In India , archaeology related activities had been started by Europeans

1. Eminent orientalist Sir William jones(1746-94 AD) founded the Asiatic society of Bengal in 1784 AD.
2. In the beginning the activities of the Asiatic society were limited to language and literature but soon the society had to take notice of archaeology. a large number of inscription were collected but there was a big problem. these inscription could not be deciphered because of ignorance of the script. this problem was solved by James Princep (1799-1840 AD) , a minister of Asiatic society and founding editor of the journal of the Asiatic society by decipherment of the Brahmi script in 1837 AD after strenuous labour of 7 years and after that he succeeded t decipher Ashokan inscription. he also deciphered Kharosthi script
3. George Turnour(1799-1842 AD) , an officer of Ceylon(Sri Lanka) civil service take forward the research work regarding Indian archaeology by the identification of Piyadassi ( Priyadarshi ) with Mauryan king Ashoka as mentioned in ancient Buddhist texts.
4. Sir alexander Cunninghum , a British army engineer deputed in Bengal was very helpful in explanation work of James Princep.
5.  Sir alexander Cunninghum (18611-54 AD) was appointed archaeology Surveyer at the archaeological survey of India , new Delhi ( founded in 1861 during the reign of governor general & viceroy lord canning) Cunninghum laid the foundation of the Indian archaeology by his intensive researches in the field of explorations and excavations.
6. study of past is called “History”.
7. The English word ‘history’ is derived from the Greek word Historia meaning research inquiry or investigation.
8. the Greek historian Herodotus(484 BC – 425 BC) was the first real historian of the world. he wrote only one book ‘the histories ‘(430 BC) . The histories describes the background and events of the Graeco-Persian/Greek-Iranian wars. it was the roman philosopher cicero(106 BC -43 BC) who first of all called Herodotus ‘the father of history’.
9. the German historian Leopold van Ranke (1795 – 1886 AD) is known as “father of modern history”. according to Ranke , the task of historian is to describe the past as it actually was.
10. Archaeological sources are categorized into three categories – 1) Inscriptions , coins & monuments. the study of inscriptions is known as epigraphy and the person who studies it as ‘Epigraphist’ . The study of coins is known as ‘Numismatics’ and the person who studies it known as ‘Numismatist’. The Numismatics society of india was founded in allahabad in 1910 AD.
    1.  Inscriptions :-
       •  inscriptions are the most important sources among archaeological sources. 
       • inscriptions are divided into two groups – foreign and indigenous.
         1. Foreign Inscriptions :-
            
            •  Boghazkoi  Inscription(1380 BC) :- Boghazkoi Inscription was discovered in 106 AD by the German archaeologist Hugo Winckler . This inscription was founded in the form of clay tablets from Boghazkoi the capital of ancient Hittites empire. this inscription contains the descripitons of an accord between Hittani & Mittani states and mentions four vedic deities – Indra , Mitra , Varun and Nasatya as guard-deities of accord. these gods are also mentions in the rig Veda. thus Baghazkoi inscripiton that Asia minor was original homeland of the Aryans. in other words it confirms the central Asian theory. it indicates the transition of Aryans from central Asia to India via Iran

 Behistun Inscription(520-18 BC) & Naqsh-i-Rustam inscription :-

• 1. • • • these two inscription are concerned with the reign of Persian/Iranian emperor Darius-I. these are found from Behistun & Naqsh-i-Rustam. according to Behistun Inscription , Darius-I annexed the Gadar and the Shatagu and after annexation he constitued this area in 20th strapi of his empire.this province was so fertile that from this province the empire received 360 talent gold dust as revenue. according to Naqsh-i-Rustam inscription Persian emperor Darius-I possessed the ‘ Hindu’ valley.
         •  Iranian Inscripition are written in Persian language and Cuneiform script. before 1837  AD , Iranian Inscription were deciphered by Henry Rawlinson and others
         • it is notable that among foreign inscription of India the earliest deciphered inscription are Iraninan inscription that is Behistun & Naqsh-i-Rustam inscription. of course among indigenous inscription, the earliest deciphered inscription are Ashokan inscriptions.
  2.  Indigenous inscription :-
     • some scholar believe that the tradition of inscription-inscribing in India had began before coming of Mauryan king Ashoka. they present two inscriptions as proof of their belief.
     • Piparahawa Buddhist urn/pot inscription (Siddhartha-Nagar district ,Uttar Pradesh ,5th – 4th century BC).
     • Barli inscription (Ajmer district , Rajasthan) , while some other scholars think that the inscription-inscribing in India began with Mauryan king Ashoka.
     • whatever be the matter , but it is fairly certain that the golden period of tradition of inscription-inscribing in India had began with the period of Mauryan king Ashoka.
     • among indigenous inscriptions of India the first deciphered inscription are Ashokan inscription which were deciphered in 1837 by James Princep , a civil servant in the employ of East India company in the Bengal.
•  Chhattisgarh is the highest producer of tin in India.
• The valley of Kashmir is located in between the Zaskar and Panjal range.
• Siachen glacier is located in Karakoram range.
• Jindhagada is the highest peak of the eastern ghats.
• Siachen is the largest glacier of India.
• Purulia is the mica producing district of west Bengal.
• Sankosh river divides West Bengal and assam.
• the confluence of Bhagirathi and Alakananda is located at Devprayag.
• largest wind farm of India is located in Tamil Nadu.
• in India , topographical map is published from the SOI