Devarshi Kala Nath Shastry (15 July 1936 – 25 February 2025) was an Indian Sanskrit scholar honoured by the President of India in 1998. He was an Indologist and a prolific writer in Sanskrit, Hindi and English, and a well-known linguist, who contributed to the campaign of evolving technical terminology in Indian languages and ensuring a respectable status for Hindi, the official language of his state and the Indian union. Inventory of Sanskrit Scholars, Ed. Radha Vallabh Tripathi, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, 2012, Shastry died on 25 February 2025, at the age of 88.
Academic contribution Shastry continued the rich tradition of introducing modern genres and modes of expression in an ancient language like Sanskrit for which his father, the late Kavishiromani Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri, was known in the history of modern Sanskrit literature.'Akhyanavallari', Author's Introduction, Rajasthan Sanskrit Sahitya Kendra, Jaipur, 2002 He authored more than two dozen books and edited equal number of books in Sanskrit, Hindi and English and was known for his interliterary translations of monumental works of Philosophy and literature in these languages and also Prakrit, Vraj Bhasha, Rajasthani and other Indian languages.'One Hundred Years of Philosophy',(Translation of John Passmore's work), Rajasthan Hindi Granth Academy, Jaipur, 1987
Literary achievements Shastry contributed more than a thousand articles in Hindi and Sanskrit to reputed journals of India and broadcast more than 200 talks, poems, and plays in Sanskrit, Hindi and English. He was a literary historian, critic and commentator. In the history of modern Sanskrit literature he was known as a fiction writer who introduced a modern idiom in creative Sanskrit writing through his novels, short stories, personal essays, and his books on the 20th century Sanskrit literature. He was the chairman of the Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy (2021) and the Director of Sanskrit Education and Bhasha Vibhag (1976–1994). Chairmen and Directors of Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy, retrieved 22.1.2016
Career His career started with the pursuit of traditional Sanskrit learning, Indian Aesthetics, Comparative Linguistics, the Vedas & Shastras under the tutelage of Sanskrit scholars like his own father Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri, Giridhar Sharma Chaturvedi, Pt. Pattabhiram Shastri, Pt. Hari Shastri, and Jagdish Sharma. He mastered the linguistics and aesthetics of Sanskrit, and also studied the literatures of Hindi and English.Devarshi Kala Nath Shastry, Doyen of Sanskrit Honored by the President of India – An Introduction, Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy, Jaipur, 2013.
After obtaining his post-graduation degree with a 1st Division in English, he taught English Language and literature at the Postgraduate colleges of the University of Rajasthan for eight years, then took over the administration of official language as deputy director and later as Director of Bhasha Vibhag (Directorate of Official Language) of the Government of Rajasthan from which position he retired in 1994. Sahitya Akademi Authors'Adhunik Kal ka Sanskrit Gadya Itihas', Kala Nath Shastry, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, 1995
He was also Director of Sanskrit Education, Government of Rajasthan (1991–1993). He served as chairman, Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy (1995–1998) and founder- Chairman of Kavishiromani Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri Sanskrit Chair at the Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Rajasthan Sanskrit University, Jaipur. He was the Chairman of the Modern Sanskrit Chair at the Sanskrit University. He was also an advisor and permanent member of the Rajasthan Government's Hindi Law Committee, and a member of the Kendriya Sanskrit Board, National Book Trust and Sahitya Academy.Devarshi Kala Nath Shastry, Doyen of Sanskrit Honored by the President of India – An Introduction, Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy, Jaipur, 2013. He was associated in different capacities with dozens of governmental and non-governmental associations, institutions and organisations related with Sanskrit and Hindi. He was also the founder Chairman of the "Manjunath Smriti Sansthan", a trust in the memory of his father, located in Jaipur. Pandit Madhusudan Ojha Institute of Vedic Studies & Research, Jaipur-302004
Devarshi Kala Nath Shastry worked as a member of the 2nd Sanskrit Commission of the Government of India (2014–2016).
