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[1] We present measurements of the mechanical strength of the lithosphere of the South Indian Peninsular Shield (SIPS). Values of Effective Elastic Thickness (Te) were obtained from azimuthally averaged coherence measurements g 2 (jkj) between Bouguer gravity and topography using a multitaper method (MTM) and a mirrored periodogram method (MPM). Values of Te from MTM (11 -16 km) are consistently lower than those from MPM (20-31 km) and are contained within the seismogenic thickness (Ts), substantiating earlier measurements in shield regions that have been tectonically inactive for a long time. The 2D coherence function g 2 (k) calculated with the MTM reveals little mechanical anisotropy in the SIPS. We conduct analyses of different provinces within the SIPS and show how the results correlate with maximum horizontal stress orientations (s Hmax ) and heat flow measurements. Local processes appear to influence the strength of the SIPS lithosphere more profoundly than processes occurring at the plate boundary.

Enhancement in computing power and better data availability have paved the way for deciphering the earth's deeper dynamics and have provided viable explanations for various surface phenomena. Tools such as seismic tomography, numerical modelling and geophysical observations such as stresses, gravity anomalies, heat flow, etc. have helped us in addressing the mechanisms of plate driving forces, anomalous geoid variations, cratonic stability, topographic support, intraplate earthquakes and similar outstanding issues in geodynamics. Due to lack of direct observations from deep earth, numerical modelling has aided considerably in learning about subsurface processes. With better algorithms being developed everyday, it is the right time to tap their potential to push the frontiers of human knowledge.