Sondekoppa Srikanta Sastri (5 November 1904 – 10 May 1974) was an Indian historian,Indologist, andpolyglot.[1][9][10] He authored around 12 books, over two hundred articles, several monographs and book reviews over four decades inEnglish,Kannada,Telugu andSanskrit.[11][12] These include "Sources of Karnataka History",[4] "Geopolitics of India & Greater India",[13] "Bharatiya Samskruthi" (a compendium on Indian culture and tradition)[14] and "Hoysala Vastushilpa" (a study of temple architecture of theHoysala period inKarnataka).[15] S. Srikanta Sastri was apolyglot well versed in fourteen languages spanningGreek,Latin,Pali,Prakrit,Sanskrit andGerman among others.[16][17][18] He was Head of the Department ofHistory &Indology at Maharaja College,University of Mysore between 1940 and 1960.[19][20] He was conferred the Kannada Literary Academy award in 1970[1] and was subsequently honoured by Governor of KarnatakaMohanlal Sukhadia in 1973 during mythic society diamond jubilee function.[21] A Festschrift was brought forth and presented to him during his felicitation function in 1973 titled "Srikanthika" with articles on History and Indology by distinguished scholars.[22][23] His work onIndus Valley civilization and town planning atHarappa andMohenjodaro were published in successive articles and drew considerable attention.[24] His articles on The Aryan Invasion theory,[6][25] the date of AdiSankaracharya,[26]Oswald Spengler's view on Indian culture,[27]Jaina epistemology,[28] Proto-Vedic religion of Indus Valley Civilization[6] and evolution of theGandabherunda[29][30] insignia remain relevant today.[31]
S. Srikanta Sastri was born into the aMulukanadu Brahmin family and a scholarly lineage. A paternal ancestor - Yagnapathi Bhatta was a famous court poet in the court ofKempegowda. His maternal ancestorUmamahesvara Sastri, a renowned court poet in theVijayanagara Kingdom had earned the title of "Abhinava Kalidasa" for his work "Bhagavata Champu".[32] His uncles -Vidwan Motaganahalli Mahadeva Sastri,[33]Vidwan Shankara Sastri and Asthan MahaVidwan Ramashesha Sastri were eminent court poets in the Mysore Palace. Vidwan Ramshesha Sastri was the first person to translate "Bhagavata" toKannada fromSanskrit.[34]
Maharaja's College Group Photo showing Kuvempu, Ta Ra Su, A. R. Krishna Sastri, Ralapalli Anatha Krishna Sharma among others
He had his preliminary schooling in the cities ofKolar, Nanjanagud andChikkaballapur before moving to Mysore. After finishing his school, he pursued his Bachelor's and subsequently master's degree in History atMaharaja's College, Mysore. Here he came under the influence of S. V. Venkateswara (History)[pictured], J. C. Rollo,B. M. Srikantaiah (English), V. L. D'Souza, H. Krishna Rao (Greek History),N. S. Subba Rao (Economics) and M. H. Krishna (Ancient History).[12] During these years, he penned his first article titled "Conquests of Siladitya in the South" on the reign of King Harsa Siladitya in the "Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland" in July, 1926.[35] On completion of his education, S. Srikanta Sastri secured the post of a tutor at Maharaja College, University of Mysore in the Department of History (1930) and subsequently became a lecturer in the Department in 1935.[9][16] Contemporaneous at this time were K. V. Puttappa (Kuvempu),A. R. Krishna Sastri,T. S. Venkannayya,Ralapalli Anantha Krishna Sharma,V. Seetharamaiah,D. L. Narasimhachar, T. S. Shamarao and N. Anantharangachar.[19][36]
S. Srikanta Sastri authored about 12 books, 224 articles [100 in English, 114 in Kannada, 8 in Telugu, 1 in Sanskrit & Hindi] and three monographs and book reviews in Kannada, English, Telugu and Sanskrit.[37] Among his earliest essays were "Kannada Nayananda" and "Shivaganga Kshetra" - a treatise on the religious centre of Shivaganga. He published his first article in the "Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland" at the age of twenty two.[35] He subsequently authored a small piece on KingDevaraya ofVijayanagara Kingdom in the "Indian Antiquary". His earliest book "Sources of Karnataka History, Vol I" provides a list of resource material in the form of inscriptions, epigraphics and tablets enabling a detailed study of history of state of Karnataka over two millennia.[4] His next work - "Geopolitics of India and Greater India" was on the evolving Geo-Political scene in Asia and India's role in the coming decades where he outlines a union of nations, coming together to complement each other's needs - a forerunner to theWarsaw Pact,NATO,SAARC andBRICS associations.[13] His third book - "Early Gangas of Talakad" published in 1952 dealt with the rise and fall of Ganga Dynasty in Southern Karnataka.[38] This received a favourable review by Emeritus Professor of Oriental Law J Duncan M Derrett in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland in July 1953.[39] His fourth book "Bharatiya Samskruti" (Kannada:ಭಾರತೀಯ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ) served to illuminate on cultural, traditional and historical aspects of India spanning over three millennia.[14][40] S. Srikanta Sastri's study on theNayaka rulers ofChitradurga in his research article "Capitulation of Chitradurga" (1928) describes the decline and fall ofPalegars in early eighteenth century.[30][41] His Collection of English writings have been brought forth as two hard bound volumes titled "ŚRÌKAŅŢHAYÁNA" in 2016.[36][42] In 2021, S. Srikanta Sastri's Kannada work "Bharathiya Samskruthi" was translated into English under the title of "Indian Culture" by S. Naganath.[43]
