Kala Nath Shastry

He has contributed more than a thousand articles in Hindi and Sanskrit to reputed journals of India and broadcast more than 200 talks, poems, and plays in Sanskrit, Hindi and English. He is a literary historian, critic and commentator. In the history of modern Sanskrit literature he is known as a fiction writer who has introduced a modern idiom in creative Sanskrit writing through his novels, short stories, personal essays, and his books on the 20th century Sanskrit literature. He was the chairman of the Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy (2021) and the Director of Sanskrit Education and Bhasha Vibhag (1976–1994).

Devarshi Kala Nath Shastry worked as a member of the 2nd Sanskrit Commission of the Government of India (2014-2016).

He has been honoured by a large number of institutions, universities, organisations and governments with titles such as 'Mahamahopadhyaya' (in 2008 by Shri LBS Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Deemed University, New Delhi), 'Sahitya Mahodadhi' (1993), and 'Sahitya Shiromani' (1999) and awards such as Lifetime Achievement Award for Sanskrit, Government of Rajasthan, Jaipur 2012, Lifetime Achievement Award for Sanskrit Journalism by Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Sansthan, 2008, Award for Sanskrit by Central Sahitya Academy (2004), Honours by Ministry of Human Resources, Govt. of India (1995 and 1998). He was recognised for his contribution to Sanskrit by none other than the President of India, Dr. K. R. Narayanan, in 1998. He was bestowed upon with "Rashtrapati Puraskar" for his contribution to Sanskrit.

After obtaining his post-graduation degree with 1st Division in English he taught English Language and literature at the Postgraduate colleges of the University of Rajasthan for eight years, then took over the administration of official language as Deputy Director and later as Director of Bhasha Vibhag (Directorate of Official Language) of the Government of Rajasthan from which position he retired in 1994.

He was also Director of Sanskrit Education, Government of Rajasthan (1991–1993). He served as chairman, Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy (1995–1998) and founder- Chairman of Kavishiromani Bhatt Mathuranath Shastri Sanskrit Chair at the Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Rajasthan Sanskrit University, Jaipur. He is Chairman of the Modern Sanskrit Chair at the Sanskrit University. He is also advising as permanent member of Rajasthan Government's Hindi Law Committee, and as member of Kendriya Sanskrit Board, National Book Trust and Sahitya Academy. He is associated in different capacities with dozens of governmental and non-governmental associations, institutions and organisations related with Sanskrit and Hindi. He is also the founder Chairman of "Manjunath Smriti Sansthan", located in Jaipur.

Devarshi Kala Nath Shastry was born on 15 July 1936. He is a Sanskrit scholar honoured by the President of India in 1988. He is an Indologist and a prolific writer of Sanskrit, Hindi and English, and a well-known linguist, who has contributed to the campaign of evolving technical terminology in Indian languages and ensuring a respectable status to Hindi, the official language of his state and the Indian union.