Prof. Michel Danino

Prof. Michel Danino, born in France, has lived in India since 1977 and is an Indian citizen. A noted scholar of Indian civilization, his work explores protohistoric India, cultural continuity, and knowledge traditions. He is the author of The Lost River: On the Trail of the Sarasvati (2010) and Indian Culture and India’s Future (2011), and editor of Sri Aurobindo and India’s Rebirth (2018).

Between 2011 and 2014, Prof. Danino served as Visiting Faculty at IIM Ranchi and twice as Scholar‑in‑Residence at IIT Kanpur. Since 2011, he has taught courses on Indian civilization and knowledge systems at IIT Gandhinagar, where he is currently Visiting Professor and has contributed to the Archaeological Sciences Centre.

He served on the Indian Council of Historical Research (2015–18) and is currently a member of several national academic and advisory bodies. In recognition of his contributions to education and culture, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2017.