9 Feb 2010, 0852 hrs IST

THRISSUR, Kerala: The three-day long centenary celebrations of the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, formerly Pavaratty Sahitya Deepika Sanskrit College, founded by late P T Kuriakose Master in 1909, would begin here on February 21.

In a statement here, Sanskrit Sansthan protection committee President Thomas Pavaratty said the union government had granted Rs 3 lakh for the purpose.

Kuriakose Master had donated the College and the campus together with buildings costing crores of rupees to the union government to establish as a full-fledged Sanskrit learning centre. The college was affiliated to the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan as its sixth centre in 1979.

Though the Sahitya Deepika Sanskrit College began on a small scale, it was later affiliated to the Madras University.

Master had fostered the college facing opposition from all corners including the Church as it was a taboo then for non-Brahmins to learn Sanskrit and read Sanskrit literature.

Sanskrit scholars and writers who were former students of the college would offer floral tributes at the tomb of the Master at the Pavaratty St Joseph's shrine on February 23, the 25th death anniversary of the Master, marking the conclusion of the centenary celebration, the statement said.

The celebrations would be held at the campuses of the Sansthan at Pavaratty and Puranattukara, now under the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development.

0 (0)