It all started in March, 1990, when I was asked by the then Jt. Director General, Shri.M.C.Joshi, to visit Imphal to examine the gold-masked human skulls recovered from near Imphal and from the slopes of the hill near Sekta(pl.1). They were unique and most outstanding finds. My main job was to examine the morphological characters of the skull and to give a report on the finds. I took advantage of my visit and cooperation of State authorities to visit some other areas and sites in Manipur.

After reaching Sekta, the mound on the left bank of Iril caught my imagination as it was in the vicinity of the hill slopes from where gold masked skulls and other antiquities were recovered. On enquiry I was told that the mound was a protected site of the State Department of Archaeology and Museums and that the department intended to excavate the site if permission is granted by the Archaeological Survey of India. Having firmly decided to do some archaeology in Manipur, when the opportunity would come, I departed. In 1991 this desire materialised and we reached Imphal in March 1991 with the intention to excavate the megalithic site of Salangthel near Bishnupur. But destiny took us to Sekta instead of Salangthel. After obtaining telephonic permission to change our plan from Salangthel to Sekta, as the Director General Shri. M.C.Joshi, was too eager to see that the site in Manipur is excavated, and after entering into an agreement with the State Department of Archaeology for joint excavation, we commenced our work on 22.3.1991.