Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar

Sir Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar (1837–1925) was a pioneering Indian scholar, orientalist, and social reformer. A Sanskrit scholar of international repute, he was among the first graduates of Bombay University in 1862 and later earned a Ph.D. from the University of Göttingen. Bhandarkar held prominent academic positions, including the first Indian Professor of Sanskrit at Deccan College, Pune, and Vice-Chancellor of Bombay University. His scholarly contributions include foundational works on Sanskrit grammar, such as First Book of Sanskrit and Second Book of Sanskrit, as well as historical research on the Satavahanas and various Hindu sects. A staunch advocate for social reform, he championed women's education and widow remarriage, and the renowned Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute was established in his honor.