Sanskrit, one of the world’s oldest languages, is slowly returning to classrooms in Pakistan. Yes, this is a phenomenal news.
The Lahore University of Management Sciences has introduced a new Sanskrit course, the first such effort in the country since Partition.
The course was started mainly due to the interest and hard work of Shahid Rasheed, an associate professor of sociology.
The idea began when Rasheed found old Sanskrit books lying unused in libraries in Lahore. These books were covered in dust and forgotten after years of neglect.
Instead of creating controversy, Rasheed quietly worked to bring the language back into academic study.
As a result, Lahore University of Management Sciences now offers a four credit Sanskrit course. Students from any subject, including science and technology, can join. Eight students enrolled in the first semester.
Rasheed learned Sanskrit mostly on his own with help from international scholars and online courses. He believes the language is vast and says he is still a learner himself.
He has also found Sanskrit texts in other old libraries, including those linked to Punjab University.
Inspired by him, some teachers at Punjab University of Pakistan also now want to restart short Sanskrit courses.
In the past, the university taught many classical languages, but only a few survived after 1947. These new efforts show a growing interest in preserving shared cultural history through language.
Well, the biggest challenge is learning Devnagari Script in Pakistan. Because, Pakistani education system teaches only Urdu and Arabic letters to write any language including Sindi or Punjabi.