S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Encyclopedia
Diwan Bahadur Sakkottai Krishnaswamy Aiyangar (b. April 15, 1871- d. November 26, 1946) was an India
n historian
, academician
and Dravidologist. He chaired the Department of Indian History and Archaeology at the University of Madras
from 1914 to 1929.
Krishnaswamy Aiyangar was born in a village near Kumbakonam in 1871. He did his education in Madras and worked as a lecturer in Bangalore from 1899 to 1909. In 1914, he was made Head of the Department of Indian History and Archaeology at the University of Madras and held this post from 1914 to 1929. Krishnaswamy Aiyangar died in 1946 at the age of 76.
Aiyangar was elected a member of the Royal Asiatic Society
in 1908 and was conferred a "Diwan Bahadur" title in 1928. He is known for the new methods he introduced in interpreting the history of Vijayanagar. His historical methodology is considered to be Indian nationalistic.
near Kumbakonam
on April 15, 1871. At the age of eleven, he lost his father. He had his schooling in Kumbakonam and graduated in history
from the University of Madras
in 1897. In 1899, he obtained his M. A. from the University of Madras and taught as a lecturer at the Central College of Bangalore
from 1899 to 1909.
. He was awarded an honorary PhD by the University of Calcutta
. In 1928, the title of "Diwan Bahadur" was bestowed upon him.
appointed Krishnaswamy Aiyangar to the chair of the Department of Indian history and archaeology. Aiyangar headed the department till 1929. At about the same time, Aiyangar took over a struggling periodical called Journal of Indian History which was started by Shafaat Ahmed Khan in 1921. Aiyangar faced financial difficulties in the beginning but rescued the journal by persuading the University of Kerala to take over the magazine. By the time, the Kerala University had taken over the magazine Aiyangar had already established the journal as one of the premium history magazines in the world.
Krishnaswamy Aiyangar was succeeded by K. A. Nilakanta Sastri
to the chair of the Department of Indian History and Archaeology in 1929.
.These publications inspired Aiyangar to make a detailed enquiry into the history of Vijayanagar and by the 1920s, he had published a set of masterpieces on the history of Vijayanagar. His historical methodology was, however, a marked deviation from that of Sewell's and historians who had lived before him. His books devoted more attention to the Hindu-Muslim conflicts that shaped the history of Vijayanagar. In his 1921-book Ancient India, Aiyangar states that the Vijayanagar king Vira Ballala III "made a patriotic effort to dislodge the Muhammadans from the South... fell in the effort, and brought his dynasty to an end in carrying on this great national war of the Hindus". His views were echoed by Kannadiga historian B. A. Salatore and Telugu historian N. Venkatramanayya.
Ira. Venkatachalapathi classifies Krishnaswamy Aiyangar's mrthodology as Indian nationalistic. His books on South Indian history were written from all-Indian perspective wherein South India is assumed to be closely related to the rest of the country and its history and civilization depicted as if it were a part of a greater Indian tradition.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, academician
Academician
The title Academician denotes a Full Member of an art, literary, or scientific academy.In many countries, it is an honorary title. There also exists a lower-rank title, variously translated Corresponding Member or Associate Member, .-Eastern Europe and China:"Academician" may also be a functional...
and Dravidologist. He chaired the Department of Indian History and Archaeology at the University of Madras
University of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
from 1914 to 1929.
Krishnaswamy Aiyangar was born in a village near Kumbakonam in 1871. He did his education in Madras and worked as a lecturer in Bangalore from 1899 to 1909. In 1914, he was made Head of the Department of Indian History and Archaeology at the University of Madras and held this post from 1914 to 1929. Krishnaswamy Aiyangar died in 1946 at the age of 76.
Aiyangar was elected a member of the Royal Asiatic Society
Royal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was established, according to its Royal Charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia." From its incorporation the Society...
in 1908 and was conferred a "Diwan Bahadur" title in 1928. He is known for the new methods he introduced in interpreting the history of Vijayanagar. His historical methodology is considered to be Indian nationalistic.
Early Life and education
Krishnaswamy Iyengar was born in the village of SakkottaiSakkottai, Thanjavur
Sakkottai is a village in the Kumbakonam taluk of Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India.- Demographics :According to the 2001 census, Sakkottai had a population of 2,889, of whom 1,437 were males and 1,452 females, 301 of whom were under six years of age. Sakkottai had a sex ratio of 1,010....
near Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
on April 15, 1871. At the age of eleven, he lost his father. He had his schooling in Kumbakonam and graduated in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
from the University of Madras
University of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
in 1897. In 1899, he obtained his M. A. from the University of Madras and taught as a lecturer at the Central College of Bangalore
Central College of Bangalore
Central College of Bangalore is one of the oldest colleges in science in India. This college originally affiliated to Madras University part of Central College of Bangalore is one of the oldest colleges in science in India...
from 1899 to 1909.
Early career
In 1904, he was elected fellow of the Royal Asiatic SocietyRoyal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was established, according to its Royal Charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia." From its incorporation the Society...
. He was awarded an honorary PhD by the University of Calcutta
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
. In 1928, the title of "Diwan Bahadur" was bestowed upon him.
Head of Department of Indian History and Archaeology
In 1914, the University of MadrasUniversity of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
appointed Krishnaswamy Aiyangar to the chair of the Department of Indian history and archaeology. Aiyangar headed the department till 1929. At about the same time, Aiyangar took over a struggling periodical called Journal of Indian History which was started by Shafaat Ahmed Khan in 1921. Aiyangar faced financial difficulties in the beginning but rescued the journal by persuading the University of Kerala to take over the magazine. By the time, the Kerala University had taken over the magazine Aiyangar had already established the journal as one of the premium history magazines in the world.
Krishnaswamy Aiyangar was succeeded by K. A. Nilakanta Sastri
K. A. Nilakanta Sastri
Kallidaikurichi Aiyah Nilakanta Sastri was an Indian historian and Dravidologist who is generally regarded as the greatest and most prolific among professional historians of South India.- Career :...
to the chair of the Department of Indian History and Archaeology in 1929.
Methodology
Krishnaswamy Aiyangar studied the works of Robert Sewell on inscription and archaeology in South IndiaSouth India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
.These publications inspired Aiyangar to make a detailed enquiry into the history of Vijayanagar and by the 1920s, he had published a set of masterpieces on the history of Vijayanagar. His historical methodology was, however, a marked deviation from that of Sewell's and historians who had lived before him. His books devoted more attention to the Hindu-Muslim conflicts that shaped the history of Vijayanagar. In his 1921-book Ancient India, Aiyangar states that the Vijayanagar king Vira Ballala III "made a patriotic effort to dislodge the Muhammadans from the South... fell in the effort, and brought his dynasty to an end in carrying on this great national war of the Hindus". His views were echoed by Kannadiga historian B. A. Salatore and Telugu historian N. Venkatramanayya.
Ira. Venkatachalapathi classifies Krishnaswamy Aiyangar's mrthodology as Indian nationalistic. His books on South Indian history were written from all-Indian perspective wherein South India is assumed to be closely related to the rest of the country and its history and civilization depicted as if it were a part of a greater Indian tradition.