NASA has a research dept for Sanskirt manuscripts: Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot

Hailing Sanskrit as “the soul of India”, Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot on Friday said US space agency NASA had started a department dedicated for research on manuscripts in the ancient language.

Gehlot was delivering the convocation address at the Karnataka Sanskrit University (KSU), of which he is the Chancellor. He advised parents to allow their children to learn Sanskrit along with the local language.

According to Gehlot, Sanskrit is the language of knowledge in Indian tradition.

He said he is “obsessed” with Sanskrit and that is why he took oath in that language at Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

“Sanskrit is the soul of India and a repository of vast knowledge. Historically, Sanskrit was the language of discourse among scholars across the country and was used in all important matters,” Gehlot said.

Gehlot said even western nations had realised the value of Sanskrit. “Rick Briggs, a renowned NASA scientist, highlighted the greatness of Sanskrit, particularly its grammar. NASA, recognizing its potential for computer software, established a dedicated department for researching over 60,000 Sanskrit manuscripts. Countries like USA and Germany are conducting significant research in this field,” Gehlot added.

Sanskrit, Gehlot said, was treated as the second official language in Uttarakhand.

“It is the spoken language in Mattur, Karnataka, and remains a commonly spoken language in various parts of India. Many universities worldwide teach Sanskrit, and those proficient in the language have a promising future,” he said. 

As many as 1,004 students received various degrees at the convocation.