Padma Shri Dr. Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar not only earned distinction in the fields of archaeology and painting but also played a key role in highlighting the grandeur of Samrat Vikramaditya’s glorious reign. This was stated by Padma Shri Bhagwatilal Rajpurohit, former Director of the Vikramaditya Research Chair, Ujjain, during a lecture series held on Dr. Wakankar’s birth anniversary. The event was organized on Sunday by the Dr. Wakankar Research Institute, Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums at the State Museum. Winners of a painting competition were also felicitated on the occasion.
Padma Shri Prof. Rajpurohit noted that Dr. Wakankar continued the legacy of introducing the general public to the contributions of Samrat Vikramaditya, as initiated by scholars like Pt. Suryanarayan Vyas and Prof. Suman. He emphasized that Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has played a pivotal role in this tradition. As Chairman of the Ujjain Development Authority, Dr. Yadav launched the Vikramotsav in 2007. The credit for initiating the grand theatrical performance on Samrat Vikramaditya in Ujjain and subsequent exhibitions also goes to him. As Chief Minister, his efforts led to three successful stagings of the play in New Delhi as well.