Conferences and Seminars in the USA

Conferences and Seminars in USA

Yale University

“Brahmā at the Shepherd’s Nigrodha-Tree with the Buddha. Re-examining the symbolism of the Sulamani Temple’s paintings at Pagan”, The Buddhist Art of Bagan: A Workshop,Departments of Religious Studies and Art History, 31st October 2019.

Center for Hellenic Studies, (affiliated with the Harvard University), Washington D.C.

“Menander I, King of India”, 4th April 1989.

University of California, Berkeley

“Recent discoveries of coin hoards in Afghanistan and Pakistan: question of clandestine diggings and illicit traffic of antiquities”, Central Asian Silk Road Working Group, Berkeley, 4th December 1997.
"The destruction of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage", The Caucasus and Central Asia Program at the Institute of Slavic, East European and Euroasian Studies, 20th March 2002.
"Greek Successors of Alexander the Great in Central Asia and India", The Department of Near-Eastern Studies, 22nd March 2002.
"The Buddha Sakyamuni and the Courtesan Utpalavarna in Gandhâran Buddhist Art", Center for Buddhist Studies, 23rd November 2009.
“New Archaeological and Numismatic Discoveries from Afghanistan and Pakistan, and their Bearing upon the History of Gandharan and Kushana Art”, Centre for Buddhist Studies, 9th April, 2011.
"The Kushans and the Earliest Depictions of Brahmanical Divinities in Gandhāra”, The 2011 Mary C. Stoddard Lecture in the History of Art, History of Art Department, 11th April 2011.
“Alexander the Great and Dionysus in India: The Greek Interaction with Early Buddhist Art”, The 2011 Mary C. Stoddard Seminar in the History of Art, History of Art Department, 13th April 2011.
"A 2nd century BCE shipwreck in the Indian Ocean and the role of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara as the protector of mariners, History of Art Department, 18th April 2012.
"Contradictions in textual narrations and confusions in visual art: Revisiting the seven weeks after the enlightenment of the Buddha”, Center for Buddhist Studies, 9th April 2015.
"Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka), the City of the Buddhist Sangha?: Examination of its Legitimacy and Authority as a Royal Capital ", Department of South and South-East Asian Studies, 14th April, 2015.
“Maritime Diffusion of Buddhist Philosophies and Art” Inaugural Talk, Tang Centre for Silk Road Studies, Maude Eife Room, 315, Wheeler Hall, 21st September, 2017.
“From Alexander the Great to Imperial Kuṣāns: Iconography and Language of their Monetary Issues in Relation to Diverse Ethnic and Religious Populations in Central Asia and India” History and Mediterranean Archaeology, Graduate Group, Noon Colloquium, 11th October, 2017.
“The great departure and the twin miracle: How Gandhāran Buddhist sculptors showcased key episodes in the life of the Buddha,” Keynote talk, International Conference on Gandhāran Studies: A Survey, December 2-4, 2021, Berkeley Art Musuem & Pacific Film Archive, UC Berkeley, December 2nd 2021.
“Gandhāran Art Revisited: What is New and What is Next?” The Ninth Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture, December 9th 2021, Berkeley Art Musuem & Pacific Film Archive, UC Berkeley, December 9th 2021.
“The Birth of Prince Siddhārtha: From Divergent Textual Sources to Distinct Visual Narratives » The Center for Buddhist Studies, le 1 – 04 – 2024.

National Geographic Society, Washignton D.C.

"Destruction of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage: What is to be done? ”, 24th June, 2003.

University of Texas, Austin.

archaeological and numismatic discoveries from Afghanistan and Pakistan: Indo-Greek; Indo-Scythian and Indo-Parthian history revisited”, Department of Asian Studies, 7th October, 2004.
"Alexander the Great and Dionysius in India: The Greek Interaction with Early Indian Buddhist Art”, Department of Asian Studies, 9th March, 2010.
"Contradictions in textual narrations and confusions in visual art: Revisiting the seven weeks after the enlightenment of the Buddha”, South Asia Institute, 16th April, 2015.

Texas A&M University, College Station.

"New archaeological evidence on maritime trade in the Indian Ocean during the last three centuries before the common era”, The Nautical Archaeology Program, 10th March 2010.

University of California, Los Angeles.

"Recent archaeological and numismatic discoveries from Afghanistan and Pakistan: Indo-Greek; Indo-Scythian and Indo-Parthian history revisited”, Centre for Buddhist Studies, 12th October, 2004.
"The Impact of Greek and Roman Art on Gandhâran Buddhist Art: A Study of the Symbology of the Indian Iconography", Faculty-graduate student reading group, 10th October, 2012.
“A 2nd Century BC Shipwreck in the Indian Ocean and the Role of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara as the Protector of Mariners", Centre for Buddhist Studies, 10th October, 2012.
"The Buddha Sakyamuni and the Courtesan Utpalavarna in Gandharan Buddhist Art." Art History Department, 12th October, 2012.

University of Texas, Houston.

"Maritime trade in the Indian Ocean: New archaeological evidence”, Department of Ancient History, 11th March, 2010.

