Step 1: Understand the Question:
The objective is to identify the individual credited with the initial decipherment of India's two primary ancient scripts: Brahmi and Kharosthi. This accomplishment marked a pivotal moment in the study of early Indian history.
Step 2: Analyze the Options:
(1) James Prinsep: An English scholar and antiquarian employed by the British East India Company's mint in Calcutta. Through dedicated effort in the 1830s, he succeeded in deciphering the Brahmi script, with his findings published by 1838. This breakthrough enabled the reading of Emperor Ashoka's edicts, profoundly advancing the understanding of the Mauryan era. He also made considerable progress with the Kharosthi script.
(2) Alexander Cunningham: A protégé of Prinsep and the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India. While an accomplished archaeologist, he was not the decipherer of these scripts.
(3) D.C. Sircar: A prominent 20th-century Indian epigraphist and historian.
(4) R.E.M. Wheeler: A British archaeologist, also a former Director-General of the ASI, known for his systematic excavation methods, particularly at Harappan sites.
Step 3: Conclusion:
James Prinsep is recognized as the scholar who deciphered both the Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts.