By Ravi Rohmetra
Padma Shri Dr. Ved Kumari Ghai was one of India’s most distinguished Sanskrit scholars, a committed social worker, and a revered citizen of Jammu and Kashmir. Born on 16 November 1931 at Pratap Garh Mohalla, Jammu, she received her early education at Arya Samaj School, Jammu, where her mother served as Principal. An exceptionally bright student from an early age, she pursued M.A. degrees in Sanskrit and Ancient Indian History and Culture, earned a Diploma in German, and later completed her Ph.D. in Sanskrit.
Inclined towards literature and culture from childhood, Dr. Ghai actively wrote poetry and participated in cultural activities. A prolific scholar, she authored eleven books and had over a hundred research publications to her credit. Her areas of special interest included Sanskrit research, rural development, khadi, and naturopathy. She also made a quiet yet significant contribution to the movement for the recognition of Dogri as a national language.
Dr. Ghai served as Lecturer in Sanskrit at Government College for Women, Parade, Jammu, and later retired as Professor and Head, Postgraduate Department of Sanskrit, University of Jammu, on 31 December 1991. She wrote with equal command in Sanskrit, Hindi, and Dogri, and her notable works include Dogri translations of Vedic hymns and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. She remained President of the Dogri Research Institute, Jammu, and Vice-President of Dogri Sanstha for six years, besides contributing to the compilation of the Dogri dictionary.
A recipient of numerous honours, she was awarded Gold Medals by Panjab University and the J&K Government, Sharada Samman, Sanskrit Samman, and a Certificate of Honour from the President of India for her scholarship in Sanskrit. She also received the President’s Award for Sanskrit (1997), Dogra Ratan Award (2005), Lifetime Achievement Award (2009), and Stri Shakti Puraskar (2010). She was conferred the Padma Shri for her outstanding contributions.
Beyond academia, Dr. Ghai was a tireless social worker. She was the founder President of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Society, which provides free education, books, and uniforms to underprivileged children. She also worked extensively with Neha Ghar for destitute women and served as Chairman of Gandhi Seva Sadan, Jammu, for 22 years. She was a member of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, and a founder member of the Apna Ghar Project.
Dr. Ved Kumari Ghai passed away on 29 May 2023, marking the end of an era. An erudite academician, Indologist, epigraphist, and polyglot, she remains an enduring source of inspiration. Though no longer with us, her selfless service to humanity and her immense contributions to Dogri, Sanskrit, and Hindi literature ensure that her legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of generations to come.
(The compiler is a Social Activist and Writer)
