Early Maritime Contacts of Odisha with Indonesia and Sri Lanka

Dr. Benudhar Patra at present is working as Assistant Prof. in the P.G. Deptt. Of History, P.G. Govt. College, Sector-11, Chandigarh, Graduate from Utkal University, Dr. Patra passed his M.A. in History from the P.G. Deptt. of History, Berhampur University, Orissa securing first position in first class. He did his M.Phill and Ph.D. in history from the same university and passed the NET Examination conducted by UGC. He has been teaching history for last 19 years. After serving some years as lecturer in History in Gopalpur College, Gopalpur-on-sea, Orissa Dr. Patra was selected as a lecturer by the UPSC and joined the Education Deptt., Chandigarh Administration. He has contributed more than 80 research papers in various journals of national and international repute and in some edited volumes. He is a member of more than dozen Academic Societies and Professional Organizations. He has completed a UGC sponsored Research Project on ‘Urbanization in Early Historic India.’ In 2008 he published a book entitiled “Studies in the Heritage, History and Archaeology of Orissa”. His monumental work Overseas Trade and Maritime Activities of Ancient India (A Study of Orissa) will be published shortly. His other fields of research are urban history, art history, social history, economic history, state formation, historiography and the cult of Jagannath.