Tuesday, Mar. 6, 2001 | Conservationist Rakhaldas Sengupta devoted nearly nine years of his life to
restoring the two gigantic, rock-hewn Buddhas at Bamiyan in Afghanistan. As
director of conservation with the Archaeological Survey of India, he led an
Indian effort in the 1970s to conserve the Buddhas, the world's tallest,
standing 53 m and 35 m high. Sengupta spoke to TIME South Asia contributor
Maseeh Rahman following last week's destruction order issued by Taleban Supreme
Leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar. Edited excerpts:
