall

• Stalin laid the foundation stone for a statue of Sir John Marshall, honoring his pivotal role in uncovering the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Government Leadership

• Stalin praised the contributions of Minister for Finance and Archaeology Thangam Thennarasu and Finance Secretary T. Udayachandran for their expertise in the field.