# Mandan Mishra

Mandan Mishra (7 June 1929 – 15 November 2001) was a Sanskrit scholar from India and the founder of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha. In 2000, he received the Padma Shri award from the Government of India for his work in the field of Sanskrit.

## Early life

Mishra was born on 7 June 1929 in the village of Hanutiya, located about 50 km from Jaipur. His father was a Hindu scholar, and his mother was a housewife. He was the eldest of five brothers and two sisters. Mishra completed his primary education in Amarsar and higher education under the guidance of Shri Pattabhiramshastriji. He married Bharti Mishra, with whom he had one daughter and three sons.

## Career

Mishra began his career as a lecturer at Maharaja Sanskrit College in Jaipur, later advancing to the position of professor. In 1956, he was elected as a Minister and subsequently as Minister-in-Chief in 1959 for the All India Sanskrit Literature Association, an organization established by Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya to represent Sanskrit literature.
Recognizing his expertise, Lal Bahadur Shastri secured Mishra’s services from the Government of Rajasthan and appointed him as the permanent Director of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit Vidyapeetha. Under his leadership, the World Sanskrit Century Plan was launched, marking a new phase for Sanskrit development in India.
In 1961, a historic session of the All India Sanskrit Literature Association was held in Calcutta, inaugurated by the first President of India, Rajendra Prasad. This session became a significant milestone in promoting Sanskrit and culminated in the establishment of a Sanskrit Vidyapeetha in New Delhi.
On the insistence of Rajendra Prasad the then chairperson of the association Narahari Vishnu, Governor of Punjab, Balawant Nagesh Datar, Minister of State for Home, Government of India, Shanti Prasad, sought the services of Mishra in New Delhi from Government of Rajasthan as a result of which he came to Delhi and founded Sanskrit Vidyapeetha in New Delhi in 1962.
With Mishra's effort, the Delhi administration extended 95% of assistance to all Sanskrit Institutions from an informal maximum allowance of Rs. 1000/- per month. As a result, each Sanskrit Institution today receives lakhs of rupees in aid.
Lal Bahadur Shastri accepted the chairmanship of All India Sanskrit Literature Association, and Mishra was again elected as its Minister-in-Chief. Despite a request from Shastri, Mishra declined to pursue political power that would otherwise be bestowed upon him on the basis of his 17 years of selfless service in Rajasthan and the reputation he had won amongst social sectors and the public at large and dedicated his entire life for Sanskrit.
After the unexpected death of Shastri, with Mishra's effort and request from Sampurnananda, Indira Gandhi took over as President of the Association and Vidyapeetha and in honour of Shastri he renamed the Vidyapeetha as Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit Vidyapeetha and dedicated it to the Government of India. Mishra remained the founder and director of the Institution. His consistent efforts brought in Delhi Vidyapeetha's adequate progress, and it became an esteemed university in 1989.
On 23 June 1989, the Indian Government appointed Mishra as its first Vice-Chancellor. Uttar Pradesh's Administration reappointed Mishra as vice-chancellor of Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi, on 1 January 1996.
Mishra founded Shri Pattaviram Shastri Veda Mimansa Research Centre in Varanasi, paying a homage to popular master Acharya Shri Pattaviram Shastri. It is currently still operating from a newly constructed building in Varanasi. Further, Kanchi Shankaracharya nominated him as the founding chairman of the centre.

## Death

He died serving the Rajasthan Government as Vice-Chancellor, Rajasthan Sanskrit University on 15 November 2001.