New Delhi: Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University should establish itself as a leading international centre of excellence for Sanskrit studies, Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan said.
Addressing the second convocation of the Central University in New Delhi, Radhakrishnan called for greater scholarly engagement with India’s Sanskrit and manuscript heritage, including the discovery, preservation, critical editing and publication of unpublished Sanskrit manuscripts.
He also urged the university’s teachers and students to use Artificial Intelligence and other technologies to preserve and promote Sanskrit.
The Vice-President highlighted the university’s evolution from a Sanskrit Vidyapeetha to a Central University and said it should now build on this journey to strengthen its position as a centre of excellence in Sanskrit studies.
He lauded the university for securing the highest NAAC grade of A++ and for conducting research across diverse areas of the Indian Knowledge Tradition.
Radhakrishnan also pointed to the importance of preserving rare Sanskrit texts and making them accessible to future generations. Referring to the Gyan Bharatam Mission, he said the initiative has a foundational corpus of Rs 500 crore for manuscript preservation and documentation.
He said the university’s work should extend beyond preservation to scholarly research, including the critical editing and publication of manuscripts that have not yet been published.
The Vice-President also highlighted the role of Sanskrit in India’s linguistic and cultural traditions, describing it as a “golden string” connecting the country’s many languages.
He referred to the National Education Policy 2020 and the Ashtadashi scheme as initiatives supporting the promotion of Sanskrit and the Indian Knowledge System.
The university has also maintained a 44-year tradition of publishing the Vidyapeeth Panchang and offers classical disciplines including Prakrit and Vastu Shastra, according to the release.
Addressing graduating students, Radhakrishnan urged them to remain lifelong learners and use technology responsibly. He also advised students to use social media in moderation and devote time to reading, learning and skill development.
