Higher Education and Research in Prakrits and Jainology

Author(s): Gokulchandra Jain
Publisher: Sampurnanda Vishva Vidyalaya Varanasi

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were interested in undertaking any of the programmes, research projects recommended by the Seminars. On the part of the universities, it was very unfortunate that very little could be achieved.
Endowment Chairs
Endowment chairs for Jainological Studies have been instituted in some of the Universities of India. The earliest chair, which I could detect, was instituted in the year 1930 at Banaras Hindu University. In the subsequent years following chairs, departments have been instituted:
1. Department of Jainology and Prakrits, Mysore University, Mysore.
2. Jaina Chair, Department of Philosophy, University of Poona.
3. Department of Jainology and Prakrits, University of Udaipur.
4.
5.
Centre of Jaina Studies,
Rajasthan University, Jaipur.
Mahavira Chair,
Punjabi University, Patiala.
6.
Department of Jainology, Karnatak University, Charnar.
Some more chairs are being instituted at Madras, Bangalore etc. University Departments
Some of the Departments of classical languages established in the Universities of India and now mostly known as the Department of Sanskrit continue to be the centres for Prakrits and Jainological Studies. Out of these special mention may be made of Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University and Allahabad University.
Some of the Departments which have been developed into two departments, also continue to enrol research scholars for Doctoral research. Nagpur and Gujarat University may be mentioned.
In Bombay, Poona and Kolhapur Prakrit studies were introduced in the first quarter of the present century. Prof. P. L. Vaidya writes-"It came