Indian Cartography: A Historical Perspective

The Arthashastra, written by Kautilya in the 4th century BCE, contains references to the preparation of maps for military and administrative purposes.

Brahmagupta, an Indian mathematician and astronomer of the 6th century CE, introduced the concept of latitude and longitude in his work, the Brāhmasphuṭasiddhānta.

Akbar, the Mughal emperor, commissioned the creation of the Ain-i-Akbari, which included detailed descriptions and maps of the Mughal Empire.

William Lambton was the first Surveyor General of India, appointed in 1808.

George Everest, a British officer and surveyor, is known as the 'Father of Indian Cartography' for his contributions to the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India.

The Great Trigonometrical Survey of India had multiple objectives, including mapping the entire Indian subcontinent, determining the height of Mount Everest, and establishing a network of triangulation stations.

Bhaskara II, an Indian mathematician and astronomer of the 12th century CE, developed a method for constructing maps based on spherical trigonometry.

The first modern atlas of India published by the Survey of India was titled 'Atlas of India'.

Abu'l Fazl, a prominent Indian cartographer, is known for his work on the 'Atlas of the Mughal Empire', which was part of the Ain-i-Akbari.

S. K. S. Iyengar was the first Indian to become the Surveyor General of India, appointed in 1947.

S. P. Chatterjee, an Indian cartographer, is known for his work on the 'National Atlas of India', published in 1957.

The Survey of India is the organization responsible for the production of maps and geospatial data in India.

N. K. Seth, an Indian cartographer, is known for his work on the 'District Atlas of India', published in 1976.

The latest edition of the 'National Atlas of India' was published in 2020.

R. P. Misra, an Indian cartographer, is known for his work on the 'Atlas of the Indian Ocean', published in 1982.