The Mauryan Empire, founded by Chandragupta Maurya around 321 BCE with Kautilya's guidance, established India's first centralized, pan-subcontinental administration. The king held supreme power, aided by a Council of Ministers and specialized officials like the Samaharta (revenue) and Senapati (military), backed by an extensive espionage network. The empire was divided into provinces, districts, and villages, managed respectively by officials such as the Kumara, Rajuka, and Gramika—reflecting a hierarchical yet centralized system. Megasthenes' accounts reveal a sophisticated municipal administration in Pataliputra, with committees overseeing trade, crafts, and taxation, alongside a six-board war office managing infantry, cavalry, and elephants. Revenue came primarily from land tax, while justice was administered through civil and criminal courts. Under Ashoka, administration gained a welfare dimension through Dhamma Mahamatras and public edicts promoting moral governance. This blend of centralized control, economic management, and welfare-oriented reform makes Mauryan administration a foundational topic for understanding ancient Indian statecraft.