Padma Shri Govind Chandra Pande: Facts About The Indian Scholar Who Knew Sanskrit, Latin as well as Hebrew

Govind Chandra Pande was an eminent Indian scholar known for his profound knowledge of various languages, including Sanskrit, Latin, and Hebrew. He was awarded the country's prestigious 'Padma Shri' award in 2010. On the occasion of his birth anniversary, take a look at his career and contributions.

Born on July 30, 1923, in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), Uttar Pradesh, Pande was a well-known thinker of the 20th century who authored many famous books and research papers. He is mainly known for his writings related to Buddhist philosophy, and for translating Rigveda into Hindi poetry.

Apart from being a writer, he was also a lecturer. His career in academics started when he joined Allahabad University in 1974 as a lecturer, and a decade later was promoted to Dean, Faculty of Arts. With his interest in history and languages, he served in the position of Vice-Chancellor from 1978 to 1984, followed by his retirement. As students loved to attend his lectures and learn from him, he continued to teach them as a visiting faculty until health supported him.

He breathed last in 2011 but left a legacy behind to remember and feel proud of in the field of Indian literature. His book titled 'Mahilaye (Women)' along with 'Saundaray Darshan Vimarsh' are popular books among Hindi readers even today.