New Delhi, Dec 13: In a landmark academic development, Sanskrit has formally entered a Pakistani classroom for the first time since the Partition of the subcontinent in 1947, marking a significant cultural and scholarly moment for the country.
The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) has launched a four-credit course in Sanskrit, signalling the institutional revival of a classical language that has remained largely absent from Pakistan’s academic landscape for decades.
The course evolved from a three-month weekend workshop that witnessed strong interest from students and scholars, prompting the university to formally institutionalise Sanskrit studies. University officials stressed that the initiative approaches Sanskrit as an academic and linguistic discipline rather than a religious subject.
As part of the curriculum, students are also being introduced to the Urdu rendition of “Hai katha sangram ki”, the iconic theme song from the Mahabharat television series, providing a familiar cultural entry point into the epic tradition.
Dr Ali Usman Qasmi, Director of the Gurmani Centre at LUMS, said Pakistan holds one of the region’s richest yet most neglected Sanskrit archives. He pointed out that the Punjab University library houses a significant collection of Sanskrit palm-leaf manuscripts that were catalogued in the 1930s by renowned scholar JCR Woolner.
“Since 1947, no Pakistani academic has seriously engaged with this collection. Only foreign researchers use it. Training scholars locally will change that,” Dr Qasmi said.
Building on the momentum, LUMS plans to introduce specialised courses on the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita in the coming years. “In 10 to 15 years, we could see Pakistan-based scholars of the Gita and the Mahabharata,” Dr Qasmi added.
The revival effort has also been driven by Dr Shahid Rasheed, Associate Professor of Sociology at Forman Christian College, whose engagement with Sanskrit emerged from a broader interest in classical languages.
“Classical languages contain much wisdom for mankind. I started with Arabic and Persian, and then studied Sanskrit,” Dr Rasheed said, adding that it took him nearly a year to complete classical Sanskrit grammar, a process he continues to pursue.
Addressing scepticism over his choice, Dr Rasheed described Sanskrit as part of South Asia’s shared cultural heritage. “Sanskrit is the binding language of the entire region. Panini’s village was in this region. Much writing was done here during the Indus Valley Civilisation,” he said.
“Sanskrit is like a mountain — a cultural monument. We need to own it. It is ours too; it is not tied to any one religion,” he added.
Academics involved in the initiative believe greater engagement with classical traditions across borders could foster regional harmony. Dr Rasheed noted that if more Hindus and Sikhs in India learned Arabic and more Muslims in Pakistan took up Sanskrit, it could offer a hopeful new beginning for South Asia, where languages act as bridges rather than barriers.
