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Indian Express
a day ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Stories in Kutch shells: Hunter-gatherers who lived in Gujarat 5,000 years before the Harappans and their cities
Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) who worked with experts from IIT Kanpur (IITK), Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) Delhi, and Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad, have reported the presence of humans in the Great Rann of Kutch at least 5,000 years before the Harappans. The conclusion is based on the dating and analysis of remains of shells that were first discovered in the late 19th century. The Anglo-Irish geologist Arthur Beavor Wynne wrote in the Geological Survey of India (GSI) memoirs in 1872 about 'a patch of large broken univalve shells' found 'all over the northern side of Kutch'. The IITGN study suggests links between the Kutch midden site – archaeological sites where large quantities of marine shells, along with bones, tools, and pottery are typically found – and those in Oman and Pakistan along the coast of the northern Arabian Sea where these pre-Harappan communities likely lived. Preliminary results were published in 2023 in Man and Environment, the biannual journal of the Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies ('Evidence for the presence of prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities on Khadir island, Great Rann of Kutch, Gujarat'). A new set of archaeological remains was discovered about a kilometre from the Harappan site of Dholavira near Bambhanka, the southernmost village on Khadir Beyt (island), on the route connecting the island to the Kutch mainland. Khadir was one of the six islands in this region, where sea levels were higher until about 5,000-6,000 years ago, V N Prabhakar, associate professor at the Department of Earth Sciences and Humanities and Social Sciences at IITGN, said. During a visit to the site in 2016, study co-author Shikha Rai and Vikrant Jain, professor at IITGN's Department of Earth Sciences, discovered the 'remains of house complexes' on a hillock 2.5 km to the northwest of Bambhanka. 'The surface had broken potsherds, shell remains, and flakes of carnelian and agate, while on the surface were remnants of walls built with random rubble masonry,' Dr Rai told The Indian Express. On the western edge of this hillock, a trench dug to lay a pipeline exposed a 30-40-cm-thick deposit of shell remains. 'Most of the shell remains display breakage on the central part, presumably to extract meat from them. Similar findings from the Las Bela region of Pakistan are placed between the seventh and fifth millennium BCE, which suggests the possibility of hunter-gatherer communities depending on shell remains as a food source and participating in long distance trade within inland sites,' Dr Rai said. More similar sites were subsequently discovered in and around Khadir. Clues in the mangroves The study indicates the presence of coastal hunter-gatherer communities in the Great Rann of Kutch region who adapted to the mangrove environment to which the shell species identified so far – such as Terebralia palustris, or the giant mangrove whelk – belong. 'Most sites are on river banks, some 2-2.5 km from the coast, while some are deeper inside, which suggests the inhabitants carried the sea shells inland. We could not reach the northern coast, which is a forest area, but there may be more deposits there,' Prof Prabhakar said. Currently, the only remnants of mangroves are found in the Little Rann of Kutch to the southeast of Dholavira, near Lakhpat on the coast to the west, and at an inland location known as Shravan Kavadiya to the northeast of Bhuj, which may have been the ancient shoreline. 'These humans were collecting food wherever it was available in their mangrove environment. They broke the shells and extracted the meat, which they may have even cooked – because some shells are black or grey in colour, suggesting they were heated. The shells may have been discarded at the same place for perhaps 300-400 years,' Prof Prabhakar said. These communities of humans were hunter-gatherers, not farmers, he said. 'Apart from shells, they could have consumed plants, fruits, tubers, or nuts. But there isn't enough evidence yet… Maybe if we excavate one site, we can study the soil samples and try to understand the flora of that time.' Stone tools and trade The presence of flakes at several sites like Laungwali, Kunduwari, Ganeshpar, and Janan on Khadir island suggest the use of tools by these people. 