Pune: Prof. S.K. Belvalkar Remembered for His Pioneering Work in Sanskrit and Indology
Yerwada, 9th January 2025: The Deccan College Past Students’ Association and the Department of Sanskrit and Lexicography, Deccan College, Pune, have jointly organized a special symposium at the Deccan College on 8th January 2025 under the overall guidance of Dr. K. Paddayya, Emeritus Professor and Former Director.
This symposium was organised to remember the world-renowned Sanskrit scholar Professor Shripad Krishna Belvalkar on the occasion of his 58th death anniversary.
Professor Belvalkar was born at Narsobachiwadi in Kolhapur district in 1880. He obtained his B.A. (Sanskrit and English) as well as a double M.A. degrees (Sanskrit, History and Politics, and Greek and European Philosophy) from Deccan College and then completed his doctorate degree in 1914 from Harvard University on the topic of a critical study of the famous Sanskrit play Uttara-Rama-Charita by the famous classical writer Bhavabhuti.
Upon return from Harvard University, Belvalkar served as Professor of Sanskrit at the Deccan College from 1915 to 1933. He published about 10 major works and over 60 research articles on themes dealing with Sanskrit works and Indian philosophy and religion, which are widely cited for research and teaching even now both in India and outside. Professor Belvalkar edited several parvas of the critical edition of the Mahabharata text undertaken by the Bhandarkar Research Institute. He was also known for his organizational abilities and played a major role in founding the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute and revival of the Deccan College in 1939 as a P.G. and Research Institute. In recognition of Belvalkar’s manifold contributions to Indological research, a committee headed by Professor S. Radhakrishnan presented a felicitation volume to him on his 75th birthday.
The symposium was inaugurated by Dr. G.B. Deglurkar, former President of Deccan College. Professor K. Paddayya enumerated the various contributions of Professor Belvalkar. Prof. G.U. Thite talked about Belvalkar’s work in Indian philosophy. Prof. Prasad Joshi gave an account of Belvalkar’s works in Sanskrit grammar. Dr. Shilpa Sumant gave a presentation about Belvalkar’s contributions to the study of Sanskrit drama. Drs. Madhavi Kolhatkar, Shrinand Bapat and Vishwa Adluri referred to the other contributions to Indology made by Professor Belvalkar.
The symposium received an enthusiastic response from students and faculty. Prof. Belvalkar’s grandson, Shri Anirudha Belvalkar, also attended the session. Dr. Shahida Ansari, Head, Department of the Archaeology, Deccan College, and Dr. Satish Naik, Secretary of the Deccan College Past Students’ Association, welcomed the gathering. The program was coordinated by Dr. Satish Naik and Dr. Shilpa Sumant, Associate Professor in the Department of Sanskrit and Lexicography at Deccan College, Pune.
Dr. Shantanu Vaidya compered the proceedings while Dr. Richa Abhyankar served as rapporteur. Dr. Kirti Kulkarni proposed a vote of thanks.
