Vishnu Kant Shastri
Encyclopedia
Vishnu Kant Shastri was an India
n politician who served as the governor of Uttar Pradesh
and Himachal Pradesh
. He was also an academician, scholar, poet, philosopher, author, critic, orator, editor and administrator.
, Vishnu Kant Shastri completed his B.A. LLB and M.A.
from the University of Calcutta
and chose to become a lecturer in Hindi. After 41 years, he retired as Acharya
of the Hindi department of the University of Calcutta in 1994, marking the end of his academic career.
, he entered active politics and served as a member of the West Bengal
Legislative Assembly in 1977. He went on to become one of the founding members of the Bharatiya Janata Party
in 1980 and a member of the Rajya Sabha
in 1992.
He was appointed Governor of Himachal Pradesh on December 2, 1999, serving until November 23, 2000 and, the following day, November 24, was sworn in as Governor of Uttar Pradesh, where he served until 2004, less than a year before his death.
literary world and authored several books, including: Kavi Nirala Ki Kavya Vedna Tatha Anya Nibandh, Kuch Chandan Ki Kuch Kapur Ki, Chintan Mudra, Anuchintan (literary criticism), Tulsi Ke Hiye Heyri (essay on Tulsidas
), Bangla Desh Ke Sandarbh Main (reportage), Smaran Ko Patheya Banahe Do, Sudhiyan Us Chandan Ke Van Ki (travelogue and reminiscence), Bhakti
Aur Sharanagati, Gyan Aur Karma (thought-philosophy), Anant Path Ke Pathik-Dharamveer Bharti, Jeevan Path Par Chalte Chalte (poetry)
Apart from translating several Bengali
and English poems into Hindi, he translated several books into Hindi as well, including: Upma Kalidasasya (Bangla to Hindi), Sankalp-Santras-Sankalp (Poetic translation of fiery poems of Bangla Desh) and Mahatma Gandhi
Ka Samaj Darshan (English to Hindi).
Some of the several accolades and laurels Vishnu Kant Shastri won for his literary efforts were "Acharya Ramchandra Shukla Puruskar" by the Government of Uttar Pradesh for his book Kuch Chandan Ki Kuch Kapur Ki in 1972-73, the Government's State Literary Award for his book Bangla Desh Ke Sandarbh Mein in 1974-75, Special Award by U.P. Hindi Sansthan for Smaran Ko Patheya Banahe Do (1978-79), Special Award by Ramayan Mahotsava Pratishthan, Chitrakoot, U.P. for his work on the literature of Tulsidas (1979), Sahitya Bhushan Samman, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia
Samman, Rajrishi Tandon Hindi Sevi Samman, special lecture on "Ram Charit Manas mein Gyan Aur Karma" as lecturer at Rama Krishna Mission Institute of Culture (1979).
Express to Patna
, intending to provide a discourse on Gita, when he suffered a fatal heart attack. He was married to Indira Devi from January 26, 1953 until her death in 1988. They had one daughter, Bharti Sharma, who survives him.
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 politician who served as the governor of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
. He was also an academician, scholar, poet, philosopher, author, critic, orator, editor and administrator.
Early life
A native of KolkataKolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, Vishnu Kant Shastri completed his B.A. LLB and M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from 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...
and chose to become a lecturer in Hindi. After 41 years, he retired as Acharya
Acharya
In Indian religions and society, an acharya is a guide or instructor in religious matters; founder, or leader of a sect; or a highly learned man or a title affixed to the names of learned men...
of the Hindi department of the University of Calcutta in 1994, marking the end of his academic career.
Politics
Associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak SanghRashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or National Patriotic Organization), also known the Sangh, is a right-wing Hindu nationalist, paramilitary, volunteer, and allegedly militant organization for Hindu males in India...
, he entered active politics and served as a member of the West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
Legislative Assembly in 1977. He went on to become one of the founding members of the Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
in 1980 and a member of the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
in 1992.
He was appointed Governor of Himachal Pradesh on December 2, 1999, serving until November 23, 2000 and, the following day, November 24, was sworn in as Governor of Uttar Pradesh, where he served until 2004, less than a year before his death.
Literature
Vishnu Kant Shastri was a well known figure in the HindiHindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
literary world and authored several books, including: Kavi Nirala Ki Kavya Vedna Tatha Anya Nibandh, Kuch Chandan Ki Kuch Kapur Ki, Chintan Mudra, Anuchintan (literary criticism), Tulsi Ke Hiye Heyri (essay on Tulsidas
Tulsidas
Tulsidas , was a Hindu poet-saint, reformer and philosopher renowned for his devotion for the god Rama...
), Bangla Desh Ke Sandarbh Main (reportage), Smaran Ko Patheya Banahe Do, Sudhiyan Us Chandan Ke Van Ki (travelogue and reminiscence), Bhakti
Bhakti
In Hinduism Bhakti is religious devotion in the form of active involvement of a devotee in worship of the divine.Within monotheistic Hinduism, it is the love felt by the worshipper towards the personal God, a concept expressed in Hindu theology as Svayam Bhagavan.Bhakti can be used of either...
Aur Sharanagati, Gyan Aur Karma (thought-philosophy), Anant Path Ke Pathik-Dharamveer Bharti, Jeevan Path Par Chalte Chalte (poetry)
Apart from translating several Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
and English poems into Hindi, he translated several books into Hindi as well, including: Upma Kalidasasya (Bangla to Hindi), Sankalp-Santras-Sankalp (Poetic translation of fiery poems of Bangla Desh) and Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
Ka Samaj Darshan (English to Hindi).
Some of the several accolades and laurels Vishnu Kant Shastri won for his literary efforts were "Acharya Ramchandra Shukla Puruskar" by the Government of Uttar Pradesh for his book Kuch Chandan Ki Kuch Kapur Ki in 1972-73, the Government's State Literary Award for his book Bangla Desh Ke Sandarbh Mein in 1974-75, Special Award by U.P. Hindi Sansthan for Smaran Ko Patheya Banahe Do (1978-79), Special Award by Ramayan Mahotsava Pratishthan, Chitrakoot, U.P. for his work on the literature of Tulsidas (1979), Sahitya Bhushan Samman, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia
Ram Manohar Lohia
Rammanohar Lohia was an Indian freedom fighter and a socialist political leader.-Early life:Lohia was born in a village Akbarpur in Ambedkar Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh, in India to Hira Lal, a nationalist and Chanda,a teacher. He was born to Marwari Maheshwari family. His mother died when he...
Samman, Rajrishi Tandon Hindi Sevi Samman, special lecture on "Ram Charit Manas mein Gyan Aur Karma" as lecturer at Rama Krishna Mission Institute of Culture (1979).
Family
Two weeks before his 76th birthday, Vishnu Kant Shastri was travelling on the DanapurDanapur
Danapur , sometimes known as Dinapur or Dinapore is a satellite town of Patna in Bihar state of India. It is located on the bank of the River Sone which merges with River Ganges at Digha a few kilometers from Danapur...
Express to Patna
Patna
Paṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
, intending to provide a discourse on Gita, when he suffered a fatal heart attack. He was married to Indira Devi from January 26, 1953 until her death in 1988. They had one daughter, Bharti Sharma, who survives him.