Ahmad Hasan Dani
Ahmad Hassan Dani (Urdu: احمد حسن دانی) FRAS, SI, HI (20 June 1920 – 26 January 2009) was a Pakistani archaeologist, historian, and linguist.
[3] Throughout his career, Dani held various academic positions and international fellowships, apart from conducting archaeological excavations and research.
Ahmad Hasan Dani, from an ethnic Kashmiri Muslim family of traders from the Wain clan,[4] was born on 20 June 1920 in Basna, British India.
[2] On 22 January 2009, he was admitted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad with heart, kidney and diabetes problems.
Dani remained engaged in excavation works on the pre-Indus civilization site of Rehman Dheri in Northern Pakistan.
[1] From his extensive fieldwork and research experience, Dani refuted any influence of South Indian culture on the Indus Valley civilization.
He asserted that the hilly western borderland that appears as a boundary to the external eye is actually a network of hill plateaus where the local people have always moved freely.
He therefore argued that the cultural history of Pakistan is more closely related to Central Asia through Buddhist, Persian and later Sufism influences.
[1] Dani maintained that despite the Arabian Sea allowing the Meluhhans to establish trade relations with Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, the majority of historical movements occurred between Central and South Asia.
The geographic location as a link between the two regions has characterised the relationship "between the people of Pakistan and those of Central Asia in the field of culture, language, literature, food, dress, furniture and folklore".
In 2004, he was awarded the title of 'Distinguished National Professor' by the Higher Education Commission in recognition of his contributions and achievements.
Internationally, his services in archaeology, linguistics and ancient history were commended through various prestigious honours and awards such as: Ahmad Hasan Dani had more than 30 published books and numerous journal articles to his credit.
