Professor Ram Karan Sharma Award
(Inaugurated in August 2018)
Professor Ram Karan Sharma was the President of the International Association of Sanskrit Studies (IASS) from 1994–2006 and one of the Vice Presidents of the IASS from 2006 till his passing away on 18 December 2018.
Professor Sharma’s contribution to Sanskrit is renowned among the world’s Sanskritists. His students and well-wishers inaugurated an Award in his name, under the auspices of the IASS, for a “promising emerging scholar” from around the world, as explained below.
The fields of study for the award will focus on areas in which Professor Sharma’s expertise is well-known worldwide: preeminently Kāvya, but also including, among others, the fields of grammar, the epics, Āyurveda, and metrics.
Details of the Award
- Five years previous to a WSC (World Sanskrit Conference) applicants 1) shall have received a PhD and 2) shall have published journal articles and/or a book in the area(s) mentioned above. Theses and publications in English only are eligible for consideration.
- Applications for the Award have to be submitted three months before a WSC. A WSC usually takes place every three years and the exact dates vary each time. Applicants are requested to please see the IASS website under “Conferences”
- A panel of three experts will adjudicate the submitted proposals and select the winner of the award according to a set of academic criteria. The award winner will be announced at the IASS General Assembly Meeting that usually takes place at the end of every WSC.
- The IASS will announce a reminder of the Award through the usual discussion lists for Sanskrit and allied studies, like RISA and Indology.
- The Award is valued at 1000 USD.
- Applications for the RK Sharma Award should be sent to Professor Deven Patel: