India’s metallurgical heritage stretches back more than five thousand years. The Harappan "Dancing Girl" is an early masterpiece of Indian bronze casting. The lost-wax tradition behind it was also used for the celebrated Pallava and Chola bronzes. The Delhi Iron Pillar, made about 1,600 years ago, still interests metallurgists today because it resists corrosion so remarkably well. Advanced zinc-distillation technology was developed at Zawar in Rajasthan, and Wootz steel was once famous around the world. Together, these achievements make up a remarkable technological legacy that deserves a larger place in how we understand India’s history. At our Online Talk #HeavyMetal, museum professional Shivaprasad Khened focuses on the "Rust-less Wonder" of the Delhi Iron Pillar, looking at some of the outstanding achievements of ancient Indian metallurgists, especially in iron, steel and zinc. He will also explore this heritage across the extraction, processing and use of metals.
About the speaker
Shivaprasad Khened has worked in museums for nearly four decades. His work in science communication, museum development, exhibition curation and public engagement has centred on presenting India’s scientific and technological achievements in ways the public can easily understand. He has directed three major national science museums, and curated the 'Our Technological Heritage' gallery at Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai, and the 'Our Science and Technology Heritage' gallery at the National Science Centre, Delhi. He was Project Coordinator for the exhibition 'Illuminating India: 5000 Years of Science and Innovation' at the Science Museum, London. He has also been Director of the National Gallery of Modern Art in both Mumbai and Bengaluru, and a Member of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) Society. He is currently Senior Advisor to the Director-General of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), Mumbai, and a Trustee of the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, Mani Bhavan.
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