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In a strongly worded letter to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Keezhadi site excavator archaeologist K Amarnath Ramakrishna has defended his report and refused to resubmit it as directed by the agency. The ASI had sought corrections to the report to make it “more authentic”.
According to reports, in his letter sent on May 23, 2025, Amarnath, who is now the Director (Antiquities), has defended the voluminous 982-page report submitted to the ASI. To ASI’s queries on the earliest dating and chronological sequence, the senior archeologist said, “It is to inform that regarding the period of Keeladi excavation has been evaluated (as per) the archaeological excavation procedure. Here the period of the site was reconstructed as per the stratigraphic sequence, cultural deposit available with material culture and with AMS date found during the excavation. Based on the findings and facts the final outcome of the observation of the excavator was incorporated in the final report with all documentary evidence, and the chronological sequence of the Keeladi site was clearly explained in the report. The view expressed by you for further examination of sequence is against the well reasoned conclusive finding of the excavator of the site.”
Amarnath had submitted the final report on the excavation in January 2023. After more than two years of submission, the ASI had written to him on May 15, asking for the corrections and to reassess the chronological brackets.
According to multiple reports, Amarnath has sent a detailed response to each question raised by the ASI.
Keezhadi has remained a politically charged site of excavation for a long time. In 2017, Amarnath was transferred to Assam amidst the excavation and ASI closed the site saying that there was a “lack of significant findings”. Later, a petition was filed at the Madras High Court, and the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology was handed over the responsibility of excavation. The 11th phase of excavation is set to commence in June 2025.