ASI denies it is ‘uninterested’ in publishing Keeladi excavation report

The Archaeological Survey of India on Thursday denied allegations that it was uninterested in publishing the reports about the Keeladi excavation in Tamil Nadu.

“That the ASI is uninterested in publication of Keeladi report is a figment of imagination which aims purposefully to paint the department in bad colours,” the department said in a statement.

The Archaeological Survey of India’s statement came following reports earlier in May that the department had directed archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna to resubmit his report on the Keeladi excavations after making corrections suggested by two experts.

Ramakrishna, who led the discovery of the Sangam-era site near Madurai, had submitted more than two years ago the report detailing the first two phases of the excavation.

The Indian Express had reported on Sunday that Ramakrishna had refused to revise the report, defending the findings and methodology that was used in documenting details about the archaeological site.

The Archaeological Survey of India said on Thursday that the letter from the director (excavations and explorations) “is a routine matter, which the director regularly writes to the excavators for carrying out changes in the report or otherwise”.

“Great emphasis is given to this aspect [publishing reports about excavated sites], since much time, energy and money is spent on every excavation work and the basic purpose of the excavation work otherwise,...

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