Speakers Profiles and Lecture Topics:
Prof. V N Jha formerly taught in Pune University since 1979 and retired in 2006 as Director, Centre of Advanced Study in Sanskrit. He was the Founder Chairperson, Special Centre for Sanskrit Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi in 2002-03. He has authored and edited over 50 books such as ‘Language, Philosophy, Logic and Epistemology’ and ‘Language, Grammar and Linguistics in Indian Traditions’. He has published over 150 research articles in Indian and international journals. He has been honoured by a number of academic institutions with titles such as Mahamahopadhyaya, Vachaspati, Pandita-sarvabhauma and D.Litt. He was a visiting professor in Humboldt University, Germany; Nagoya University, Japan; University of Lausanne, Switzerland and Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Mauritius during the period 1981 to 2005. He graduated from North Bengal University and completed M.A. in Sanskrit with Vedic group from Banaras Hindu University, followed by M.A. in Comparative Philology from Calcutta University. He did Ph.D. from Pune University. He received special training in traditional Sanskrit learning in Raiganj and Pune from Pandita Sitakanta Acharya, Srinivasa Sastri and Sivaramakrishna Sastri in areas such as grammar, Indian philosophy, Indian logic and Indian hermeneutics.
Synopsis of the talk: His talk will elaborate on the Shruti and Smruti Parampara.
Prof. Shrinivasa Varakhedi currently works as the Vice-chancellor, Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Nagpur. He is also the Vice-Chancellor (Acting), and Professor and Dean at Karnataka Samskrit University, Bengaluru. He has received several awards and honours such as Maharshi Badarayan Vyas Samman, 2007 and Chinmayananda Gold Medal, 2012. He has worked as a visiting professor at Ravindra Bharati University, Kolkata; Indian Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad and Jadavpur University, Kolkata. He has been associated with various other institutions in different capacities, viz. Osmania University, Hyderabad; Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati and Poorna Prajna Vidyapeetha, Bengaluru. After graduating in Arts from Bangalore University and completing Vidvat Madhyama (traditional degree) from Poorna Prajna Sanskrit College, he completed Vidvat Uttama (traditional post graduate degree) and did M.A. in Sanskrit Darshana from Bangalore University. He then went on to do Ph.D. Vidyavaridhi in Nyaya from Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi. He has published over 9 books, edited 26 books and published 22 research articles. He has been regularly attending seminars, workshops and conferences.
Synopsis of the talk: His talks will cover topics such as Śāstric Research Methodology – Approaches, How to develop Śāstra drishti and SRM Case study: Panini Aṣṭādhyāyī & its thought process
Dr. M. Jayaraman works as the Director-Research, Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, a Scientific & Industrial Research Organization (SIRO) recognized by Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, Government of India. His work covers critical edition and translation of hitherto unpublished works of Yoga resulting in publication of 10 books, which includes translation of Vyasa’s commentary on Yogasutras into Tamil. He has participated in various seminars and conferences, including as a speaker and has published 8 research papers. He is on the review board of International Journal of Yoga, Philosophy, Psychology and Parapsychology, and is a member of board of studies of Department of Yoga and Spirituality, SVYASA University, Bengaluru. He is a regular blogger covering meaning of Vedic mantras and his Sanskrit metrical compositions. Starting off with educational training in the traditional Gurukul system for 6 years in Veda Vijnana Gurukulam, Bengaluru, he graduated in philosophy, education and English, and completed a post-graduate in Samskrit, both with a gold medal. He has also done post-graduation in journalism and mass communication and holds a Ph.D. in “The Doctrine of Tantrayukti” from University of Madras. He has also undergone Yoga teachers training from Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, holds a diploma in mansucriptology, and is trained in interactive teaching methodology of Samskrita Bharati.
Synopsis of the talk: His talk will explain the concept of Tantra Yukti, which includes the Indic method of thesis writing.
