People

Meet our team of archaeologists, scholars and researchers from diverse backgrounds contributing to every aspect of the Centre’s activities.

Faculty

V.N. Prabhakar

Associate Professor, Department of Earth Sciences and Humanities and Social Science
Coordinator, Archaeological Sciences Centre

Research interests: Archaeology of protohistorical India; Harappan archaeology; Scientific techniques applied to archaeology

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Sharada C.V.

Assistant Professor, Department of Earth Sciences and Humanities and Social Science
Co-coordinator, Archaeological Sciences Centre

Research interests: Environmental archaeology; archaeozoology; experimental taphonomy

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Michel Danino
Visiting Professor

Research interests: Ancient Indian civilization, history and cultural heritage; history of science; Indian knowledge systems

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Guest Faculty

R.S. Bisht
Guest Professor

Research interests: Archaeology of protohistorical and early historical India; Harappan archaeology

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P.P. Joglekar
Guest Professor

Research interests: History of Science and Technology, Archaeological Science, Humans, Plants and Animal interactions in the past, Biomolecular Archaeology, Science and Society

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K. Krishnan
Guest Professor

Research interests: Ceramic Petrology, Ancient Technology, Harappan Civilization, Archaeological Sciences, Environmental Archaeology, Indian Prehistory, South Asian Urbanism, Cultural Heritage Management, Intangible Histories

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Affiliated Faculty

S.P. Mehrotra

Visiting Professor
Materials Science & Engineering

Amit Prashant

Professor
Civil Engineering

Vikrant Jain

Professor
Earth Sciences

Vimal Mishra

Associate Professor
Civil Engineering

Shanmuganathan Raman

Associate Professor
Computer Science and Engineering

Sriharitha Rowthu

Assistant Professor
Materials Engineering

Pankaj Khanna

Assistant Professor
Earth Sciences
Visiting Scholars

Jonathan Mark Kenoyer

Professor in Anthropology specializing in Harappan archaeology and ancient technology ... Read More

Jonathan Mark Kenoyer, professor in Anthropology, has been teaching archaeology and ancient technology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, U.S.A., since 1985. He has been a leading expert and author on Harappan archaeology, working on excavations (especially at Harappa) and ethnoarchaeological studies in both Pakistan and India; he also has a special interest in ancient technologies and crafts. During his stay at IIT Gandhinagar in December 2015–January 2016, Prof. Kenoyer delivered the first lecture of Indira Foundation Distinguished Lecture Series, a series of six lectures on archaeology, and conducted activities in experimental archaeology. Prof. Kenoyer paid a briefer visit to IIT Gandhinagar in January 2019 to take part in a conference and, with the assistance of Prof. Massimo Vidale, conducted fresh experiments for the benefit of delegates and students.

Laure Dussubieux

Chemist specializing in applications of elemental analysis to archaeology at The Field Museum ... Read More

Laure Dussubieux, chemist specializing in applications of elemental analysis to archaeology at The Field Museum, Chicago, USA, and Thomas R. Fenn, archaeologist specializing in applications of scientific methods and techniques to archaeological and anthropological questions at the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma, USA. Dr Dussubieux and Dr Fenn conducted together at IIT Gandhinagar a training workshop (July 2018) and a short course (July 2019) on “Elemental Analysis with ICP-MS and Isotopic Analyses with MC-ICP-MS and TIMS”.

Thomas R. Fenn

Archaeologist specializing in applications of scientific methods and techniques to archaeological ... Read More

Thomas R. Fenn, archaeologist specializing in applications of scientific methods and techniques to archaeological and anthropological questions at the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma, USA. Dr Fenn and Dr Dussubieux conducted together at IIT Gandhinagar a training workshop (July 2018) and a short course (July 2019) on “Elemental Analysis with ICP-MS and Isotopic Analyses with MC-ICP-MS and TIMS”.

