Pulakeshin's victory over Harsha was in 618 AD

Researchers from the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) claim to have fixed the date of Emperor Harshavardhan's defeat to the Chalukya King Pulakeshin II by decoding a copper plate. Accordingly, they have fixed the date at 618 AD.

• The copper plate also records the grant of 50 ''nivarthanas'' (a unit of land) by Pulakeshin from the village Brahmana-Vataviya to a Vedic scholar, Nagasharma.

Background:

• Pulakeshin, who ruled from the Chalukyan capital of Badami, challenged Harsha's conquests. The former had established himself as ''lord paramount'' of the south, as Harsha had of the north.
• Unwilling to tolerate the existence of a powerful rival in the south, Harsha had marched from Kanauj with a huge force. The battle was fought primarily with elephants, on the banks of the Narmada.
• After the defeat, Harshavardha was compelled to accept the river as the demarcation and retire from the battlefield after losing most of his elephant force.