SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Nov 4: IIT (ISM) Dhanbad has introduced an open elective course in Geoarchaeology, marking the first such offering at any IIT in India.
The course integrates geology, archaeology, ecology, and anthropology to explore how humans have interacted with their environments across different periods of history.
Designed by Prof. Deepak Kumar Jha from the Department of Applied Geology, the course will commence from the upcoming semester and will be open to undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students across disciplines.
Prof. Jha said the initiative aims to help students connect deep human history with present-day environmental challenges.
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Expert lectures and dedication to pioneer
Prof. Jha shared that the course will feature a series of expert talks by renowned archaeologists and Quaternary geologists. “These lectures will ignite curiosity through case studies from India and abroad,” he said, adding that the course is dedicated to the late Prof. S. N. Rajaguru, who laid the foundations of Geoarchaeology in India.
IIT (ISM) Director Prof. Sukumar Mishra and Prof. Shushanta Sarangi, Head of the Department of Applied Geology, have extended their full support to the initiative, which they described as a significant academic milestone for the institute.
Experts laud IIT (ISM)’s initiative
The introduction of Geoarchaeology at IIT (ISM) has received widespread appreciation from leading scholars in the field.
Prof. Sheila Mishra, formerly of Deccan College, expressed her delight, saying, “I am very happy to see the offering of Geoarchaeology in one of our premier science research institutions. This is an important subject that uniquely bridges geology and archaeology.”
She added that the course will help students gain a deeper understanding of India’s cultural heritage from a geological perspective while engaging with multidisciplinary scientific methods through hands-on field and laboratory activities.
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Bridging science and heritage
Prof. S. K. Tandon of Delhi University called it a timely and relevant course that connects Earth sciences and archaeology, covering topics from the early Palaeolithic period to Anthropocene debates.
Similarly, Prof. Prasanta Sanyal of IISER Kolkata and Prof. Hema Achyuthan of Anna University praised the program for its strong scientific foundation. They highlighted its focus on micro-morphology, biomarkers, and isotopic methods—tools that provide insights into ancient diets, human migrations, depositional processes, and past climate patterns.
