When Sanskrit echoed in in the Lower House

Sushma Swaraj chose to take oath as MP in Sanskrit, touching off a trend with many BJP MPs later wanting to speak the ancient Indian language. 

Uma Bharati, Harsh Vardhan, Yogi Adityanath, Mahesh Sharma and Rajendra Aggarwal preferred Sanskrit.

Link:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/When-Sanskrit-echoed-in-in-the-Lower-House/articleshow/36120297.cms

subscribe and encourage SANSKRIT MAGAZINE - "SAPTAGIRI" (Monthly)

Dear Friends,

A Happy Announcement for all of you!

You all know well that Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams are publishing their official monthly magazine named "SAPTAGIRI" in the languages - Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi and English so far.

From the month of May 2014, they have decided to publish the magazine even in our beloved language "SANSKRIT" also.  Is it not like a cool shower in the hot mid Summer?

Now, it is our turn to subscribe the magazine and support the kind decision of Devasthanams.

Annual Subscription is Rs. 60/- only. (Rs.5/- per month)

You can send your subscription either through MO or DD in favour of - Chief Editor, Saptagiri, TTD, Tirupati".

You are requested to send your subscriptions to the following address:

The Chief Editor

Saptagiari Office

TTD Press Compound

KT Road

TIRUPATI - 517507

సంస్కృత భాష లోని సప్తగిరి పత్రిక 

Now in Sanskrit!!!

Don't forget to write your name and address to which the magazine is supposed to be sent.

Thank You!  

May Lord Venkatesa shower his blessings on You!

West has revived interest in Sanskrit logic, rhetoric'

Ahmedabad: Aristotelian logic has held sway in European and US universities from the very beginning. Sanskrit began to attract western scholars fairly early during the colonial era but it is in the last decade that scholars have decided to go to its roots, study original Sanskrit texts and come to new interpretations.

This reemergence of Sanskrit studies as a discipline prompted the three-day seminar, 'Udaharana, Drashtanta and Nyaya in Sanskrit: Texts and Contexts', organized, from February 25 to 28, at LD Institute of Indology in the city by Veraval-based Somnath Sanskrit University. Scholars and researchers from prominent universities of India and countries such as Japan, Austria, Germany, France and Australia are taking part in the seminar.

Luitgard Soni, an Indologist from University of Marburg, Germany, told TOI that apart from linguistics, other disciplines have also started taking interest in the language. "We have nearly 40 students in Sanskrit Studies at the bachelor level and more than five in post-graduate studies. We consider this a good number. Apart from linguistics and religion-specific studies, there is interest in branches of Indian philosophy such as Nyaya and logic," she said.

Love for Sanskrit

F Grimal, director of French Institute of Indology at Pondicherry, and his colleagues have so far published five volumes of examples and counterexamples given in the commentaries on Panini's classic grammar of Sanskrit, Ashtadhyayi. The team hopes to publish 20 volumes.

"My area of study was Sanskrit grammar. We decided to collect nearly 40,000 examples and counterexamples given in the four primary commentaries on the Ashtadhyayi - Siddhanta Kaumudi, Kasikavrtti, Bhasavrtti and Mahabhashya. It will be difficult to find a parallel to this work anywhere in the world. It [their work] will be useful in understanding the socio-political situation at the time the scriptures were written," he said.

Prof V K Sastry, vice-chancellor of Sanskrit University, said that new scope for research in Sanskrit is opening up in the West but in India new talent is not attracted to the ancient language. "The reason is lack of jobs for linguistics graduates. Few departments in the country can boast of good staff strength or original research. It is our effort to revive Sanskrit studies," he said.

Link:  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/West-has-revived-interest-in-Sanskrit-logic-rhetoric/articleshow/31184749.cms

All universities in India to offer certificate courses in spoken Sanskrit

As per a new proposal by the University of Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, universities across the country must foster centres offering certificate courses in spoken Sanskrit.

The objective behind the introduction of this course is to inculcate basic knowledge related to the subject among students and teachers.

The course is also aimed at reviving the dying interest among students with regard to the subject. Lack of awareness about Sanskrit is thought to be one of the main reasons behind the diminishing curiosity.

The UGC also plans to edify the teachers and lecturers about the subject. Out of these teachers and lecturers who will run the Sanskrit pathashalas, conferences, workshops and research institutes will be benefitted by the UGC . The UGC will provide Rs 1 lakh each year to every centre.

UGC had initially sanctioned an amount of Rs 100 crore for the implementation of the scheme around two year ago. However, they are now contemplating increasing the amount to cover some more institutions. The duration of the course has been decided to be around 25 hours per month and no tuition fee shall be charged for the programme.

There should be a strength of minimum 30 students for the programme in each institution offering the course.

