Born for Archaeology: An Autobiography

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After giving a brief account of his early life, education, marriage and his interest in astrology that shaped his attitude to life in no small measure, the author then recounts very clearly his archaeological explorations which earned him international recognition. As a result of his explorations which he understood almost singlehanded in all parts of India- Gujarat and Maharashtra in Western India, Madhya Pradesh in Central India, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in South India, Kashmir in North India, and Garo Hills in far North-eastern India-it became possible for the author to settle the many unsettled problems in India's pre-history. All these have now been recorded in his magnum opus-The pre-history of India and Pakistan. The autobiography narrates the inside story of these explorations besides giving his many encounters with the Archaeological Survey of India and the history of the Deccan College, the Premier Institute of Indic Studies in India, from where Sankalia retired in December 1973, but still serves the institution in the capacity of a Professor Emeritus.

Hasmukh Dhirajlal Sankalia, Professor Emeritus of the Deccan College and an archaeologist of international fame, was born on the 10th December 1908, in Bombay. Having gained a first in Ancient Indian History from Bombay University in 1932, he proceeded to London, where he obtained a Ph.D. in Archaeology in 1937. On his return he became professor of Proto-Indian and Ancient Indian History in 1939, at the Deccan College. He retired as the Director of the Deccan College in 1973. Mr. Sankalia was awarded Padma Bhushan for distinguished work in pre-history and proto- history in India in 1974.