Dr. Kamala Pandey

Gangaratna Prof. Dr. Kamala Pandey is an eminent scholar of classical Sanskrit literature and lndian Philosophy. She was born on 28th March, 1950 in the valley of Himalayas i.e., Nainital Uttarakhand, India. Her father Late Nilamber Dutta Pandey was a forest officer and mother smt. PanchananiDevi was a wise and active housewife. She brought up her as a diligent student, an ideal teacher and an erudite scholar of Indian classical language.

Prof. K. Pandey served as professor and head of the department of Sanskrit at Vasant Kanya Mahavidyalaya P.G. Collage affiliated to BHU, a renowned college for women founded by the theosophist and educationist Dr Annei Besant whose vision was to instill character building among students, it sits inside the green campus of Theosophical Society, Varanasi, UP, India.

Professor Pandey served the institution for 39years.

She was the best faculty, an ideal teacher, a committed worker of the institution. Besides these services she was dived deep in creative writings. She authored epics, poetries, literary criticisms and many research papers as well.

(I)RAKSHAT GANGAM-

Having poetic genius in her inner soul Prof.Pandey is distressed to see the holy river Ganga being polluted by the modern civilization day by day. She cries to save the holy river, whose nectar is being converted into poison by the greedy and foolish human being. Prof.Pandey expressed her emotions in an Epic i.e., Raksha Gangam, a call to rouse social awareness to retrieve the holy riverGanga.This Epic is published in 1999 by ShreemataPublication, Kedarghat.The epic is composed in 740 Sanskrit verses, translated into English and Hindi.

n this Epic the poetess has described the glorious past, the malice present and the catastrophic future of the holy river. The poetess thinks if the flow of nectar will be abolished, how the mankind could be survived, how the civilization can flourish, how the coming generations will get health, wealth and prosperity.

The prolific writer presents Ganga not only a resource of water but as the source of entire creation. In other words, Ganga is the symbol of water element, therefore the author of Rakshat Gangam awakens the world-wide generation to get free the life-giving water element from pollution, draught and conversion of nectar into poison.

The epic Rakshat Gangam focused on five points origins, (uttapati) decent and journey, (yatra)the transcendental, (adhyatm) pollution (pradushan)and its eradication (nivaran). The whole description is divided into eleven chapters.

Moreover, the author has presented Ganga as a woman, who is being harassed by Her own children. Thus, the Epic tells the necessity of women empowerment too.

After releasing the book "Rakshat Gangam" has become a movement. The intelligencia and the mass, both worked their best to get free the river from pollution. The activists suggested the remedy "break sever save river. “Indian Government and the opposition also seemed anxious about this burning issue.

(ii)Another work authored by Prof.Pandey is "Bhagwan Shankara charyaAvirbhuyat punar bhuvi"This epic is divided into seventeen chapters along with preface and conclusion. There are eleven hundred Sanskrit verses in which the holy birth of Adi Shankar, his education, sannyas,darshan of guruGovindBhagavatpad,coming to Varanasi, debate with Chandel, travelling to Badarikashram,perception of Ganga at Gomukh, Debate with Mandan Mishra, a great ritualist, again debate with his wife Ubhaybharati,who was the goddess of learning,sarvargy pitharohan, meeting with mother Arymba who was ready to leave her mortal body, teaching the disciples, establishment of four peethas in the four corners of India,(east west north south)etc.In this epic poetess presents melodious description s with the philosophical aspects of Adwait Vedant.The poetess translated herself the epic in Hindi. This work is published by Vidyashree DharmarthNyas, Kedarghat, Varanasi on the year 2007

(iii)Again she studied about his debates deeply in Major research project, sponsored by University Grants commission, Govt.of India and published a book named "The Shastrarth of Adi Shankaracharya “as well.

(iv)Prof.Pandey composed a book named "Dhara Kampate. "Hundred Sanskrit verses in a melodious metre sragvini asks the cause of earthquake and the poetess is annoyed to see the environmental imbalance spread all over the world. Water pollution, air pollution and earthquakes are the warnings to mankind about his coming hazards.

