R. Shamasastry was a Sanskrit scholar and librarian at the Oriental Research Institute, Mysore. In 1905, he came across a palm leaf manuscript that was donated by a pandit from Tanjore.​

 It was a work on statecraft, military strategy and economic policy and the title of it meant ‘The science of Politics’.​

What did he re-discover and publish?​

This is the oldest known writing system in ancient India.​

It is said to have been named after the creator according to the Hindu traditions, as it was this that gave birth to all the other modern scripts.​

What are we talking about?​

It is said that the father of this Mauryan King used to take small amounts of poison along with his food to strengthen his immunity.​

One day by accident the queen happened to consume the food and as she was about to die, she gave birth to the kid and it is said that a drop of poison had reached the kid and touched its head.​

Hence his name meant ‘the strength of the drop’.​

Who are we talking about? ​

The earliest type of coins used in Ancient India were named so because of its manufacturing technique.​

Mostly made of silver, these coins had symbols of the sovereign forcefully stamped onto it, which gave it a particular name.​

What are they called?