It gives me immense pleasure that an edited book is being published in the honour of Professor JN Pal by some brilliant scholars of Archaeology and History. Professor IN. Pal needs no introduction in the field of Ancient History and Archaeology not only at national level but across the world. An ingenious scholar, explorer and excavator on field and simultaneously his personal virtues like honesty, humility, dedication and passion for self-study make him the most venerated academician I shall not be exaggerating in pronouncing him the most luminous star on the horizon of Indian archaeology. I greatly admire his contribution to this field.