"Punishment?": Archaeologist Who Discovered Keeladi, Amarnath Ramakrishna Transferred Again

New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) once again transferred K Amarnath Ramakrishna, a Superintending Archaeologist with ASI, days after he refused to rework his comprehensive report regarding the excavations he conducted at the Sangam Era site of Keeladi near Madurai in Tamil Nadu.

The Director of Antiquity and National Mission on Monuments and Antiquity (NMMA) in Tamil Nadu, Ramakrishna, has now been transferred to Greater Noida as Director of NMMA, which, according to sources, remains almost defunct. Therefore, the transfer is believed to be a “punishment” posting for standing by his Keeladi excavation report, Decan Herald reported, quoting sources.

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The Keeladi excavation report found evidence of a flourishing urban civilization during the Sangam age in Tamil Nadu, indicating a timeline of settlement further back than what was believed.

Discovered by Ramakrishna in 2015, archaeological findings from the Keeladi site suggest that the Sangam age, a period in ancient Tamil Nadu previously thought to be from the third century BCE to the third century CE, is much older than what is believed. In 2019, a Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) report unearthed artefacts from Keeladi to a period between the sixth century BCE and first century BCE.

The excavation report recently generated political discussion, with controversies surrounding several Dravidian and Left ideologues. The groups claim the archaeological findings proved that the Indus Valley Civilization was a “Dravidian” culture and an independent Tamil civilization.

Some of the symbols found in the pot sherds of Keeladi reportedly bear a close resemblance to Indus Valley signs, thereby pushing the Dravidian sentiment, which the critics say challenges the view that India is one.

Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat recently alleged that the DMK government was refusing to cooperate with the central government on Keeladi report, accusing the party of politicising the findings. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had said that Centre has continued its demand for more proof even after they were given carbon-dated artefacts and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) reports from International Laboratories on the Keeladi excavations.

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However, this is the third time Ramakrishna has been transferred since he discovered the Keeladi site in 2014. In September 2024, he was transferred on promotion to Director (Excavation & Exploration) in New Delhi from Chennai, where he was Superintending Archaeologist, only to be transferred again within three months as Director (Antiquity).”

In 2017, Ramakrishna was transferred to Assam after he revealed his findings from Keeladi. He returned to Chennai in 2021.

Sharing the report on the latest transfer, author and social commentator, Mini Nair wrote, “Transferred from Tamil Nadu to Noida, because he stood by his report about Keeladi.”

Transferred from Tamil Nadu to Noida, because he stood by his report about Keeladi. pic.twitter.com/MWqcu4fMGb

— Mini Nair (@minicnair) June 18, 2025