Department of Sanskrit (Day College)
Faculty
| SlNo | Name | Date of Birth | Qualification | Year Joined | Designation | Category | Area of Specialization | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr.K.Srinivasan | 12.12.1956 | Siromani (Mimamsa and Advaita), M.A., Ph.D. | 1978 | Asso Prof, HOD | Aided | Vedanta, Mimamsa, Alankara & Sahitya | ksri@rkmvc.ac.in |
| 2 | Dr. T.Unnikrishnan Pillai | 14.08.1955 | M.A., Ph.D. | 1980 | Asso Prof | Aided | -- | unnikrish@rkmvc.ac.in |
| 3 | Dr.J.R.S.Vasan Ramanan | 07.10.1953 | M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. R.B.Visharad, Sahityaratna |
1977 | Asso Prof | Aided | Sahitya, Alankara, Vedanta, Vyakarana & Purana | jrsvr@rkmvc.ac.in |
| 4 | Dr.V.Abhiramasundaram | 17.09.1960 | M.A., B.Ed., M.Phil., Ph.D. Dip. in Vaishnavism, CLIS Siddhanta ratna |
1986 | Asso Prof | Aided | Sahitya, Alankara & Vyakarana | - |
| 5 | Dr.R.Ramachandran | 19.04.1959 | M.A., B.Ed., M.Phil., Ph.D. | 1987 | Asso Prof | Aided | Alankara, Vedanta & Spoken Sanskrit | rrchandran@rkmvc.ac.in |
| 6 | Dr.Kalley Prasanth | 23.03.1964 | M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. | 1988 | Asso Prof | Aided | Sahitya & Alankara | kalpra@rkmvc.ac.in |
| 7 | Dr.S.Muthu | 10.06.1969 | M.A., M.Phil., B.Ed., MLIS, Ph.D., Siromani | 1999 | Reader | Aided | Nyaya, Vedanta, Vyakarana & Agama | sdrmuthu@rkmvc.ac.in |
HOD of Yesteryears
Prof. R.S. Venkataraman Sastri: The Department was organised under his leadership in 1946 (till his death on 18.07.49). He was a scholar in Comparative Philology and he presented the subject in Sanskrit for the first time under the title “Bhāşāśāstram”. He edited a number of Sanskrit works.
Dr. A.Sankaran: He was the first scholar to take his doctorate degree in Sanskrit from the University of Madras. He worked on “History of Rasa and Dhvani in Sanskrit Poetics”. It was published by the University of Madras and it is a pioneering work in the field of Sanskrit poetics. He was invited to head the Honours Department to the College in 1955 and He left the College in 1957 and joined the Advanced Centre for Sanskrit in Pune.
Prof. V.S. Venkataraghavacharyar: He was Professor in charge from July 1949 to 1955 and Professor and Head of the Department from 1960 to 1962. He had the distinction of introducing both Honours and PG courses in Sanskrit. He was a scholar in Mimamsa and was very fluent in speaking and delivering lectures in Sanskrit. He authored a number of dramas and translated the epics and lyrics of Kalidasa into Tamil with excerpts from commentaries. He brought out a study of domestic rituals according to Rg Vedins. He was honoured with the title ‘Sahiti Vallabha’. He went to Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapith (now a deemed university) Tirupati as director of Teachers Training Programme and he authored in chaste and easy Sanskrit a work on Educational Psychology. He was recipient of President’s award.
Prof. V.Rajagopalan: He was in-charge from 1962 and made Professor and Head of the Department in 1966. He was brought from American College Madurai for assisting Honours teaching. During his period the department got affiliation to Ph.D. programme. He encouraged the participation of students in all the activities and in organising seminars and conferences. He retired in July 1978. He registered himself as the research student of the Department.
Prof. S.Visvanathan: He was Professor in-charge from 1978 and PG Professor and Head of the Department from 1980 to May 1987. During this period Sanskrit was introduced as a language in Part I in the Evening College courses. He got his Ph.D. in 1980 and his work ‘Sivalilarnava – a critical study’ is published.
Dr. S. Ramaratnam: An alumnus of this institution(1967-1969) joined the college as lecturer in Sanskrit after a brief stint in Madras Christian College. He became the Head of the Department which post he held for 17 years and became Principal in 2000 and retired in the year 2004. He did his research in the Prahasana genre of Sanskrit dramas. After his retirement he was Vice-Chancellor, Sri Sri University, and later Jagadguru Kripalu University both in Orissa.
Faculty of Yesteryears
Sri L. Vasudevasarma: (1946 – 24.09.1968) He was a very good scholar in Sanskrit grammar and he endeared himself to his students by his excellent teaching.
Bhashya Bhavajňa Varahur Kalyanasundara Sastrigal (B1911): (1956 – 1983 in the College) Sri Sastrigal started his career in Government Oriental Manuscripts Library and helped the curator edit and publish a number of books. He joined the Department in 1956. His original compositions include Vivekananda Vijayam, A verse presentation of Dasaprakarana, an epitome of Madhva’s Philosophy, Advaita Siddhantasara, and Gita & Upanishads. He was delivering discourses regularly on Prasthanatraya bhasya of Sankara and other works at several places in the city. He delivered lectures on Sankara Bhasya at Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati the then pontiff of Kanchi Kamakoti Pitham had blessed Sri Sastrigal with the title ‘Bhashya Bhavajna’. (The knower of the import of the intention of Sankarabhasya). Trichi Literary Society conferred the title “Sastra Bodhana Catura” (skilled in teaching sastras) on him. The President of India Award was conferred on him in 1978. After his retirement, he was appointed UGC Professor for 3 years and for another 10 years he continued as NC Krishnan Guest lecturer.
Sri V.Venkatachalam: He served the College from 1948 to 1954. Later he became Vice Chancellor of Sampurnanand University Varanasi; Darbhanga University and Chairman of Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi.
Sri K.Subramanian: He served the College from 1955 to 1961. He has edited a number of works.
Sri R.N.Sampath: He served the College during 1951 – 52. He later in his life became the Head of the Department of Sanskrit in Presidency College. He was also curator, Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Chennai. He has chaired many sessions of All India Oriental Conferences. He was also the recipient of President’s award. He is a very good scholar in Visistadvaita Literature.
Sri P.Aravindakshan: He was the first alumnus of the Department to join as staff member. He served from 1962 to 1965.
Dr. M.Narasimhachary: He served the College from 1970 to 1976. He was an alumnus of the Department. His doctoral dissertation was on the contribution of Yamunacarya, a pre-Ramanuja Vaisnavite saint. He was the first research guide of the Department. He became a reader in Sanskrit in the University of Madras and later became the Head of the Department of Vaishnavism. He is presently a visiting Professor at Oxford University.
Dr. C. Panduranga Bhatta: He is an alumnus of the College and got his Ph.D. from the University of Madras. He joined the Department in 1976 and served till 1988. He is now with the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta as Professor of Human Values.
Dr. M.A. Venkatakrishnan: He was an alumnus and he served the Department from 1977 to 1986. He joined the Vaishnavism Department of Madras University, now a professor in the same department.
Dr.C.S.Radhakrishnan (Alumnus of the department 1971-76) joined the College 1980 as Asst Professor after his Research studentship at the University of Madras. He was a Research guide both for M.Phil. and Ph.D. and after 28 years of service opted for voluntary retirement in the year 2008. He was nominated as member of the Academic Council in 2007 for three years by His Excellency Governor of Tamilnadu.
