Educated at the University of Allahabad, Athens and Thessaloniki, Prof Udai Prakash Arora(b.1944) started his career as a Lecturer in Department of Ancient History Culture and Archaeology, University of Allahabad in the year 1965. Since 1985, he has been serving as a Professor and Head, Department of Ancient History and Culture, Rohilkhand University, Bareilly. In this capacity, he has built the Department in all aspects and it has come to be known as a leading academic institutions of the country. The Department Museum has been established with donations of private collections of antiquities and financial grants from various bodies. There have been many international/ national seminars and conferences hosted by the Department and many Publications have been produced under his dynamic leadership. Prof. Arora has also acted as Hony. Librarian, (Officiating) Finance Officer, Dean- Faculty of Arts, Dean-Student Welfare, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and interim Vice Chancellor(1995) of the University.

Prof. Arora is the pioneer author in the field of Graeco-Indian Studies. A French publication, (Topoi, Lyons, 1994), in an updated review of recent works on Graeco-Indian Studies, acknowledge him as the foremost scholar in the discipline. One leading Indological publisher (Munshiram Manoharlal, New Delhi) mentions Prof. Arora's twenty outstanding publications. Prof. Arora has to his credit one dozen authored and edited books including the well recognised Graeco- Indica, India's Cultural Contacts with the Greek World (Delhi,1991); Greeks on India (ISGARS, 1996); Greeks Folks Tales (Allahabad, 1970), Rohilkhand ki lok-sanskriti (U.P. Govt. 1998). He has published more than 70 papers in different Indian and foreign journals. He is also, the editor of Yavanika - Journal of Indian Society for Greek and Roman Studies.

In recognition of his scholarship that contributed significantly towards better cultural relationship between India and Greece, Prof. Arora has been decorated by the President of the Greek Republic, by the prestigious award, 'Golden Cross-Order of Honour'. He is the only Indian to have received this honour from Greece. He is also at present, the Corresponding Member, Foundation of the Hellenic Culture (Greece); President, U.P. History Congress; General Secretary, Indian Society for Greek and Roman Studies; Member, Executive Committee of Indian Archaeological Society; Fellow, Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland; and Founder Fellow, Indian Academy of Social Sciences.

As a member of cultural delegation, Visiting Professor, State Guest and as a participant in different international conference, seminars and symposia, Prof. Arora has visited 26 countries including U.S.A., Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Australia, Italy, Japan, Greece several times to work on various projects under Cultural Exchange Programme, (1968-1969).