Sachchidanand Sahai

Sachchidanand Sahai is an Indian epigraphist, writer and the scientific advisor to the Government of Cambodia for restoration of Angkor Wat and the Temple of Preah Vihear, known for his knowledge on Khmer civilization. He was honored by the Government of India, in 2012, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.

Biography

Sachchidanand Sahai was born on 6 March 1941 in the Indian state of Bihar. He secured the post graduate degree (MA) from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, in 1962, in ancient Indian history, culture and archaeology and did research under the guidance of George Coedes in the University of Paris, Sorbonne on Les Institutions Politiques et l'organization administration du Cambode ancien to secure a doctoral degree. Afterwards, he went to Laos in 1970 as the visiting professor of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and worked till 1972. A 1981 Fulbright fellow of the Cornell University of Ithaca, New York, Sahai has worked as a research professor at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts from 1988 to 1990 when he joined the Department of Ancient Indian and Asian Studies, Magadh University, Bodh Gaya as its pro vice chancellor since 1976, a journal dedicated to the cultural heritage of South East Asia and the Indian subcontinent. He has conducted a year-long tour of Chile, during 2011-12, as a visiting lecturer for ICCR. India in 1872 as Seen by the Siamese The Mekong River: Space and Social Theory The Bayon of Angkor Thom The Hindu Temples in Southeast Asia Preah Vihear - An Introduction to the World Heritage Monument The Kr̥ṣṇa Saga in Laos: A Study in the Br̲aḥ Kuʼtd Br̲aḥ Bān

Sahai is also reported to have contributed to the dissemination of knowledge about the South East Asian culture through his addresses at several conferences.

Awards and recognitions Sachchidanand Sahai has been a fellow of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla (2003-2006)

Personal life Sachchidanand Sahai was married to Sudha Verma, a scholar in Hindi Literature from North Bihar. She died in January 1987. They have a daughter Soma Sahai Srivastava who is a Neurologist and is currently settled with her family in USA.