Ahmad Hasan Dani
| Ahmad Hasan Dani | |
|---|---|
| Born |
20 June 1920 Basna, Central Provinces, British India |
| Died | 26 January 2009 (aged 88) Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan |
| Residence | Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan |
| Citizenship | Pakistan |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Fields | Archaeology, History, Linguistics |
| Institutions |
Quaid-e-Azam University University of Dhaka University of Peshawar Peshawar Museum |
| Alma mater |
Institute of Archaeology, UCL Banaras Hindu University |
| Doctoral advisor | Mortimer Wheeler |
| Known for | Research on the Indus Valley Civilization |
| Notable awards |
Hilal-e-Imtiaz Sitara-e-Imtiaz Bundesverdienstkreuz Légion d'honneur Palmes Academiques |
Professor Ahmad Hasan Dani (Urdu: احمد حسن دانی) FRAS, SI, HI (20 June 1920 – 26 January 2009), was a Pakistani intellectual, archaeologist, historian, and linguist. He was among the foremost authorities on Central Asian and South Asian archaeology and history. He introduced archaeology as a discipline in higher education in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Throughout his career, Dani held various academic positions and international fellowships, apart from conducting archaeological excavations and research. He is particularly known for archaeological work on pre-Indus Civilization and Gandhara sites in Northern Pakistan. He was also the recipient of various civil awards in Pakistan and abroad. As a prolific linguist, he was able to speak 35 local and international languages and dialects.
Dani was born on 20 June 1920 in Basna, Central Provinces, India. He graduated in 1944, with an MA degree, to become the first Muslim graduate of Banaras Hindu University. He scored highest marks in the exams which earned him a Gold Medal. This also qualified him for a teaching fellowship from the same university. Although he was provided with the grant, he was not allowed to teach due to his religious beliefs. He stayed there for six months. In 1945, he started working as a trainee in archaeology under the guidance of Mortimer Wheeler. At this time, he participated in excavations at Taxila and Mohenjo-daro. He was subsequently posted at the Department of Archaeology of British India at Taj Mahal, Agra. He received his PhD from the Institute of Archaeology, University College London.
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