Read the passage and answer the question :

"Perhaps the most unique features of the Harappan civilisation was the development of urban centres. They had citadel and the lower towns. One of the most distinctive features of Harapppan cities was the carefully planned drainage system. The roads intersected at right angles and were well planned."

Who was the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India in 1875 ?

Alexander Cunningham

The correct answer is Option (2) → Alexander Cunningham

Let us discuss each option in sequence:

Option 1- Ernest Mackey did not serve as the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India. He is associated with excavating Mohenjodaro.

OPTION 2- Alexander Cunningham served as the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India from 1871 to 1885.

Option 3- John Marshall served as the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India from 1902 to 1928.

Option 4- R.E.M. Wheeler served as the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India from 1944 to 1948.

Explanatory text from NCERT.

Although Harappa was the first site to be discovered, it was badly destroyed by brick robbers. As early as 1875, Alexander Cunningham, the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), often called the father of Indian archaeology, noted that the amount of brick taken from the ancient site was enough to lay bricks for “about 100 miles” of the railway line between Lahore and Multan. Thus, many of the ancient structures at the site were damaged. In contrast, Mohenjodaro was far better preserved