Prof. Radhavallabh Tripathi formerly worked as the Vice Chancellor of Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, Dr. Harisingh Gour University and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth and has been a professor of Sanskrit. He has been the fellow of Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla. He has been closely associated with Central Board of Studies in Sanskrit in Madhya Pradesh, NCERT and Sahitya Akademy in New Delhi; as well as the Chairman of peer team of NAAC for several universities. He has received several awards such as Sanskrit Sahitya Award by UP Sanskrit Academy, Rajasekhara Award of MP Sahitya Parishad, Vyasa Award by MP Sanskrit Akadami and MM PV Kane Memorial Gold Medal by the Asiatic Society, Mumbai. He has been the member of several UGC visiting committees. He has published 7 books. His contribution to the development of Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan is noteworthy. He has actively participated in symposiums and seminars. He completed M.A. in Sanskrit with a gold medal, followed by Ph.D. and D.Litt. Nāṭyaśāstra and Sāhityaśāstra are his fields of specialization.
Synopsis of the talk: His talks will cover topics such as translation studies, SRM Case Study: Sāhitya and Nāṭya Śāstras, and future directions in Śāstra Research, with an advice to young scholars.
Prof. Kapil Kapoor has worked as the Chancellor, Mahatma Gandhi Antararashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya, Wardha. His work experience covers teaching in Delhi University, JNU (pro-Vice Chancellor and UGC Emeritus Fellow) and Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya in Haryana. He was the Visiting Professor at Irish Academy of Cultural Heritages, University of Ulster, UK. He has been the CBSE Advisor for New Delhi, nominated member of the Academic Council of Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages and of the Executive Council of Central University in Hyderabad and of several other institutions. He has been the Chairman, Editorial Committee of Indian Historical Records Committee, National Achieves, Government of India. He was the Editor-in-Chief of the 11-Volume Encyclopaedia of Hinduism and is the Chief Editor of Sahitya Akademi sponsored Encyclopaedia of Indian Poetics, a UNESCO project. He has received several awards such as Distinguished Scholar by Kunwar Narendra Pratap Singh Kalyankari Trust in Gorakhpur, award by Shiksha Sanskriti Utthana Nyasa, award for contribution to Linguistics and Indic Civilization Studies by Uberoi Foundation in California and award by Ministry of HRD, Government of India for contribution to Sanskrit Studies. He has published 14 books and 72 articles. After completing M.A., he went on to do D.Litt. and Ph.D.
Synopsis of the talk: His talk will cover the role of cultural context in research in general, and śāstric research in particular.
Dr. Vinaychandra BK is presently the Director of Veda Vijnana Shodha Samsthanam, Bengaluru. He is the co-founder of Ritambhara Yogashala and Takshashila Institute of India Studies, along with Dr. Anuradha Choudry. He has also worked as a teaching/research faculty in institutions such as Development Foundation, Centre for Indian Psychology, Jain University, Karnataka Knowledge Commission and SVYASA Yoga University, Bengaluru. He travels across the world conducting courses, lectures and workshops on a unique blend of Yoga, Psychology and Samskrit. He is a guest faculty/resource person at various Universities and Yoga associations including Ghent University, Belgium; University of Houston, USA; Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland; Vedanta Academy, Belgium; Irish Yoga Association, Ireland; Yoga University, Switzerland; Yoga Pramiti, Italy; Slovakia Yoga Association, Slovakia; School of Philosophy and Economic Science, Ireland; Ojai Yoga, USA; Vyasa Houston, USA; VYASA, Singapore and Panaga Yoga, Brunei. He was a tutor at the European Union of Yoga Congress, Switzerland for 2013 and 2014 and was invited as the Guest of Honour in 2017. His publications include a report on Standardization of Yoga Terminologies for WHO, book co-edited with Dr. Anuradha Choudry titled ‘Perspectives on Indian Psychology’, apart from some articles, papers and booklets on Yoga, Indian psychology, culture and spirituality. He is deeply passionate to work with children and youth. He has done Ph.D. on psychological insights in the Vedas from Pondicherry University, and a Master’s in Sanskrit, English, Yogic Science and Applied Psychology.
Synopsis of the talk: His talk will cover a SRM Case Study: Yoga and Psychology.
