Archaeologist BB Lal passes away, PM Modi, other leaders pay tributes

New Delhi: Former Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Braj Basi Lal passed away at the age of 101 on Saturday. BB Lal led an excavation at the Ramjanmabhoomi site in the mid-1970s and was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan in 2021.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on the demise of BB Lal on Twitter, saying that he will be remembered as a great intellectual who deepened our connection with our past.

Shri BB Lal was an outstanding personality. His contributions to culture and archaeology are unparalleled. He will be remembered as a great intellectual who deepened our connect with our rich past. Pained by his demise. My thoughts are with his family and friends. Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/eA3MlNI27Q

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 10, 2022

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said that BB Lal contributed significantly towards the archeological excavations and endeavours, and trained archeologists for over four decades.

In the passing of Prof BB Lal Ji, we have lost one of the brightest minds who has contributed significantly towards our archeological excavations & endeavours and trained archeologists for over 4 decades.

My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family.

Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/sZlvBCMCLq

— G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) September 10, 2022

The official Twitter handle of the Archaeological Survey of India also paid homage to Lal and mentioned that although he may be gone but his work lives on and will continue to teach and influence generations to come.

The contribution of Padma Vibhushan Prof BB Lal in Archaeology is beyond measure. A doyen in his field, he devoted his entire 101-year life to the subject. He may be gone but his work lives on & will continue to teach & influence generations to come. Our homage to the great soul. pic.twitter.com/gwX1iUGrMV

— Archaeological Survey of India (@ASIGoI) September 10, 2022

According to the Indian Express, Lal was born in 1921 in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. After completing his Masters degree in Sanskrit from the Allahabad University, he developed a keen interest in archaeology.

He began his career as an archaeologist in 1943 as a trainee in the excavation under the renowned British archaeologist Mortimer Wheeler. Over the course of 50 years, Lal worked on over 50 books and 150 research papers that were published in national and international journals.

Among his most notable books are ‘The Saraswati Flows On: The Continuity of Indian Culture,’ published in 2002, and ‘Rama, His Historicity, Mandir, and Setu: Evidence of Literature, Archaeology, and Other Sciences,’ published in 2008.

Lal also served on several UNESCO committees and was honoured with the Padma Bhushan by India’s president in 2000. He is best known for proposing the existence of a temple-like structure beneath the now-demolished Babri mosque.

With input from agencies

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