Yashodhar Mathpal

Yashodhar Mathpal (born 6 June 1939) is an Indian archaeologist, painter, curator, Gandhian and Rock art conservationist. He is most known for his study of cave art, especially in Bhimbetka rock shelters, Barechhina (Uttarakhand) and Kerala along with the Folk Culture Museum (Lok Sanskriti Sangrahalaya) in Bhimtal, Nainital district, which he founded in 1983.

He was awarded the Padma Shri, fourth-highest civilian honour by Government of India in 2006.

Early life

Mathpal was born in village Naula in Bhikiyasain Tehsil of Almora district of Uttarakhand to Haridutt Mathpal and Kanti Devi. He received his primary education from his native village, thereafter he did further schooling from Manila village, Mission Intercollege, Ranikhet and completed his schooling from Vikramajit Singh Sanatan Dharma College, Kanpur.

He did his B.A. from J. N. P. G. College, Lucknow, followed by a M.A. degree in drawing and painting from Agra University and a Ph.D in Archaeology from University of Pune.

Folk Culture Museum

Mathpal established the Folk Culture Museum (Lok Sanskriti Sangrahalaya) in Bhimtal, in the present-day Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, in 1983. The museum is divided into three parts and houses artifacts, paintings, archaeological finds, collections of old coins, vessels, clothes and rare reproductions of Stone Age rock paintings. The museum also documents oral and written traditions of the region, besides providing training in rare traditional arts and crafts. The oldest study items in the museum are marine fossils dating to about 150 million years ago.

Mathpal takes care of the museum with his son, a trained forester, and has spent all his life's earnings on it.

In 2012, he was felicitated by the Vice President of India at the "International Conference on Rock Art", organized by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, in New Delhi.