4. K.K. Shastri.
Keshavram Kashiram Shastri (K. K. Shastri)
28th July 1905 – 9th September 2006
Part Write-up and photo courtesy of trikamjibapu.com
Keshavram Kashiram Shastri was born on 28 July 1905 at Mangarol in Junagadh district of Gujarat. He was the founding leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
He worked with the Gujarat Vernacular Society and Gujarat Assembly in 1937. He joined L.D. Institute of Learning and Research in 1958. He also worked as an honorary lecturer of Gujarati at the B.J. Institute of Learning and Research. He was an associate professor of Sanskrit and Gujarati at the B.D. Women’s College. He joined the Gujarat Research Society in 1961 as the honorary Regulator.He also was a “KULPATI” of Bharatiya Sanskar Dham. He was a mentor to the current Prime Minister of India- Narendra Modi.
A guide and patron to innumerable students, followers and VHP workers, Shastriji himself was an institution. Besides 240 books to his credit, he has written over 1500 research papers in Gujarati, Sanskrit, Hindi and English.
K K Shastri Educational Campus, located in Maninagar, Ahmedabad, India, is named after him.
He guided more than 19 researchers in completing their Ph. D degrees and more than 1500 other graduate students in Gujarati literature. He was regarded as a mobile dictionary of Gujarati language, grammar as well as Vedic literature. A guide and patron to innumerable students, followers and VHP workers, Shastriji himself was an institution. Besides 240 books to his credit, he has written over 1500 research papers in Gujarati, Sanskrit, Hindi and English.
He was conferred Padma Shri decades back recognising his talent and outstanding services to the Gujarati literature. He won gold medals from Gujarat Sahitya Sabha, Gujarat Itihas Parishad and Nadiyad Pushtmargiya Library and bronze medal from Gujarat Research Society.
Shastriji’s prominent publications are:
- Brihad Gujarati Kosh (part I&II)
- Vanaushadhi Kosh (which is translated in 10 languages)
- Jaisamhita (an 8800 episode book on Mahabharat)
- Bharatsamhita
- Shrimadbhagwat Puran (Sanskrit).
- Gujarati Vagvikas
- Vagvaibhav
- Bhalan – ek adhyayan
- Kavi rachit part 1 & 2
- Apbhransh vyakaran
- Narsinh mehta – ek adhyayan
- Pramanand – ek adhyayan
- Akshar ane Shabda (base of gujaratee vyakaran)
- Aakshvanee ane bija lekho
He passed away on September 9, 2006 in Ahmedabad at the age of 101.