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{{Short description|Indian archaeologist (1879–1939)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = [[Rai Bahadur]] Daya Ram Sahni [[Order of the Indian Empire|CIE]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1879|12|16}}
| image = Daya_Ram_Sahni.jpg
| birth_place = [[Bhera]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]], [[British Raj|British India]] (now in [[Punjab Province, Pakistan]])
| spouse =
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1939|03|07|1879|12|16}}
| death_place = [[Rohtak]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]], [[British Raj|British India]] (now in [[Haryana]], [[India]])
| known_for = Excavations in [[Harappa]]
| fields = [[Sanskrit]], [[archaeology]]
}}
[[Rai Bahadur]] '''Daya Ram Sahni''' [[Order of the Indian Empire|CIE]] (16 December 1879 – 7 March 1939) was an Indian archaeologist who supervised the excavation of the [[Indus Valley Civilization|Indus valley site]] at [[Harappa]] in 1920 to 1921. The first report on Harappan excavations came out on 29 March 1921, published by John Marshall, which is why various historians have chosen 1921 AD as the period of Harappan excavation. A protege of [[John Marshall (archaeologist)|John Marshall]], in 1931 Sahni became the first Indian to be appointed Director-General of the [[Archaeological Survey of India]] (ASI), a position which he served in till 1935.

== Early life ==

Daya Ram Sahni hailed from the city of [[Bhera]] in [[Shahpur District|Shahpur district]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]] where he was born on 16 December 1879. Sahni graduated in [[Sanskrit]] from the [[University of the Punjab|Punjab University]] with a gold medal. He also topped the M. A. examination from the [[Oriental College, Lahore|Oriental College]] in 1903. As a result of these accomplishments, Sahni won the Sanskrit scholarship sponsored by the Archaeological Survey of India and was recruited by the survey after the completion of his education.

== Career ==

In 1903, Sahni was posted to the Punjab and [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|United Provinces]] circle where he worked under [[J. Ph. Vogel]]. Sahni was involved in the excavation of Kasia (in [[Kushinagar]]) in 1905 and [[Rajgir]] in [[Bihar]] under John Marshall during January – February 1906. In September 1907, Sahni assisted Marshall in the excavation of a ''[[stupa]]'' at [[Rampurva]] in [[Champaran District|Champaran district]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Asher |first=Frederick M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ecbPDwAAQBAJ&dq=daya+ram+sahni&pg=PA35 |title=Sarnath: A Critical History of the Place Where Buddhism Began |date=2020-02-11 |publisher=Getty Publications |isbn=978-1-60606-638-6 |pages=35 |language=en}}</ref> He also prepared a catalogue of the archaeological ruins at [[Sarnath]], which he had excavated between 1917 and 1922.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dodson |first=Michael S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TWwNEAAAQBAJ&dq=daya+ram+sahni&pg=PT77 |title=Banaras: Urban Forms and Cultural Histories |date=2021-01-31 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-000-36564-1 |language=en}}</ref>

In the spring season of 1907 till 1909, along with Marshall, he excavated the sites of Saheth-Maheth, which were thus confirmed to be site for the ancient city of [[Shravasti]]. He later excavated the sites as the Director General during 1927–1932.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-02-20 |title=ASI launches excavation to ascertain Sarnath's actual age |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/asi-launches-excavation-to-ascertain-sarnaths-actual-age/articleshow/30713151.cms |access-date=2023-12-17 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> In 1910, he excavated the medieval site of [[Mandore]], the capital of the [[Pratiharas of Mandavyapura|Pratiharas]], in what is now the state of [[Rajasthan]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ray |first1=Purnima |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GCxoS4dBto4C&q=daya+ram+sahni+mandore |title=Remembering Stalwarts: Biographical Sketches of Scholars from Archaeological Survey of India |last2=Patil |first2=C. B. |date=2014 |publisher=Director General, Archaeological Survey of India |language=en}}</ref> He was asked by Marshall to guide [[D.R. Bhandarkar]] throughout the excavation process, even though Bhandarkar was senior to him.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lahiri |first=Nayanjot |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w68lobWerY8C&q=daya+ram+sahni |title=Finding Forgotten Cities: How the Indus Civilization was discovered |date=2012-08-07 |publisher=Hachette India |isbn=978-93-5009-419-8 |language=en}}</ref>

