Message From President
Dear Colleagues, Friends and Lovers of Sanskrit,
It was in the year 1972 that the First World Sanskrit Conference (so named retrospectively, after IASS was formed in the year 1973 at Paris), was held in Delhi. Initially it was called only ‘World Sanskrit Conference’. It was the first time ever that a congregation of Sanskritists from all over the world was taking place and that was enough to create excitement and hope among scholars and lovers of Sanskrit. I remember the enthusiasm with which scholars – young and old – had participated in the conference because, I, as a researcher working towards my Ph.D. degree was one of the participants. Not many would have imagined at that point of time that this Conference would lead to the establishment of International Association of Sanskrit Studies.
The International Association of Sanskrit Studies initiated in 1972, at the First World Sanskrit Conference held in Delhi, came to fruition at the International Congress of Orientalists in 1973 at Paris. What began over five decades ago as a forum for Sanskrit study from the womb of a mature International Congress of Orientalists has had animpressive trajectoryof growth.
The IASS, initially, created as organiser of World Sanskrit Conference at different venues across the world has fulfilled its mandate ably and appreciably by bringing together scholars from different parts of the world in a wide range of subject areas. But now it has reached a stage where it can furtherprovide a rich forum for not only conferencing but as a continuing interconnectivityfor Sanskrit studies across world cultures.
It would be my endeavour to strengthen and enrich this convergence of strong tradition and emerging profile:
By developing IASS as an institution equipped to evaluate the different needs across the globe (it being an International Association) for contemporizing and applying Sanskrit knowledge base for the benefitscholars and humankind in general.
In its vision for the future, the IASS may perform the role of helping to decide the course of Sanskrit Studies in the world and its application for the good of all humanity.
The above may be achieved through continuous active interaction with the Universities, Research Institutes, Governments, Other relevant, suitable, and interested organisations and implementers of research led activities across the globe based on Sanskrit Knowledge Systems, being cognisant that such supportive engagement must be based on budgetary and practical realities.
Establishing centres of IASS in interested countries may be the first step towardsachieving the larger goals outlined above.
The use of modern technology like the internet and selected social media might make the IASS more visible to more societies, countries and language areas while increasing its impact and improvingits reach.
I see the future of the IASS as an important, effective and impactful facilitator of research and application of the wisdom and knowledge base contained in Sanskrit for the good of humanity in general,the goal being ‘sarvebhavantusukhinaḥ, sarvesantunirāmayāḥ, sarvebhadrāṇipaśyantu, mākaściddukkhabhāgbhavet.’