14th Dr Wakankar Puraskar presented to Dr VH Sonwane

We have to teach our glorious history to youngster

—Bhaiyaji Joshi?

RSS Sarkaryavah Shri Bhaiyaji Joshi appealed to the historians and intellectuals of the country to rectify distorted Indian history and make arrangements to make the younger generation aware of its glorious past. He was presenting 14th Dr Wakankar Puraskar in New Delhi to noted archaeologist and historian Dr Vishvasrao H Sonwane on December 13.

“Any nation is known by its culture and history. When the society of that country forgets its glorious past, it loses confidence also and considers itself inferior. The re-emergence of glorious past and the great works of the forefathers energise the people. It is time the historians and intellectuals of our country should come forward and present the glorious history before the young generation,” said Shri Bhaiyaji Joshi. He appreciated the work done by the Baba Saheb Apte Smarak Samiti in developing confidence among the countrymen about history of the country.

The RSS Sarkaryavah stressed the need to motivate people engaged in research activities so that they can devote more time on important historical research. He said the life of Baba Saheb Apte proved to be a seed for resurgence of Bharat.

Receiving the Puraskar, Prof. Vishvasrao Sonwane thanked the Baba Saheb Apte Smarak Samiti for felicitating him. He said whatever he could do in his life is because of the blessings and guidance of Dr Haribhau Wakankar, after which the Puraskar has been instituted.

The Puraskar has been instituted by the Samiti to honour great Indian historians who have worked hard to discover the glorious chapters latent in the history of India and its civilisation. Started in 1998, the prominent personalities who have been honoured with the Puraskar so far included Sriram Sripad Sathey, Dr S Kalyanraman, Dr Vasudev Poddar, Shri VMK Puri, Shri NS Rajaram, Prof. Shivaji Singh, Shri Chandrakant Bali, Shri Michael Danino, Shri Baba Saheb Purandare, Dr SR Rao, Prof. Balraj Madhok, Shri Kunj Bihari Jallan and Shri KV Ramesh.

Born on January 5, 1946 in Gujarat, Prof Vishvasrao H Sonwane retired from Maharaja Shivajirao University of Baroda as Director of Field Archaeology in June 2008. He carried out extensive research work encompassing a wide range of areas, such as village to village survey of Panchmahals district of Gujarat, exploration and excavations at the recently declared first world heritage site of Gujarat at Champaner and survey of the medieval capital of the Parmaras of Arbuda, Madai of Rajasthan resulting in the discovery of an Engraved Chert Fluted Core of the Upper Palaeolithic period, etc. His key role in the discovery of the intact zinc furnaces is also noted to be the first of its kind in the world, which pushed the antiquity of zinc technology to 2000 years back.       (FOC)?