Sahni worked as the [[curator]] of the [[Lucknow Museum]] from 1911 to 1912, when he was transferred to the archaeology department of [[Kashmir and Jammu (princely state)|Kashmir state]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cumming |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ThGYjlqVe3kC&dq=daya+ram+sahni+kashmir&pg=PA279 |title=Revealing India's Past: A Record Of Archaeological Conservation And Exploration In India And Beyond |date=2005 |publisher=Cosmo Publications |isbn=978-81-307-0087-8 |pages=279 |language=en}}</ref> When he was in Kashmir, he excavated the Buddhist sites of [[Parihaspore]], Puranadishthana (present-day [[Pandrethan]]), and Hushkapura (present-day [[Ushkur]]).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Akhter |first=Dr Urmeena |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1bPvDwAAQBAJ&dq=daya+ram+sahni+kashmir&pg=PA44 |title=Monuments of Kashmir |date=2020-06-24 |publisher=Book Bazooka Publication |isbn=978-93-86895-91-2 |pages=44–45 |language=en}}</ref> From 1913 to 1915, he excavated the [[Vishnu]]-[[Shiva]] temples at [[Avantipur]] built by the King [[Avantivarman of Kashmir|Avantivarman]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Siudmak |first=John |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yVft0FqSxc0C&dq=daya+ram+sahni+kashmir&pg=PA429 |title=The Hindu-Buddhist Sculpture of Ancient Kashmir and Its Influences |date=2013-04-15 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-24832-8 |language=en |chapter=9}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Agrawal |first=Ramesh Chandra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SC5uAAAAMAAJ&q=daya+ram+sahni |title=Kashmir and Its Monumental Glory |date=1998 |publisher=Aryan Books International |isbn=978-81-7305-107-4 |pages=149 |language=en}}</ref>

Sahni returned to Lahore in 1917 and was made incharge of the United Provinces and Punjab. While working as an Assistant Superintendent, Sahni excavated the Indus Valley site at Harappa, the first of the Indus Valley sites to be excavated.

In the 1920 ASI Reports, Daya Ram Sahni describes his explorations starting from 1917 as he had since conducted preliminary investigations at the ancient site near Harappa in [[Montgomery District]]. He excavated Harappa again in 1923–1925, then again in 1930–31 with the assistance of [[Ernest J. H. Mackay]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jansen |first=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8e0UAAAAIAAJ&dq=daya+ram+sahni&pg=PR11 |title=Mohenjo Daro |date=1985 |publisher=Brill Archive |isbn=978-90-04-07783-6 |pages=XI |language=en}}</ref>

In 1920, he had also been involved in the exploration and restoration of the ruined temples at [[Amb Temples|Amb]] and [[Kafir Kot]], while simultaneously recording & translating inscriptions by pre-Islamic kings in the region corresponding to [[Gandhara]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Meister |first=Michael W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1N95DwAAQBAJ&dq=daya+ram+sahni&pg=PA31 |title=Temples of the Indus: Studies in the Hindu Architecture of Ancient Pakistan |date=2010-07-26 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-19011-5 |language=en}}</ref>

In 1925, Sahni was transferred to [[Delhi]] as Deputy Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India and in July 1931, he succeeded [[Harold Hargreaves]] as the Director-General of the ASI. Sahni was the first native Indian to be appointed to the post.

In the ASI Annual Report for the season 1923–24, Sahni examined the findings from the temple complex at [[Lakhamandal]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hāṇḍā |first=Omacanda |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_KmaKomlI-UC&dq=daya+ram+sahni&pg=PA306 |title=Temple Architecture of the Western Himalaya: Wooden Temples |date=2001 |publisher=Indus Publishing |isbn=978-81-7387-115-3 |pages=306 |language=en}}</ref> During the 1928–1929 season, he edited and published the seven [[Kushan Empire|Kushan]] inscriptions found at [[Mathura]], mostly attributed to [[Kanishka]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Obbink |first=Hendrik Willem |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0t8UAAAAIAAJ&dq=daya+ram+sahni&pg=PA393 |title=Orientalia Rheno-traiectina |date=1949 |publisher=Brill Archive |pages=302–303 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Vogel |first=Jean Ph |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GckUAAAAIAAJ&dq=daya+ram+sahni&pg=PA303 |title=India antiqua |date=1947 |publisher=Brill Archive |pages=303 |language=en}}</ref>

