Who was the founder of the Mauryan Empire?

Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the Mauryan Empire. He established the empire around 322 BCE by overthrowing the Nanda Dynasty and then expanded his dominion across much of the Indian subcontinent, laying the groundwork for one of ancient India's largest and most powerful empires.

• Bindusara was Chandragupta's son and successor, who further expanded the empire.
• Ashoka was Bindusara's son and Chandragupta's grandson, renowned as the most famous Mauryan emperor for his embrace and spread of Buddhism, but he was not the founder.
• Bimbisara was a king of the Haryanka dynasty, which preceded the Mauryan Empire.