Workshop Overview

On 21–22 August 2026, the Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR), under the Ministry of Education and in association with the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, convened a two‑day workshop titled “Untranslatable Sanskrit Terms of Indian Philosophy” at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The event brought together eminent scholars and researchers from a range of universities and educational institutions.

Key Participants and Roles

  • Chief Guest: Prof. (Dr.) K. G. Suresh, Director of India Habitat Centre, opened the valedictory session and emphasized that language shapes ideas, asserting that accurate thought transmission requires pure and precise language and that context is essential when translating Sanskrit into English. He illustrated the challenge with terms such as Yoga, dharma, karma and Ishvara, noting that while Yoga enjoys global recognition through the International Day of Yoga, many Sanskrit concepts lack exact English equivalents and that retaining original terms can help younger generations stay connected to cultural roots.
  • Guest of Honour: Prof. Girish Nath Jha, former Chairman of the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology, highlighted the difficulty of translating Vedic Sanskrit and pointed out that modern technology, especially artificial intelligence, is simplifying multilingual translation. He observed a high current demand for English terminology in Hindi and other Indian languages and suggested translation can meet this demand.
  • Member Secretary, ICPR: Prof. Sachchidananda Mishra stressed that while translation is challenging, it is necessary to disseminate the profound knowledge contained in ancient Sanskrit texts. He advocated for interpretative translation over literal word‑for‑word rendering and called on scholars to collaborate on “Standardized Guidelines for Sanskrit Translation” to prevent disputes and inconsistencies. He also indicated that ICPR will work to convert the workshop’s suggestions into concrete actions for future guidance.
  • Inaugural Session Speaker: Padma Shri Dr. Chamu Krishna Shastry, Chairman of the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, underscored the importance of precise translation for transmitting India’s cultural heritage and philosophical legacy to future generations, urging utmost care in handling original texts.
  • Additional Scholars: Contributions were made by Prof. Krishna Mohan Pandey (Jawaharlal Nehru University), Prof. Mahanand Jha (Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University), Prof. Sampadananda Mishra (Rishihood University), Prof. Bharat Nagaraj Rao, Prof. Srihari P. Kurudi, Dr. Sudipta Munshi, and Prof. Sudarshan.
  • Report Presentation: Dr. Giridhar Rao of the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti presented a report summarising the workshop proceedings.
  • Welcome and Administration: Dr. Amit Yadav, Director (P&R) of ICPR, welcomed the guests. The proceedings were conducted by Mr. Mrinmoy Chakraborty, and Mr. Devendra Kumar Jatav delivered the vote of thanks.

Outcomes and Future Actions

The workshop concluded with a consensus to develop standardized guidelines for Sanskrit translation, aiming to reduce inconsistencies and disputes. ICPR committed to translating the workshop’s recommendations into actionable steps and to provide direction for younger scholars.

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