Pune: Deccan College Hosts Sixth Seminar Honouring Scholar Dr. M. A. Mehendale, Young Researchers Shine
Yerwada, 17th February 2026: Deccan College hosted the sixth Dr. M. A. Mehendale Endowment Seminar on February 14, commemorating the birth anniversary of noted scholar Dr. M. A. Mehendale and bringing together emerging and senior researchers from across India to present academic papers in his fields of interest.
Dr. Mehendale, a former professor in the Sanskrit department at Deccan College, was widely respected in Oriental studies and contributed significantly as an editor to the institute’s Sanskrit Dictionary project. One of his most recognised editorial achievements was his role in the critical edition of the Mahabharata published by Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.
The annual seminar was instituted through an endowment created by Dr. Mehendale’s family after his death and is organized each year by the college in his memory. The event encourages young scholars to present research related to Sanskrit studies, linguistics, and archaeology. Cash prizes of ₹8,000, ₹7,000, and ₹5,000 are awarded to the top three papers, while senior academics also participate as a tribute to the late scholar.
This year, eleven abstracts from across the country were selected for presentation, of which eight were shortlisted for awards. Ten researchers ultimately presented their papers, followed by interactive question-and-answer sessions. The first prize was awarded to Shailesh Shinde, while Radhika Deshpande secured second place. The third prize was jointly awarded to Govind Mopkar and Prathamesh Biwalkar.
The evaluation panel comprised Dr. Neeti Badwe, Prof. Madhavi Kolhatkar, and Prof. Purna Chandra Sahoo, who commended participants for their choice of topics and offered guidance on making scholarly writing more relevant to contemporary contexts.
A notable feature of the seminar was virtual presentations by eminent scholars Dr. Amruta Natu and Dr. Shreenand Bapat.
The programme was attended by Vice-Chancellor (I/C) Prof. Prasad Joshi and Dean Prof. Sonal Kulkarni, along with faculty members and students from various departments. Prof. Joshi delivered the welcome address and presented awards alongside Prof. Kulkarni. The event was compered by Tanushree Ranjangaonkar and Shreya Ponkshe, while coordination responsibilities were handled by Dr. Bansi Lawhale and Dr. Richa Abhyankar.
