Events in 2007 - 08

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History

 

1915, July 6:

Meeting of persons interested in Orientology in Anadashrama, Pune, at which it was decided to found the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in honour of Prof. Dr. Sir Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar's outstanding work in the field of Orientology.
 

1916:

The Institute's first Patron was Shrimant Narayanrao Babasaheb Ghorpade, Chief of Ichalkaranji, whose donation of Rs. 1,000/- right at the very start made it possible for the Working Committee to carry on the work of the Institute in its initial stage.
The First person to contribute Rs. 100/- and be a Life Member of the Institute (in advance) was V. G. Bijapurkar, a former pupil of Prof. Dr. Sir Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar.
 

1917, July 6:

Prof. Dr. Sir Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar's eighty-first birthday.
Foundation of the BORI.
Presentation of Commemoration Volume to Prof. Dr. Sir Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar.
President: Lord Willingdon, H. E. Governor of Bombay.
 

1917, September:

Completion of the J. N. Tata Hall of the Institute's Building.
Bhandarkar presented his valuable library to the Institute.
 

1918, April 1:

The Manuscript Collection of the Government of Bombay transferred to the Institute. The Institute also decided to build up its own collection of manuscripts.
The Bombay Sanskrit and Prakrit Series transferred to the Institute for management.
 

1918, August 11:

Constitution of the Institute adopted at the meeting of the General Body.
Election of the first Regulating Council.
 

1918, September 8:

First Meeting of the Regulating Council.
Election of the first Executive Board.
 

1918, September 10:

First Meeting of the Executive Board.
Dr. P. D. Gune was elected the first Honorary Secretary.
Completion of the Curator's Quarters.
 

1918, September 13:

Prof. N. B. Utgikar appointed to act as Curator.
 

1919, April 1:

Inauguration of the work of the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata by Prof. Dr. Sir R. G. Bhandarkar who wrote down the usually supposed first stanza on the collation sheet.
 

1919, April 26:

Prof. P. K. Gode appointed to act as Curator.
 

1919, November 5-7:

The first session of the Indian Oriental Conference (which later came to be called the All India Oriental Conference) organised by the Institute at Poona. President: Prof. Dr. Sir Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar.
Publication of the Institute's research journal, Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (ABORI), started.
 

1922, July 6:

Completion of the Khetsi-Khaisi Manuscript Hall (South Wing of the Tata Hall) and the Mahabharata Hall (North Wing).
 

1923, February 11:

Dr. V. G. Paranjape was elected Honorary Secretary.
The Virataparvan of the Mahabharata: Tentative Edition published
 

1924:

Government Oriental Series inaugurated.
 

1925, August 1:

Dr. V. S. Sukthankar appointed General Editor of the Mahabharata.
 

1925, August 24:

Rishipanchami: Prof. Dr. Sir R. G. Bhandarkar passed away. (Since then the Institute has been solemnising the Bhandarkar Death-Anniversary on the Rishipanchami every year).
 

1925, October 18:

BORI Press started with a composing room.
 

1927, July 6:

Dr. S. K. Belvalkar was elected Honorary Secretary
The first fascicule of the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata published.
 

1931, August 4:

Gift of the Siamese Tripitaka from the Government of Siam.
 

1932, July:

Completion of the Institute's Guest House (Nizam's Guest House).
 

1933, July 6:

Dr. V. S. Sukthankar elected as Honorary Secretary.
 

1933, October:

Completion of the Press Building.
 

1935:

Publication of the Descriptive Catalogue of Manuscripts was started.
 

1939, July 6:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar was elected Honorary Secretary of the Institute.
The Bhandarkar Oriental Series started.
 

1940, April 22:

The British Academy sanctioned a token grant for the Mahabharata (“The Academy has been impressed by the unanimity of many scholars warmly approving the work of the BORI as apparent in the published portion of the Critical Edition”).
 

1941, December 3:

Gift of the Chinese Tripitaka from the Government of China.
 

