Madhukar Keshav Dhavalikar, M.A., Ph.D. (University of Poona), joined Archaeological Survey of India in 1953 and worked there in various capacities till 1965. He was deputed to Greece (1962) where he participated in the excavation at Pella, the capital of Alexander. He was Lecturer in Ancient Indian Culture and Archaeology, Nagpur University (1965-67); Reader in Archaeology (1967-80), Professor of Archaeology (1985-90), Deccan College (now a Deemed University), Pune; and its Director (1985-90). He has carried out several excavations of Protohistoric and Historical sites in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Prof. Dhavalikar has several publications to his credit besides excavation reports and research papers. They include Ajanta ? A Cultural Study (1974), Late Hinayana Caves of Western India (1984), Indian Protohistory (1997), Historical Archaeology of India (1999), Satavahana Art (2004), The Aryans ? Myth and Archaeology (2007), Socio-Economic Archaeology of India (2014) and others. Prof. Dhavalikar was President, Indian Archaeological Society (1986), Indian History Congress (1999), and Indian Art History Congress (2014). He was awarded Silver Medal by the Asiatic Society, Mumbai (2010), Tagore National Fellowship by Government of India (2011-13), Gold Medal by the Prime Minister of India (2011), Padma Shri by the President of India (2011) and the Life Time Achievement award by Government of Madhya Pradesh (2013).
