In a historic academic development, Sanskrit has returned to a Pakistani classroom for the first time since Partition. The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) has introduced a four-credit course in Sanskrit, marking a rare and significant step toward reviving classical language studies in the country.
The initiative reflects a growing recognition of shared cultural and intellectual heritage across South Asia and has sparked interest among students and scholars alike.
Scholar Behind the Revival
The renewed focus on Sanskrit has been driven largely by Dr Shahid Rasheed, Associate Professor of Sociology at Forman Christian College, who has spent several years studying the classical language.
“Classical languages hold immense wisdom for humanity,” Dr Rasheed told The Tribune. “I began with Arabic and Persian before moving to Sanskrit. It took nearly a year to complete classical Sanskrit grammar, and I continue to study it.”
The LUMS course evolved from a three-month weekend workshop, which received strong participation and interest, prompting the university to formalise it as an academic offering.
Untapped Sanskrit Manuscripts in Pakistan
Dr Ali Usman Qasmi, Director of the Gurmani Centre at LUMS, said Pakistan holds one of the richest yet least-explored collections of Sanskrit manuscripts in the region.
He highlighted the Punjab University Library, which houses a vast archive of palm-leaf manuscripts catalogued in the 1930s by scholar J C R Woolner.
“No Pakistani academic has seriously engaged with this collection since 1947. Most of the research has been done by foreign scholars,” Qasmi said. “Training local researchers will change that.”
‘It Is Ours Too’
Dr Rasheed said he is frequently questioned about studying Sanskrit, often associated solely with Hindu religious texts.
“I ask, why shouldn’t we learn it?” he said. “Sanskrit is the binding language of this region. Panini’s village was here. Much early writing emerged from this land. Sanskrit is a cultural monument — it is ours too, not limited to one religion.”
He believes broader engagement with classical languages could help reshape regional relations.
“If Hindus and Sikhs in India learned Arabic, and Muslims in Pakistan studied Sanskrit, languages could become bridges rather than barriers across South Asia,” he said.
Language as a Cultural Bridge
A separate report by ThePrint adds a personal dimension to Dr Rasheed’s journey. The 52-year-old academic views language as a bridge rooted in shared history. His first Sanskrit student was his daughter, who is now fluent in the Devanagari script.
Tracing his ancestry to Karnal and Sheikhpura in present-day Uttar Pradesh, Rasheed sees these connections as reminders of a shared civilisational past divided by borders.
“Devanagari attracted me. It is artistic and profound,” he recalled.
Plans for Gita and Mahabharata Studies
The Sanskrit initiative is expected to expand further. According to Dr Qasmi, LUMS plans to introduce structured academic courses on the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita in the coming years.
“In 10 to 15 years, Pakistan could have its own scholars of the Gita and the Mahabharata,” he said.
As part of the programme, students are also exposed to cultural expressions linked to Sanskrit literature, including Urdu adaptations such as ‘Hai katha sangram ki’, the iconic theme from the Mahabharat television series.
