Lal Mani Joshi Biography
Lal Mani Joshi was an academician, Buddhist scholar and professor of comparative religions and Buddhist studies, who taught at many universities in India and USA. He lived during the period, 27 July 1935 - 16 July 1984. Professor Joshi spent the last years of his life in USA from 1981 to spring 1984. He was well known for his constant dedication and effort or virya-paramita ('the perfection of energy'). Studies in the Buddhistic Culture of India; Dhammapada, Pali text in Gurumukhi script, Brahmanism, Buddhism and Hinduism; Facets of Jaina Religiousness in Comparative Light; Discerning the Buddha - A Study of Buddhism and of the Brahmanical Hindu Attitude to it etc are some of the books authored by him.
Lal Mani Joshi was born on 27 July 1935 in Kumaon Hills, Uttarakhand. He completed his graduation from University of Allahabad in the late 1950s, where he studied History, Philosophy and English literature. He later got attracted to Buddhist Studies, and did extensive research works in this field. He also published his works related to this subject, and taught at many colleges too. He also learnt under G. C. Pande, a well-known Indian historian of the Vedic and the Buddhist periods. He completed his thesis under this renowned historian. In 1964 Joshi obtained his PhD from Gorakhpur University, also took Master’s in Pali.
He began his professional career as a lecturer at Department of Ancient History, Culture & Archaeology, University of Gorakhpur in 1961. He was posted as Assistant Professor. He served in this post till he got a senior research fellowship in the Department of Comparative Religion, Punjabi University in 1968. He moved to US in 1969, and since then has taught comparative religions and Buddhist studies in India and USA. He died at a comparatively young age of 48 in New Delhi.
Published: December 04, 2018
Updated: December 04, 2018