1942, July 6:

Inauguration of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations.
President: Sir Chimanlal Setalvad
Main Speaker: Father Heras
 

1943, January 4-5:

Silver Jubilee Celebrations.
President: Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
Special Publications: (1) Silver Jubilee Volume of ABORI;
(2) Progress of Indic Studies.
 

1943, January 21:

Death of Dr. V. S. Sukthankar.
 

1943, April 1:

Dr. S. K. Belvalkar appointed as General Editor of the Mahabharata.
 

1943, December 31:

The Institute was registered as the Central Office of the All India Oriental Conference; Prof. R. N. Dandekar, Honorary Secretary of the Institute was elected General Secretary of the Conference.
 

1945, September 1:

Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel visited the Institute.
 

1948, May:

The University of Poona started functioning with its office in the Institute's Guest House.
 

1949, January 16:

Dr. S. K. Belvalkar appointed Director of Post-Graduate and Research (PGR) Department of University work.
 

1949, March:

The Institute obtained recognition as a Constituent Institution of the University of Poona.
 

1951, March 10:

Dr. R. D. Karmarkar appointed Director of PGR Department.
 

1954, November 19:

Work on the Critical Edition of the Harivamsha formally inaugurated by H. E. President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
 

1955, September:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar elected Vice-President of the International Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Studies (CIPSH) of the UNESCO.
 

1956, August 1:

Announcement of publication of Shantiparvan 1-3 and Shalyaparvan 1 by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India.
 

1956, October 1:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar was appointed the Member-Secretary of the Sanskrit Commission of the Government of India; office of the commission was located at the Institute (1956-1958).
 

1956, December 11:

Visit of H. H. the Dalai Lama.
Publication of the Post-Graduate and Research Department Series started.
 

1957, July 6:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar appointed as the Joint General Editor of Mahabharata.
 

1959, March:

Extension of the Manuscripts Hall (South Wing) completed.
 

1959, March 31:

Prof. C. R. Devdhar appointed as Director of PGR Department.
 

1960, July 6:

Prof. A. D. Pusalkar appointed as Director of the PGR Department.
 

1961, April 1:

Prof. P. L. Vaidya appointed as General Editor of Mahabharata on the retirement of Dr. S. K. Belvalkar.
 

1961, May 28:

Death of Prof. P. K. Gode, Curator of the Institute.
 

1961, June 1:

Prof. A. D. Pusalkar appointed as Curator.
 

1962, January 26:

Padma Bhushan awarded to Prof. R. N. Dandekar by H. E. President of India.
 

1962, April 24:

Full financial assistance sanctioned for the Critical Edition of the Harivamsha jointly by the Government of India and the Government of Maharashtra.
 

1962, July 6:

Setting up of printing machine in the BORI Press.
 

1962, November 17:

Announcement of publication of the fifth and last Volume of Dr. P. V. Kane's History of Dharmashastra by H. E. President of India Dr. S. Radhakrishnan.
 

1962, November:

Building for Library and PGR Department completed.
 

1963, April:

UNESCO grant for the Mahabharata through CIPHS.
 

1964, January 4-10:

26th International Congress of Orientalists was organised at New Delhi. Prof. R. N. Dandekar was appointed Academic Secretary for the Congress. Following Publications of the Congress were edited and printed at the Institute:
(1) Summaries of Papers
(2) Oriental Studies in India
(3) Proceedings of the 26th International Congress of Orientalists Vol. III (Part 1 and 2) and Vol. IV.
 

1966, September 22:

Announcement of the completion of the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata by H. E. President of India Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan.
 

1967, January 8:

Death of Dr. S. K. Belvalkar.
 

1967, March 31:

Grant from the Order of Reiyukai, Japan, for the Institute's Buddhist Publications.
 

1967, July 6:

Fiftieth Foundation Day.
 

1968, May 17:

Golden Jubilee Celebrations.
Chief Guest: H. E. President of India Dr. Zakir Husain.
Special Publication: Golden Jubilee Volume of the ABORI.
 