'After the discovery at Bambhanka, local people led us to the site of Lungwali, about 1 km from Dholavira, where similar remains along with stone tools were discovered. A good number of chert, jasper, and chalcedony cores were found,' Prof Prabhakar said. According to Prof Prabhakar, these hunter-gatherer communities would have used tools made of basalt, limestone, and quartzite to hunt. Some smaller stones that have been found could have served as tips of arrows. 'They may have occupied a site maybe for one season, and moved on to another location, and then to another. Had there been permanent occupation, we could have found other remains as well,' he said. Barring agate, which was available near Amarapar village in Kutch, the other stones are not available locally, which suggests the possibility of trade, according to investigators. The finding from Kutch tallies with evidence from the Karachi coast, Prof Prabhakar said. 'We think that the Oman evidence is also coinciding. There was a wider area, and people definitely could have communicated with each other. Maybe in the future, if we have more evidence we can establish this,' he said. Before the Harappan people Fifteen samples from Khadir island have been carbon dated so far. The first three samples – all from Bambhanka – were dated at PRL Ahmedabad, and the remaining 12 at IUAC Delhi. Ravi Bhushan, a former professor at PRL who is now a consultant at the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, said: 'Radiocarbon dating, which is one of the most powerful tools scientists use to determine the age of ancient artifacts, fossils, and archaeological sites, was used. However, there is a time lag of 400-500 years as these shells feed on dead carbonates… this means they could be a little older.' Carbon dating pegs the antiquity of the Dholavira site at 3,300 BC to 1,400 BCE. The Harappan period is generally considered to extend from 2,600 to 1,900 BCE. 'Both before and after the Harappans, there were people living in smaller settlements in this area. But these remains are 5,500-5000 years before the time of the Harappans,' Dr Rai said. Ten more samples from four sites on Khadir, Bela, and the Kutch mainland will be dated at IUAC Delhi soon. Thereafter, more studies will be carried out with the collaboration of IIT Kanpur.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Kutch housed hunter-gatherer communities 5,000 years before Harappans arrived: Study
Shell scatters, deposits, middens, stone tools. Researchers have found rare evidence of human settlement in Kutch. As they dug deeper, they found that Kutch was home to prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities way before the Harappan era. A recent study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) has offered new insights into Kutch's cultural evolution. The study by IITGN researchers, in collaboration with experts from IIT Kanpur (IITK), Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) Delhi, and Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad, has uncovered archaeological evidence that pushes back the human presence in this region by at least 5,000 years prior to the arrival of Harappans. These communities inhabited a mangrove-dominated landscape, relied on shell species (both bivalves like oysters and gastropods), and naturally adapted to such environments. 'While British surveyors had previously noted shell accumulations in the area, these were not recognised as shell-midden sites, the heaps of discarded shells from human consumption,' explained Prof V N Prabhakar, an Associate Professor at the Archaeological Science Centre in the department of Earth Sciences at IITGN and lead investigator of the study. 'Our study is the first to identify these sites, confirm their cultural significance, and establish a chronological context,' he added. These newly identified sites are the first of their kind to be documented in the Kutch region, with a defined cultural and chronological context. According to the researchers, the findings also show similarities with coastal archaeological sites in the Las Bela and Makran regions of Pakistan and the Oman Peninsula, suggesting that early coastal communities across this broader region may have developed comparable strategies for food collection and survival. 'The shell samples collected from Khadir and nearby islands were analysed at PRL Ahmedabad, with support from Prof Ravi Bhushan and J S Ray, and at IUAC, Delhi, with help from Dr Pankaj Kumar,' mentioned Prof Prabhakar. To determine the age of these sites, the researchers used Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS), a precise method for measuring the radioactive isotope values of Carbon-14 (C-14) from the shell remains, which is absorbed by all living organisms. After death, C-14 begins to decay and is reduced by half every 5,730 years. Measuring the remaining amount in the shell samples allows scientists to estimate how long ago the organism died. As atmospheric C-14 levels have varied over time, the results were calibrated using tree ring data. Trees form one ring per year, and these tree ring sequences can be matched and extended back over thousands of years, allowing scientists to construct an accurate reference timeline of atmospheric C-14. The team discovered a variety of stone tools used for cutting, scraping, and splitting. Used cores from which the tools were manufactured were also found. 