Decoding the Enigma: A Million-Dollar Prize to Crack the Indus Script

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a $1 million prize to anyone who deciphers the Indus Valley script, a mystery for over a century. Honoring the discovery by Sir John Marshall, the initiative seeks to understand the script's Dravidian connections, highlighting ancient Tamil culture influences.

The enigma of the Indus Valley script, unsolved for over a century, now comes with a million-dollar incentive for its decipherers. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced the prize during an international conference commemorating a hundred years since Sir John Marshall's discovery of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Stalin emphasized that the Indus Valley Civilisation predates Aryan migrations and may have spoken a Dravidian language. He highlighted the Dravidian influence in the civilisation's symbols, such as the bull, and the similarities with Tamil cultural elements like ancient literature and architecture.

The initiative, organized by Tamil Nadu's Archaeology Department and the Indus Research Centre, aims to encourage global scholars to solve the Indus script puzzle. The state also announced funding for research chairs and annual awards to recognize tireless scholars exploring Tamil culture's antiquity.

(With inputs from agencies.)