Anant Krishna Shastry

Dr. A.K Shastry (Anant Krishna Shastry) was a historian in the state of Karnataka, India. He was the first scholar to extensively study and research manuscripts called 'Kadata'. He also studied more than a hundred thousand palm leaf and paper manuscripts. Kadatas are from the 15th century to the 19th century, and unique in how they are made. Kadata is a long sheet of cloth, seasoned with charcoal paste mixed with tamarind seed powder, dried and folded in the form a book. It opens out like a roll. Soapstone pencils were used to write. The history of Kadata goes back to the 4th century BC. Nearchus, an officer in Alexander The Great's army, mentions about Indians writing on a well-beaten cloth.[1] A large number of Kadatas are preserved at the Sringeri Math in Sringeri, Karnataka. Dr Shastry's research focuses on social, political, economic and religious aspects of Sringeri Dharmasamsthana in particular and Karnataka in general, during this time period.

Dr A. K Shastry
Born17 March 1940
Sirsi, Uttara Kannada
Died4-1-2020
Sirsi
NationalityIndian
OccupationProfessor of History
Known forResearch on Kadatas, books and source material

Dr Shastry's major work involves reading, translating/transliterating from "modi kannada" Modi alphabet - an old Kannada script, and generating source material from these manuscripts. He has written several large volumes of source material books that capture these documents verbatim with commentary and analysis.[2] Due to his work on Kadatas, he is fondly known as "Kadata Shastry" in Karnataka's history circles.

He has presided over several state and national level history seminars. He was a professor of history at MES's M. M. College of Arts and Science, Sirsi, affiliated to Karnatak University, Dharwad, from 1964 to 1998.

Life and education

Dr Shastry was born on 17 March 1940 in Sirsi. He completed his education in Sirsi and Dharwad

Books and research

Academic

  • A History of Shringeri: Karnatak University, Dharwad. 1st edition 1982, 2nd edition 1999.
  • Sringeri Dharmasamsthana (Kannada) : Sringeri Matha, 1983
  • Sringeriya Itihasa (Kannada) : Karnatak University, Dharwad. Three editions
  • France Deshada Mahakranti (Kannada): Karnatak University, Dharwad
  • The records of the Sringeri Matha relating to Keladi: Keladi Museum, 2001
  • Selections from the Kadatas of the Sringeri Matha: Unpublished, Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi, 1982
  • A Catalogue of the Sringeri Records : Karnataka State Archives, Bangalore, 1995/1996
  • Kannadadalli Kadatagalu: Kannada Sahatya Parishat, Bangalore, 1997
  • Sirsi Talukina Itihasa (Kannada) : M.E Society, Sirsi, 1988
  • Sri Sonda Swarnavalli Mahasamsthanada Aitihasika Dakhalegalu (Kannada): Karnataka State Archives, Bangalore, 1997
  • Sri Swarnavalli Mahasamsthana (Kannada): Sri Sarwajnendra Sarasvati Pratishthana, Swarnavalli, 1997
  • A History of the Swarnavalli Mahasamsthana: Sri Bhagavatpada Prakashana, Swarnavalli, 2004
  • Sri Manjuguni Kshetrada Charitrika Dakhalegalu (Kannada): Karnataka State Archives, Bangalore, 1997
  • The Historical Records Relating to the Kanara Districts: Unpublished, U.G.C, New Delhi, 2002
  • Idagunjiya Sri Mahaganapati Mattu Sabhahitaru (English & Kannada): Lilaganapati Charitable Trust, Haldipur, 2004
  • Sringeri Mathada Kadatagalalliya Aayda Charitrika Dakhalegalu (Kannada): Karnataka State Archives, Bangalore, 2003
  • Ramrao Divgi - A Karmayogi : Divgi Family, Sirsi, 2005
  • Kadambotsava Smarana Sanchike : Editor, 1996
  • Sirsi Taluka Darpana : Editor, M.E Society, Sirsi, 1988
  • The Karnataka Historical Review : Editor, Dharwad, Vol XXVI
  • The Records of the Sringeri Dharmasamsthana : Sringeri Matha, 2009 (U.G.C New Delhi)
  • The Records of Sri Chitrapur Matha : 2008
  • Banavasi (English): Department of Archeology, Museums and Heritage, Bangalore, 2011
  • Banavasi (Kannada): Department of Archeology, Museums and Heritage, Bangalore, 2010

Poems

  • Upakhyana (Kannada), Sirsi, 1982
  • Anisikegalu (Kannada), Pampa Prakashana, Sirsi, 1993
  • Ananta Chutukugalu (Kannada), Sirsi, 2010
  • Chuti Chutukugalu (Kannada), Sirsi, Bhavani Prakashana, 2012

Work, seminars and awards
  • Professor of History for 35 years
  • Fellow: Kuvempu University
  • Resource Person for Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Kannada University Hampe and various National Seminars
  • Director, Research Project, I.C.H.R New Delhi, 1980-82 [3]
  • Principal Investigator, Major Research Projects, U.G.C New Delhi, 2000-2002 and 2005-2007
  • District Coordinator for survey of manuscripts in the Uttara Kannada district, National Mission for Manuscripts, New Delhi, 2005
  • Presented research papers and presided over sessions at the state and national level seminars. Honored as a national level historian and research scholar at the national conference held at Shivaji University, Kolhapur in 2000
  • Presented the research paper "The Sringeri Matha and the Marathas" at the international seminar at Shivaji University, Kolhapur in 2005
  • General President of the Karnataka Itihasa Academy's 16th conference in 2002
  • General President of the Karnataka History Congress, 2006
  • "Kadamba Seva Ratna", Rajyotsava award, 2010
  • Honored at All India Kannada Sahitya Conference, Bangalore, 2011
  • Kannada Sahitya Parishat's Centenary award, 2015

Extracurricular

Sports

  • First in running broad jump, hop-step and jump, and polevault (set a new university record) in Karnataka University's athletic events
  • Captain of the Karnataka University athletic team to All India Inter-University Athletic Meet, 1961
  • First to the state as coach in athletics, 1965

Other

  • Prize winner for outstanding social work
  • Sub Lieutenant, N.C.C Navy, 1966-1970

Biographies
  • In 1998, a felicitation volume called 'Itihasa Samshodhaka', edited by Dr. G. M Hegde, was published
  • In 2015, on the occasion of Dr. Shastry's 75th birthday, a felicitation volume called 'Ananta Krishna Charita', edited by Ganapati Bhat, Vargasar, was published

References
  1. Indian Paleography (Bühler)
  2. Seminar on Kadathas gets under way in Mysore, The Hindu, 31 May 2006
  3. Bangalore Today, The Hindu, 13 June 2011
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