Chandragupta

In the wake of Alexander came the first centralized Indian state, the Maurya Empire, their founder known as Sandrocottus to the Greeks, Chandragupta Maurya to the Indians.

The support shown by Chandragupta’s grandson, Ashoka, of Buddhism in the third century B.C. had an electrifying effect on the fortunes of the new religion, not unlike that of Constantine’s conversion to Christianity.

Chandragupta’s defeat of Alexander’s successors in northwest India and modern Afghanistan established the northwest frontier of his Mauryan Empire; how Alexander himself, had he lived, would have dealt with this challenge is one of ancient history’s great what-if’s.

"We have to protest, we can't be silent anymore because of this threat to our democracy," university lecturer Chandragupta Thenuwara said.

The dynasty was founded by Chandragupta I., who must not be confounded with his famous predecessor Chandragupta Maurya.