View source for Lokesh Chandra

{{Short description|Indian historian (born 1927)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name             = Lokesh Chandra
| image            = Lokesh Chandra.jpg
| birth_date       = {{birth-date and age|11 April 1927}}
| birth_place      = [[Rawalpindi]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British India]]
| nationality      = Indian
| title            = Ex-President, [[ICCR]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iccr.gov.in/|title=Home &#124; Official website of Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Government of India|website=www.iccr.gov.in}}</ref>
| education        = M.A., 1947, Ph.D., 1950
| occupation       = Scholar
}}
'''Lokesh Chandra''' (born 11 April 1927 in [[Ambala]], [[India]]) is a prominent scholar of the [[Vedas|Vedic period]], [[Buddhism]] and the Indian arts. Between 1942 and 2004, he published 576 books and 286 articles.

He has also held many official positions in the Indian government and was twice a member of Indian Parliament (during the period 1974-1980 and in 1980-1986).

== Biography ==
Lokesh Chandra was born on 11 April 1927 in [[Ambala]], [[India]]. He is the son of the famous [[Sanskrit]] scholar, linguist and politician [[Raghu Vira]]. After obtaining a master's degree at the [[University of the Punjab]] in [[Lahore]] in 1947, he edited the Gavamayana portion of the Vedic work Jaiminiya Brahmana with the help of newly discovered manuscripts. Chandra went to the Netherlands to study Old Javanese with the Indologist [[Jan Gonda]] at [[Utrecht University]], where he obtained a Ph.D. with the dissertation ''Jaiminiya Brahmana of the Samaveda II.1-80'' in March 1950.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sanchiuniv.org.in/pdf/Lokesh%20Chandra%20CV.pdf |title=Bio Data of Prof. Lokesh Ckandra, p.3|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Sanchi University if Buddhist—Indic Studies |access-date=26 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728205214/http://www.sanchiuniv.org.in/pdf/Lokesh%20Chandra%20CV.pdf |archive-date=28 July 2014 |url-status=dead}}  and 11 September 2021.</ref> Among them are classics like his ''Tibetan-Sanskrit Dictionary'', ''Materials for a History of Tibetan Literature'', ''Buddhist Iconography of Tibet'', and his ''Dictionary of Buddhist Art'' in 15 volumes.<ref name="archive1" />

He is not only an eminent scholar, but has also held many official positions in the Indian government as a member of several committees: Education, Official Language, but also Tourism, Heavy Industry and many others, as his expertise was not limited to Buddhism and Indian Art, his favourite fields. He was also a member of the Indian Parliament twice (1974-1980) and (1980-1986).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sanchiuniv.org.in/pdf/Lokesh%20Chandra%20CV.pdf |title=Bio Data of Prof. Lokesh Ckandra, p.2|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Sanchi University if Buddhist—Indic Studies |access-date=26 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728205214/http://www.sanchiuniv.org.in/pdf/Lokesh%20Chandra%20CV.pdf |archive-date=28 July 2014 |url-status=dead }} and 11 September 2021.</ref>

In 2006 he was conferred with [[Padma Bhushan]] by the Indian Government.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.india.gov.in/myindia/padmabhushan_awards_list1.php?start=210 |title=Padma Bhushan Awardees |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=archive.india.gov.in |publisher=Government of India |access-date=26 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727232800/http://archive.india.gov.in/myindia/padmabhushan_awards_list1.php?start=210 |archive-date=27 July 2014 |df=dmy-all }} and 11 September 2021.</ref>

He was the president of [[Indian Council for Cultural Relations]] during 2014–2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/24157/Prof+Lokesh+Chandra+appointed+as+the+17th+President+of+Indian+Council+for+Cultural+Relations|title = Prof. Lokesh Chandra appointed as the 17th President of Indian Council for Cultural Relations}}.</ref> He has also served as a member of the [[India]]n [[Rajya Sabha]], vice-president of the [[Indian Council for Cultural Relations]], and Chairman of the [[Indian Council of Historical Research]].<ref name="archive1">{{cite web |url=http://14.141.36.212/hj/iccr_qc/content/bio-profile-prof-lokesh-chandra-president-iccr |title=Bio Profile of Prof. Lokesh Chandra, President, ICCR &#124; Indian Council for Cultural Relations |access-date=2015-02-08|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208213558/http://14.141.36.212/hj/iccr_qc/content/bio-profile-prof-lokesh-chandra-president-iccr |archive-date=8 February 2015 |df=dmy-all }} and  11 September 2021.</ref>

== Selected works ==
Between 1942 and 2004, Lokesh Chandra published numerous books (alone or as co-author) and articles, totalling 862 publications.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sanchiuniv.org.in/pdf/Lokesh%20Chandra%20CV.pdf |title=Bio Data of Prof. Lokesh Ckandra, p.8-27 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Sanchi University if Buddhist—Indic Studies |access-date=26 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728205214/http://www.sanchiuniv.org.in/pdf/Lokesh%20Chandra%20CV.pdf |archive-date=28 July 2014|url-status=dead }} and 11 September 2021.</ref>  While it is not possible to reproduce an exhaustive list, here are some of the most frequently cited.

