Sirungathur Nadathur Sriramadesikan[1] | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1921-06-21)21 June 1921 Kancheepuram, India |
| Died | 17 March 2014(2014-03-17) (aged 92) Chennai, India |
| Known for | Sanskrit scholar; translating theKural into Sanskrit and English |
S. N. Sriramadesikan (21 June 1921 – 17 March 2014) was an Indian scholar ofSanskrit andTamil, lecturer, principal, editor and publisher. Among his many works, he is best known for translating theTirukkural into both Sanskrit and English.[2]
S. N. Sriramadesikan had a long scholarly career in the fields of language, literature and translation in Sanskrit, Tamil and English. He was appointed by the then Chief Minister of Tamil NaduM. G. Ramachandran as special officer in the State Government Department of Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy for about 13 years, during which time he worked on his comprehensive and well-researched translation of ancientAyurveda Sanskrit texts into Tamil. These include translations of 25,000 verses of Ashtanga Sangraham andCharaka Susruta Samhitas running into six volumes of 6,400 pages, which have been prescribed as college textbooks for students of Ayurveda in the country.[2]
When he requested the then PresidentRajendra Prasad for support to Sanskrit, a Sanskrit Commission was set up, whose recommendations led to the creation of centrally funded and managed Vidya Peetams for Sanskrit learning and research.[2]
During his long career, he served as a research scholar in Sri Venkateswara Oriental Research Institute (1943–1945), as a research officer in Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapith (1972–1975), as an honorary editor inSaraswati Mahal Library inThanjavur (1980), and as an honorary adviser forOriental Manuscript Library, Government of Madras, Chennai (1988).[3]
Sriramadesikan died on 17 March 2014 at the age of 92.[4]
In recognition of his services to Ayurveda, theKanchi Kamakoti Peetham conferred on him the title, 'Ayurveda Bharati' and Srirangam Srimad Andavan Ashramam the title of 'Abhinava Sushruta Vishruta'. Further to the initiative of the then Indian PresidentV. V. Giri, Sriramadesikan was awarded the highest honour of President's award for Sanskrit Proficiency in 1971.[5] In 1993, theGovernment of Tamil Nadu conferred on him theKalaimamani award.[2]
Apart from the classic treatises on Ayurveda, Sriramadesikan has composed in Sanskrit 'Desika Mani Satakam' and 'Krishna Katha Sangraham'. He has also rendered theTirukkural,Naaladiyar,Pathuppattu,Ettuthogai,Silappadikaram, Avvaiyar's Needi works, andTiruppavai and the works ofSubramaniya Bharati into Sanskrit. He also made the well-annotated translation of Bharata'sNatya Shastra from the Sanskrit original of 6,000 verses.[2]
Below is a list of literary works of Sriramadesikan:
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