<h4>Recent Catalyst: Tamil Nadu's Initiative</h4><p>The <strong>Tamil Nadu Chief Minister</strong> recently announced a significant prize, reigniting global interest in the <strong>Indus Valley Script</strong>. This initiative highlights the ongoing quest to understand one of ancient India's greatest mysteries.</p><div class='info-box'><p>A substantial prize of <strong>USD 1 million</strong> has been offered to anyone who can successfully decipher the <strong>Harappan (Indus Valley) script</strong>. This announcement aims to galvanize scholarly efforts worldwide.</p></div><h4>The Enduring Mystery of the Harappan Script</h4><p>The <strong>Harappan script</strong>, belonging to the <strong>Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC)</strong>, has remained an enigma for over a century. Despite numerous attempts, its meaning continues to elude scholars and linguists.</p><div class='key-point-box'><p>Over <strong>100 attempts</strong> by various scholars to decode the <strong>Indus Valley Script</strong> have been unsuccessful. This underscores the complexity and unique challenges associated with its decipherment.</p></div><h4>Understanding Decipherment</h4><p><strong>Deciphering</strong> is a specialized process involving the translation of unknown symbols or scripts into a readable and understandable language. It often requires bilingual texts or extensive linguistic analysis.</p><div class='info-box'><p><strong>Definition of Deciphering:</strong> The act of translating unknown symbols, codes, or scripts into a known, readable language, thereby revealing their original meaning.</p></div><div class='exam-tip-box'><p>For UPSC, understanding the <strong>challenges in deciphering the IVC script</strong> (e.g., lack of bilingual texts, short inscriptions, unknown language family) is crucial for Mains answers in <strong>Ancient History</strong>.</p></div>