Noted Sanskrit scholar Mahamahopadhyaya R. Krishnamurthy Shastri passed away in Chennai

Mahamahopadhyaya R. Krishnamurthy Shastri. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Renowned Sanskrit scholar and former Principal of Madras Sanskrit College, Mahamahopadhyaya R. Krishnamurthy Shastri passed away at his home on Sunday afternoon. He was 82. Family sources said he was active until the end. Even on Sunday he completed Mahalaya tarpana.

Sources said that on September 23, he attended a function at Orikkai in Kancheepuram where the Kanchi Sankara Mutt pontiffs observe Chaturmasyam. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was present on the occasion.

He was born in 1944 in Mullaivaasal village as the second son of Brahmashri Rajagopal Ghanapathigal and his wife Balamba. Under the guidance of his father, he studied the Vedas. He subsequently studied Vedanta and Sastras at the Madras Sanskrit College and successfully completed the Vedanta Shiromani and Mimamsa Shiromani examinations. He received his M.A. in Sanskrit from Sri Venkateswara University and then his Ph.D. from the University of Madras where he researched the subject of Ishtasiddhivivarana

He began his teaching career as a Sanskrit Pandit at the Vaideeswara Oriental School, Mettur, where he served from 1964 to 1973. In 1973, he was appointed as a lecturer in Vedanta at the Madras Sanskrit College. He then served as Vice Principal at SV Vedic/Educational Institution in Tirumala. He then returned to the Madras Sanskrit College as Professor of Advaita Vedanta. He became the Principal of Madras Sanskrit College in 1999.

He passed the first class Vedabhashya examination and through the gracious blessings of Kanchi Mahaperiyava, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swami, was honored with the title of “Vedabhashyaratnam”. Several Peethadhipatis and educational institutions conferred titles on him including Shastralankara, Vedanta Visharada, Advaita Siddhanta and Advaitavada Visharada.

In 1999, Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati awarded him the prestigious title of “Mahamahopadhyaya”. In 2013, he was awarded the President’s Award by the President of India.

He is the author of several works including Siddhanta-traya-sara in Tamil, Vedanta-Prashnottara-Ratnamalika in Sanskrit and Shastrartha-Sumanjari in Sanskrit. After retiring from his position as headmaster, he established an institution called Brahmavidya Bhavanam where he taught Veda, Veda-Bhashya and Vedanta to young students.

Published – 27 Sep 2026 23:16 IST