A team of five archaeologists from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), led by Prof. Alok Tripathi, Additional Director-General (Archaeology), has launched a new underwater exploration off the coast of Dwarka. The team, which includes H.K. Nayak, Dr. Aparajita Sharma, Ms. Poonam Vind, and Rajkumari Barbina, has chosen an area near the Gomati Creek for initial investigations. Notably, this marks the first time ASI has deployed a team with significant female representation for underwater research. 

The exploration is part of the revived Underwater Archaeology Wing (UAW) of ASI, which has been actively conducting offshore surveys since the 1980s. Since 2001, the UAW has explored sites such as Bangaram Island (Lakshadweep), Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu), Loktak Lake (Manipur), and Elephanta Island (Maharashtra), often collaborating with the Indian Navy and other organisations to protect India’s underwater cultural heritage. 

Between 2005 and 2007, ASI carried out offshore and onshore excavations in Dwarka, discovering sculptures and stone anchors. Building on those findings, the latest investigations aim to further explore and document India's rich underwater archaeological legacy. 

(PIB)