Indian Epigraphy c18.4

c18.4

These views are, we are afraid, based entirely on misunderstanding. In the first place, the knowledge of epigraphy and palaeography has to be acquired by an intensive study of numerous published inscriptions. A few inscriptions received from the Epigraphical Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India are not enough to make one an epigraphist. Secondly, the practice of sending impressions of inscriptions to students and scholars in India and abroad has certainly not been discontinued. The Editor of the *Epigraphia Indica*, referred to by Sankalia, is known to have sent out many records to people in India and outside. But very few of them succeeded in completing their papers and submitting them for publication. Most of these scholars failed to submit their articles even after continuous goading for years. The few articles that were received were published in the *Epigraphia Indica* after revision. The Editor is also known to have encouraged many persons by making them joint authors of articles written by himself.¹