In his Talk, "From Wonder Weapon to Damp Squib: A History of the Chariot", military archaeologist Raamesh Gowri Raghavan offers a fascinating ride piecing together four millennia of art history, iconography, literature and excavational evidence of the birth, evolution and eventual decline of the chariot.
The online Talk in English is at 5.30 pm IST on Saturday, November 14, 2026.
About The Speaker:
Raamesh Gowri Raghavan has a diverse background spanning science, writing, advertising, and archaeology. He has a Master's degree in Biological Sciences from the Indian Institute of Science (2003), following a Bachelor's degree in Microbiology and Biochemistry from SIES College of Arts, Science and Commerce (2000).
He has over 18 years of experience in advertising and marketing, working with various agencies including RK Swamy BBDO and OgilvyOne India. He now works as a freelance creative consultant.
During his seven years as a Research Associate, Raamesh has published academic papers covering topics such as numerical linguistics and the microflora of the Lonar crater lake.
He has a strong interest in archaeology and epigraphy with INSTUCEN Trust, Mumbai. He has organized conferences and workshops on archaeology, haikai literature, and ancient Indian games. He has also taught archaeo-zoology and palaeo-botany at the University of Mumbai and conducts heritage walks in Mumbai and Thane,
Raamesh is also an author, with literary publications including poems, short stories, haiku, and haibun. He was formerly the editor of the literary e-journal Narrow Road and is a member of the editorial board of Café Haiku. He has delivered two TEDx talks.
THT Awards Ceremony 2026 + Award Lecture on "கல்வெட்டும் கணினியும்" by M Udhaya Sankar.
The following Awards will be presented:
1. The V Venkayya Epigraphy Award 2026 will be conferred posthumously on Late Dr C Somasundara Rao, eminent Telugu epigrapher and historian, for his significant contributions to the field of Epigraphy. The Award will be received by Ms Surya Lakshmi, daughter of the awardee.
2. The THT Prof. S Swaminathan Heritage Award 2026 will be presented to M Udhaya Sankar for his contributions to strengthening our existing knowledge base of heritage assets and resources and deepening the general public’s knowledge of Indian heritage.
The Awards Ceremony will be followed by the Award Lecture by M Udhaya Sankar on “கல்வெட்டும் கணினியும்”. The talk will be in Tamil.
About The Speaker:
Udhaya Sankar (Udhayan) works as a 3D graphic designer and masonry estimator at a private organization. Outside his professional career, Udhayan has been a pioneering cultural archivist dedicated to open‑source digital archiving, cultural informatics, and computational preservation of Tamil heritage.
Over the last 17 years, Udhayan has made remarkable contributions to the preservation and digitization of Tamil heritage. His work includes field documentation of 90+ hills and caves, photographic archiving of nearly 200 temples, the creation of a comprehensive Tamil inscription database and epigraphic dictionary, and the engineering‑precision digitization of 5000+ Kolam designs.
Through his platform Udhayam.in, he has developed a digital archive of over 2,000 Tamil inscriptions. He has also revived ancient Tamil‑Brahmi script through the Adinatha Font and developed experimental heritage‑inspired typefaces.
He has been recognized by institutions such as REACH Foundation, Madurai Corporation, Madurai Digitall and Chola History Research Association for his contributions to heritage.
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