Karnataka State Governor Mohanlal Sukadia felicitation S. Srikanta Sastri with the Lifetime achievement award at Mythic Society, Bangalore
Srikanta Sastri was the second person to receive a D. Litt degree from the University of Mysore (in 1949). In 1958, S. Srikanta Sastri presided over the Kannada Literary Conference (Kannada:ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಸಮ್ಮೇಳನ ಕಲಾಗೋಷ್ಠಿ) atBellary, Karnataka. He was conferred the Kannada Literary Academy (Kannada:ಕನ್ನಡ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಸಮ್ಮೇಳನ) award in 1970.[54] During the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Mythic Society, Karnataka Governor Mohanlal Sukhadia (pictured) honoured S. Srikanta Sastri for Lifetime Contribution to Historical Research & Studies. The University of Mysore brought forth a Festschrift Volume titled "Srikanthika" (Kannada:ಶ್ರೀಕಂಠಿಕ) with articles on History and Indology by distinguished scholars. In 1994, S. Srikanta Sastri's portrait was unveiled in The Daly Hall of Fame at Mythic Society, Bangalore during The South Indian Numismatics Conference - 1994. In 2004, to mark his birth centenary, a two-day National Seminar was conducted, where several papers were presented in honour of S. Srikanta Sastri. The Mythic Society, Bangalore has published "Centenary Commemoration Volume" containing these papers presented during this occasion.[55][56] The Government of Karnataka as part of celebrations marking fifty years of statehood brought forth a reprint of "Bharatiya Samskruti" in 2008. The Mythic Society under the Editorship ofT. V. Venkatachala Sastry and P. N. Narasimha Murthy brought forth a collection of S. Srikanta Sastri's works in English titled "Śrıkaņțayána" in 2016.[57][58][36][59]
S. Srikanta Sastri taught history for more than three decades (1926 - 1960) at Maharaja College, Mysore. He delivered over twenty lectures on the state radio at Mysore, Bangalore andDharwad radio stations ofAkashavani. He reviewed books in popular newspapers of his time.[60] He penned numerous Forewords and Introductions to various books.[61][62] As a founding Professor of Department of Indology at University of Mysore, he was instrumental in developing the course material.[63][64] His students includeG. Venkatasubbaiah,U. R. Ananthamurthy,M. Chidananda Murthy,T. V. Venkatachala Sastry,S. R. Rao,R. K. Narayan,R. K. Laxman, H. Y. Sharada Prasad and Y. G. Krishnamurti.[16] He died on 10, May 1974 at the age of sixty nine in Bangalore.[65]
^abcdeRamaswamy, S. R. (2012).ದೀವಿಟಿಗೆಗಳು - Dīvaṭigegaḷu: vyakticitragaḷu (First ed.). Bangalore: Sāhitya Sindhu Prakāśana. pp. 184–207.ISBN978-8186595022.OCLC921311310.
^Krishnamurti, Y. G. (1943).Independent India and a New World Order (First ed.). Lamington Road, Bombay: The Popular Book Depot. p. XVIII. Retrieved28 March 2016.
^abcdV. S., Sampathkumaracharya (2006).Life in the Hoysala age, 1000–1340 A.D. (First ed.). Mysore: Bharateeya Ithihasa Samkalana Samiti. p. 426.OCLC423293561.
^abC. U., Manjunath (2012).ಶಾಷನಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ [Śāsanagaḷu mattu Karṇāṭaka saṃskr̥ti: A. D. 1150–1340] (First ed.). Kuppam: Chitrakala Prakashana. p. 280.OCLC864790401.
^Srikantayya, K (1983).ವಿಜಯನಗರ ಕಾಲದ ಕನ್ನಡ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಜನಜೀವನ ಚಿತ್ರ (ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ, ಆರ್ಥಿಕ ಮತ್ತು ರಾಜಕೀಯ) (Second ed.). Mysore: Geetha Book House. p. 508.
^S, Srikanta Sastri (1931)."Evolution of the Gandabherunda".Quarterly Journal of Mythic Society.26 (16): 226. Retrieved25 December 2015.
^abcT. V. Venkatachala Sastry, C. R. Leela Subramanyam (1972).A Bibliography of Karnataka Studies (1st ed.). Mysore: Prasārānga : University of Mysore. p. 79.OCLC2805144.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
^abS, Srikanta Sastri (1926)."Conquests of Siladitya in the South".Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland.58 (3): 487. Retrieved25 December 2015.
^Rao, A. N. Krishna (1955).ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಯ ವಿಶ್ವರೂಪ [Bibliography of S. Srikanta Sastri's Works] (1st ed.). Bangalore: ವಿಶ್ವವಾಣಿ. p. 2 (ii).
^Mahalingam, T. V. (1952). "Review of Early Gangas of Talakad by T. V. Mahalingam".Quarterly Journal of Mythic Society.XIX (6).
^abDerrett, J D M (1953). "Early Gangas of Talakad - review by J D M Derrett".Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland.85 (3–4):168–169.doi:10.1017/S0035869X00113784.S2CID162620767.
^S, Srikantaiah (1944). "Proto Indic Religion - Review by S. Srikantaiah".Quarterly Journal of Mythic Society.XXXIV (4): 49.
^Heras, Fr. (1942). "About a Wild Identification - Fr. Heras".Quarterly Journal of Mythic Society.33 (1):102–107.
^Adiga, malini (2006).The Making of Southern Karnataka: Society, Polity and Culture in the Early Medieval Period (1st ed.). Chennai: Orient Longman. p. 43.ISBN978-8125029120.OCLC67052150.
^Sastry, Devadu Narasimha (1935).ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ (1st ed.). Bangalore: ದೇವಡು ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಟಾನ. p. 230.
