TM Keshava, Pioneering Archaeologist Behind Hampi, Kanaganahalli, Excavations Passes Away

GADAG: TM Keshava, retired Superintending Archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and director of the Lakkundi excavation project, passed away today in Bengaluru. He was widely recognized for his pioneering excavation work at Hampi, Kanaganahalli, Gudnapur, Banavasi, and other historic sites, where he uncovered palaces, stupas, and early historic monuments that greatly enriched India’s understanding of its cultural heritage. A scholar with a BSc in Natural Sciences, an MA in Indology, and diplomas in Epigraphy and Archaeology, Keshava specialized in Hoysala, Vijayanagara, Rashtrakuta and Chalukya art and architecture. He authored over fifty scholarly articles and books, including more than fifteen on Hampi alone, earning him widespread recognition in academic and heritage circles. Keshava joined the ASI in 1979 as a Technical Assistant at Aurangabad and quickly established himself as an expert on the Ajanta and Ellora caves. During his tenure in Aurangabad, he conducted numerous VVIP and VIP visits to monuments including Ajanta, Ellora, Daulatabad, Elephanta, Karla, Bhaja, and Raigad, guiding dignitaries such as French President François Mitterrand, the Duke of Edinburgh, ambassadors, central and state ministers, and administrative services students. In Karnataka, Keshava worked as curator of the Halebidu Museum (1984–1991). He served as Senior Technical Assistant and Assistant Superintending Archaeologist in the Bangalore Circle (1991–1998). He uncovered palace remains at Gudnapur using inscriptional references and excavated the earliest earthen Buddhist stupa at Banavasi. At Hampi, his excavations in the North of Mint, Shilamandapa area, west of the Hazara Ramachandra temple, near the Octagonal Bath, and in the traditional Mint area led to the identification of the palaces of Vira Harihara and Sri Krishnadevaraya. He also excavated one of the earliest stupas at Kanaganahalli (Sannati) in Gulbarga district, dating back to the Maurya–Satavahana period. As a field archaeologist, Keshava conducted extensive surveys across more than 130 villages, discovering prehistoric and early historic sites along with numerous temples from early historic and historic periods, significantly contributing to the understanding of Karnataka’s ancient heritage. Between 1999 and 2005, he oversaw ASI site museums in Kondapur, Nagarjunakonda, Amaravathi, Chandragiri, and Hampi, modernizing galleries, introducing visitor-friendly features, and coordinating with UNESCO for reports on Hampi’s World Heritage Site. When the Karnataka government decided to start excavation in Lakkundi, he was appointed as director of the Lakkundi excavation project.



Source link