Vasant Shinde
Topic: Harappan (Sindhu-Sarasvati) Civilisation · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 1 "Bricks, Beads and Bones"
Meaning
Vasant Shinde is an Indian archaeologist from Deccan College, Pune. He is known for bringing archaeogenetics to Harappan studies. Archaeogenetics means studying the DNA (genetic material) found in ancient skeletons. His team started this work at Rakhigarhi in Haryana in 2013. Rakhigarhi is the largest Harappan site, at about 550 hectares. The NCERT Class 12 chapter "Bricks, Beads and Bones" uses his findings to say that the Harappans were native to India, that they had no foreign origin, and that their family line carries on in the people of South Asia today.
Example
In 2019, Shinde and his team published a study of ancient DNA from a Rakhigarhi skeleton in the journal Cell. The study traced the Harappans' genetic roots back to c. 10,000 BCE. It found only a small mixing of genes, which came through trade contacts. According to the NCERT chapter, this rules out any large-scale "Aryan" migration into India. The team also made 3D models of faces, which look like people living in Haryana today. The chapter itself says that the link between the Harappans and the Vedic people still needs more research.
Don't confuse with
- Amrendra Nath: he dug up (excavated) Rakhigarhi in 1997. Shinde's DNA study came later, from 2013 onwards.
- R.S. Bisht: he excavated Dholavira in Gujarat in 1990. He did not do the DNA work at Rakhigarhi.
Related concepts
- Daya Ram Sahni
- Rakhal Das Banerji
- John Marshall
- B.B. Lal
- Archaeogenetics
- Rakhigarhi DNA study
- Rakhigarhi icon site
- Harappan-Vedic relationship debate