Hyderabad: TITA for AI harnessing to conserve archaeological sites

Hyderabad: The Telangana Information Technology Association (TITA) global president Sundeep Kumar Makthala has said that efforts will be made to conserve places of historical importance in Narayanpet district, like the menhirs (prehistoric time erect stones) at Mudumal village.

The menhirs, which date back to 5000 BC, can be turned into a tourist spot. Efforts will be made to protect them using Artificial Intelligence techniques.

TITA chief, who visited the only megalithic site in India where a depiction of star constellation has been identified, met Prof K P Rao and other locals, discussed various issues regarding the historical importance and conservation aspects of the site.

Archaeologists believe that menhirs were used by pre-historic people for weather observation (astronomical observatory). However, due to a lack of information about the site, the place remains neglected.

Locals brought this to the notice of Makthala, who visited the site and discussed the various issues to develop the place with stakeholders to preserve its prehistoric importance. The TITA team met Prof Rao and sought complete information about the site.

They also met Anjappa, on whose farm the menhirs were first discovered. The farmer said that after he surrendered his land to the government, he did not get enough compensation. The TITA chief assured that he will take up the issue with the government.

Makthala said due to lack of conservation, about 12 menhirs, have been left neglected. Efforts will be made to preserve the site and turn it into a tourist attraction with the help of the TITA Paris unit.

The unit head Kaundinya Nandu will visit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) office in Paris and submit the requisite application for getting the UNESCO tag for the menhirs.

He said the locals, in association with the government, should preserve the site. AI techniques can be used to preserve such sites and turn them into places of tourist attraction.

These sites were used to observe celestial bodies which were an important element in the megalithic ages.

Soumya, Srinivas Marri, Spandana, Srinivas Reddy, Gopi, Prasad, Srikanth Uppala, Sravani were part of the TITA team.