The Big Dadas

Professor J.L. Brockington teaches Sanskrit at the School of Asian Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

Is Sanskrit considered a classical subject like Latin or Greek?
Yes, this is very much the pattern in Britain. Most recruits to Sanskrit have done Classics previously.
I myself switched after Classical moderations to Oriental Studies as a student at Oxford.

Does Sanskrit have a future?
There is a future for Sanskrit both in Britain and in Europe because of its value in studying Indian culture as a whole. The increasing number of immigrants from South Asia means the population at large is becoming more aware of other cultures, and some are realising the importance of studying them.

What kind of research interests Sanskrit students?
Critical editions of Sanskrit texts, studies of the Sanskrit epics, studies of Hindu
pilgrimage as shown in textual sources and in contemporary practice.

What kinds of scholarships are available? Any Indian contribution?
Only those available to students of any discipline. Neither the Indian government, nor local wealthy Indians have yet been willing to support Edinburgh.

Dr Richard Gombrich occupies the Boden chair at Oxford

Is Sanskrit taught like a Classical subject?
Sanskrit has always been associated with Classics. We used to recruit almost entirely from Classics. It is no accident that all the current three post holders at Oxford began with Latin and Greek. Moreover, we offer a joint BA course in Sanskrit with Classics. Although the classical links must continue, the strategy should be to teach Sanskrit along with modern Indian studies.

So is it taught academically or as a faith? Any Indian contribution, either governmental or community based?
The subject has always been taught for its intellectual interest. We have never had anysupport from any Hindu or other religious organisations. Neither local Indian communities nor the Indian government has ever contributed a penny, but the Indian government recently endowed a new chair in Indian history. The post has just been advertised.

Dr Madhav Deshpande joined the faculty of Sanskrit at the University of Michigan in 1972 and is today the Professor of Sanskrit and Linguistics

Is Sanskrit treated as a Classical or a religious subject?
Sanskrit has always been considered in the American universities as a Classical subject like Greek or Latin. This is evident from the US government funding of modern languages studies which does not include Sanskrit or Greek or Latin.

Why should one study Sanskrit today?
Different students have different motivations to study the subject. Students from Indo-American families are there either because their parents insist they learn some Sanskrit, or, they themselves believe that the study of Sanskrit will give them some familiarity with their cultural background. The graduate students who do continue are there for long-term scholarly interests. Sanskrit alone is not a ticket to a good job other than teaching.

What kinds of research questions do students pursue?
Most of my students have worked with comparative study of Panini with modern linguistics, or Indian philosophy in comparison with Western philosophy. We have a number of PhDs in the field of Buddhist studies, who have worked on philosophers like Nagarjuna, and also the art-historical and literary background of Ajanta caves.