Academics
The book deals with some of the most important excavations carried out and researches done by the author during his long academic career. These include excavations at Kalibangan in the Saravati basin, Sringaverapura in U.P. and Sisupalgarh in Odisha. But more important than the foregoing excavations and discoveries is the finding of solutions to certain highly debated issues, such as the historicity of the two Indian epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. After exploring and excavating sites associated Professor Lal has found very compelling evidence which demonstrates that the epics have a basis in history. But the most important achievement of Professor Lal is that relating to the Aryan problem. In unequivocal terms he has shown the ‘Aryan Invasion’ is but a myth ever generated by Western academia. Also, putting together the evidence from archaeology, hydrology, geology, and 14C method of dating the past, and that from the Rigveda itself, Lal has established that the Vedas and Indus-Sarasvati (Harappan) Civilization are but two faces of the same coin and that the Vedic people are indigenous and neither invaders nor immigrants.
A world-renowned archaeologist, Prof. B.B. Lal was the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India from 1968 to 1972. In the latter year he took voluntary retirement to pursue his research programmes independently. First he joined Jiwaji University, Gwalior, as a Professor and later the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, of which he was also the Director. Professor Lal's excavations cover a very wide range - from Paleolithic times to early historical. At Kalibangan, Rajasthan, he unearthed a prosperous city of the Harappan Civilization. The excavations at Hastinapura, Indraprastha, etc. have established that there was a kernel of truth in the Mahabharata, even though the epic is full of interpolations. Likewise, his excavations at Ayodhya, Sringaverapura, etc. have indicated that the Ramayana too has a basis in history. In 1961, he conducted excavations in Egypt also, which threw welcome light on Egyptian prehistory. His publications include over 150 seminal research papers, published in scientific journals, both in India and abroad: USA, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Egypt, Afghanistan, Japan, etc. Amongst his latest books are: Historicity of the Mahabharata: Evidence of Literature, Art and Archaeology (2013); The Rigvedic People: 'Invaders'? f Immigrants'? Or Indigenous (Evidence of Archaeology and Literature) (2015); Kausambi Revisited (2017). In 1994, Prof. Lal was awarded D. Litt. (Honoris causa) by Institute of Archaeology, St. Petersburg, Russia. The same year he presided over World Archaeological Congress. He has been Chairman and member of several committees of UNESCO. In 1982, Mithila Visvavidyalaya honoured him with the title of Mahamahopadhyaya. In 2014, the Deccan College, Postgraduate and Research Institute, Pune (Deemed to be University) conferred on him D. Litt. (Honoris causa). In 2019, the Vice President of India honoured Prof Lal by releasing a three-volume set of a book titled Felicitating a Legendary Archaeologist: Prof B.B. Lal. In recognition of his contribution to archaeology, the President of India honoured him in 2000 with the award of Padma Bhusana.
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