Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced a $1 million prize for anyone who successfully deciphers the long-unsolved Indus Valley script, which has remained a mystery for over a century.
Speaking at the inauguration of a three-day international conference in Chennai, marking the centenary of Sir John Marshall’s 1924 announcement of the Indus Valley Civilisation’s discovery, Stalin highlighted how this event reshaped the understanding of India’s ancient past. He remarked that before the discovery, some had claimed that Aryan and Sanskrit cultures were the roots of India, but Marshall’s work proved otherwise, altering the historical narrative. Stalin emphasized that Marshall’s assertion that the Indus Valley civilisation predated Aryan culture, and that its language might have been Dravidian, has gained increasing support today.
The Chief Minister also discussed the cultural significance of the Indus Valley, linking its symbols to Tamil culture. He pointed out the prominence of bulls, a symbol of Dravidian culture, in the civilisation, an emblem that has continued in Tamil culture through history, particularly evident in practices such as the traditional bull-taming sport in Alanganallur, Madurai. Stalin noted the absence of horse symbols in the Indus Valley, contrasting this with the presence of mother goddess worship and large urban settlements in the civilisation—elements that are also found in Tamil Nadu’s Keezhadi archaeological site, further reinforcing the connection between the Indus people and Tamil ancestors.
Despite over a century of research, the writing system of the Indus Valley remains one of the greatest unsolved puzzles of archaeology. To foster continued efforts to crack this code, CM Stalin announced the $1 million reward for anyone or any group that successfully decodes the script in a way that is accepted by the global archaeological community.
Additionally, Stalin unveiled plans to fund a ₹2 crore grant to establish a research chair named after the renowned scholar Iravatham Mahadevan. This chair will support the Roja Muthiah Research Library’s Indus Research Centre in collaboration with the state archaeology department, advancing studies on Indus culture.
In his address, Stalin also announced the introduction of annual awards for scholars, including archaeologists, epigraphists, and numismatists, who contribute to uncovering Tamil culture’s ancient roots.
The Indus Valley Civilisation, one of the world’s earliest urban cultures, continues to be a subject of intense academic interest, with its unique script and eventual decline still posing critical questions about its people and their legacy.
