Correct Answer: (C) H.D. Sankalia

Explanation:

H.D. Sankalia is credited with leading the excavations at Navdatoli, a significant archaeological site in Madhya Pradesh, India. The excavations took place between 1957 and 1959, bringing to light a Chalcolithic village with valuable insights into the settlement patterns, agricultural practices, and material culture of the period.

Here’s a quick note about the other options:

• (A) K.D. Bajpai: While K.D. Bajpai is a renowned archaeologist, his area of expertise lies more in the study of historical archaeology and medieval Indian settlements.
• (B) V.S. Wakankar: V.S. Wakankar is another distinguished archaeologist known for his contributions to the study of Indian art and iconography. His work focused less on the Chalcolithic period.
• (D) Mortimer Wheeler: Sir Mortimer Wheeler was a prominent British archaeologist who made significant contributions to the field in India. However, his primary focus was on Indus Valley Civilization sites and Harappan culture, not the Chalcolithic period.