The Indian Archaeological Society was created and registered at Varanasi as a non-governmental, non-profit making professional organization of archaeologists. The Society was founded by Prof. A.K. Narain, late Prof. Sankalia and other well-known Indologists and archaeologists of the country. As is with all organizations the first growth of the society was rather slow with a score or more members, and with imperfect academic activities. As years passed by and within a quarter century membership rose extremely and today the society boasts of more than 700 Life members both individual and Institutional members on its rolls.