Major honours and awards Shastry was honoured by a large number of institutions, universities, organisations and governments with titles such as 'Mahamahopadhyaya' (in 2008 by Shri LBS Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Deemed University, New Delhi), The Hindu: Sanskrit title conferred on Kalanath Shastri, June 05, 2005 (retrieved 04.01.2016) SLBS Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, New Delhi Convocation 'Sahitya Mahodadhi' (1993), and 'Sahitya Shiromani' (1999) and awards such as the Lifetime Achievement Award for Sanskrit, Government of Rajasthan, Jaipur 2012; Lifetime Achievement Award for Sanskrit Journalism by Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Sansthan, 2008; Award for Sanskrit by Central Sahitya Academy (2004), Dwarka Seva Nidhi Pragyaa Puraskar, 2018; D.Litt (Vidya Vachaspati by Rajasthan Sanskrit University, 2019; Lifetime Achievement Award (Ajivan Sanskrit Sadhna Samman), 2022 by Govt. of Rajasthan, Rajasthan Sanskrit University http://bharatdiscovery.org/india/Sahitya_Academy_Award_Winners Honours by Ministry of Human Resources, Govt. of India (1995 and 1998). He was recognised for his contribution to Sanskrit by none other than the President of India, Dr. K. R. Narayanan, in 1998. He was bestowed with the "Rashtrapati Puraskar" for his contribution to Sanskrit.http://www.vedicpeeth.org/team_members/devrshi-kalanath-shastri Pandit Madhusudan Ojha Institute of Vedic Studies & Research, Jaipur-302004
Major published works Works of Panditaraj Jagannath's Poetry :1987: 134pp 22 cm Aakhyanvallari (Story Collection in Sanskrit: Awarded by the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi in 2004) Sanskrit ke Gaurav Shikhar (Series-10), Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, 2006 Adhunik Kaal ka Sanskrit Gadya Sahitya (Series-17), Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New DelhiA bibliography of Modern Sanskrit Writings, Radha Vallabh Tripathi, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi 2012 Jeewanasya Prishthadwayam (Novel) One Hundred Years of Philosophy (Translation of John Passmore's History of Modern Western Philosophy), Published by the Rajasthan Hindi Granth Academy, Jaipur, 1966, 1987 Sanskrit Sahitya ka Itihas (History of Sanskrit Literature), 2009Sanskrit Sahitya ka Itihas ( History of Sanskrit Literature), Sahityagaar, Jaipur, 2009, Sanskriti ke Vaataayan (Collection of Cultural Essays) Bhartiya Darshan ka Itihas (Translation of Dasgupta's book in 5 volumes with Ramesh Kumar) Published by the Rajasthan Hindi Granth Academy, Jaipur, 1978, 1988, 1998 Makers of Indian Literature: Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri 'Manjunath', Central Sahitya Academy, New Delhi, 2013Makers of Indian Literature : Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri 'Manjunath', Central Sahitya Academy, New Delhi, 2013
Kavitavallari (collection of poems), Jaipur, 2006Sanskrit Kavitavallari (collection of poems), Jagdish Sanskrit Pustakalaya, Jaipur, 2006, Kathanakvalli (story collection), Jaipur, 1987 Vidvajjanacharitamritam (biographies), New Delhi, 1982 Inventory of Sanskrit Scholars, Ed. Radha Vallabh Tripathi, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, 2012, Vaidik Vangmaya mein Bharatiya Sanskriti, Bikaner, 2003 Manak Hindi ka Swaroop, New Delhi, 2002 and Jaipur, 2010 Bharatiya Sanskriti – Adhaar aur Parivesh, Jaipur, 1989 Sahitya Chintan, Jaipur 2005Sahitya Chintan, Hansa Prakashan, Jaipur 2005, Lalitkatha Kalpavalli, Jaipur, 2012Lalitkatha Kalpavalli, Hansa Prakashan, Jaipur, 2012, Adhunik Sanskrit Sahitya: Ek Vyapak Drishtipaat, Allahabad, 2001 Bhartiya Sanskriti-Swaroop aur Siddhaant, Jaipur, 2003 Sanskrit Natyavallari (collection of drama), Jaipur, 1999 Sudheejanvrittam (collection of biographies), Jaipur, 1997 Sanskrit ke Yugpurush: Manjunath, Jaipur, 2004 Jaipur ki Sanskrit Parampara, Jaipur, 2000 Horizons of Sanskrit, Pub. Rajasthan Sanskrit Akademy, Jaipur, 2016 Hamare Purodha Mahavir Prasad Joshi, Udaipur, 2018 Rajasthan Ke Kaljayi Sahityakar, Jaipur, 2019.
He translated a large number of books, research journals, commemorative volumes, in Sanskrit and Hindi, and also books to and from English, Sanskrit, Prakrit and Rajasthani languages. Authors of Rajkamal Prakashan
He was the chief editor of renowned Sanskrit monthly Bharati until his death.Devarshi Kala Nath Shastry, Doyen of Sanskrit Honored by the President of India – An Introduction, Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy, Jaipur, 2013.
References
External links Kala Nath Shastry Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zargot