The Department of History, Easwari School of Liberal Arts, hosted Prof. Satish C. Pandey, Dean of Academic Affairs, Professor & Head—Department of Art Conservation, Indian Institute of Heritage, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and Vice Chair—Directory Board, International Council of Museums—Conservation Committee (ICOM-CC), ICOM, Paris, France, for an insightful lecture on tracing technologies in art and archaeology on April 03, 2025.

In his session, Prof. Pandey shared his expertise in art conservation and archaeological science, offering valuable insights into the study of provenance and technology. He discussed the Site of Kunal from the Harappan Period and the intricate analysis of ancient pottery. His research highlighted the natural techniques used in pottery-making, where shape, colour, and firing methods were influenced by organic materials. Elements such as manganese (black), iron (red), and lime (pure white) were used to create distinct hues, while the lightweight nature of the pots was a result of their composition.

In addition to pottery, Prof. Pandey delved into the conservation of historical paintings. His research has uncovered instances of forgery and modification in artworks intended for public display. By utilising infrared analysis, he demonstrated how changes in oil paints, cracking patterns, and colour modifications over time help researchers restore and authenticate original paintings.

His visit provided an enriching experience, deepening our understanding of conservation science and its role in preserving cultural heritage.

The 5th Semester B.A. History students went on a field trip to Hyderabad as part of their courses ‘Medieval India’ and the ‘Eighteenth Century in Indian History’. Dr Aqsa Agha, Course Coordinator, and Dr Manaswini Sen led the study group to explore the city’s historical and cultural significance, enhancing their learning outside the classroom for the two courses.

The group visited Charminar, exploring the iconic monument and its surrounding bazaars, Golconda Fort, discussing its history and architecture with a Heritage Walk Practitioner from Hyderabad, and finally the Qutb Shahi Tombs and gardens, a standing testament of Indo-Persian architectural excellence.

The field trip provided students with a refined exposure to the diverse culture and history of Hyderabad and the historical context of the evolution of the culture of the city. The students had a wonderful chance to visit the important historical monuments and urban morphology that mark the period of study in the courses on Medieval and Eighteenth-century Indian History.

The field trip fostered a deep understanding of the respective courses, inspiring students to explore beyond books and classrooms.

Dr Megha Yadav has received a prestigious fellowship from the Käte Hamburger Centre for Advanced Study, inherit.Heritage in Transformation, Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, Germany. The fellowship allows for the undertaking of the research project, Visualising the Tradition, Preserving History: Material Practices in Tibetan Buddhism. This project takes an initiative to understand the ideas of heritage and history among the Tibetan Buddhist community by looking at the visual material and its heritage in Tibetan society to reach a nuanced picture of Tibetan history and heritage which keeps the Tibetan community at the centre of this understanding.

The project will attempt to understand the ways and methods of remembrance, preservation, and transmission of what Tibetan Buddhists consider to be their history. Most academic works have utilized Buddhist textual traditions to talk about Tibetan society, which has the inherent limitation of being one-dimensional. As a point of entry, this research will focus on thangka paintings as they create a very intimate window to people’s way of thinking about themselves, their universes, and their personal history. It was a ‘material’ to be showcased in public spaces, notably monasteries. It was meant for everyone to see, pay their respects, and take the image back with them in their minds and hearts. In a sense, these paintings were a showcase for the Tibetan Buddhist community.

This project will also pay attention to the changes brought about by 20th-century events, most notably colonization and the exile of the Dalai Lama and many Tibetans by inquiring into the changes brought into the idea and making of thangka paintings, raising questions about patronage, method, and content in the 20th century. An equally important intervention in the method and content of these paintings came with the spread of digital media platforms. While digital media has ‘democratised’ the making of thangka paintings, the question remains: what has it done to the process of making a thangka? How has the value associated with the paintings, as well as their making process, been changed by the technical medium? Has it impacted the content of these paintings? More importantly, what kind of changes have come into the community’s understanding of their past and present? These and any other issues that may come up during research will be addressed.

Dr Shrikant Ganvir, Assistant Professor in Ancient Indian History, Culture, and Archaeology from Deccan College Post Graduate Research Institute, Pune, delivered an invigorating session organised by the Department of History at SRM University-AP on October 11, 2023. Dr Ganvir’s session dealt with Buddhist studies, particularly of the Andhra region, and he has extensively worked on sites like Phanigiri, Salihundam, Amaravati, Guntapalli, and likewise.

Dr. Ganvir specialises in Buddhist art, architecture, and iconography. His area of expertise includes the religious history of Deccan, the history of Buddhism in South Asia, the rock-cut architecture of the Deccan, the religious imagery of ancient India, and the archaeology of religions. His broad knowledge in these fields allowed him to share enlightening insights with his audience.