Pakistan Revives Sanskrit Education: University Launches Course with Plans for Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita Studies

Dr Ali Usman Qasmi (left) and Dr Shahid Rasheed (right)

Sanskrit has returned to Pakistani education for the first time since the 1947 Partition. The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) has introduced a comprehensive four-credit Sanskrit course, developed after a successful three-month weekend workshop that generated significant interest among academics and students.

Students enrolled in the course are experiencing cultural immersion through exposure to the Urdu version of "Hai katha sangram ki," the renowned theme song from the Mahabharat television series.

According to Dr Ali Usman Qasmi, Director of the Gurmani Centre, Punjab University library houses one of the most valuable yet underutilized Sanskrit collections in Pakistan. "A remarkable collection of Sanskrit palm-leaf manuscripts was documented by scholar JCR Woolner in the 1930s, but since 1947, no Pakistani academic has worked with this collection. Only international researchers have accessed it. Developing local expertise will transform this situation," he explained.

The university has ambitious plans to expand its offerings with forthcoming courses focused on the Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita. "Within 10-15 years, we may see scholars based in Pakistan specializing in the Gita and Mahabharata," Dr Qasmi predicted.

This educational renaissance has been spearheaded by Dr Shahid Rasheed, Associate Professor of Sociology at Forman Christian College.

"Classical languages contain profound wisdom for humanity. I began by studying Arabic and Persian before exploring Sanskrit," explained Dr Rasheed. He mentioned that his learning journey involved online educational platforms, studying under Cambridge Sanskrit authority Antonia Ruppel and Australian Indologist McComas Taylor. "It required nearly a year to master classical Sanskrit grammar, and I continue my studies in the subject."

Dr Rasheed noted that people frequently question his interest in Sanskrit. "I respond by asking why shouldn't we learn it? Sanskrit serves as the unifying language of this entire region. The village of Sanskrit grammarian Panini was located in this region. Substantial writing occurred here during the Indus Valley Civilization. Sanskrit resembles a mountain – a monument of cultural significance. We must embrace it. It belongs to us as well; it isn't exclusive to any specific religion."

He expressed that South Asia could achieve greater cohesion if people endeavored to understand each other's classical traditions. "Consider if more Hindus and Sikhs in India began studying Arabic, while more Muslims in Pakistan embraced Sanskrit – this could mark a new, promising beginning for South Asia, transforming languages from barriers into bridges."