INDIA, December 16, 2011 (Press Release): The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was founded in the December 1861 as a result of a series of antiquarian, artistic and architectural investigations since 1784, when the Asiatic Society was established under Sir William Jones. The necessity of an institution to survey and document, interpret and publish the data pertaining to India’s ancient past was thus felt as early as the 19th century. Sir Alexander Cunningham was the first Archaeological Surveyor of ASI, who carried out a monumental survey in the entire northern India. The ASI gradually grew as a pan-India organisation under Sir John Marshall, whose endeavors culminated in the promulgation of a separate act to protect and preserve our ancient past. His period also saw the discovery of Indus Valley Civilization, which pushed back our history to third millennium BC. The excavations at Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Taxila, Sarnath, Sanchi, etc., by Sir John Marshall are hallmarks of discovery and presentation of India’s past before the people.
The ASI expanded enormously post-independence. A novel approach of surveying the entire country was devised under the “Village-to-Village Survey of Antiquarian Remains” which enabled an extensive survey of remote corners of India. This resulted in the discovery of a large number of sites of different periods, starting from the prehistoric to medieval times. A monumental task of salvaging the archaeological remains in the Nagarjunakonda Valley was carried out successfully under the patronage of our first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
The ASI also expanded its activities in the protection, conservation, preservation and environmental upgrade of nationally protected monuments numbering 3,677 in a major way.
The major activities of the Archaeological Survey of India today are:
1. Survey of archaeological remains and excavations;
2. Maintenance and conservations of centrally protected monuments,
sites and remains
3. Chemical preservation of monuments and antiquarian remains;
4. Architectural survey of monuments;
5. Development of epigraphical research and numismatic studies;
6. Setting up and re-organization of site museums;
7. Expeditions abroad;
8. Training in Archaeology;
9. Publication of technical study reports and research works.