Alexander Cunningham

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Sir Alexander Cunningham (23 January 1814–28 November 1893) was an English archaeologist and army engineer, known as the father of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Born in London to the Scottish poet Allan Cunningham, he joined the Bengal Engineers at the age of 19 and spent the next 28 years in the service of British Government of India. Soon after arriving in India, a meeting with James Prinsep sparked his lifelong interest in Indian archaeology and antiquity. Cunningham retired in 1861, having attained the rank of Major General.

The Archaeological Survey of India was set up following a correspondence between Cunningham and Charles John Canning, then the viceroy of India. Cunningham was appointed the first director of the project, which operated from 1861 to 1865. In 1865 the Archaeological Survey was halted. In the year 1867, Cunningham was knighted. Upon the resumption of the Archaeological Survey in 1870, he returned to the directorship, maintaining his post until 1885.

Cunningham died in London in 1893; today, his collection of rare Indian coins is displayed in the British Museum.

Cunningham was associated with the excavation of many sites in India, including Sarnath, Sanchi, and the Mahabodhi Temple.

The Mahabodhi Temple is located in Bodh Gaya, India. ^[1] The Mahabodhi Temple was almost completely destroyed by the invading muslim forces. ^[2] General Ikhtiar Uddin Muhammad Bin Bakhtiyar Khilji invaded Magadha and destroyed the great Buddhist shrines at Nalanda. ^[3] The Buddhism of Magadha suffered a tremendous decline under Khilji. ^[4]

Cunningham's work of restoring the Mahabodhi Temple was completed by the pioneer of Buddhist revival in India, Anagarika Dharmapala.

Books written by him include