1969, June 16:

Professor P.K. Gode Memorial Lectureship (donated by the Gode Collected Works Publication Committee) instituted.
 

1971, November:

Completion of the Critical Edition of the Harivamsha
 

1972, June 1:

Prof. G. K. Bhat appointed as the Director of the PGR Department and the Curator.
 

1973, July:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar elected President of the International Union for Oriental and Asian Studies (re-elected on subsequent occasions).
 

1975 September 9:

Fiftieth death-anniversary of Publication of the critical Prof. Dr. Sir Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar. Address by Prof. D. C. Sircar.
Special Publication: Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar as an Indologist: A Symposium (1976).
Publication of the Research Unit Started.
 

1976, September:

Publication of the Critically Constituted Text of the Mahabharata and Harivamsha
 

1976, October 9:

The Birth Centenary of Prof. Dharmananda Kosambi solemnised.
Dr. P. V. Bapat presented Burmese Tripitaka to the Institute.
 

1976, December 27:

Professor Dharmananda Kosambi Memorial Lectureship (donated by the Dharmananda Kosambi Smaraka Samiti) instituted.
 

1977, July 6:

Sixtieth Foundation Day of the Institute.
President: Shri. Sadiq Ali, H. E. Governor of Maharashtra.
Address: Prof. R. N. Dandekar.
 

1978, February 25:

Death of Dr. P.L. Vaidya.
 

1978, June 1-3:

Diamond Jubilee of the Institute.
President: Shri. Sadiq Ali, H. E. Governor of Maharashtra.
Special Publication: Diamond Jubilee Volume of the ABORI.
Twenty-ninth AIOC.
President: Prof. J. Gonda
 

1978, October 20:

Prof. K. V. Abhyankar Memorial Lectureship (donated by Abhyankar family) and Prof. P. D. Gune Memorial Lectureship and Pandit Shripad Shastri Deodhar Memorial Lectureship (donated by Acharya V. P. Limaye) instituted.
 

1979, April 2:

Dr. V. G. Rahurkar appointed as Curator.
 

1979, April 26:

Dr. S.V. Sohoni donated his library to the Institute.
 

1979, May 23:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar elected the President of the International Association of Sanskrit Studies (re-elected on subsequent occasions).
1979, June 1 : Dr. T. G. Mainkar appointed as Director of the PGR Department.
 

1979:

Honorary D. Litt. (Vachaspati) conferred upon Prof. R. N. Dandekar by the Sampurnananda Sanskrit Vishva Vidyalaya, Varanasi.
 

1980, December 4:

Yakushiji Temple, Nara (Japan) presented the Taisho Tripitaka (Second Edition 1962) consisting of 87 volumes.
 

1981, October 21-26:

Fifth World Sanskrit Conference, Varanasi, India.
President: Prof. R. N. Dandekar. Following publications of the Conference were edited and printed at the Institute:
(1) Summaries of Papers,
(2) Sanskrit Studies in India,
(3) Sanskrit Studies outside India,
(4) Proceedings of the 5th World Sanskrit Conference.
 

1981, October 26:

Honorary D. Litt. conferred upon Prof. R. N. Dandekar by the Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
 

1981:

Korean Tripitaka presented to the Institute.
 

1982, March:

Donation to the Institute of Rs. 20,000/- from Shri. Firodia Trust, Ahmednagar for microfilming the Jaina manuscripts in the Institute's Collection.
 

1982, May 18:

 Prof. Dr. G. B. Palsule appointed as the Director of the PGR Department.
 

1983, July:

Completion of the Library Building Extension.
 

1983, August 1:

Project of the Mahabharata: Cultural Index (as a prelude to the Epilogue of the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata), which had undergone several vicissitudes, was reorganised; Prof. Dr. M. A. Mehendale was appointed as Editor.
 

1983, December:

Donation of Rs. 16,28,586/- from Dr. R. M. Marathey, London.
 

1984, July 6:

BORI Fellowships for post-graduate study instituted.
 

