Tamil Nadu's Archaeological Pursuits: A Journey Through Time

The Tamil Nadu state archaeology department has pressed forward with a strong push for archaeological excavation projects, sending 45 proposals over recent years for central approval. The government revealed on Monday, during a parliamentary session, that eight of the twelve proposals dispatched in 2025 are still under consideration.

In a parliamentary inquiry, DMK MP Kanimozhi raised concerns over whether the central government is cognizant of the Madras High Court's recent directive. The court has ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to positively consider and collaborate with the Tamil Nadu government on archaeological endeavors at Adichanallur in Thoothukudi, a matter to which Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat confirmed awareness.

Minister Shekhawat provided a year-wise account of requests from the Tamil Nadu archaeology department to the ASI for excavations from 2021 to 2026. He detailed delays in the Keezhadi excavation report, initially submitted in January 2023 but pending completion due to stringent academic reviews intended to maintain scholarly integrity rather than hinder progress.