Prof. V.N. Prabhakar obtained his Ph.D. in Archaeology from Kurukshetra University, Haryana (India) and is presently Associate Professor (Archaeology), Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. He held the post of Director (Archaeology) in Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) before joining IIT Gandhinagar. His research interests are Harappan Civilization and Application of Sciences in Archaeology. He has conducted extensive research in the areas of bead manufacturing techniques of the Harappans from the site of Dholavira. His doctoral thesis was on Burial practices of the Harappans: Sanauli Excavations A Case Study, wherein a multifaceted analysis including stable isotope studies was conducted. He has con- ducted independent excavations at the Harappan site of Rupnagar (Punjab) and Karanpura (Rajasthan) in India and actively participated in the excavations at Dholavira (Gujarat), Lalkot (Delhi), Sanauli, Madarpur, Fatehpur Sikri (all in Uttar Pradesh), Ellora (Maharashtra). He has organised national and international conferences; workshops. He currently teaches and conducts research at IIT Gandhinagar, coordinating the application of sciences in archaeology.