1984, December 1:

Work on the project of a Critical Edition of the Mahabhashyadipika (sponsored by the University Grants Commission) started.
 

1985, March 30:

Honorary D. Litt. conferred upon Prof. R. N. Dandekar by the University of Poona.
 

1985, April 1:

Prof. P. D. Navathe appointed as Curator.
 

1985, November 8:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar relinquished the office of General Secretary of the AIOC which he had held for 42 years. Prof. Dr. S. D. Joshi selected as the General Secretary.
 

1986, September 16:

Professor T. G. Mainkar Memorial Lectureship (donated by Smt. Malatibai Mainkar) inaugurated.
 

1987, April 1:

Work on the project of A Comprehensive Dictionary of Prakrit Languages started. Grant of Rs. 5,00,000/- from the Sanmati Tirtha, Poona, for the project.
Chief Editor: Prof. A. M. Ghatge.
 

1987, July 6:

150th Birth-Anniversary of Sir Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar.
 

1987, August 1:

Dr. S. D. Laddu appointed as Director of the PGR Department.
 

1987, August 10:

Donation of Rs. 1,00,000/- from V. V. Sikhare
 

1987, August 19:

Donation of Rs. 1,00,000/- from S. B. Joshi
 

1987:

Extension of the Mahabharata Hall (North Wing) of the Institute's Building completed.
 

1988, February 23:

150th Birth-Anniversary celebration of Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar; Formal Inauguration of the Project of A Comprehensive Dictionary of Prakrit Languages.
Publication of other works.
President: H. E. President of India Shri. R. Venkataraman.
 

1988, June 10:

Renewal of the Doctorate of Prof. R. N. Dandekar by the Heidelberg University, Germany.
 

1989, January 6:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar was elected the first Honorary Member of the AIOC.
 

1989, August 15:

C. G. Kashikar was awarded Certificate of Honour with a life-long pension by H. E. President of India.
 

1989, September 1:

Microfilming of the manuscripts in the Institute's Collection was undertaken with the full financial assistance from the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi; Dr. P. G. Lalye was appointed as the Academic Supervisor.
 

1989:

Donation of Rs. 40,000/- from Smt. Manoramabai D. Sarpotdar.
 

1990, August 15:

Dr. M. A. Mehendale was awarded Certificate of Honour with a life-long pension by H. E. President of India.
 

1990, December 18:

Honorary D. Litt. conferred upon Prof. R. N. Dandekar by the University of North Bengal.
 

1991, June:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar relinquished the office of President of the International Union of Oriental and Asian Studies which he had held for the eighteen years. Prof. R. N. Dandekar elected as Président d' Honneur of the International Union of Oriental and Asian Studies.
 

1991, August 15:

Prof. S. D. Joshi was awarded Certificate of Honour with a life-long pension by H. E. President of India.
Completion of the Critical Edition of the Mahabhashyadipika.
 

1992, January 26:

Tarkatirtha Lakshman Shastri Joshi was awarded Padma Vibhushna by
H. E. President of India.
 

1992, May:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar elected Foreign Member of the Academia Europaea.
 

1992, July 6:

The 75th Foundation of the Institute; the inauguration of the Amritamahotsava.
President: Padma Bhushan Prof. D. B. Devadhar, the oldest living Life Member of the Institute.
Donation of Rs. 40,000/- from B. S. Joshi.
 

1992, August 10:

Felicitation Volume was presented to Prof. A. M. Gahtge.
 

1993, February 24:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar was awarded the Sri. Sankardeva Award by the Govt. of Assam.
Chief Guest: Dr. B. Barman, Minister for Education, Assam State.
 

