Disha Ahluwalia is an archaeologist and PhD researcher at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, specializing in landscape archaeology, ceramic analysis, and the cultural history of protohistoric South Asia. With over a decade of hands-on field experience across the Ghaggar Basin, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana, she has served as excavation supervisor at key Harappan sites like Rakhigarhi, Binjor, and Sinauli. Passionate about making archaeology accessible, Disha regularly contributes to The Print with the aim of bringing nuanced perspectives from the trenches to the wider public. She has also curated exhibitions, participated in international research collaborations, Her academic foundation began with a B.A. in History (Hons.) from Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi, followed by an M.A. in Ancient History and Archaeology from the University of Mysore. She went on to earn a Postgraduate Diploma in Archaeology from the Institute of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India, where she received intensive training in excavation, documentation, pottery analysis, and conservation.She was awarded with S.P.Gupta Gold Medal in Archaeology.

As a woman in field archaeology, Disha is conscious of the challenges that come with working in a field traditionally dominated by men. Her leadership roles on excavation projects have involved navigating institutional and logistical constraints, building inclusive teams, and mentoring junior archaeologists, especially women. Her doctoral research focuses on synthesizing archaeological, environmental, and spatial datasets for the Ghaggar Basin by using GIS tools and integrating ceramic typologies with site chronologies. Through this project, she hopes to contribute to the understanding of human-land interactions from South Asia’s first urbanization to the second, taking into account environmental and hydrological changes in the area, which was an important juncture of cultures from the 7th millennium BCE. Disha’s independent archaeological surveys in the Ghaggar, Hindon, and Yamuna river systems have helped reframe understandings of regional settlement patterns and ecological dynamics. She is part of the Aryan Invasion Myth (Aryan Migration) Project.