(v)Prof.Pandey is not only a creative writer but also did explanation works, Sanskrit commentary and critical analysis. She has written a Hindi commentary named Panchanani vyakhya (five volumes) in LaghuSiddhantKaumidi i.e Paninin grammar.

(vi)She has edited Sansiddhi- the commomration volume of her guru Professor Siddheshwar Bhattacharya, a reknowned Sanskrit scholar.

(vii)She composed metres from one word to ninety-nine words called Dandakam.Her book Chandodhara, in which she composed hyms to Ganga in dandak style.

(viii) Along with these classical works Prof.Pandey has some important thoughts about Bansuri (flute), that is explained in her book Bansuri: Anahad se bahati rasdhar, she also included here a review on Gitgovind, Kalidas, Bhas and Vanbhatta as well.

(ix)she had edited the research papers presented in a national seminar, organized by herself, sponsored by UGC. in VKM titled, ‘A critical study of Kalidas literature according to the commentators. She also edited a book Devyani ke naye sandarbh a collection of research papers presented in the national seminar on 1988 organized by herself. The seminar was sponsored by UGC under COHSSIP.

DIGITAL PRESENTATION: -

During covid19 she is taking active part in Google meet, zoom, Facebook live.

She has made a documentary film in Major research project, sponsored by UGC.A Chandogan

DVD was also released some years ago.

SANSKRIT MATRI-MANDALAM: -

Sanskrit Marti Mandalam (SMM) is an organization committed to the cause of revival and propagation of Devavani Sanskrit, actively supported by the teachers of VKM and founded by Dr. Kamala Pandey, who is also its lifelong president. This organization has been in active operation for last three decades.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF SMM -

To promote lingual and cultural unity of the nation, to preserve Indian Heritage, to promote Indian cultural values, to reenkindle patriotism, to encourage analytical study of Sanskrit Shastras.

PANCHAMRTAM DHAM: -

Inspired by her mother Smt. Panchanani Devi Professor Pandey established panchamritam Dham at her native place Nainital, Uttarakhand. to awaken to save forest, water and earth. She organized National Seminar in a holy place of Himalayas with her two brothers Swami K.N. Das and Capt. (retired)M.C. Pandey.

AWARDS AND HONOUR: -

Professor Pandey has recently awarded •Vyas Samman2021 by

UP Sansthanm, Lucknow, (worth ₹201000)

•Rastriya Gaurav Samman 2001by AKP& cabinet minister of India.

•Ramruchi Tripathi Samman 2020 by Pt. Vidyanidhi Nyas

•Sanskrit Marti samman2019 by Sarvbhaum Sanskrit Sansthan

•Shankaracharya Award (worth ₹10,000/=) 2019 Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi

•Vidyashree Samman (worth₹51000/=) by VidyashreeDharmarth Nyas, vns.

•Vishist Puraskar (worth₹51000/=) by U.P. Sanskrit sansthan 2015

•Vishesh Puraskar (worth₹21000/=) by UP Sanskrit Sansthan

•Gangaratna Samman 2007 (worth₹21000/=) by Ganga sahitya Parishad, Vns.

•SakshichetaSamman2001(worth₹11000/=) by SakshichetaSansthan, Kanpur. UP

•Shaivbharati Puraskar( worth₹11000/=) by Jamgambadi JnanaSimhasanPeeth2015

•Vishwa Shanti Samman 2014 by Universal loving heart foundation

•Vishist Granth lekhan Samman-2000(worth₹ 11000 /=) by SSVV, department of human resource development, New Delhi2001

•Krishna Dwaipayan •Vyas, •Kalidas, Adi Shankaracharya, •Sahitya Puraskar

(Worth_5000/= each) by ABVP&UPSS.Lko.

•CCI Award, New Delhi

•ViddyottamaSamman, NewDelhi

•HeritageParyavaranChetanaSamman, Vns.

•and many societies, organizations honored her time to time.