Padmashri Yashodhar Mathpal has been selected for the nineteenth Dr Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar National Award, instituted by the Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums under the Culture Department. The award, given for creative, innovative and distinguished contributions to the field of archaeology, carries a citation, an award plaque and a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh.

 

Commissioner of Archaeology Urmila Shukla said that the award will be presented during a three-day national seminar on Recent Advances in Archaeology, Archives and Museum Science, scheduled from January 9 to 11, 2026, at the Kushabhau Thakre International Convention Centre in Bhopal. The seminar has been organised to commemorate the legacy of Dr Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar, a pioneering archaeologist and leading authority in Indian rock art studies.

 

Delegates including administrators, policymakers, field officers, scientists, academicians, researchers and students from across the country will participate in the seminar. The sessions will focus on emerging issues in archaeology, archives and museum science, with the aim of recommending evidence-based strategies for conservation, management and development of archaeological heritage. According to Commissioner Shukla, discussions will be held under three broad themes: recent breakthroughs in archaeology, ethnoarchaeology, archaeometry, artefact analysis and cultural resource management; new technologies in archives and records management, including hybrid systems; and developments in the collection, storage, conservation and digital curation of tangible and intangible heritage.

 

Last date for abstract submission extended to November 20. Abstracts have been invited on the seminar themes and related areas. The deadline, earlier fixed for November 10, has been extended to November 20. Accepted papers will be edited for publication in the seminar proceedings, and awards will be presented for the best paper in each subject category. Further information is available on the official website of the Directorate. Dr Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar (1919–1988), fondly known as Haribhau, is regarded as the pioneer of Indian rock art research.

 

An eminent archaeologist, art historian, numismatist and epigraphist, he dedicated his life to uncovering and preserving India’s prehistoric heritage. Recipient of the Padmashri in 1975, Dr Wakankar continues to be honoured through the Wakankar Samman, presented annually or biennially by the Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums, Bhopal.