Sudhakar Chaturvedi
Pandit Chaturvedi in 2008
Born
Sudhakar Krishna Rao[1]

(1897-04-20)20 April 1897 (claimed)
Bangalore, Kingdom of Mysore, India
Died27 February 2020
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
NationalityIndian
Known for

Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi (died 27 February 2020)[2][3] was an Indian independence activist, Vedic scholar, Indologist, and claimed supercentenarian. At the claimed age of 122 years, 313 days, some Indian newspapers reported him as the oldest Indian ever.[4][5]

Biography

Early life

Chaturvedi was reportedly born on 20 April 1897 in Bangalore, Karnataka, British India[4][6][7] (or in Kyatsandra in Tumkur district, Karnataka state[8] according to one report).[9] One report also claimed an age of 121 in 2011, which would put his birth in 1890.[10] He learned all the Shastras and Vedas in a traditional Gurukul Kangri University in Haridwar.[11][12] He was inspired by the life of Maharshi Dayananda Saraswati at young age and embraced Arya Samaj and its teachings for the rest of his life.

Freedom struggle and Vedic scholarship

Chaturvedi was given his title "Chaturvedi", which literally means "master of the four Vedas," for his knowledge of the Vedas.[13] He was a disciple of Swami Shraddhanand at Gurukul Kangri in Haridwar, where he got his Veda Vachaspati degree (equivalent to a postgraduate degree).[6]

Chaturvedi was a contemporary of Mahatma Gandhi, whom he first met when studying the Vedas in a Gurukula in northern India. Subsequently, he became an ardent follower of Gandhian methods.[14] He was a witness to many events in the Indian independence movement, including being an eyewitness to the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He was known as Gandhi's Postman, as he took down and delivered letters dictated by Gandhi addressed to the Viceroys or Governors-General.[7][13][15] Gandhi called him 'Karnataki'.[16] He lost the use of his right arm in 1938 while travelling with Gandhi, when the railwayman detached the last three compartments of the train as it was struggling to climb uphill. He took part in the freedom struggle[17] and was arrested at least 31 times during the freedom struggle,[13] landing in prisons all over the country from Peshawar to Vellore.[6]

He was offered the post of minister in the old Mysore state by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, which he turned down.[6] He also campaigned for the unification of the state.[18]

Later life

He continued his inspiration that he took from the life of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati of the Arya Samaj. He adopted[4] a man named Arya Mitra as his son, and had three grandchildren.[19] He never married:[6][19]

"My youth was spent in the struggle. By the time we got freedom [in 1947], I was over 50 years. Who would give me a girl then?"

Chaturvedi was the first teacher of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.[13] In 2011 he took part in the India Against Corruption campaign.[17] He lived in Jayanagar, Bangalore, Karnataka, India[4] and in 2010 stated he was still working for eight hours every day.[7] This included an hour-long lecture he gave on the Vedas every Saturday.[4][19] He woke up at 3 am[19] or 3:30,[4][15] going to bed by 7 pm.[19] He advised people to "follow the instructions in the Vedas and a happy life awaits you." He practiced a strict vegetarian diet.[4][15] He said he wanted to live to 300.[7]

Awards

He was honoured by Motilal Banarsidass for his contributions to Indology, when it celebrated its centenary in 2003.[20] The Karnataka Sahitya Anuvada Academy gave him an honorary award for 2007–2008.[21] In 2009 he was given a "Socio-Economic Development Teacher Award", by the Sri Kashi Sesha Sastri Charitable Trust.[22] He was honoured by his alma mater, Gurukul Kangri University, in 2010.[23] In 2010 he was given a "Living Legend" Award by IDL Foundation at a public function where he pledged to donate his eyes.[24] In March 2011 he was gifted a wheelchair by the IDL Foundation, sponsored by Santosh Hegde.[13] On Republic Day in 2010, he was felicitated by the Governor of Karnataka.[25]

Books authored

Chaturvedi wrote over 40 books in the Kannada language and, as of 2008, was working on the publication of Vedic texts in 20 volumes.[21] He was also announced in 2002 to be heading a project of the Arya Samaj to publish a 30,000-page treatise in Kannada on Veda Bhashya,[26] and by 2009, three of the four Vedas and six volumes of the Rig Veda were released.[27]

He was the moving spirit behind the Bangalore Arya Samaj, which published the Kannada monthly magazine Veda Taranga.[28]

Among his books were:

