Keshavram Kashiram Bambhaniya, also known as K. K. Shastri, was the founding leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. He was among the dignitaries who attended the first meeting of VHP in 1964 and since then continuously associated with the VHP work and was head of the Gujarat unit also.[1][2]
Biography
K. K. Shastri completed matriculation from Mumbai University in 1922. Later he studied poetry, Sanskrit language and grammar. He did his Diploma in Literature from Saurashtra University. He started his career in teaching as an assistant teacher of Sanskrit at Coronation High School in 1925 in Mangrol (District: Junagadh - Gujarat)& Left it because of Muslim Management[citation needed]. Later he joined Sanskrit Pathshala as a part-time teacher. He became assistant editor of Prajabandhu (Gujarati weekly) in Ahmedabad in 1936. He worked with Gujarat Vernacular Society and Gujarat Assembly in 1937. He joined L.D. Institute of Learning and Research in 1958. He also worked as an honorary lecturer of Gujarati at the B.J. Institute of Learning and Research. He was an associate professor of Sanskrit and Gujarati at the B.D. Women's College. He joined the Gujarat Research Society in 1961 as the honorary Regulator.He also was a "KULPATI" of Bharatiya Sanskar Dham.[3] He was a mentor to the current Prime Minister of India- Narendra Modi.[4]
Achievements
K K Shastri Educational Campus, located in Maninagar, is named after him
He guided more than 19 researchers in completing their Ph. D degrees and more than 1500 other graduate students in Gujarati literature.[citation needed] He was regarded as a mobile dictionary of Gujarati language, grammar as well as Vedic literature.[by whom?] A guide and patron to innumerable students, followers and VHP workers, Shastriji himself was an institution. Besides 240 books to his credit, he has written over 1500 research papers in Gujarati, Sanskrit, Hindi and English.[citation needed]
He was conferred Padma Shri decades back recognizing his talent and outstanding services to the Gujarati literature. He won gold medals [citation needed] from Gujarat Sahitya Sabha, Gujarat Itihas Parishad and Nadiyad Pushtmargiya Library and bronze medal from Gujarat Research Society.
Death
He died September 9, 2006, in Ahmedabad at the age of 101.[4]
Books
Shastri's prominent publications are as under,
Brihad Gujarati Kosh (part I&II)
Vanaushadhi Kosh (which is translated in 10 languages)
