Patna: A new lecture series aimed at promoting awareness and conservation of Bihar’s archaeological heritage was inaugurated on Monday at B.D. College, Mithapur, Patna, under the joint aegis of the Bihar Heritage Development Committee and the state’s Department of Art, Culture and Youth.
The initiative, which falls under the jurisdiction of Pataliputra University, began with a formal lamp-lighting ceremony led by the college principal alongside several senior officials, including Prof. Vivekanand Singh, Deputy Executive Director of the Heritage Committee, and Dr. Neetu Tiwari, Deputy Director at Bapu Tower. Others present at the inauguration included Dr. Ravi Shankar Gupta, Dr. Amit Ranjan, and Dr. Harsh Ranjan.
The series, directed by Pranav Kumar, Secretary and CEO of the Heritage Committee, and Rachna Patil, Director of Archaeology and Executive Director of the Committee, will involve collaborations with universities across Bihar. The opening lecture focused on the “Importance, Conservation and Promotion of the Chirand Archaeological Site”—a site of major prehistoric and historical significance located in Saran district.
In the first session, Dr. Ravi Shankar Gupta, Director of Bihar Museum, shared findings from excavations at Chirand, noting the discovery of bone tools dating back to 2000 BCE, including arrowheads, beads, combs and antlers. He also highlighted the presence of Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) from the third cultural phase and artefacts from the Gupta period in the fourth.
Dr. Neetu Tiwari, Head of the Department of Ancient Indian History and Asian Studies at B.D. College, stressed the urgent need for conservation work at the site. She recommended infrastructural improvements for tourism, including erosion control through boulder pitching and geo-bag installation—measures that have been prioritised under a plan led by Rachna Patil.
The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Amit Ranjan, Research Assistant with the Bihar Heritage Development Committee. The event drew a large number of students, faculty members and heritage officials, including Dr. Harsh Ranjan Kumar and committee members Komal Kumar Mahato, Gauri Devi Saha, Ajay Kumar Chakrawal, Sanjay Kumar and Arun Kumar Verma.