1993, May 28:

Amçtamahotsava of the Institute.
Chief Guest: Prof. H. H. Ingalls of Harvard University, U. S. A.
10 Works published on the occasion. Important Publications:
(1) A Comprehensive and Critical Dictionary of Prakrit Languages (Vol. 1 Fascicule 1)
(2) Mahabharata: Cultural Index (Vol. 1 Fascicule 1)
(3) Amritamahotsava Volume of the ABORI.
Conferment on Prof. R. N. Dandekar of the Dr. S. C. Chakravarti Gold Medal of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
Grant of Rs. 15,00,000/- from the Govt. of Maharashtra.
Important Donations on the Occasion:
Rs. 1,00,000/- from Prof. H. H. Ingalls.
Rs. 50,000/- from the Hinduja Foundation (towards the publication of the Vedic Bibliography).
Rs. 50,000/- from Raosaheb Sahasrabuddhe Maharaj Samadhi Mandir, Pune.
Rs. 50,000/- from Shri Sitaram Walawalkar CharitableTrust, Bombay.
The sum-total of other Donations 93,786/-
 

1993, May 28-30:

36th Session of the AIOC at the Institute. Inaugurated by Prof. Daniel H. H. Ingalls.
General President: Prof. P. N. Kawthekar.
 

1993, July 6:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar relinquished the office of Honorary Secretary of the Institute, which he had held for 54 years.
Prof. A. M. Ghatge was elected Honorary Secretary of the Institute.
 

1993, September 19:

Donation of Rs. 75,000/- from Prof. S. Y. Ponkshe, Education Trust, Pune.
 

1993, September 23:

Conferment of Honorary Membership of the Institute on Prof. R. N. Dandekar and Daniel H. H. Ingalls (in absentia)
President: Dr. P. C. Alexander, H. E. Governor of Maharashtra and the President of the Institute.
 

1993, November 3:

B. N. Paranjape who had been working as Office Superintendent for many years was named the first Registrar of the Institute.
 

1993, November 7:

Prof. A. M. Ghatge honoured by the âgamoddhàraka Pàritoùika Samiti.
 

1993, December 11:

Hon Honorary D. Litt. conferred upon Prof. R. N. Dandekar and Prof. C. G. Kashikar by the Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune.
 

1994, January:

Prof. R. N. Dandekar relinquished the office of President of the National Association of Sanskrit Studies which he had held for 15 years.
 

1994, March 7:

Dr. S. V. Sohoni was honoured with the National Citizen Award by H. E. President of India.
 

1994, May 18:

Conferment on Prof. R. N. Dandekar of the Vishvabharati Award of the Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Academy.
 

1994, September 9:

Conferment on Prof. R. N. Dandekar of the Hemachandra Roychaudhuri Gold Medal of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
Chief Guest: Prof. Satya Ranjan Banerjee Jt. Secretary, Asiatic Society, Calcutta.
 

1995, April 1:

Prof. S. D. Laddu appointed as Curator.
 

1995, May 18:

Donation of Rs. 5,00,000/- from Tata Electric Companies Bombay.
 

1995, June 19-20:

Dr. Prabha Joshi Memorial Lectureship (donated by B. S. Joshi, Athens, Greece) inaugurated.
 

1995, August 15:

Prof. G. B. Palsule was awarded Certificate of Honour with a life-long pension by H. E. President of India.
 

1999, July 6:

Prof. M. G. Dhadphale elected as the Hon. Secretary
 

2000, November 2:

Visit of Shri. Anant Kumar, Union Minister for Culture
 

2001, June 26:

Visit of Shri. Sharad Pawar
Inauguration of the new building of the Institute
 

2002, July 6:

Prof. Saroja Bhate elected as the Hon. Secretary
 

2003, August:

Work of the Manuscripts Resource and Conservation Centre of the National Mission for Manuscripts launched
 

2004, January 5:

The Institute faced a vandalistic attack
 

2005, July 6:

Prof. M. G. Dhadphale elected as the Hon. Secretary
 

2006, December 2:

Visit of Shri. P. Chidambaram, Union Minister of Finance
 

2007, March:

Visit of H. H. Dalai Lama
 

2007, June 20:

The Institute’s collection of 30 manuscripts of the Rigveda incorporated in the “Memory of the World Register” by the UNESCO

 

 

 
   

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