A rare opportunity beckons students of history and archaeology research scholars in the state capital — the chance to meet historians and archaeologists from across the country up front and close.
Almost 200 historians, archaeologists, conservators, anthropologists, retired and working curators and research scholars, including Museums Association of India (MAI) members, would take part in the All India Museums Annual Conference at Patna Museum from December 21 to 23. The event would mark the directorate of museum and archaeology’s golden jubilee.
MAI is a registered society of historians, archaeologists, conservators, anthropologists, working and retired curators and research scholars.
Umesh Chandra Dwivedi, the vice-president of the directorate of museum and archaeology and Patna Museum director, told The Telegraph on Sunday: “To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the state directorate of museum and archaeology, we are going to host the All India Museums Annual Conference of MAI at Patna Museum in December.
“Renowned historians, archaeologists and experts from across the country will take part in it.”
Archaeologists from the state are upbeat about the conference. “Experts from across the country would use the conference as a platform to exchange ideas on history and archaeology. Issues related to these fields would be addressed and possible solutions would be arrived at,” said Bijoy Kumar Chaudhary, the director of KP Jaiswal Research Institute in Patna.
MAI president P.K. Sharma told The Telegraph over phone from Delhi: “MAI conducts a three-day all-India museums conference every year in collaboration with a museum or educational institution, university, art and cultural hub or museum professional body in different parts of the country.”
He added: “The MAI annual conference, to be held in Bihar after 30 years, would be based on ‘Technical Upgradation of Museum Communication and Exhibition’.”
The delegates would also deliberate on the significance of the upcoming New Patliputra Museum.
“Discussions would be held on ongoing excavation works at the archaeological sites in Bihar,” said Sharma.