  • A translation of the book Satyarth Prakash of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati of Arya Samaj into Kannada (ಸತ್ಯಾರ್ಥ ಪ್ರಕಾಶ)
  • Rashtra Purusha Yogiraja Maharshi Dayananda Saraswati (ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರ ಪುರುಷ ಯೋಗಿರಾಜ ಮಹರ್ಷಿ ದಯಾನಂದ ಸರಸ್ವತಿ) (A Biography of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati of Arya Samaj)
  • Vedokta Jeevana Patha (ವೇದೋಕ್ತ ಜೀವನ ಪಥ)
  • Yoga Pradeepa (ಯೋಗ ಪ್ರದೀಪ)
  • Adarsha Manava (ಆದರ್ಶ ಮಾನವ)
  • Rigveda Darshana (ಋಗ್ವೇದ ದರ್ಶನ)
  • Murtipooje Jignase? (ಮೂರ್ತಿಪೂಜೆ ಜಿಜ್ಞಾಸೆ?)
  • Janmagata Jati Paddhati Veda Virodhi (ಜನ್ಮಗತ ಜಾತಿ ಪದ್ಧತಿ ವೇದ ವಿರೋಧಿ)
  • Grace and Glory of Vedic Dharma (English)
  • Shanti Mattu Sowbhagya (ಶಾಂತಿ ಮತ್ತು ಸೌಭಾಗ್ಯ)
  • Vaidika Vivaha Samskara Vidhi (ವೈದಿಕ ವಿವಾಹ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರವಿಧಿ)
  • Bhagawan Sri Ramachandra (ಭಗವಾನ್ ಶ್ರೀರಾಮಚಂದ್ರ)
  • Vedamaata Gayatri (ವೇದಮಾತಾ ಗಾಯತ್ರೀ)
  • Upanishad Bhashya (ಉಪನಿಷದ್ ಭಾಷ್ಯ)
  • Halavu Nenapugalu (ಹಲವು ನೆನಪುಗಳು)

These and many of his books are published by Arya Samaj, VV Puram, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

The book 'Halavu Nenapugalu' alone was published by Pustak Shaki Publications in Bengaluru.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Sudhakar Chaturvedi: A Vedic scholar and social reformer". The Hindu. Retrieved 27 February 2020. Sudhakar Krishna Rao earned the title "Chaturvedi" for his scholarship in four Vedas. He translated them into Kannada and brought it out in 20 volumes.
  2. ↑ If it works for the young man, it sure works for us, Churumuri, 12 September 2009
  3. ↑ Many recent newspaper accounts are consistent with an 1897 date, but the biographical sketch in Seunarine's book mentioned below gives a date of 4 April 1901.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "India's oldest man swears by meditation and Vedas", The Times of India, 28 June 2009
  5. ↑ "Dancers leave audience spellbound", The Times of India, 28 June 2009
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 N Bhanutej (18 July 1998), "Been there, seen that: 101-yr-old-man still rages at Dyer's "fire"", Indian Express, retrieved 18 June 2013
  7. 1 2 3 4 "113-year-old pledges to donate eyes", NDTV (Press Trust of India), 18 December 2010
  8. ↑ "Be positive in outlook, pensioners told", The Hindu, 1 July 2007, archived from the original on 5 January 2008
  9. ↑ Prof. A. V. Narasimha Murthy (27 January 2010), 117-year-young Sudhakar Chaturvedi
  10. ↑ "I have no desire for death: Pt Sudhakar Chaturvedi", The Times of India, 2 October 2011, archived from the original on 14 November 2011
  11. ↑ "Tribute: Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi passes away at age 121". Star of Mysore. 28 February 2020.
  12. ↑ "Sudhakar Chaturvedi: A Vedic scholar and social reformer". The Hindu. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "Pandit gifted wheelchair on birthday", The Times of India, 15 March 2011, archived from the original on 20 March 2011
  14. ↑ "The Gandhians in our midst". The Hindu. 2 October 2003. Archived from the original on 13 October 2003.
  15. 1 2 3 Rakshita Adyanthaya (15 March 2011), "He is the great grandfather of all 'thathas'", DNA, Bangalore
  16. ↑ Book "Halavu Nenapugalu". Archived 27 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  17. 1 2 Sunitha Rao R (9 April 2011), "Let it be implemented on the ground, say freedom fighters", The Times of India, archived from the original on 27 July 2013
  18. ↑ "Tributes paid to Anantha Subbaraya", The Hindu, 9 December 2007, archived from the original on 12 December 2007
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 "Early to bed, early to rise", The Times of India, 15 March 2011, archived from the original on 29 July 2013
  20. ↑ "Publishing house celebrates centenary", The Hindu, 14 September 2003, archived from the original on 27 October 2003
  21. 1 2 "Anuvada Academy announces awards", The Hindu, Bangalore, 24 January 2008, archived from the original on 30 January 2008
  22. ↑ "Scholar Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi to be honoured", The Times of India, Mangalore, 25 August 2009, archived from the original on 29 July 2013
  23. ↑ Sandeep Rawat (17 June 2010), "Gurukul Kangri university honours 113-year-old student", Tribune India, Haridwar
  24. ↑ "He's lived across three centuries", The Times of India, 19 December 2010
  25. ↑ "Grit and service acknowledged: Individuals and organisations felicitated on Republic Day", The Hindu, 27 January 2010
  26. ↑ "Lyrical land", The Hindu, 26 September 2002, archived from the original on 28 February 2009, retrieved 19 February 2011{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  27. ↑ Ananth (2 September 2009), Message on 'Sumadhwa Seva', archived from the original on 9 July 2012
  28. ↑ Indica, vol. 42, Heras Institute of Indian History and Culture, St. Xavier's College., 2005, p. 129

Further reading

  • J. F. Seunarine (1977). "A Biographical Sketch of Paṇḍit Sudhākar Chaturvedi". Reconversion to Hinduism through śuddhi. Bangalore: Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society. pp. 96–97.
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