Yann-Pierre Montelle

Speleoarchaeologist specializing in the human use of caves in prehistory, and in human evolution ... Read More

Yann-Pierre Montelle, speleoarchaeologist specializing in the human use of caves in prehistory; has taught human evolution, material culture, archaeology, and Shamanism at Canterbury University, New Zealand. On 20–29 January 2020, Dr Montelle conducted at IIT Gandhinagar a short course, “Of Mosaic, Hybrids, and Braids Seminar on Human Evolution”.

Claire Smith

Anthropological archaeologist specializing in ethnoarchaeology and indigenous archaeology ... Read More

Claire Smith, anthropological archaeologist specializing in culturally informed, sustainable development in Indigenous communities, indigenous archaeology, ethnoarchaeology, archaeological theory, rock art, gender, ethics, and socially mediated terrorism at Flinders University, Australia. In January–February 2020; Prof. Smith conducted at IIT Gandhinagar a half-semester course on “Indigenous Archaeology and Digital Repatriation”.
Senior Research Staff
Current Postdoctoral Fellows

Manisha Kesarwani

Manisha Kesarwani

Manisha did her PhD from IIT-ISM Dhanbad in the department of Applied Geology. She did her masters in Applied Geology from University of Allahabad. Her expertise is in isotope geochemistry and its various applications. She worked on deciphering the various sources of orogenic gold deposits present in Eastern Dharwar Carton using isotopic (carbon, oxygen and strontium) and geochemical analysis. Presently she is involved as a PDF at Archaeological Science Centre, IITGN working on isotopic fingerprinting of animal remains to address various archaeological questions like dietary reconstruction, paleo-climatic information and ancient migrations.

Aparna Kulkarni

Aparna Kulkarni

Research interests: Environmental Archaeology (Bio-archaeology & Geo-archaeology), Theory and Research Methods in Archaeology, South Asian Proto-History, Harappan Archaeology, Ethno-archaeology, Quaternary studies, Beads Study. She joined the Archaeological Sciences Centre as a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Ceramic Petrology in the project entitled “Multifaceted Analysis of Archaeological Ceramics, Bead and Shell Remains and External Trade Relations from the Historic City of Vadnagar, Gujarat”. She was awarded the PhD in Archaeology on the topic “Harappan Painted Pottery Motifs: A Study of Aesthetics, Elements of Design and Textile Tradition” from the Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune in March 2019. She had also received a Junior Research Fellowship from (Indian Council for Historical Research) for Doctoral research.
Past Postdoctoral Fellows

✯ Dr Ekta Gupta, Remote sensing and GIS, October 2021 to March 2024.

✯ Dr Ravi Kant Prasad, Petrography, Geochemical and Isotopic Analysis.

✯ Dr Suken Shah, Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology

✯ Dr Rongsenzulu Jamir, Indigenous Cultural Heritage as a Facilitator for the Sustainable Development Goals, October 2021 to January 2022

✯ Dr Siddharth S. Rai, archaeometallurgical investigations into Dholavira copper/bronze artefacts, June 2014 to August 2015

✯ Dr Sandhya Misra, archaeobotanical investigations into several Harappan sites, May 2014 to October 2015

✯ Dr Vinod V., typology and petrology of Dholavira ceramics, June 2014 to June 2017

✯ Dr Ruman Banerjee, investigations into Dholavira chert materials, November 2016 to October 2019

✯ Dr Oishi Roy, reconstructing the metallurgical techniques of the Early Iron Age Society of Vidarbha, May 2018 to March 2020

✯ Dr Tosabanta Padhan, Indigenous Cultural Heritage as a Facilitator for the Sustainable Development Goals , November 2020 to July 2021.

✯ Dr Rongsenzulu Jamir, Indigenous Cultural Heritage as a Facilitator for the Sustainable Development Goals, October 2021 to January 2022.
PhD Scholars

Ahana Ghosh

Archaeological sciences; Harappan archaeology; Field archaeology; Geoarchaeology; Experimental archaeology; Ethnoarchaeology.

