International conference on Revisiting Indus-sarasvati Age & Ancient India

The three-day international conference on the theme of 'Revisiting Indus-sarasvati Age and Ancient India' was organized by the Greater Atlanta Vedic Temple Society and Hindu University of America. The Conference, attended by scholars and Vedic researchers from several countries, was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Basdeo Panday. There were several topics discussed during the three-day event. Two of the most important topics discussed were concerning the controversial Aryan Invasion Theory and the accomplishments of the civilization that existed along the banks of the Indus and sarasvati rivers. The conference focused on topics relating to the origins of ancient Indian Civilization. Several leading authorities spoke at the first international conference of its type, including

• Dr B B Lal, (former Director General, Archaeological Survey of India),
  
• Dr Klaus Klostermaier (Head of the Department of Religion, University of Manitoba, Canada and one of the leading authorities in the world on Hinduism),
  
• Dr Jim Shaffer (world renowned Archaeologist and Professor of Anthropology at Case Western Reserve University).
  
• Dr David Frawley, (American Vedic Scholar and author of several books on ancient India),
  
• Dr Subhash Kak (a leading expert on Vedic Science and Astronomy),
  
• Dr Koenraad Elst (Catholic University, Leuven, Belgium, a leading European author on Indian History and author of several books on Indian History)

Chief Guest, Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, was introduced by one of the conference conveners and well known Vedic Scholar Dr Bhu Dev Sharma. He called upon the scholars to provide some direction to the common man by giving practical guidelines blending the best of East and West. A highly developed civilization existed along the banks of these rivers as early as 6000 BC, according to the Rig Veda and corroborated by recent archaeological discoveries in India and Pakistan. He said they were important milestones in the development of Indian and Human societies. These early civilizations did not have any outside inspiration. It was the florescence of the early Indian mind.

In the Concluding session of the conference particpants decided to form an academic organization to hold similar conferences and to build other academic activities for Vedic studies.

---

List of materials available from the Conference

1. Abstracts of the papers
2. Information on the new organization World Association for Vedic Studies.
3. For a copy of the proceedings please write a check of $25.00 ($20 + $5.0 S & H) to "International Ancient India Conference" and mail it to

Dr Deen Bandbu Chandora,
4117 Menlo Way,
Doraville, GA, 30340.