Council Formed To Develop Sanskrit

New Delhi, Aug 11 (UNI) A broad-based National Sanskrit Council for preservation and development of the rich heritage of one of the world's most ancient languages was announced this evening.

The Rashtriya Sanskrit Parishad replaces the Central Sanskrit Board which the Human Resource Development Ministry used to appoint for three-year terms to advise the government on Sanskrit. The term of the last Board ended in 2005.

The move is intended to ''facilitate a genuinely national dialogue and endeavour in... promotion of Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit, and its recommendations will receive priority attention,'' an announcement said It said the Parishad would advise the Central and State governments and for university and school education apex bodies on policy matters relating to Sanskrit.

They include spreading awareness of Sanskrit as the 'mother' of modern Indian languages, modernising Sanskrit education, promoting research, coordinating work in this area and global cooperation and propagating Sanskrit at home and abroad.

The decision to constitute the Parishad was taken by HRD Minister Arjun Singh on the Sanskrit Day celebrated on August nine, the announcement said.

The Council will make ''preservation, promotion and development of the rich heritage of Sanskrit a national endeavour, by bringing together States as well as various agencies responsible for education and research on one platform.'' ''The Parishad will, mutatis mutandis, perform similar functions in respect of Pali and Prakrit, also,'' the announcement said.

Vice-Chancellors of Sanskrit universities and deemed universities connected with Sanskrit and Heads of apex-level University and School Education bodies will be ex-officio members of the Parishad.

''Heads of half of State Sanskrit academies will also, by rotation, be nominated as members of the Parishad.

Another ten scholars-- eight of Sanskrit and one each of Pali and Prakrit-- will also be nominated as its members. The Union HRD Minister and the Minister of State for HRD will act as its Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively.

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