NEW DELHI: Explorations to uncover submerged historical and cultural remnants in India may get a fresh impetus as the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) aims to expand and strengthen its Underwater Archaeology Wing (UAW).
In the Central Advisory Board of Archaeology (CABA) meeting held on Wednesday, Union Minister for Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and the department secretary proposed to augment the wing’s size and scope of operations.
Sources privy to the discussion said the ASI will soon engage 20-25 additional archaeologists and train them for the UAW to then take up more explorations in the coastal region of Maharashtra and water bodies in Madhya Pradesh.
The UAW had been defunct for over 15 years before its recent revival. In February, it resumed explorations at the ancient sites off the coast of Dwarka in Gujarat.
“We are training more people to take up underwater work. Now, we have a solid team of five people, including three new divers. Earlier, there were just two and one of them was a photographer. Many divers are approaching us. There is one in the Army. To strengthen this unit, we must plan how to work in our field offices,” officials said.
Established in 2001, the UAW has explored at least 11 sites in the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, Ariyankuppam River and Loktak Lake in Manipur. In collaboration with the Indian Navy, it has also excavated the wreck of a ship, Princess Royal, in the Lakshadweep waters in 2003.
The ASI now plans to conduct more underwater archaeological research in different states in collaboration with other institutions.
Officials said, “We are going to Maharashtra next month to negotiate with the government regarding the underwater archaelogical sites in the state. We will also work with the port authorities on all coastal sites.
If our expertise is needed, we will advise them on retrieving of antiquities.”
If the negotiations with Maharashtra are successful, the ASI will begin explorations in the Arabian Sea region at significant heritage sites such as the Sindhu, Durga, and Janjira forts. “We hope that underwater archaeology will become interesting in India. We have started the process and will continue it,” officials added.