Keshavram Kashiram Bambhaniya (Gujarati (

ISO 15919 ISO 15919 is an international standard for the romanization of Indic scripts. Published in 2001, it is part of a series of romanization standards by the International Organization for Standardization. Overview Relation to other systems ...

): Keśavarāma Kāśīrāma Śāstrī), also known as K. K. Shastri, was the founding leader of the

Vishwa Hindu Parishad Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) () is an Indian right-wing Hindu organisation based on Hindu nationalism. The VHP was founded in 1964 by M. S. Golwalkar and S. S. Apte in collaboration with Swami Chinmayananda. Its stated objective is "to orga ...

. He was among the dignitaries who attended the first meeting of VHP in 1964 and since then continuously associated with the VHP work and was head of the Gujarat unit also.

Biography

Shastri completed his school up to matriculation (conclusion of secondary education) and then was taught Sanskrit grammar, poetry, and

Vedānta ''Vedanta'' (; , ), also known as ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six orthodox ( ''āstika'') traditions of Hindu philosophy and textual exegesis. The word ''Vedanta'' means 'conclusion of the Vedas', and encompasses the ideas that e ...

by his father, Kāśīrāma Karaśanajī Śāstrī (Bāṁbhaṇiyā). He then spent 1923 as a teacher in Caṁdavāṇā, a village near

Mangrol, Gujarat Mangrol is a town and a minor port in Junagadh district in the state of Gujarat, western India. It was formerly the seat of the princely state of Mangrol. Pin code of Mangrol is 362225. Geography Mangrol is located at . It has an average ...

, following which he served as a part-time teacher in his father's Sanskrit school. He then spent 11 years as an assistant teacher in Coronation High School in Mangrol. In 1936 he moved to

Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ), also spelled Amdavad (), is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 ...

and became an editor of ''Prajābaṁdhu'', a Gujarati weekly, and in the following year joined the

Gujarat Vernacular Society Gujarat Vidya Sabha, originally called Gujarat Vernacular Society, is a literary institution for the promotion of vernacular Gujarati literature and education, and for the collection of manuscripts and printed books; located in the city of Ahmedab ...

as a researcher. In 1939, he began teaching postgraduate courses on

Apabhraṃśa Apabhraṃśa (, , Prakrit: ) is a term used by '' vaiyākaraṇāḥ'' (native grammarians) since Patañjali to refer to languages spoken in North India before the rise of the modern languages. In Indology, it is used as an umbrella term for ...

and Old Gujarati literature. In 1944, the

University of Bombay University of Mumbai is a public university, public List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, state university in Mumbai. It is one of the List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, largest univ ...

gave him permission to give M.A. exams, and in 1955 gave permission to advise PhD students and taught at the university for 42 years. He also served as an adjunct professor at Balabhai Damodardas Women's College in Ahmedabad from 1961 to 1971. Since 1960, he served as an honorary professor at the B. J. Institute of Learning in Ahmedabad. He was a mentor to the current Prime Minister of India- Narendra Modi.

Achievements

K K Shastri Educational Campus Ahmedabad

In 1952 he was awarded the

Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak, also known as the Ranjitram Gold Medal, was founded by Gujarat Sahitya Sabha and is considered the highest literary award in Gujarati literature. The award is named after renowned Gujarati writer Ranjitram Mehta. It is a ...

(Ranjitram Gold Medal) by the

Gujarat Sahitya Sabha Gujarat Sahitya Sabha, originally called the Social and Literary Association is a literary institution for the promotion of Gujarati literature located in the city of Ahmedabad, India. It was founded by Ranjitram Vavabhai Mehta in 1898. Its name ...

for his lifetime research on Gujarati literature and grammar.

Death

He died September 9, 2006, in Ahmedabad at the age of 101.

Books

Shastri's prominent publications are as under, * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (collaborative) * * * * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shastri, Keshavram Kashiram Hindutva Indian men centenarians 1905 births 2006 deaths Vishva Hindu Parishad members People from Junagadh district Writers from Gujarat 20th-century Indian writers 20th-century Indian educators Educators from Gujarat Recipients of the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak Presidents of the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad