Dr V P Yathees Kumar was awarded a Small Study and Research Grant (India) 2009-10, when a PhD student, Dept of History, Pondicherry University, for an archaeological study of the Amaravati river valley.
Dr Yathees Kumar was Assistant Archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India to 2026. He obtained M.A. in History, Archaeology and Manuscriptology from Tamil University, Thanjavur and Ph.D. from Pondicherry University. He discovered more than five hundred archaeological sites in Bhavani, Vaigai and Amaravathi river valleys and took active part in Thandikudi, Kodumanal and Porunthal excavations & in the preparation of Historical Atlas of South India.