During 1990 Shri N M Deshpande, one of the doyens of Indian archaeology, suggetsed that as nobody had studied the sculptural bas reliefs in early Buddhist caves in Maharashtra, I should try to study them. While conducting the primary study on the area, I was transferred to Madras, and lost hope of continuing my interest with this transfer and shelved the project, but a friend suggested that I apply to the NTICVA for a grant. I did so and was very happy to receive the grant.

This award was instrumental to carry out a research study on a litte known subject - the Islamic architecture in Tamil Nadu, and was only possible to achieve because of the award.