In Focus by The Hindu In Focus-Weekend | Dinosaur fossils: Can India protect its prehistoric past?
Sep 7, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Ashok Sahni, a leading palaeontologist in India, shares his groundbreaking discoveries that have transformed our view of the country's ancient history. He discusses the Rajasaurus narmadensis and the significance of India's diverse fossil landscape. Sahni highlights the urgent need for education and legal protections against the threats of theft and commercial trade that endanger these fossils. The conversation also touches on how studying these ancient remains can equip us to handle modern environmental challenges.
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Family Roots In Paleontology
- Ashok Sahni grew up surrounded by fossils because his father and uncle were paleontologists.
- He pursued paleontology naturally and trained in India and the US, enjoying fieldwork and lab study.
How Fossils Are Made
- Fossil preservation depends on organism type and burial conditions; large vertebrate bones preserve well.
- Soft-bodied organisms rarely fossilize, but their traces or footprints can still be preserved.
World-Class Coprolites In Pisdura
- Sahni highlights Pisdura in Maharashtra as world-famous for dinosaur coprolites.
- Coprolites can preserve diet details and sometimes contain beautifully preserved material.