International Conference on Deciphering the Harappan Script

An international conference, organized by the Union Ministry of Culture, will be held in New Delhi from September 11 to 13, focusing on attempts to decipher the Harappan script. The conference will witness participation from a diverse group of experts including archaeologists, a cancer specialist, an aerospace engineer, and a retired government official.

Conference Highlights

• Attendees:
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend on September 12.
  • Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be present on September 13.
• Organizer: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture. 
• Research Topics and Findings:
  • Different theories regarding the underlying language of the Harappan script: Sanskrit, Dravidian languages, tribal languages like Santali and Gondi.
  • Bahata Mukhopadhyay's research suggests it encodes information on ancient taxation and commerce.
  • Karuna Shankar Shukla's work links Indus seals to Rig Vedic mantras.
  • Prakash N Salame claims the script is primarily in the Gondi language.
  • Prabhunath Hembrom connects the script to Santali language, supported by Asko Parpola's work.

Challenges in Decipherment

Historian H P Ray emphasizes the complexities in deciphering the Harappan script, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary research and the challenges due to the script's vast geographical and temporal spread.

Political Implications

• Tamil Nadu Initiative: Chief Minister M K Stalin announced a $1 million award for deciphering the script, which could bolster the Dravidian movement if proven to be of Dravidian origin. 
• Sangh Parivar's Interest: The organization aims to debunk the Aryan migration theory and posits that the Harappan and Vedic people were the same. 

Conference Papers

• 20 papers will be presented, exploring various theories on the Harappan script's language.
• Key Papers:
  • Bryan K Wells on the proto-Dravidian nature of the script.
  • Puneet Gupta links Harappan script to Rigveda and Manu Smriti.
  • Shiv Shankar examines the script through the lens of Tribal Culture of Bastar.
  • Farrukh Naqvi's research claims the language is Sanskrit.