'The presence of these tools and associated raw materials suggests that the communities engaged in the prolific manufacture of implements for daily tasks,' said Dr Shikha Rai, a postdoctoral researcher at IITGN and co-author of the study. The raw materials may have been sourced from Khadir Island, now known for housing the Harappan city of Dholavira. The study challenges the commonly held view that urbanism in Kutch developed primarily under the influence of the Sindh region. 'Instead of abrupt external influence, what we see here is a gradual, locally rooted process of adaptation and cultural development,' said Prof Prabhakar. 'This accumulated knowledge of local geology, water resources, and navigation may have later helped the Harappans plan their settlements more effectively and engage in long-distance trade.' The researchers also believe that the shell middens and scatters will be important in palaeoclimate studies. Since climate change unfolds gradually over millennia and cannot be directly observed in the short term, natural materials like shells preserve signals that help reconstruct past environments. Previous studies at IITGN have already mapped the palaeoclimate of Khadir Island over the past 11,500 years. Further analysis of the recently discovered shell middens may contribute critical new insights into the climate conditions in which early humans lived. 'Humans in the past adapted to different climatic zones and environmental challenges without the aid of modern technologies,' explained Dr Rai, adding: 'Their ability to observe, respond to, and live within their ecological limits is something worth learning from today, especially in the context of global climate change.' The team now aims at mapping cultural developments in Gujarat, from prehistoric to historical periods, to build a broader understanding of how human adaptation has evolved. The findings from this study were presented at the 17th Annual Workshop on South Asian Archaeology (Hartwick College and University of Chicago), the Seminar Series on the Archaeology of the Indo-Iranian Borderlands (Sorbonne University, Paris), and the 50th Annual Conference of the Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies (ISPQS), Raipur — all in 2025. The research team includes Prof Vikrant Jain of the Earth Sciences Department, IITGN; Prof Javed Malik and Debajyoti Paul of IITK; Pankaj Kumar of IUAC, Delhi and Mahendrasinh Gadhavi of LD College, Ahmedabad.
India Today
30-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
IIT Gandhinagar starts e-masters in data science for decision-making
IIT Gandhinagar has rolled out a new e-Masters in Data Science for Decision Making (DSDM), aimed at professionals looking to upgrade their skills in data science with a decision-making edge. The course combines technical knowledge with practical business application, helping students make smarter data-driven to graduates from engineering, science, business, economics and other fields, the programme doesn't require a GATE second batch is now open for admissions, and the last date to apply is June 20, ONLINE STRUCTURE WITH INDUSTRY-FOCUSED TRAINING The two-year course is fully online, with 100% live sessions and small batch sizes for better interaction. Students will complete six modules across 54 credits, with each module running for 12 also a short residency component and access to career development support and one-on-one need at least 60% marks (or 6.0 CPI) in fields like statistics, maths, computer science, technology, economics, or AND DISCOUNTS AVAILABLEThe total fee for the programme is Rs 9.6 lakh, including a Rs 1.5 lakh registration fee (payable after selection) and Rs 8.1 lakh tuition fee (in six instalments). The application fee is Rs 1, a fee waiver offer till July 5 -- sponsored candidates get Rs 45,000 off the registration fee, and self-sponsored candidates can save Rs 30, TO APPLY FOR DSDM AT IIT GANDHINAGARVisit on 'Apply Now'Fill out the application form with required detailsUpload the necessary documentsPay the application fee of Rs 1,000Submit your applicationStudents will also get IITGN alumni status, making this course a solid step for anyone looking to grow in the data science field.
