B.R. Mani was born in 1955 in Basti District, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. He completed his Bachelor's degree from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and later pursued his Master's and Ph.D. in Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology from the same institution.

Mani has had a distinguished career as a field archaeologist, numismatist, and art critic. He has served as the Additional Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and has been involved in the conservation of monuments in various states. Mani has directed more than 20 archaeological excavations in India, including the excavation at the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya in 2003.

Mani's research interests include the Kushana Age, for which he wrote his doctoral thesis. He has authored four books and over 170 research papers. Mani has been a member of various national and international organizations in the field of archaeology and has traveled extensively to European and Asian countries for seminars and conferences.

In 2016, Mani was appointed as the Director General of the National Museum in New Delhi. He has over four decades of experience in administration, research, and teaching in public service[4].