G. S. Gai [SEP] date of death
G. S. Gai
G. S. Gai (Govind Swamirao Gai) (3 March 1917 – 5 February 1995) was an Indian epigraphist, historical linguist, and historian, known for his expertise in early-medieval Kannada language inscriptions. From 1962 until 1976, Gai was the Chief Epigraphist for the Archaeological Survey of India.
Gai was awarded a Research Scholarship in 1939 at the Deccan College Post-Graduate Research Institute to investigate Kannada language inscriptions. The inscriptions had been the subject of earlier work by A. N. Narasimhia, whose
Gupta dynasty, and do not mention any date. However, following arguments can be made to date them to the 4th century, and to support the identification of the Ramagupta mentioned in these inscriptions as a Gupta emperor:
- According to epigraphist G. S. Gai, who edited the inscriptions, the inscriptions feature the so-called southern or western variety of the Gupta script: the alphabet clearly resembles the alphabet of the Eran inscription of Samudragupta (who must have been Ramagupta's predecessor) and the Sanchi inscription of Chandragupta II