Haritha Kadapa

Remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS); Heritage conservation; Harappan archaeology

Poorva Salvi

Digital Iconometry; Indology; Iconography; Art History; Ancient Indian Architecture

Saurabh Mishra

Field Archaeology; Archaeological Sciences; Environmental Archaeology; Archaeozoology; Indology

Ungka Padi

Megaliths; Ethnoarchaeology; Field Archaeology; Archaeomalacology

Sreelakshmi KS

Culinary archaeology, Archaeotourism, Museology, Prehistoric archaeology, and Environmental archaeology

Arefa Chimthanawala

Archaeozoology, Field Archaeology, Experimental Archaeology, Prehistory

Angad Lamba

Field archaeology, Archaeozoology, Harappan Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Bioanthropology

Manjari Sharma

Ceramic Petrology, Prehistoric and Proto-historic studies, Harappan Archaeology, Heritage Studies, Field Archaeology

Bhavani J

Cognitive Archaeology; Field Archaeology; Neolithic; Neo-Chalcolithic; Iron Age; Environmental Archaeology; Geomorphology; Climatology; Landscape Archaeology
Project Staff
Current Project Staff

Shikha Rai

Shikha Rai
Senior Research Fellow under Department of Earth Sciences, IIT Kanpur and Archeological Sciences Centre, IIT Gandhinagar.

Project: Landscape and Climate Evolution of the Great Rann of Kachchh (GRK): Short-Term (Holocene) and Long-term (50-100 ka) Impact on Human Settlement & Resources

Principle Investigator

V. N. Prabhakar, Associate Professor, Archaeological Sciences Centre

Aniruddh Ramanujam

Aniruddh Ramanujam

Project Assistant-I

Project: To understand the ancient technology and innovative materials used in the bead manufacturing of Harappan civilization - A project under IKS Cell and Principle Investigator V. N. Prabhakar, Associate Professor, Archaeological Sciences Centre.

Principle Investigator

V. N. Prabhakar, Associate Professor, Archaeological Sciences Centre

Kuili Suganya Chittiraibalan

Kuili Suganya Chittiraibalan

Senior Scientific Officer (Heritage)

Project: Mapping Archaeological Heritage of South Asia: A MAHSA - Cambridge Project and Principle Investigator V. N. Prabhakar, Associate Professor, Archaeological Sciences Centre.

Principle Investigator

V. N. Prabhakar, Associate Professor, Archaeological Sciences Centre

Past Project Staff
✯ Chinmay Raut, Designing a board game based on Harappan Civilization especially town planning concepts in Harappan settlements, June 2023 - May 2024.

✯ Rachana Satapathy, To understand the architectural principles and civil engineering concepts in the planning of Harappan settlements in general and Dholavira in particular, June 2023 - May 2024.

✯ Sandra S, Dholavira Worked Bone Assemblage: A Study of its Typology, Technology, Experimental Reproduction and Digitization, September 2021 - September 2022.

✯ Manjari Sharma, To understand the ancient technology and innovative materials used in the bead manufacturing of Harappan civilization- a project under IKS cell

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People

V.N. Prabhakar

Sharada C.V.

Michel Danino

R.S. Bisht Guest Professor

P.P. Joglekar Guest Professor

K. Krishnan Guest Professor

Current Postdoctoral Fellows

Manisha Kesarwani

Manisha Kesarwani

Aparna Kulkarni

Aparna Kulkarni

Past Postdoctoral Fellows

Ahana Ghosh

Haritha Kadapa

Poorva Salvi

Saurabh Mishra

Ungka Padi

Sreelakshmi KS

Arefa Chimthanawala

Angad Lamba

Manjari Sharma

Bhavani J

Current Project Staff

Shikha Rai

Shikha Rai

Principle Investigator

Aniruddh Ramanujam

Aniruddh Ramanujam

Principle Investigator

Kuili Suganya Chittiraibalan

Kuili Suganya Chittiraibalan

Principle Investigator

Past Project Staff

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R.S. Bisht
Guest Professor

P.P. Joglekar
Guest Professor

K. Krishnan
Guest Professor