Ahmad Hasan Dani facts for kids

Ahmad Hasan Dani was a famous Pakistani archaeologist, historian, and linguist. He was born on June 20, 1920, and passed away on January 26, 2009. He was one of the top experts on the history and ancient sites of Central Asia and South Asia. Dani also helped start archaeology as a subject taught in universities in Pakistan and Bangladesh. He is especially known for his work on ancient sites from before the Indus Valley Civilisation and in the Gandhara region of Northern Pakistan.

About Ahmad Hasan Dani

His Early Life

Ahmad Hasan Dani was born on June 20, 1920, in Basna, which was part of British India. His family were Kashmiri Muslim traders. In 1944, he earned his Master of Arts (MA) degree in Sanskrit. He was the first Muslim student to graduate from Banaras Hindu University. He got the highest marks in his exams and won a gold medal. This also allowed him to get a teaching scholarship from the university.

Even though he received the scholarship, he was not allowed to teach because of his religious beliefs. He stayed there for six months. In 1945, he began training in archaeology with Mortimer Wheeler. During this time, he helped with important excavations at Taxila and Mohenjo-daro.

His Career in Archaeology

After the Partition of India in 1947, Dani moved to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). From 1947 to 1949, he worked as an assistant superintendent in the Department of Archaeology. He also helped improve the Varendra Museum in Rajshahi.

In 1949, he married Safiya Sultana. They had three sons and one daughter. In 1950, Dani became the superintendent-in-charge of archaeology. He also became the general secretary of the Asiatic Society of Pakistan in Dhaka. Later, in 1955, he became president of the National Committee for Museums in Pakistan.

For twelve years (1950-1962), Dani was an associate professor of history at the University of Dhaka. At the same time, he worked as a curator at the Dhaka museum. During this period, he did archaeological research on the Muslim history of Bengal.

Moving to Peshawar and Islamabad

In 1962, Dani moved to the University of Peshawar. There, he started the Department of Archaeology and was a professor until 1971. He also helped reorganize and update the Lahore Museum and Peshawar Museum. In 1970, he became chairman of the Research Society at the University of Peshawar.

In 1971, he moved to the University of Islamabad (later renamed Quaid-e-Azam University in 1976). He became the dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. In 1975, he left that role to focus on research as a professor of history. He continued to work in various roles until he retired in 1980. After retiring, he was made an emeritus professor. He also led the Archaeological and Historical Association of Pakistan in 1979. He co-directed a team for Ethnology research in Northern Pakistan in 1980.

In 1993, he received an honorary doctorate from Tajikistan University. In the same year, Dani helped create the Islamabad Museum. From 1992 to 1996, he advised the Ministry of Culture of Pakistan on archaeology. He was also chairman of the National Fund for Cultural Heritage in Islamabad from 1994 to 1998. In 1997, Dani became the honorary director at the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations. He held this position until he passed away.

Ahmad Hasan Dani passed away on January 26, 2009, at the age of 88. He was admitted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad with heart, kidney, and diabetes problems.

International Work and Honors

During his time as a professor at Dhaka University, Dani was a research fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London (1958–59). In 1969, he became an Asian Fellow at the Australian National University. In 1974, he visited the University of Pennsylvania as a scholar. In 1977, he was a visiting professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Throughout his career, Dani received many honorary fellowships. These included the Royal Asiatic Society of Bangladesh (1969), the German Archaeological Institute (1981), and the Royal Asiatic Society (1991). In 1991, Dani was made an honorary citizen of Bukhara. He also became an honorary member of the Paivand Society in Tajikistan.

His Research and Discoveries

Indus basin

Dani worked on excavations at the ancient site of Rehman Dheri in Northern Pakistan. This site is from before the Indus Valley civilization. He also found many Gandhara sites in Peshawar and the Swat Valley. He worked on Indo-Greek sites in Dir.

From 1985, he researched and documented ancient rock carvings and inscriptions. These were from the Neolithic age in the high mountains of Northern Pakistan. He worked with Harald Hauptmann from the University of Heidelberg. He also led UNESCO teams for the Desert Route Expedition of the Silk Road in China (1990). He led the Steppe Route Expedition of the Silk Road in the Soviet Union (1991).

Views on Indus Valley Civilization

From his extensive fieldwork, Dani believed that the South Indian culture did not greatly influence the Indus Valley civilization. He studied the geography and how societies and cultures spread in the Indus Basin. He noted that the North Indian Plain did not play a big role in how the Indus Valley culture developed. He also thought there was no invasion from the sea during the Bronze Age, even though the coastline helped with trade.

According to Dani, the main influence came from Central Asia in the west. He argued that the hilly western borderland, which looks like a barrier, is actually a network of plateaus. People have always moved freely through these areas. He believed that the cultural history of Pakistan is more connected to Central Asia. This connection came through Buddhism, Persian, and later Sufism influences.

Dani stated that even though the Arabian Sea allowed people from Meluhha to trade with Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, most historical movements happened between Central and South Asia. He saw Pakistan's location as a link between these two regions. This link shaped the culture, language, literature, food, dress, furniture, and folklore of the people in Pakistan and Central Asia.

Awards and Honours

Ahmad Hasan Dani was the first Muslim student at Banaras Hindu University. He also scored the highest in his graduation exams and received the J. K. Gold Medal in 1944.

He received several national awards from the Government of Pakistan:

• Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) in 1969
• Aizaz-e-Kamal in 1992
• Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) in 2000

In 2004, the Higher Education Commission gave him the title of 'Distinguished National Professor'. This was to recognize his important contributions.

He also received many prestigious international honors and awards for his work in archaeology, linguistics, and ancient history:

• 2000 Hilal-e-Imtiaz Award, Government of Pakistan
• 1998 Légion d'honneur, from the President of the French Republic
• 1997 Aristotle Silver Medal, UNESCO
• 1996 Order of the Merit, from the Government of Germany
• 1994 Knight Commander, from the Government of Italy
• 1990 Palmes Academiques, from the Government of France
• 1986 Gold Medal, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
• 1969 Sitara-i-Imtiaz Award by the Government of Pakistan

See Also

• Sindhology