DR. NEMI CHANDRA SHASTRI

DR. NEMI CHANDRA SHASTRI
(1922 -10-1-1974)

Late Dr. Nemi Chandra Shastri, Head of the Sanskrit and Prakrit Department of Har Prasad Das Jain College, Arrah and Hon. Director of Dev Kumar Jain Oriental Research Institute was an eminent Jain scholar. He was born in village Basai Ghiaram in Distt. Dholpur. He lost his father while only one year old. His widow mother brought him up bearing herself much difficulties. He was educated at village Rajakhera and at Syadwad Mahavidyalaya, Varanasi. He was extremely intelligent, learnt Gommatsar by heart and had keen interest in Mathematics and Astrology.

He did Nyayatirtha, Jyotishtirtha and Kavyati- rtha from Bengal Sanskrit Association; Shastri. Jyotishacharya and Sahitya Ratna from Banaras University; M.A. in Sanskrit from /gra University and M.A. in Hindi and Prakrit and Jainology from Bihar University. He got his Ph. D. from Bhagalpur University in 1962 and D. Litt. from Magadha University in 1967. He was recepient of gold medal in M.A. (Prakrit) examination.

A prolific writer. Dr. Shastri had to his credit 21 original and 16 edited published works. He was editor of several Hindi, Sanskrit and English Research magazines. His last and 2000 paged monumental work 'Tirthankar Mahavir Aur Unki Acharya Parampara' (4 Vol.) has been published. His last edited book was 'Yug Yugon Me Jain Dharma.'Many research workers received their Ph.D. degree under his guidance.He started as a teacher in night Pathshala at Arrah in 1940 and worked in Jain Balavish- ram of Chandabaiji and Jain Sidhant Bhavan during 1945-58. He joined Sanskrit Deptt. of Har Prasad Das Jain College in 1957 where he remained Head of the Deptt. till his sudden death on 10th Jan. 1974.

Prized Works : Bharatiya Jyotish (U.P. Govt. Prize) ; Adipuran Me Pratipadit Bharat (U.P. Govt. Prize); Sanskrit Gitikavyanuchinta- nam (U.P. Govt. & Ganga Nath Jha prizes, Shraman Jain Bhajan Pracharak Sangh prize of Rs. 2500 and A,I. Dig. Jain Vidwat Parishad Prize of Rs. 1000.); Sanskrit Kavya Ke Vikas Me Jain Kaviyon Ka Yogdan (Thesis for D. Litt. —U.P. Govt. Prize)