Sudhakar Chaturvedi

Sudhakar Chaturvedi

Chaturvedi in 2008
Born April 20, 1897 (1897-04-20) (age 114)
Nationality Indian

Sudhakar Chaturvedi (Kannada: ಸುಧಾಕರ್ ಚತುರ್ವೇದಿ) (born 20 April 1897[1][2]) is a Vedic scholar who lives in Jayanagar, Bangalore in Karnataka, India. The surname Chaturvedi literally means "master of the four Vedas", but in the present time it has become a common surname; however, Sudhakar Chaturvedi is a Chaturvedi in the original sense as he has spent a majority of his life studying the four Vedas. He was given the name "Chaturvedi" for his knowledge of the Vedas.[3] He is a disciple of Swami Shraddhanand at Gurukul Kangri in Haridwar, where he got his Veda Vachaspati degree (equivalent to a postgraduate degree).[4]

Contents

Freedom struggle

Chaturvedi was a contemporary of Mahatma Gandhi, whom he first met when studying the Vedas in a gurukula in northern India. Subsequently, he became an ardent follower of Gandhian methods.[5] He was a witness to many events in the Indian independence movement, including being an eyewitness to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.[4] He was known as Gandhiji's Postman, as he took down and delivered letters dictated by Gandhi addressed to to the Viceroys or Governors-General.[6] Gandhi called him 'Karnataki'.[7] He lost the use of his right arm in 1938 while travelling with Gandhi, when the railwayman detached the last three compartments of the train as it was struggling to climb uphill.[4] He was arrested at least 31 times during the freedom struggle,[3][6] landing in prisons all over the country from Peshawar to Vellore.[4]

He was offered the post of minister in the old Mysore state by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, which he turned down.[4] He also campaigned for the unification of the state.[8]

Life

Sudhakar Chaturvedi was born on Ram Navami day in 1897 in Bangalore[3] (or in Kyatsandra in Tumkur).[9]

He has adopted children (a Harijan as his son[10]), and he never married:[4]

"My youth was spent in the struggle. By the time we got freedom [in 1947], I was over 50 years. Who would give me a girl then?"

He was the first teacher of Ravi Shankar.[11]

As of 2007, he continues to give discourses on the Vedas.[12] He has written over 40 books, and, as of 2008, is working on the publication of Vedic texts in 20 volumes.[13] He was also announced in 2002 to be heading a project of the Arya Samaj to publish a 30000-page treatise in Kannada on Veda Bhashya,[14] and by 2009, three of the four Vedas and six volumes of the Rg Veda were released.[15]

He has been reported in newspapers as the oldest Indian.[3][16]

He was the moving spirit behind the Bangalore Samaj, which published the Kannada monthly magazine Veda Taranga.[17]

Recent awards

He was honoured by Motilal Banarsidass for his contributions to Indology, when it celebrated its centenary in 2003.[18] The Karnataka Sahitya Anuvada Academy gave him an honorary award for 2007–08.[13] In 2010 he was given a "Living Legend" Award by IDL at a public function where he pledged to donate his eyes.[6][19][20] He was honoured by his alma mater, Gurukul Kangri university, in 2010.[21] On Republic Day in 2010, he was felicitated by the Governor of Karnataka.[22]

Notes

  1. ^ If it works for the young man, it sure works for us, Churumuri, 12 September, 2009, https://churumuri.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/if-it-works-for-the-young-man-it-sure-works-for-us/ 
  2. ^ Many recent newspaper accounts are consistent with an 1897 date, but the biographical sketch in Seunarine's book mentioned below gives a date of April 4, 1901
  3. ^ a b c d "India's oldest man swears by meditation and Vedas", The Times of India, Jun 28, 2009, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Indias-oldest-man-swears-by-meditation-and-Vedas/articleshow/4710788.cms 
  4. ^ a b c d e f N Bhanutej (July 18, 1998), "Been there, seen that: 101-yr-old-man still rages at Dyer's "fire"", Indian Express, http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19980718/19950564.html, retrieved 2008-04-14 
  5. ^ "The Gandhians in our midst". The Hindu. 2003-10-02. http://www.hindu.com/2003/10/02/stories/2003100208930400.htm. 
  6. ^ a b c "113-year-old pledges to donate eyes", NDTV, December 18, 2010, http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/113-year-old-pledges-to-donate-eyes-73408 
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ "Tributes paid to Anantha Subbaraya", The Hindu, Dec 09, 2007, http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/09/stories/2007120957230300.htm 
  9. ^ Prof. A. V. Narasimha Murthy (27 January), 117-year-young Sudhakar Chaturvedi, http://krspalakkad.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!894FC8FB47A0271F!1978.entry 
  10. ^ [2]
  11. ^ Jayashree Nandi (Feb 22, 2010), "Living in a space of love is the ‘GREATEST POWER’", The Times of India (Bangalore): 6, http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQkcvMjAxMC8wMi8yMiNBcjAwNjAx 
  12. ^ "Discourse on Vedas by Sudhakar Chaturvedi", Dec 30 2007
  13. ^ a b "Anuvada Academy announces awards", The Hindu (Bangalore), Jan 24, 2008, http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/24/stories/2008012457550500.htm 
  14. ^ "Lyrical land", The Hindu, Sep 26, 2002, http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/09/26/stories/2002092600660200.htm 
  15. ^ [3]
  16. ^ "Dancers leave audience spellbound", The Times of India, Jun 28, 2009, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/Dancers-leave-audience-spellbound/articleshow/4710789.cms 
  17. ^ , p. 129, http://books.google.com/books?id=4PhtAAAAMAAJ&q=%22sudhakar+chaturvedi%22 
  18. ^ "Publishing house celebrates centenary", The Hindu, Sep 14, 2003, http://www.hindu.com/2003/09/14/stories/2003091400160500.htm 
  19. ^ "He's lived across three centuries", The Times of India, Dec 19, 2010, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Hes-lived-across-three-centuries/articleshow/7125041.cms 
  20. ^ "City's patriarch pledges his eyes", The Hindu, Dec 19, 2010, http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/19/stories/2010121963750600.htm 
  21. ^ Sandeep Rawat (June 17, 2010), "Gurukul Kangri university honours 113-year-old student", Tribune India (Haridwar), http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100618/dplus.htm#2 
  22. ^ "Grit and service acknowledged: Individuals and organisations felicitated on Republic Day", The Hindu, January 27, 2010, http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2010012750730400.htm&date=2010/01/27/&prd=th& 

Books in Kannada

Further reading

External links