Debala Mitra
Debala Mitra | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 December 1925 |
| Died | 2 December 2003 (aged 77) Kolkata, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | University of Paris |
| Known for | First woman Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) |
| Notable work | Konarak (1968) Buddhist Monuments (1971) Bronzes from Achutrajpur, Orissa (1978) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Archaeology |
Debala Mitra (14 December 1925 – 2 December 2003) was an Indian archaeologist who served as Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from 1981 to 1983. She is the first woman archaeologist to head the ASI. She explored and excavated several Buddhist sites.
The historic site of Ratnagiri in Odisha's Jajpur district, first discovered in 1905, gained prominence following extensive excavations between 1958 and 1961 led by Mitra, which unveiled a remarkable Buddhist complex dating from the 5th-13th century AD.