In India who issued the first coins bearing the names and images of rulers?

Indo Greeks

In the second century BCE, the Indo-Greeks gained control over the north-western part of the subcontinent and introduced the first coins bearing the names and images of rulers.

During the first century CE, the Kushanas emerged as significant issuers of gold coins, which were remarkably similar in weight to those issued by contemporary Roman emperors and the Parthian rulers of Iran. These Kushan gold coins have been discovered at multiple sites in north India and Central Asia, emphasizing the extensive trade and economic exchanges taking place during that period. Additionally, archaeological excavations in south India have revealed hoards of Roman coins, indicating strong trade connections that transcended political boundaries. Despite South India not being part of the Roman Empire, the presence of Roman coins demonstrates the widespread and interconnected networks of trade that operated in ancient times.