Overview
Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University is a central university located in New Delhi, India, dedicated to the teaching, preservation, and research of Sanskrit language, literature, and the traditional Shastric knowledge systems. Named after Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of India, the institution offers programmes ranging from foundational Sanskrit studies to advanced research in classical disciplines such as Vyakarana, Sahitya, Jyotisha, Vedanta, Dharmashastra, and Nyaya.
Key Facts
| Name | Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University |
|---|---|
| Type | Central University |
| Location | New Delhi, India |
| Discipline focus | Sanskrit language, literature, and Shastric studies |
| Named after | Lal Bahadur Shastri |
| Country | India |
Background
The institution was established to function as a national centre for Sanskrit learning, combining the traditional guru–shishya mode of instruction with the structure of a modern university. It was originally set up as a society under the Government of India and later upgraded to a deemed-to-be university, before being granted full central university status by an Act of Parliament. The university operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
Academic Structure
The university is organised into faculties and departments that together cover the principal branches of classical Indian learning. Typical areas of study include:
- Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)
- Sahitya (literature and poetics)
- Vedanta and Indian philosophy
- Dharmashastra and Mimamsa
- Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
- Nyaya and Vaisheshika
- Puranetihasa and Veda
- Education, including the Shiksha Shastri and Shiksha Acharya teacher-training programmes
Programmes are offered at the Shastri (undergraduate), Acharya (postgraduate), and Vidyavaridhi (doctoral) levels, alongside diploma and certificate courses. The medium of instruction is largely Sanskrit, supplemented by Hindi and English.
Significance
As one of the three Sanskrit-focused central universities in India — alongside the Central Sanskrit University and the National Sanskrit University, Tirupati — it plays a key role in higher education policy for traditional knowledge systems. The institution contributes to manuscript research, publication of critical editions of classical texts, and the training of Sanskrit teachers for schools and colleges across the country.
Related Topics
- Sanskrit
- Lal Bahadur Shastri
- Central Sanskrit University
- National Sanskrit University
- Central universities in India
- Ministry of Education (India)
- Indian philosophy
References
- Wikidata entity: Q7295022
- Ministry of Education, Government of India — list of central universities