Kshetresa Chandra Chattopadhyaya
Encyclopedia
Kshetresa Chandra Chattopadhyaya (1896–1974) was a distinguished scholar of Sanskrit
from India
. A scholar of Sanskrit, Veda, grammar, Pali
, Prakrit
and philology
, he was born on October 27, 1896 in village Nimta of North 24 Parganas in what was then Bengal
. He came from an illustrious family of Kulina Brahman
s of Deshmukho in District Hooghly
. The Indian writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
belonged to the same family and Kshetresa Chandra Chattopadhyaya inherited the spirit of Indian renaissance
from him.
and Oudh and passed the B.A.
examination of Allahabad University
(1917) and M.A.
in Sanskrit
from Queen’s College, Benares (1919). He also passed the M.A. Examination in Veda from Calcutta University in 1921 and Vedant in 1922. He in his college days became an intimate friend of Subhash Chandra Bose
who later became a prominent figure in Indian politics and the Indian independence movement
. Chattopadhyaya was a student of Dr. Ganganath Jha
.
in 1924. In the year 1950 he was promoted to reader and from 1956 for about a couple of years he acted as professor of Sanskrit. Later he became Director, Research Institute at Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
, Benares. As the director, he was in a position to guide research exclusively.
Chattopadhyaya was the editor of book series Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala
and famous Sanskrit Journal, Sarasvati Susama
. He was also appointed as a special scholar for comparative study of Veda and Avesta
by the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India at Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati. The Calcutta University appointed him Stephan’s Nirmalendu Ghosh Lecturer on Comparative Religion in 1960 (In that period he was on leave from Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
).
section of Akhil Bhartiya Hindi Sahitya Sammelana held at Karachi
in December 1946.
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. A scholar of Sanskrit, Veda, grammar, Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
, Prakrit
Prakrit
Prakrit is the name for a group of Middle Indic, Indo-Aryan languages, derived from Old Indic dialects. The word itself has a flexible definition, being defined sometimes as, "original, natural, artless, normal, ordinary, usual", or "vernacular", in contrast to the literary and religious...
and philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
, he was born on October 27, 1896 in village Nimta of North 24 Parganas in what was then Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. He came from an illustrious family of Kulina Brahman
Brahman
In Hinduism, Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being...
s of Deshmukho in District Hooghly
Hooghly District
Hooghly district is one of the districts of the state of West Bengal in India. It can alternatively be spelt Hoogli or Hugli. The district is named after the Hooghly River.The headquarters of the district are at Chinsura...
. The Indian writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was a famous Bengali writer, poet and journalist. He was the composer of India’s national song Vande Mataram, originally a Bengali and Sanskrit stotra personifying India as a mother goddess and inspiring the activists during the Indian Freedom Movement...
belonged to the same family and Kshetresa Chandra Chattopadhyaya inherited the spirit of Indian renaissance
Bengal Renaissance
The Bengal Renaissance refers to a social reform movement during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the region of Bengal in Undivided India during the period of British rule...
from him.
Education
Kshetresa Chandra Chattopadhyaya studied in a number of schools and passed the matriculation examination of the Calcutta University in 1913 from Hindu School of Calcutta. He then attended the Presidency College, Calcutta for Intermediate examination and passed in 1915. He then migrated to the United Province of AgraAgra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
and Oudh and passed the B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
examination of Allahabad University
Allahabad University
Allahabad University , is a premier Central University located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. Its origins lie in the Muir Central College, named after Lt...
(1917) and M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
from Queen’s College, Benares (1919). He also passed the M.A. Examination in Veda from Calcutta University in 1921 and Vedant in 1922. He in his college days became an intimate friend of Subhash Chandra Bose
Subhash Chandra Bose
Subhas Chandra Bose known by name Netaji was an Indian revolutionary who led an Indian national political and military force against Britain and the Western powers during World War II. Bose was one of the most prominent leaders in the Indian independence movement and is a legendary figure in...
who later became a prominent figure in Indian politics and the Indian independence movement
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
. Chattopadhyaya was a student of Dr. Ganganath Jha
Ganganath Jha
Sir Gaṅgānāth Jhā was an eminent scholar of Sanskrit, Indian Philosophy, Buddhist Philosophy and paṇḍit of Nyāya-Śāstra.-Early life:...