Reference:
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/all-universities-in-india-to-offer-certificate-courses-in-spoken-sanskrit/1/340871.html

UGC suggests courses in spoken Sanskrit in varsities

The idea is to impart basic knowledge about the language

All universities in the country may soon have centres offering certificate courses in spoken Sanskrit, if the University Grants Commission (UGC) has its way.

The UGC has suggested this idea to impart basic knowledge about the language among students, teachers, and the public.

Shrinivasa Varakhedi, Dean, Karnataka Samskrit University, who has been appointed to a three-member committee headed by the Secretary, Ministry for Human Resources Development, said students were not showing interest to learn the language. Lack of awareness about the importance of Sanskrit was one of the main reasons for this, he said.

Mr. Varakhedi said the committee had been asked to take up 22 schemes under the grant-in-aid programme to help fund non-governmental organisations, universities and other institutions.

Lecturers and teachers engaged in teaching and training people in Sanskrit; and those who run Sanskrit patashalas, conduct conferences, workshops, and research institutes too would be offered help.

The UGC had sanctioned Rs.100 crore two years ago for the scheme and this had been increased to cover more institutions. The committee was entrusted with the responsibility of identifying them and sanctioning funds.

Even teachers and employees of universities and affiliated colleges would benefit from the programme.

Duration of the course would be 25 hours over a period of a month. No fee would be charged.

Student strength

The maximum student strength could be 40, while minimum could be 30. The UGC would provide Rs. 2 lakh a year to every centre and has already sanctioned Rs. 1 crore.

Mr. Varakhedi said Bharatiya Vidwat Parishat, a private e-mail group of 2,000 members comprising vice-chancellors, professors, scholars and students across the country, was providing information sought by the second Sanskrit Commission chaired by Jnanpith awardee Satyavrat Shastri.

The commission has 13 members, including P. Ramanujan, Associate Director (Indian Heritage and Language Computing), C-DAC, Bangalore.

Keywords: Shrinivasa Varakhedi, Karnataka Samskrit University, spoken sanskrit, university grants commission, sanskrit commission Satyavrat Shastri

Key: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/ugc-suggests-courses-in-spoken-sanskrit-in-varsities/article5620870.ece
 

Interest of Narendra Modi for Sanskrit

Narendra Modi is trying to reach out to his party's core voters in the language of the Vedas.

Days after he advocated construction of toilets before temples, his public relations machinery is out with the Sanskrit version of his official portal, narendramodi.in. While his comments like toilet first and then temples have irked many, the Sanskrit portal may help him deepen the connection with a particular section — seers, followers of scriptures and staunch believers of Hinduism — who form a committed group of BJP's voters.

The portal is already available in three languages — Gujarati, Hindi and English.

Modi, who tweets in 10 Indian languages and has e-books by or on him in couple of Indian languages, through the Sanskrit version symbolically pays his tribute to the ancient language that is no longer in use in day-to-day life.

"This was Modi's idea. He wanted the portal in Sanskrit," said a government official, adding that it's a "joint effort of the information technology team and a Sanskrit writer".

Modi's love for Sanskrit is well known; he facilitated the establishment of a Sanskrit university at Somnath.

His brief biography, tenure as CM, achievements, presence in international circuit, the BJP, awards bagged by Gujarat are some of the pages available in Sanskrit. The new version has Modi's selected blogs and speeches in Sanskrit. His quotes have been compiled under the title, Avtaraani. What the Sanskrit version doesn't offer is an update on events and functions on a day to today basis.

"Unlike the English version, the Sanskrit one is not likely to get frequent updates," said a source. The Sanskrit version gives readers a platform to communicate with Modi in the language by leaving him a message or invite in a special dialogue box.

Check it here:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/now-cm-s-official-portal-has-a-sanskrit-version/1186114/

Academy proposes Sanskrit-speaking camps to promote language

The Sanskrit Academy, Chandigarh, in collaboration with Department of Sanskrit, PU, is organising an Inter-University Sanskrit Speech Competition on September 29. Gurpreet Kaur Sapra, Director Higher Education, UT will be the chief guest at the event aimed at creating awareness about the Sanskrit language.

Universities across northern India, including Delhi University (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla, Rashtriya Sansthan, New Delhi, Kurukshetra University and Panjabi University, Patiala are expected to participate. Also, students from city colleges, including Government College, Sector 11, Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 42, MCM DAV College, Sector 36 are expected to participate.

Udyan Arya, Director of Sanskrit Academy said, "The Academy was founded on July 2, 2012 by students of the Department of Sanskrit, along with IAS officers, advocates and scientists who came forward to invoke students' interest in Sanskrit. We have already organised around 15 Sanskrit-speaking camps."

Talking about the importance of the language, Arya said the youth needed to be encourage to learn the Vedic language that was the source for any kind of knowledge.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/academy-proposes-sanskritspeaking-camps-to-promote-language/1174386/