==Retirement==
After his retirement in 1935, he was appointed by [[Jaipur State]] as the Director of its newly established Department of Archaeology. He went on to publish a book on his excavations at the ancient site of [[Viratnagar]], the capital of the Jaipur region in classical times.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Blakiston |first=J. F. |date=April 1939 |title=Archæological Remains and Excavations at Bairat. By Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahni. 9¾ × 7. pp. 40, pls. 11. Jaipur State: Dept. of Archæology and Historical Research, 1937. 8 annas. |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-royal-asiatic-society/article/abs/archaeological-remains-and-excavations-at-bairat-by-rai-bahadur-daya-ram-sahni-9-7-pp-40-pls-11-jaipur-state-dept-of-archaeology-and-historical-research-1937-8-annas/5D11C7940B433862A21FCDF228BA02F0 |journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society |language=en |volume=71 |issue=2 |pages=305–306 |doi=10.1017/S0035869X00088936 |issn=2051-2066|url-access=subscription }}</ref> He also excavated [[Naliasar]] and [[Sambhar Lake Town|Sambhar]] during the 1936–1938 season,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Chandramani |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i-jVAAAAMAAJ&q=daya+ram+sahni+sambhar |title=Protected Monuments of Rajasthan |date=2002 |publisher=Jawahar Kala Kendra |isbn=978-81-86782-60-6 |pages=XI, 194 |language=en}}</ref> where he found, among other things, coins from the Moroli Hoard which belonged to the [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]] period.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lYoMAQAAMAAJ&q=daya+ram+sahni+sambhar |title=The Researcher |date=1997 |publisher=Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, Government of Rajasthan. |pages=1 |language=en}}</ref>

He also found prehistoric [[chert]] artefacts near the Viratnagar site, which influenced many archaeologists in newly independent India.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Śrivastava |first=Vijai Shankar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nKJiBUFrmfoC&dq=daya+ram+sahni+mandore&pg=PA27 |title=Cultural Contours of India: Dr. Satya Prakash Felicitation Volume |date=1981 |publisher=Abhinav Publications |isbn=978-0-391-02358-1 |pages=27–28 |language=en}}</ref> He also conducted excavations in the districts of [[Gorakhpur district|Gorakhpur]] and [[Saran district|Saran]], unfortunately not much is known about these excavations.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZodEAQAAMAAJ&q=daya+ram+sahni+mandore |title=Rivista degli studi orientali |date=1910 |publisher=Istituti editoriali e poligrafici internazionali |language=it}}</ref>

== Honours ==

Sahni was awarded a "[[Rao Bahadur|Rai Bahadur]]" medal in March 1920 by the [[List of governors of Punjab (British India)|Governor of Punjab]] at a [[Durbar (court)|durbar]] in [[Rawalpindi]]. Soon after his retirement from the ASI in 1935, Sahni was made a [[Order of the Indian Empire|Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire]]. The [[Banaras Hindu University]] instituted the Dayaram Sahni Gold Medal in his memory.

==Death==
He died at 7 March, 1939 (at age of 59 years) at [[Rohtak]], [[Haryana]].

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==

* {{cite Q|1=Q89187986|url=}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box|title=Director General of the [[Archaeological Survey of India]]|before=[[Harold Hargreaves]]|after=[[J. F. Blakiston]]|years=1931-1935}}
{{s-end}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:1879 births]]
[[Category:1939 deaths]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian archaeologists]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire]]
[[Category:Directors general of the Archaeological Survey of India]]
[[Category:Scientists from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Archaeologists of the Indus Valley civilisation]]
[[Category:Indian institute directors]]
[[Category:Archaeologists from British India]]
[[Category:Harappa]]
[[Category:People from Punjab Province (British India)]]

Daya Ram Sahni - Revision history

Umaiordarame at 14:23, 26 March 2026