Ram Avatar Sharma

Ram Avatar Sharma Biography

Mahamahopadhyaya Ram Avatar Sharma was a Sanskrit scholar, historian, indologist, professor and writer. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was his favourite student who was instrumental in publishing his books after his death. Professor Pandit Nalin Vilochan Sharma, a poet who started New Poetry movement in Hindi literature was his eldest son. Both have worked as professors of Hindi Literature in University of Patna. Ram Avatar Sharma wrote his first book Dheernaishadham when he was only 15. His works are written in English, Hindi, Sanskrit and Pali languages.

Pandit Ramavatara Sharma was born in Bihar on March 6, 1877 as the son of a Brahmin Sanskrit guru, Dev Narayan Pandey. As asked by father, he joined Sanskrit learning at Varanasi assisting his father at the age of 12 and became a disciple of famous Gangadhar Shastri. He passed the Kavyateerth examination at the age of 15 and wrote the first book the same year itself. He completed his Sahityacharya the same year from Queen's College in Benaras as the topper. Dr Vennis, of same college suggested him to learn English also and hence, Sharma borrow a copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica which he read through once. He became so verse that he could easily locate any word of Encyclopedia. During this time, he changed his name from Pandey to Sharma.

He left Banaras in search of a job and became a teacher at Chapra High School. In 1901 he returned to his hometown and became a lecturer at Central Hindu College. He defeated his guru, Gangadhar Shastri and Maharshi Shraddhanand in Shastrarth during this time. In 1922, he decided to return to Patna, explaining, 'My Bihar is poor and needs me.' He was so verse in writing that many scholars believed that he would write fifth Veda. But he died on April 3, 1929. Many of his works were published after his death.     

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Updated: January 02, 2014