ASI’s epigraphy wing copies 1,000 inscriptions for first time in 2024-25

Vijayawada: The Archaeological Survey of India’s epigraphy branch has copied 1,000 inscriptions from different parts of the country in the current financial year 2024-25 for preservation.

The ASI authorities say that for the first time in the last six decades’ of works across the country, they could achieve a major task of copying 1,000 inscriptions. They say that their teams are still engaged in copying inscriptions at present in Perungani and Allur in Tiruchirappalli district in Tamil Nadu and also in Vishwanagar and Hathras in Aligarh district in Uttar Pradesh.

After finding inscriptions engraved on temple walls and stones in Perungani and Allur in Tiruchirappalli district in Tamil Nadu, the ASI officials did estampage to get their exact replicas to preserve them.

The authorities will decipher all these 1,000 inscriptions and publish an annual report on Indian Epigraphy 2024-24 and this report will be having details of the place of finding or deposit of such inscriptions, dynasty, king, date, language and alphabet and other details. The report will also mention details about the copper plates found, inscriptions found in multiple languages and scripts and also photographs.

ASI (epigraphy) director K. Munirathnam Reddy said, “For the first time we are able to copy 1,000 inscriptions in a year and it reflects our team work. We are carrying out more awareness among the people on the importance of preservation of inscriptions and this is also helping us to come up with new findings in several parts of the country.”