Yashodhar Mathpal

Born in village Naula in Bhikiyasain Tehsil of Almora district of Uttarakhand to Haridutt Mathpal and Kanti Devi, Mathpal received his primary education local Primary School from his native village, thereafter he did his further schooling from Manila village, Mission Intercollege, Ranikhet and completed his schooling from Vikramajit Singh Sanatan Dharma College, Kanpur.

He did his B.A. from J. N. P. G. College, Lucknow, followed by M.A. degree in drawing and painting from Agra University and a Ph.D in Archaeology from University of Pune.

He established the Folk Culture Museum (Lok Sanskriti Sangrahalaya) in Bhimtal, Nainital district, in 1983. The museum houses artifacts, folk paintings, rock art and prehistoric objects. The museum also documents oral and written traditions and folklore of the region, besides providing training in rare traditional arts and crafts. He himself take care of the museum himself, and has spend all his life's earnings on it. [3]

In 2012, he facilitated by Vice President of India at the "International Conference on Rock Art", organized by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, in New Delhi.[4]

• Yashodhar Mathpal (1984). Prehistoric Rock Paintings of Bhimbetka, Central India. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 978-81-7017-193-5.
• Giacomo Camuri; Angelo Fossati; Yasodhar Mathpal (1993). Deer in Rock Art of India and Europe. Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. ISBN 978-81-85503-02-8.
• Yashodhar Mathpal (1995). Rock Art In Kumaon Himalaya. Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. ISBN 978-81-7305-057-2.
• Yashodhar Mathpal. Samahit. Shree Almora Book Depot. ISBN 978-81-85865-42-3.
• Yashodhar Mathpal (1998). Rock Art In Kerala. Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. ISBN 978-81-7305-130-2.