Renowned Sanskrit scholar Professor Umakanta Deva Sharma Shastri, breathed his last at his own residence at Bakulpath in Guwahati’s Jalukbari at 12:40 am on Sunday. He was 83.

Umakanta Deva Sharma was known for making Sanskrit and spirituality popular among the masses.

A prominent orator, Prof. Sharma, Tarka Vyakarana Tirtha, Vidya Ratna is also known for his exceptional command over different epics and as a renowned expositor of “Vedas”and “Puranas”.

A Sanskrit scholar of national and international repute, Prof. Sharma also wrote various books to his credit. Some of the prominent books written by the professor are “Guru Geeta”, “Prasasti Manjari”, “Sanataniya Chintan”, “Bharatiya Chinatanam”, “Nyaya Parichaya,” etc.

“Bharatar Natya Shastra” is one of the popular and prominent books edited by him. Apart from this, he also wrote over 150 popular articles on Sanskrit, Vedic literature, Nyaya Philosophy in different newspapers, magazines, journals of both national and international repute over the years.

For TV viewers, Prof. Sharma was a very popular and prominent face who made Sanskrit and spirituality popular among the common people in society through his science-based simple explanations.

An alumnus of Jagannath Ashram Sanskrit College, Tarakeswar, West Bengal; Calcutta Government Sanskrit College; Bisva Bharati Shanti Niketan; Sonitpur Prachya Vidyalaya, Tezpur; Nalbari Sanskrit College, Nalbari, Prof. Sharma also received scholarships from the Government of Assam, Government of West Bengal and Government of India among many others on numerous occasions.

Prof. Sharma, who retired as a professor in Nyaya Darshana (Nyaya Philosophy) from Government Sanskrit College, Jalukbari (at present known as KK Handique Government Sanskrit College) in 2002, is also known for his command over traditional and modern Sanskrit literature.

Born on November 17, 1940 at Jowardi village in Kaithalkuchi in Nalbari district, Prof. Sharma was the second son of Mahamahopadhaya Paramacharya Late Ganga Nath Shastri, also a renowned Sanskrit scholar and President of India’s award-winning Sanskrit teacher way back in 1983, and Late Parbati Devi.

Umakanta Deva Sharma Shastri leaves behind his wife, two sons, a daughter, and grandchildren along with a host of relatives, followers, students, and well-wishers among many others.

His last rites will be performed at Bhutnath cremation ground in Guwahati at 4 pm.