Patna: The Directorate of Archaeology, Department of Art, Culture and Youth, Government of Bihar, signed long-term general Memorandums of Understanding with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, and the Academy for Archaeological Heritage Research and Training (AAHRT), Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, on July 10 to conserve and preserve the state’s rich paleo-cultural heritage.
The MoUs were signed in the presence of Motilal Prasad, Minister of Art, Culture and Youth. Under these agreements, the institutions will prepare a joint outline of future programmes to preserve Bihar’s heritage. The plans include national-level seminars, conferences, workshops, heritage tours, awareness programmes, archaeological and conservation training, surveys, excavations, and documentation of archaeological and rock art sites.
Pranav Kumar, Secretary, Department of Art, Culture and Youth, Rachna Patil, Director, Directorate of Archaeology, Kahkashan, Special Officer on VPS, and Harsh Ranjan Kumar, Senior Technical Assistant, were present at the signing. Also present were Arvind Tiwari, S.B. Ota (Secretary, AAHRT), Niharika Srivastava (Joint Secretary, AAHRT), Richa Negi (Head of Department, Adi Drishya Department, IGNCA), and Dilip Kumar Sant (Assistant Professor, IGNCA).
To mark the occasion, a one-day national seminar titled ‘Rock Paintings and Archaeology of India’ was organised. Eminent archaeologists, including V.H. Sonawane, former Head, Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Baroda; Banshi Lal Malla, former Head, Department of Art and Visual Arts, IGNCA; S.B. Ota; and Richa Negi delivered lectures on rock art and archaeology. The seminar was inaugurated by Pranav Kumar, while Anjani Kumar Singh, Director General of Bihar Museum, Patna, attended as special guest.
