Govind Chandra Pande

Govind Chandra Pande (30 July 1923 – 22 May 2011) was a well-known Indian historian of the Vedic and the Buddhist periods. He served a professor of ancient history and vice-chancellor at Jaipur and Allahabad universities. He was also the chairman of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Simla for several years, the Chairman of Allahabad Museum Society and the Chairman of Central Tibetan Society, Sarnath Varanasi.

Vice President Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat presenting 13th "Saraswati Samman" award to Prof. G.C. Pande on his book 'Bhagirathi' at a function organised by K.K. Birla foundation in New Delhi on September 6, 2004.

Quotes

Life and Thought of Sankaracharya (1998)

• It may be concluded that Sankara accepts Yoga as a practical discipline for the realization of Truth and sees no contradiction between Yoga and Vedanta.

• To conclude, the Brahmadvaita cf Sankara is not a 'Concealed form of Nihilism', nor is his Atmavada indifferent to enlightened human values, nor his Renunciation of Works a species of escapism. His negations are contextual and relative, not absolute and final. His philosophy is designed to lead man to the fullest self- realization, not to suicidal annihilation. The transcendence of differences only reveals the universal and in finite unity of ground reality. Even though a commonplace, it is worth recalling that Sankara's own life is the standing refutation of the charges of nihilism, metaphysical and socio-ethical, against him.

• 'If Vedanta is the "national religion" of India and its universalism at the same time, and if its unique combination of spirituality and reason makes it a philosophical religion, it is to Sankara, after the Upanisadic seers, that the credit should go.'

About Pande

• Intellectually, these Nehruvian historians and pressmen stand thoroughly discredited. But they have power positions in the media and in the education and research establishments, so they still manage to black out criticism and alternative opinions. A recent example of their power is the nomination of a successor to Leftist Muslim historian Irfan Habib as head of the Indian Council of Historical Research. The expected choice was Prof. G.C. Pande, former vice-chancellor of two universities. But the secularist intelligentsia launched a campaign against him : "RSS connections loom large". It is said that Irfan Habib contacted the Shahi Imam, who in turn had a chat with his friend V.P. Singh, prime minister. At any rate, G.C. Pande's name was scrapped from the list of candidates. This is also one more example of the unscrupled connivance between secularists and Muslim communalists.
  • Quoted from Elst, Koenraad (1991). Ayodhya and after: Issues before Hindu society. citing Sunday Observer, 4/3/90.