=== Books ===
*''Tibetan-Sanskrit Dictionary'' in 12+7 volumes, New Delhi, International Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan, 1961, reprint in 1971, 1991, 1993 {{ISSN|0581-8532}}.
* ''Nīlakaṇṭha Lokeśvara as the Buddhist apotheosis of Hari-hara'', New Delhi, International Academy of Indian Culture, 1979, 18p.<ref>''Nīlakaṇṭha Lokeśvara as the Buddhist apotheosis of Hari-hara'', read online : [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/498593454]. Retrieved 11 September 2021.</ref>
* ''The Thousand-armed Avalokiteśvara, Volume 1'', New Delhi,  Abhinav Publications, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, 1988, 303 p., {{ISBN|9788170172475}}.<ref>''The Thousand-armed Avalokiteśvara, Volume1'', read online :[https://books.google.com/books?id=0kBSFcX-K4wC]. Retrieved 9 September 2021. The book is also available on  [[Internet Archive]], read online:[https://archive.org/details/170338465-the-thousand-armed-avalokitesvara/mode/2up]. Retrieved 11 September 2021.</ref>
* ''Dictionary of Buddhist Iconography''. Śata-pitaka series: Indo-Asian literatures in 15 volumes, New Delhi, Published by International Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan, 1999–2005, {{ISSN|0581-8532}}.
*''India's Contributions to World Thought and Culture'' (Collective work edited by Lokesh Chandra), Madras, Publishers: Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee, 1971, 838 p.<ref>''India's Contributions to World Thought and Culture'', read online :[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.107624/page/n3/mode/2up]. Retrieved 11 September 2021.</ref>
*''Transcendental Art of Tibet'', New Delhi, Published by International Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan, 1996, 234 p. {{ISBN|9788186471890}}.
* ''Cultural Horizons of India: Studies in Tantra and Buddhism, art and archaeology, language and literature (Śata-pitaka series :Indo-Asian literatures  in 7 volumes n° : 361, 366, 370, 381, 388, 390, 391), New Delhi, Published by International Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan, 1990-1998, {{ISBN|8185179522}} (ISBN of the 1st volume).<ref>''Cultural Horizons of India: read online [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/25080906]. Retrieved 11 September 2021.''</ref>''
* ''Kāranda-vyūha-sūtra or The supernal virtues of Avalokiteśvara'', New Delhi, International Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan,   1999,  295 p, {{ISBN|9788186471890}}.
* With Raghu Vira, ''Gilgit Buddhist Manuscripts.'' Śata-pitaka series in 10 vol. Revised and Enlarged Compact Facsimile Edition. New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1959–74, reprint in 1995 (3 volumes)  by Sri Satguru Publishers, {{ISBN|9788170304449}} and {{ISBN|9788170304456}}.<ref>''Gilgit Buddhist Manuscripts.''  Front Cover [https://books.google.com/books?id=xpeDJwAACAAJ]. Retrieved  11 September 2021.</ref>
* With Sharada Rani, ''Mudras in Japan'',. Volume 243 of Śata-pitaka series :Indo-Asian literatures,  New Delhi, 1978 (Reprint :Vedams eBooks in  2001), 302 p. {{ISBN|9788179360002}}.<ref>''Mudras in Japan'', read online [https://books.google.com/books?id=YxamptX6L74C]. Retrieved 11 September 2021.</ref>

=== Articles ===
*{{cite journal |last=Chandra |first=Lokesh |date=1985–1986|title=The Origin of Avalokita-svara/Avalokite-śvara |journal= Indologica Taurinenaia |volume=XIII |pages=187–202 |url=http://www.asiainstitutetorino.it/Indologica/volumes/vol13/vol13_art13_CHANDRA.pdf|access-date=9 September 2021}}
*{{cite journal |last=Chandra |first=Lokesh |date=1979|title=Origin of The Avalokiteśvara of Potala|journal=Kaylash: A Journal of Himalayan Studies |pages=21 pages|url= https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/227204/kailash_07_01_01.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y |access-date=11 September 2021}}

==See also==
*[[Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāraṇī]], article in which several texts of Lokesh Chandra are presented and quoted.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{cite AV media |people=Lokesh Chandra,  Yashaswini Chandra |title=Buddhist iconography: Dr. Lokesh Chandra in conversation with Dr. Yashaswini Chandra |medium=Video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_t-gC73AtI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/7_t-gC73AtI |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}

{{Buddhism topics}}
{{Modern Buddhist writers}}
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2000–09}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chandra, Lokesh}}
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian historians]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian linguists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in literature & education]]
[[Category:Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha]]
[[Category:Indian scholars of Buddhism]]
[[Category:Translators from Tibetan]]
[[Category:University of the Punjab alumni]]
[[Category:Utrecht University alumni]]
[[Category:People from Ambala]]
[[Category:Indian expatriates in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Scholars from Haryana]]
[[Category:Indian Buddhists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian Buddhists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian Buddhists]]