PROFESSOR M. A. DHAKY, currently Director (Emeritus) at the American Institute of Indian Studies (Center for Art and Archaeology), Gurgaon (Haryana), is a historian and researcher of ancient and medieval Indian art, architecture and historical archaeology as also of Sanskrit and Prakrit texts that relate to the architecture of the ancient buildings. Prof. Dhaky had served at the AIIS’ Varanasi Center from August 1966, on deputation first from the Department of Archaeology, Government of Gujarat, and next, from 1974 onwards, from the L.D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad, where till 1987 he was posted as the Research Professor of Indian Art and Architecture.
Among his publications are the short and long monographs and papers, chapters to the volumes of the Encyclopaedia of Indian Temple Architecture, and many research articles in English, Gujarati, and in Hindi. Besides archaeological and art historical themes, he also writes on the history and chronology of ancient and medieval Jaina literature (including the dgamas, their commentaries, and ancient and medieval hymns) as well as has determined the dates of the famous authors of Nirgrantha-darsana/ Jainism. Moreover, he has published articles and papers involving criticism and interpretation of art, architecture, as also musicology, horticulture, and gemology. Altogether, these writings number over 310. He also has participated in several national and international seminars and delivered lectures in a few prestigious lecture series.