Indian Palaeography c4.5

c4.5

Finally, it is my pleasant duty to thank all those who have helped me in one way or the other in the writing of this book. I am much beholden to all my predecessors in the field whose works I have consulted with great profit, and it is on their foundation that I have built up the present edifice. I am indebted to the authorities of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, who were good enough to offer me a research associateship, financed by the Rockefeller Foundation, which enabled me to work in London and complete this book. To Professor A. L. Basham I can hardly repay my debt. He not only suggested to me that I should undertake this work but encouraged me throughout by his friendly advice and criticism. He found time to read through the manuscript line by line with me and suggest many corrections, and finally agreed to write the foreword. I am obliged to him that he has allowed me to include his name on the dedication page. It is most tragic that, just when the text had been retyped, I heard the sad news of the death of my revered teacher, Professor A. S. Altekar, who was mainly responsible for creating in me an interest in Indological studies. It is from him that I first learned Indian palaeography, when I was a student in Banaras Hindu University. I am also obliged to Mr. A. H. Christie, who not only helped me in preparing the bibliography for South-east Asia, but also managed to obtain for me a further grant to prolong my stay in London and work on the palaeography of this region. Besides these, I had the benefit of consulting a number of persons at the School of Oriental and African Studies, who ungrudgingly spared time to solve my difficulties. Among these I must mention my old teacher, Professor K. de B. Codrington, who went through my chapter on the Aśokan Brāhmī; Professor J. Brough, with whom I discussed the problem of the origin of the script; Professor C. J. Gadd, with whom I talked on the Indus Script; Dr. F. R. Allchin, who went through most of the chapters and favoured me with his criticism; Mr. Douglas Barrett, who read through my chapter on the Provincial Brāhmī; Dr. C. S. Upasak, whom I consulted on the Aśokan Brāhmī; and Dr. David Diringer, who was good enough to show me his collection on the alphabets. I am also obliged to the staff of the library at the School of Oriental and African Studies and the librarian, Royal Asiatic Society, London, for all the help that they kindly gave. In conclusion, I must record the name of Professor C. H. Philips, Director of the School of Oriental and African Studies, who not only obtained leave for me from the University of Dacca, but also took a keen interest in my work during my stay in London.