.
Career
Kshetresa Chandra Chattopadhyaya joined University of Allahabad as a lecturer in the department of SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
in 1924. In the year 1950 he was promoted to reader and from 1956 for about a couple of years he acted as professor of Sanskrit. Later he became Director, Research Institute at Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
Sampurnanand Sanskrit University is an institution of higher learning in Asian learning, Sanskrit allied areas, etc. that is located in Benares , Uttar Pradesh, India.- History :...
, Benares. As the director, he was in a position to guide research exclusively.
Chattopadhyaya was the editor of book series Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala
Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala
Sārasvati Bhavana Granthamala is a series of editions of Sanskrit texts. The publication of the series began from 1920, on behalf of Government Sanskrit Library, Sanskrit College, Benares as Sārasvati Bhavana Texts...
and famous Sanskrit Journal, Sarasvati Susama
Sarasvati Susama
Sārasvati Susamā established in 1942 and published quarterly, the Sārasvati Susamā has long been considered the premier journal of Sanskrit ..-Origin:...
. He was also appointed as a special scholar for comparative study of Veda and Avesta
Avesta
The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.-Early transmission:The texts of the Avesta — which are all in the Avestan language — were composed over the course of several hundred years. The most important portion, the Gathas,...
by the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India at Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati. The Calcutta University appointed him Stephan’s Nirmalendu Ghosh Lecturer on Comparative Religion in 1960 (In that period he was on leave from Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
Sampurnanand Sanskrit University is an institution of higher learning in Asian learning, Sanskrit allied areas, etc. that is located in Benares , Uttar Pradesh, India.- History :...
).
Disciples
He has produced many scholars, among them are- B P T Vagish ShastriVagish ShastriVagish Shastri is an international Sanskrit grammarian, eminent linguist, Tantric and yogi. He was born in the city of Khurai, in Madhya Pradesh in 1934. His primary education was in Khurai, followed by his education in Vrindavan and Benaras...
- Vidya Niwas MishraVidya Niwas MishraVidya Niwas Mishra was a scholar, a noted Hindi-Sanskrit littérateur, and a journalist.Born at Pakardiha in Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh in January, 1926, he had his education at Allahabad University and Gorakhpur University. After his M.A...
- Govind Chandra PandeGovind Chandra PandeGovind Chandra Pande is a well-known Indian historian of the Vedic and the Buddhist periods . He has served a professor of ancient history and vice-chancellor at Jaipur and Allahabad universities...
- Govardhan Rai
- Kamlesh Dutt TripathiKamlesh Dutt TripathiKamlesh Dutt Tripathi is an eminent theatre personality and Professor emeritus of BHU Varanasi.The name of Tripathi is synonymous with the Sanskrit theatre tradition and aesthetics of India...
Work
Chattopadhyaya had been actively connected with All India Oriental Conference since its third session held in Madras in December, 1924. He presided over its Veda and Indo-Aryan section in the ninth session held at Trivandrum in 1937 and its Veda section in the eighteenth session held at Annamalainagar in 1955. He presided over the PhilologyPhilology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
section of Akhil Bhartiya Hindi Sahitya Sammelana held at Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
in December 1946.
Book authored
- Eshakenopanishad (First Edition 1916), Reprinted in University Bi-Centenary Series, (Ed. B.N. Mishra), Vol VIII, Sampurnanand Sanskrit UniversitySampurnanand Sanskrit UniversitySampurnanand Sanskrit University is an institution of higher learning in Asian learning, Sanskrit allied areas, etc. that is located in Benares , Uttar Pradesh, India.- History :...
, 1992. - Vedavittaprakasika, 1966.
- Studies in Vedic and Indo-Iranian Religion and Literature, (Ed.Vidya Niwas MishraVidya Niwas MishraVidya Niwas Mishra was a scholar, a noted Hindi-Sanskrit littérateur, and a journalist.Born at Pakardiha in Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh in January, 1926, he had his education at Allahabad University and Gorakhpur University. After his M.A...
), 1976.