Eminent scholar, archaeologist and historian Dr B S Harishankar passed away on August 27 after a massive heart attack, it is learnt. He was vice-president of Bharatiya Vichara Kendram, the regional chapter of Prajna Pravah.
A protégé of late Shri P Parameswaran and historian S P Gupta, Harishankar is known for his academic rigour and incisive research. An author of several books, his contribution to the Sangh school of thought was immense. He authored Cultural Terrorism: Conflicts and Debates on Cultural Pasts, which was brought out by Indus Scrolls Press. His forthcoming book, The Other as Hostile being brought out by Indus Scrolls Press will be released in October.
Dr Harishankar was instrumental in exposing the evangelical and anti-Hindu agenda behind the Pattanam excavations, initially carried out by Marxist-controlled Kerala Council of Historical Research.
As an archaeologist he had closely worked with historian SP Gupta and Prof Vasant Shinde. His book on 1921 Hindu Genocide in Malabar, Beyond Rampage: West Asian Contacts of Malabar and Khilafat busted the myth that the leaders and promoters of Malabar Hindu Genocide were poor, landless Muslims and the riots had all the characteristics of communal progrom. Marshalling out proofs and documents, he exposed that some of the Khilafat leaders were wealthy timber exporters who had ideological and business connections with Turkey and other Islamic nations.
Emotionally devastated Bharatiya Vichara Kendram director Shri Sanjayan said, Harishankar ji’s death was huge loss for the organisation. “His contribution to the intellectual corpus of the organisation was immense. Immensely talented, his academic rigour was praiseworthy. His death has created a void,” he added.
Indus Scrolls extends heartfelt condolences to the family of Shri Harishankar. “We at Indus Scrolls pray for his moksha,” said G Sreedathan, MD, Indus Scrolls.
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