Yale University. New Haven.

"Greek interaction with Gandhâran Buddhist art”, Department of Religious Studies, 17th October, 2006.
"New evidence on Early Buddhist art in Begram-Kapisi region”, Department of Religious Studies, 18th October, 2006.
"Sculptures of Amaravati style from Tissamaharama: an appraisal of early Buddhist sculptures from Sri Lanka”, Department of Religious Studies, 19th October, 2006.
"Crossing the Indian Ocean in search of pepper: New archaeological evidence on the ancient maritime trade in the Indian Ocean”, Anthropology Department, 19th February, 2010.
“The role of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara as the protector of mariners”, Department of Religious Studies, March 27th 2012.
“The Buddha with unblinking eyes: From Gandhara to Sri Lanka”, Department of Religious Studies, September 20th 2013.
“Two unique reliefs from Andhra found in Sri Lanka: Story of Nanda and Janapadakalyani & Seven Weeks after the Perfect Enlightenment of the Buddha”, Department of Religious Studies, 4th March, 2015.
“The Indian Ocean trade through Buddhist iconographies”, Department of Religious Studies, 3rd November 2018.

University of Texas, Houston.

"The Kushans and the earliest depictions of Brahmanical Divinities in Gandhara”, Department of Asian Languages & Literature, 30th November, 2009.

New York University. ISAW.

"Alexander the Great and Dionysios in India: The Greek Interaction with Early Indian Buddhist Art”, Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, 9th December 2009.

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

"Alexander the Great and Dionysios in India: The Greek Interaction with Early Indian Buddhist Art”, Religious Studies, South Asian Studies, East Asian Studies Program, Classics Department, Art History and Center for Ancient Studies, 26th April 2010.

Stanford University. California.

"Greek influence on early Buddhist art”, Center for Buddhist Studies, 18th October 2012.
“Yamakaprātihārya or the ‘Twin Miracle’: Where, when, why and how the Buddha mesmerized his friends and enemies”, The Ho Center for Buddhist Studies, 21st March 2024.

The Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago.

"Second century BC shipwreck in the Indian Ocean and the role of Avalokiteshvara as the protector of mariners”, 24th October 2012.

San Francisco Ancient Numismatics Society, San Francisco.

"New Central Asian Numismatic Discoveries”, 8th May 2010.
"The Heavily Armoured Equestrian Warriors on the Indo-Scythian Coins”, 14th April 2012.
Alexander the Great and the monetary portraits of Indo-Greek Sovereigns”, 16th April 2016.
“Hindu gods on Central Asian Coins”, 21st October April 2017.
“Diffusion of Central Asian coin imagery along the Silk Roads”, 20th October 2018.
“Unpublished coins and dies from Central Asia, 21st October 2023.

The Society for Art & Cultural Heritage of India, San Francisco.

"Crossing the Indian Ocean in search of Peper: Sri Lanka’s Role in Ancient Maritime Trade”, 9th May 2010.
"Sri Lanka: A Land of Multicultural Exchanges”, 15th April 2015.

Historocal Numismatic Bourse, San Francisco.

"Mir Zakah Deposit: Lost treasure”, 14th May 2010.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

"New Evidence on Cultural Exchange between the Roman and Indic Worlds: The Discovery of the Second Century BCE Shipwreck at Godavaya, Sri Lanka", Annual South and Southeast Asian Art lecture 2013, 15th March 2013.

Los Angeles County Museum (LACMA), Los Angeles.

"Sri Lanka: A Land of Multicultural Exchanges”, The 9th Annual Distinguished Lecture on South and Southeast Asian Art, LACMA, Brown Auditorium, 3rd May, 2015.

University of California, Irvine.

“Greek and Roman Artefacts found in Afghanistan and Pakistan and Syncretism in,Buddhist Art during the Kushan Empire”, Art History Department, 1st May 2015.

Asian Art Museum, San Francisco.

“From Alexander the Great to Kanishka: Numismatic evidence in constructing early Central Asian and Indian history”, SAA Study Group, 14th May, 2016.
“Convergence of Hellenism & Buddhism: Gandharan Art” The Arts of Asia Lecture Series, September 7th 2018.
“Spread of Gandhara Art along the Silk Roads in Iranian and Central Asian Context” The Arts of Asia Lecture Series, Samsung Hall, 1st September 2018.

Dharma Realm Buddhist University (DRBU), Ukiah, California

“The life of Gautama Buddha as depicted in ancient Indian art”, Dharma Realm Buddhist University (DRBU), 22nd February, 2016.

The University of Virginia, Charlottesville.

"Diffusion of Buddhist philosophies and art along the maritime silk routes", Department of Religious Studies, 12th October 2018.
"Greek inspirations on early Buddhist art in Gandhara (ancient India)”, Department of Religious Studies, 12th October 2018.

California State University, Fresno

“Sri Lanka: A land of multicultural exchanges: Introduction to art and archaeology,” Fresno Art History Speaker Series, 6th December 2021. Pakistan: Indo-Greeks revisited”, 12th May 1999.
“Latest Finds from Afghanistan and Pakistan”, 4th May 2001.