History

Year of Establishment : 1907

History of the department : Pali bing one of the classical languages of India played significance role in partnership between India and South, South-East and East Asian countries for long period. Considering the importance of Pali in the cultural interaction in the part of Asia the University of Calcutta with its excellences in the area of learning had introduce Pali for the first time in India as an independent subject at the post graduate level for which teaching arrangements were already made on a small scale by the University authorities as early as in 1907. The Department of Pali which originated from this humble beginning was set up in an organized form in 1907. Although Pali as a language was included in the course of study prescribed for the M.A. Examination with effect from 1889, it was in the year 1901 that Mr. Satish Chandra Vidyabhusan, Professor of the Sanskrit College, Calcutta, offered himself as the only candidate fore M.A. Examination in Pali. During the subsequent years the famous polyglot Sri Harinath De appeared in 1906 for the M.A. Examination in Pali. The renowned ideologist Professor Dr. T.W. Rhys Davids agreed to act as the Paper setter and Examiner in all the six papers of the said Examination. The importance of the Pali Studies at the Post-Graduate level was fully appreciated by Sir Asutosh Mukherjee, the then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta. From 1925 when at the recommendation of the Executive Committee the post of a Professor was created in the Department of Pali, Dr. Beni Madhab Barua was appointed as the first Professor of Pali, the Department achieved distinction and prominence. During the ten years of his service as a Professor, the Department of Pali was enriched and increasingly expanded through the acquisition of higher research degrees by some of the members of the Teaching staff of the Department of Pali and through the requisition of the services of some distinguished teachers of the departments of Asian Indian History and Culture, Sanskrit and Comparative Philology.

University Professor of Pali :

1. Dr. Beni Madhab Barua (1925- 1948)
2. Dr.Nalinaksha Dutt (1949-1985)
3. Dr.Anukul Chandra Banarjee (1959- 1975)
4. Dr.Dipak Kumar Barua (1978-1998)
5. Dr.Bela Bhattacharya ( 2001-2012)
6. Dr. Manikuntala Haldar (De) (2012.)

Head of the Department :

1. Dr. Satish Chandra Vidyabhusan (1917-1920)
2. Dr. Beni Madhab Barua (1920- 1948)
3. Dr. Nalinaksha Dutt (1948-1958)
4. Dr. Anukul Chandra Banarjee (1958- 1975)
5. Dr. Sukumar Sengupta (January1976- June 1976)
6. Dr.Dipak Kumar Barua (1976-1981)
7. Dr. Kanailal Hazra ( 1982-1983)
8. Dr. Asha Das (1984-1985)
9. Dr. Dr.Dipak Kumar Barua (1985-1996)
10. Dr. Bela Bhattacharya (1996-2001)
11. Dr. Manikuntala Haldar (De) (2001- 2003, 2006-2008, 2011- 2012)
12. Dr. Jayanti Chatterjee (2011-2013, 2015..)
13. Dr. Saswati Mutsuddy (2012-2014)

Teaching support :

• Computer
• Projector
• Seminar Library

Major activities :

• 2001 On Dr.Nalinaksha Dutt (National Seminar)
• 2004 Buddhism in Universal Perspective (National Seminar)
• 2007 Role of Pali in World Peace and Humanity (International Conference for celebration of Centenary of the Department)
• 2011 Bust of ideologist Dr. B.M.Barua installed by the Buddha Dharmankur Sabha, Collaboration with Department of Pali
• 2012 Buddhist Contribution to Building a peaceful Society (International Seminar)
• 2013 Pali Sahitya o Bouddha Sanaskriti Prasangikata (National Seminar)
• 2014
  1. Foundation of Buddhism as revealed in the Pali Literature (International Conference )
  2. Pali for Beginners (Workshop, 31st July to 7th August)
  3. Intermediate Course in Pali (Workshop, 15th to 22nd October)
  4. "Contributions of Kripasaran Mahasthavir and Anagarika Dharmapala to the Buddhist Culture and Society (One day National Seminar)
• 2015 Revival of Theravada Buddhism in Bengal (International Seminar)
• 2016 Applied Buddhism : Buddhism in Everyday Life (International Conference )
• Annul Cultural programme, seminar, lecture organize by the Department of Pali to celebrate Buddhajayonti.

Contact

Campus : College Street

Address for communication : 3rd Floor, Room No.45, Asutosh Building, 87/1, College Street Kolkata - 700 073. West Bengal