The correct answer is option 1, Amalananda Ghosh. He was the first archaeologist to identify similarities between a pre-Harappan culture and the mature Harappan culture. This is an important discovery in the field of archaeology and understanding the development and progression of ancient civilizations.
Option 2, Rakhaldas Banerji, was a notable archaeologist and made several significant contributions to the field, but he is not specifically known for identifying similarities between the pre-Harappan and mature Harappan cultures.
Option 3, Daya Ram Sahni, was also an archaeologist who made important contributions to the study of ancient civilizations, but he is not credited with identifying the similarities between the pre-Harappan and mature Harappan cultures.
Option 4, Sir John Marshall, was a renowned archaeologist and the Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India. While he played a significant role in the excavation and study of the Harappa civilization, he is not the first archaeologist to identify the similarities between the pre-Harappan and mature Harappan cultures.