Chief Conservator

Mr. Lalit Kumar (b.1953)

 B.Sc. (Chemistry); M.A. (History of Art) & M.A. (Museology) from Banaras Hindu University. Recipient of "Hari Om Ashram" award for research in 1996-97.

Mr. Lalit Kumar is the chief conservator. He is an art-conservator, museologist and an eminent art historian. He received basic training in conservation and restoration while pursuing post graduation in museology. Being a graduate in chemistry and deft with paint and brush, Mr. Lalit Kumar has the necessary technical skills and artistic aptitude which make him a unique conservator. His passion for painting compels him to handle all the brush work by himself, even as a team of technicians is there to assist him. He discovered the ancient Indian technique of hollow bronze casting. He has been associated with the setting up of two leading museums in Gujarat.

Some of his major research works are:

  • Symbolism of the National Emblem of India.
  • The technique of hollow bronze casting.
  • Discovery of the oldest cult image of Lord Rama dated c.500 A.D.
  • Origin of the new Gujarati Painting style
  • Origin of the Sarnatha School of sculpture
  • Origin, Provenance and Chronology of the Caurapancasika Style
  • Mystery of Shaking Minarets of Ahmedabad (India)
  • Samlaji Sculpture

Some of his published research papers are listed below: (those interested can send an e-mail for  the off-prints).

1.        " Jai Singh 's Observatory at Banaras: An Observation," in Vijaya Sankara Srivastava , ed., Cultural Contours of India

           ( Dr. Satya Prakash Felicitation Volume), New Delhi , 1981.

2.        "Timingala Jataka - A Research," in Pracya Pratibha, IX-X, Bhopal , 1981-82.  

3.        "An Observation on Gandharan Frieze in the Bharat Kala Bhavan,"

           in Sangrahalaya Puratattva (Bulletin of Museums and Archaeology in U.P), nos.27-28, June-December, Lucknow,1981.  

4.        "A Small Buddha Image in the Bharat Kala Bhavan and its Probable Dating," in Jr.Of The Faculty Of Arts, 3,

           ( Banaras Hindu University ), 1982.  

5.        "A Note on Matsyavatar Panel," in Jr. Of Ancient Indian History, XIII, Pt. 1-2, 1980-82,

           (Dept. of Ancient Indian History and Culture, (University of Calcutta ), Calcutta , 1983.  

6.        "A Note on Crowned Buddha," in Sambodhi, 10, nos.1-4, Ahmedabad, 1982.  

7.        "A New Visnu Pillar from Banaras," in Sangrahalaya Puratattva, nos. 29-30, Lucknow , 1982.  

8.        "A Study of Mason's Mark with Reference to Bakaraia Kund," in Jr. Of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, no.2, Dhaka , 1982.  

9.        "A Unique Bodhisattva Head from Mathure," in Sambodhi, 11, Ahmedabad, 1983.  

10.      "Identification of a Gandharan Panel in Bharat Kala Bhavan," in S.B. Agarwal, ed., Roopa-Shilpa, Allahabad , 1986.  

11.      "Subjucation of Nalagiri: An Amravati Panel in Bharat Kala Bhavan," in Indologica Jaipurensia (Dr. Mulk Raj Anand

           Felicitation Volume), 1, Jaipur, 1987.  

12.      "A Note on Sanmukh Karttikey ," in Sambodhi, 12, Ahmedabad,1982-1984.  

13.      "A Rare Icon of Padmavati dated A.D. 1636," in Marg, XXXIX, no.2., Bombay .  

14.      "Another Rare Icon of the Digambara Padmavati ," in Jain Journal, XXIII, No.2, Calcutta, 1988.  

15.      "Grahapati Siva : A Relief in the Bharat Kala Bhavan ,"in Jr. Of Ganganatha Jha Kendrya Sanskrita Vidyapeetha,

           Vol. XLI, Pt.1-4, (1985), Allahabad 1988.  

16.      "Roots of early Indian Narrative Stone Carving," in Krishna Deva and Lallanji Gopal, eds., History of Art, Delhi , 1989.  

17.      "Some Unpublished Eastern Indian Sculptures in L.D. Museum ," in Bhaskar Chatterji , ed., History And Archeology

           ( Prof. H.D. Sankalia Felicitation Volume), Delhi , 1989.  

18.      "Saiva Tradition in Jaina Iconography," in Puratan, no. 6, Bhopal , 1989.  

19.      "Display of Scrolls with references to Vijnaptipatras," in Jr. Of Indian Museums, XXXXII, 1986.  

20.      "Outreach programs in Art Museum," in GEIM Bulletin, New Delhi , 1987. 

21.      "Mss. Gallery an Essential Adjuct to Mss. Library," in Jr. Of Indian Museums, XLIV, 1988.  

22.      "From Traditional to Modern Method of Documentation - Devising a Methodology for Re-accessioning,"

           in Jr. Of Indian Musuems,  XLIV, 1988.

23.      "A Note on Museum Architecture," in Jr. Of Indian Museums, XLV, 1989.  

24.      "Dancers Costume and Provenance of the Caurapancasika Style," in Lalit   Kala, no.25.  

