ASI to host three-day international conclave in August on decoding Indus Valley script

ASI to host international conference on deciphering Indus Valley script, with focus on research and potential future studies.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will host a three-day international brainstorming conference in August on ways to decipher the Indus Valley script.

Invitations to the international conclave on ‘Decipherment of the Indus Script: Current Status and the Way Forward’, to be held from August 20 to 22 at the Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay Institute of Archaeology, Greater Noida, have been sent out to experts working on the Harappan civilisation and culture both in India and abroad.

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The ASI move comes months after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a $1 million prize for experts or organisations that succeed in deciphering the scripts of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Sources in the ASI told The Hindu said there are also plans to announce a fellowship for research scholars who are interested in working dedicatedly towards deciphering the Indus script.

The sources said the seminar will take place mainly through presentations, both offline and online. Thematic sessions shall be designed based on the current stage of research in this field. Discussions shall follow presentations at the end of each session.

It is expected that the papers will be submitted prior to the date of the seminar. Anticipated results will include, but not be restricted to, a better understanding and documentation of the current state of research in this field, and the potential for further research.