Who of the following had first deciphered the edicts of Emperor Ashoka?

1. A

   Georg Buhler

   Georg Bühler. He edited inscriptions and Prakrit texts later in the nineteenth century; he did not first crack Ashokan Brahmi. This letter is not the key.

2. B

   James Prinsep

   James Prinsep. In 1837 Prinsep deciphered Brahmi (and related Kharoshthi work) and showed that ‘Devanampiya Piyadasi’ was Ashoka. That stored letter is the official key.

3. C

   Max Muller

   Max Müller. He was a Sanskritist and editor of the Sacred Books of the East, not the first reader of Ashokan edicts. This letter is not the key.

4. D

   William Jones

   William Jones. He founded the Asiatic Society and identified Sandrocottus with Chandragupta, but he did not decipher Ashoka’s edicts. This letter is not the key.

Summary. Official key is (b) James Prinsep. Prinsep’s 1837 Brahmi decipherment opened Ashoka’s edicts. Bühler, Müller and Jones are other Indological names, not that first key. Honour the stored letter (b).