Indian Express
28-05-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
IIT Gandhinagar researchers claim breakthrough in fight against treatment resistance in prostate cancer
A research team from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Gandhinagar) Cancer Chemical Biology Lab has recently identified a molecule that targets a key survival mechanism used by cancer cells to resist standard therapies. 'Typically, cancer cells activate a protein called Tousled-like kinase 1 (TLK1), which acts like a molecular repair crew,' explained Dr Sivapriya Kirubakaran, corresponding author of the study and a Professor at IITGN's Department of Chemistry. Traditional therapeutics using TLK1 inhibitors have been limited to a small class of compounds known as phenothiazines. The study has been published in the Bioorganic Chemistry journal. 'Initially developed as antipsychotic drugs, they show limited specificity and potency in prostate cancer therapeutics and are associated with undesirable side effects. The IITGN team sought to address this gap by creating a new class of inhibitors with better safety and effectiveness. We designed novel drug variants by modifying J54, our in-house designed phenothiazine-based TLK1 inhibitor,' said Dr Delna Johnson, the first author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at the lab. J54, which was developed by former researchers of the lab, has shown effective action against mCRPC (metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer) in previous studies. 'We replaced J54's core structure and systematically modified its other parts to create new molecules capable of forming stronger interactions with the TLK1 protein,' she added. 'By retaining J54's morpholine-based side chain, a common chemical structure in many drugs, and adding an amide linker, our team sculpted a molecular decoy that disables the protein's function without disturbing the rest of the cellular machinery,' noted Dr Vijay Thiruvenkatam, senior author of the study and an Associate Research Professor at IITGN's Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering. The research team synthesised two series of molecules and performed a comprehensive set of experiments to evaluate their biological activity. In in vitro (test tube) assays, several compounds showed promising inhibition of TLK1, with one molecule, named 5n, standing out as the most potent. 'Molecule 5n could inhibit TLK1 significantly better than J54, and, crucially, it did so without competing with ATP, the cell's primary energy molecule,' according to the research team. To assess whether these molecules would work in living systems, the researchers tested their compounds on the LNCaP cell line, a human prostate cancer cell line that still responds to hormones. The cells, routinely used as a testing model for early-stage prostate cancer, responded strongly to 5n. 'In combination with Bicalutamide, a commonly used anti-androgen drug, 5n showed a six-fold improvement in reducing cancer cell survival. Additional experiments revealed that this dual treatment triggered significant DNA damage in the cancer cells and activated apoptosis, a self-destruct mechanism reserved for when a cell recognises its own irreparable flaws. Importantly, 5n demonstrated far less toxicity toward healthy, non-cancerous cells, suggesting that it selectively targets cancer cells, which is critical for reducing side effects in potential therapies,' the researchers claimed. 'By targeting a key protein involved in therapy resistance and designing a new class of molecules with precision and purpose, we have opened a new avenue for treating one of the most challenging forms of cancer,' says Prof Kirubakaran. The study shows how interdisciplinary research can set new benchmarks for cancer therapeutics, according to the research team. The future direction of this research will involve further preclinical studies to assess safety and effectiveness in animal models, followed by potential clinical trials, they added.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Want to do e-Masters in Applications of Machine Learning in Engineering at IT Gandhinagar? Check details & how to apply
The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) is starting a new e-Masters Degree Programme in 'Applications of Machine Learning in Engineering.' The programme intends to equip working professionals with cutting-edge skills to apply machine learning (ML) in core engineering domains. The 2-year postgraduate (PG) program is designed with flexibility in mind. It allows professionals to attend live online sessions during evenings and weekends, along with self-paced learning components. Unlike many other traditional PG courses, this e-Masters programme does not require a GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) qualification for admission. Dreaming of JoSAA 2025? Check out IIT Madras' new programs in CEM & iBME The applicants must have at least 55% marks or a 5.5 CGPA in relevant degrees such as BTech/BS (4-year), Integrated MSc (5-year), MCA/MSc/BS-MS (5-year) or equivalent, with mathematics as a mandatory subject in Grade 12. The total fee for the program is ₹9,30,000, comprising an application fee of ₹1,000, a registration fee of ₹1,50,000, and a tuition fee of ₹7,80,000 (payable in six instalments). An early bird discount is available until 20 June 2025—organisation-sponsored candidates receive a ₹45,000 waiver on the registration fee, while self-sponsored candidates get a ₹30,000 waiver. 100% live interactive sessions Flexible learning format Small batch sizes for personalized attention Career development support and mentorship Six 12–14-week modules Total of 52 credits Exclusive IITGN alumni status On-campus residency component Interested candidates can apply through the official program website: The deadline for applications is 5 June 2025. Applicants must submit academic documents and proof of mathematics in Grade 12, along with the application form and fee.