25.      "Indian Masons and their Insignia," in Pracya-Pratibha, 13, pt. 1-2, Bhopal , 1985-86-87.  

26.      "Some Unpublished Post-Gupta Sculptures from Banaras (c.600-650 A.D.)," in Pragdhara, no.1, Lucknow ,1989.  

27.      "Citrakala in Jaina Canonical Literature," in K.R. Candra, ed., Seminar in Jain Agam, Ahmedabad, 1982.  

28.      "Sarnath Buddha - Origin and Devlopment of its style," in Pragdhara, no.2, Lucknow ,1992.  

29.      "A Life Size Image of Neminatha in Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum , Ahmedabad," in Arhat Vacana,  3, no. 3, Indore ,1991.  

30.      "A Bronze Image of Yaksi Padmavati, in the Collection of Hamburg Museum , Germany ," in Jinamanjari, 4, no.1, Canada , 1992.  

31.      "Savatthi (Sravasti) in Jaina Literature," in Pancala, V, Kanpur ,1992.  

32.      "Aitihasika Srota ke Rupa main Gujarati Laghucitron ka Mulyankana," in Vidyapitha, no.175-180, AHMEDABAD,1992. (in Hindi)  

33.      "The Date of the Devendrastava : An Art Historical Approach," in Sambodhi, XVII, Ahmedabad, 1992-93.

           Also incorporated in Sagarmal Jain, (ed.), Prakirnaka Sahitya : Manan Aura Mimansa,

           (The Seminar Proceedings Published By The Agama Samata Evama Prakrita Samsthana), Udaipur , 1995.  

34.      "Technique of hollow bronze casting in western india ," in Pragadhara, no.4, Lucknow , 1993-94.  

35.      "On the Style of Adhidvipa Painting (Sixteenth and Seventeenth century)," 

           in P.C. Parikh, et al, eds., Prof. H.G. Shastri Felicitation Volume, Ahmedabad, 1994.  

36.      "Gleanings of the Mandu Idiom  - A Note on the Coomarswamy Kalpasutra and Kalakacaryakatha in Boston Museum," 

           in Vijaya Sankara Srivastava and Mohanlal Gupta, eds., Roopankana- Recent Studies in Indian Pictorial Heritage,

           (Padmasri Ram Gopal Vijaivargiya Felicitation Volume, Jaipur,   1995.                                                                                      

37.      "Gujarati Painting of the 16th-17th Century - A Reappraisal," in Nirgranth, 1, Ahmedabad , 1995.  

38.      "Some Jaina Bronzes from an Unpublished Ghogha Hoard," in Nirgranth, 2, Ahmedabad , 1996.  

39.      "A Dance Consort Scene from Devagarh Temple ," in Lalit Kala, No. 28, New  Delhi .  

40.      "Conservation of the Bronzes from the Vasantagadha Hoard," in Jr. of Indian Museums, Vol. LII , 1995-96, Varanasi . .

41.      "Some Seals of Dangs' Chiefs of Gujarat ," in the New Dimensions of Indology

           (Dr. Praveen Chandra Parikha Felicitation Volume), 

           Delhi- Varanasi, 1997.

42.             “Identification of an Image of the Lord Rama," in Pragdhara, No.8, 1998 , Lucknow .  

43.             Arambhika Bodha aur Jaina Kala : Ek Addhyayana ”, Samayika, No. 5, 1999.(in Hindi).    

44.             “The Water Imagery in Indian Art ," in the Kala, (Jr. of Indian Art History Congress), Vol. IV, 97-98, Varanasi .  

45.             “Umasahita Images of Siva from Gujarat ,” Pathika, November, 1999.  

46.             “Symbolism of the Lion Capital of Sarnath the National Emblem of India ”, Pragdhara, No. 10, 1999-2000, Lucknow .  

47.             "The Caurapancasika Style: the Origin, Provenance, and Chronology of Its Documents," 

           in Kala, the Journal of Indian History Congress, Guwahati, Vol.  VIII, New Delhi , 2003  

48.             “Karpurmanjari: The Artless Heroine” in A Celebration of Love: The Romantic Heroines in the Indian Art , New Delhi 2004  

49.            “A Visnu - Visvarupa Sculpture From Samalaji ," in Lalit Kala , No. 29, (2004) New Delhi .  

50.             “Two Rare Paintings on Birch Bark in the Caurapancasika Style," in Ananda-vana of Indian Art : Dr. Anand Krishna

           Felicitation Volume. Chandigarh 2004.  

51.             “Mystery of the Shaking Minarets of Sidi Bashir’s Mosque in Ahmedabad,”(in press)

52.             Devotional Objects Beyond Temple : In Jain Religion,” in The God Beyond Temple . (in press)  

53.              “An Illustrated Manuscript of the Durga Kavaca in Sirohi Style Dated 1631” in Rasiklal Parikh Commemoration Volume,

            Ahmedabad, (In Press)

54.       "A Lost Buddhist Dharmacakra from Brahmapuri – Re-discovered" in Lalit Kala, No.31 (in Press)

55.       "A Rare Illustrated Vijnaptipatra from Banaras Sent in the Reign of Ishwari Narain Singh", Kala, (in Press)