Sayan Bhattacharya

Biography

In January 2026, Dr. Sayan Bhattacharya was appointed Director of the Indian Museum, Kolkata – the oldest and largest museum in Asia-Pacific region; which is further recognised and celebrated as an ‘Institute of National Importance’, marked under the Article 62 of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.

Dr. Bhattacharya previously served as the Deputy Director of the Indian Museum, Kolkata.

Dr. Bhattacharya also previously held the position of Curator, Education at the prestigious Indian Museum, Kolkata. With a rich academic background, he earned his PhD in Archaeology from the renowned Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute in Pune, India. Prior to his current role, Dr. Bhattacharya served as a Programme Assistant at the Centre for Archaeological Studies in Eastern India.

His contributions to archaeological academia are noteworthy, marked by the presentation of research papers at international forums. Notable among them are presentations in Sofia, Bulgaria (2009) on “Cultural Resources and Heritage Means of Indic Studies Interaction between Children and Museum,” in Colombo, Sri Lanka (2010) on “Preliminary Archaeological Investigation at the Site of Kotasur and its Environs, District Birbhum, West Bengal,” and again in Colombo (2011), addressing “Disaster Risk Mitigation of Cultural Heritage: An Appraisal.” In 2015, he presented on “Early Medieval Archaeology of the Ajoy-Damodar-Dwarakeshwar Interfluve Area.”

Beyond his academic pursuits, Sayan has demonstrated a commitment to community engagement. He has actively worked with underprivileged children, organizing various programmes aimed at fostering education and cultural awareness. This reflects his dedication to making a positive impact on society and utilising museums as platforms for inclusive learning experiences. Dr. Bhattacharya has been instrumental in organising numerous events and activities catering to diverse audiences, including school students, teachers, trainees, professionals, and the general public. His innovative approaches emphasise social inclusivity and community engagement, involving marginalised groups. Sayan has also collaborated with museums in Egypt, Bulgaria, Sri Lanka, Japan, and Singapore – delivering talks and fostering global connections.

Dr. Bhattacharya plays a vital role in fostering international collaborations, organising workshops, exhibitions, and cultural programmes in partnership with several Embassies and Consulates. He is also part of a committee overseeing the ongoing re-curation/modernisation project of the Indian Museum, Kolkata – a significant project under the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.

He is also a distinguished member of the Curation Committee for the National Maritime Heritage Complex – a visionary project of the Government of India being developed at Lothal, the ancient Harappan port city. In addition to this role, Dr. Bhattacharya lends his scholarly insight as an External Expert and Member of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the Library, Documentation and Information Science Division at the Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis Memorial Museum & Archives, Kolkata. He also serves as an esteemed member of the Museum Committee of the same institution, where his expertise continues to shape its academic direction and curatorial innovation.

Through his visionary initiatives, Dr. Bhattacharya aspires to reimagine museums as vibrant and inclusive spaces that embody the spirit of Viksit Bharat – a developed and culturally rooted India. By strengthening the connection between the people and their heritage, he seeks to transform museum into living institutions of learning and belonging, where history inspires innovation, and culture nurtures unity.

Sayan’s publications include:

Editorial Volume

Shinde, V. S., Ganvir, S. and Bhattacharya, S., (Eds.). (2020). Cultural Heritage of South Asia and Beyond: Recent Perspectives. New Delhi: Research India Press, in collaboration with the Society of South Asian Archaeology (SOSAA).

Research Publications

Bhattacharya, S., & Chatterjee, S. (2016). Early Medieval Archaeology of the Ajoy-Damodar-Dwarakeshwar Interfluve Area. In Sanskriti Bichitra (Vol. 1, pp. 288–297). New Delhi: Kaveri Publishers. ISBN 978-81-7479-183-2.

Bhattacharya, S. (2011). Museum Strategy in Towards a Global Network. London: The British Museum.

Bhattacharya, S., & Chatterjee, S. (2011). Preliminary Archaeological Investigations of the Site of Kotasur and Its Adjoining Areas, District Birbhum, West Bengal. In Puratattva: Bulletin of the Indian Archaeological Society.

At the British Museum
During his time on the International Training Programme in 2009, Sayan was based in the Department of Asia and his partner placement was spent at Birmingham Museums Trust.

In 2009 an element of the programme was a morning of presentations, in which groups of participants presented a 10-minute illustrated talk, prompted by the task to consider a new display of the fellows’ cultures at the British Museum.  Sayan’s exhibition proposal was entitled Hanuman, The Monkey God.

Legacy Projects

In November 2015, Dr. Sayan Bhattacharya attended the ITP Mumbai Workshop: Creating Museums of World Stories, hosted by the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), Mumbai. The workshop brought together ITP fellows from various years and countries, alongside UK partners and colleagues from the British Museum, fostering cross-cultural exchange and dialogue on museum development and interpretation.

ITP Newsletter Publications
ITP Newsletter Issue 3, Reasons for celebration: 202 years of the Indian Museum