Peshawar Scholar Wins Ashoka Prize for Medieval Coin Research
University of Peshawar archaeologist Prof Gul Rahim Khan has received the Oriental Numismatic Society’s Ashoka Prize 2025 in London, earning international recognition for research that reassesses the political role of women in medieval Kashmir. The honour was awarded for the best paper published during 2025 in the society’s specialist academic journal.
The winning study examines coins attributed to queens of the Utpala Dynasty, which ruled Kashmir during the medieval period. Published in issue 260 of the Journal of the Oriental Numismatic Society, the research uses evidence found on historic currency to investigate questions of authority, succession and female participation in governance.
Prof Khan’s analysis seeks to clarify which rulers issued particular coins and what those objects reveal about the status of royal women. By connecting inscriptions, symbols and monetary patterns with the wider historical record, the study offers a fresh interpretation of a period where conventional written accounts provide limited or incomplete detail.
Reacting to the award, the Pakistani scholar said ancient coins should be treated as historical records rather than merely valuable metals or collectors’ items. He explained that numismatic evidence can preserve information about rulers, institutions and economic systems in cases where written chronicles are silent, disputed or unavailable.
He said identifying coins linked to Utpala queens could help researchers reconsider the influence exercised by women in medieval Kashmir. The findings challenge narratives that often minimise female authority and provide material evidence for examining how women participated in statecraft, administration and the exercise of political power.
Prof Khan has spent more than three decades working in higher education, archaeology and academic research. A senior professor in the University of Peshawar’s Department of Archaeology, he completed doctoral work focused on ancient coinage and expanded his expertise through international research engagements associated with institutions including the British Museum and initiatives supported by the Smithsonian Institution.
His wider scholarship has explored historic monetary systems, commercial links and trade routes across Gandhara and neighbouring regions. He has also participated in long-running excavations at Hayatabad in Peshawar, where archaeological work uncovered evidence of early urban and industrial activity, strengthening the city’s importance in studies of South Asian history.
The international award brings renewed attention to Pakistan’s archaeological expertise and the potential of its universities to contribute to global historical research. Recognition by a specialised scholarly organisation could also encourage greater institutional support for numismatics, conservation, fieldwork and the scientific documentation of the country’s extensive cultural heritage.
Prof Khan stressed that Pakistan must continue preparing younger researchers to preserve and interpret archaeological material through modern scientific methods. The next step will be to build on the recognition by expanding specialist training, supporting collaborative research and ensuring that discoveries preserved in coins and excavation sites remain available to future generations.