Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi

Sampurnanand Sanskrit University is an institution of higher learning in Sanskrit allied areas and is located in Benares which is also known as Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. In the year 1791, during British rule in India Jonathan Duncan, Resident of Honourable East India Company proposed an establishment of Sanskrit College for development and preservation of Sanskrit Vangmaya and to show that English people are in favour of development of India people. This was sanctioned by Governor General Lord Cornwallis. The first teacher of this Institution was Pandit Kashinath. Governor General sanctioned a budget of Rs. 20,000 per annum at that time. The first principal of Government Sanskrit College was the famous Sanskrit Professor John Muir, ICS followed by Dr. J.R. Ballentien, Ralph T. H. Griffith, Dr. G. Thevo, Dr. Aurthor Venice, Sir Ganganath Jha, and Gopinath Kaviraj among others.[1]

In 1857, this College Started Postgraduate teaching. Whereas the examination system was adopted in 1880. In 1894 famous building of Saraswati Bhavan Granthalaya was built, where thousands of manuscript are preserved. These manuscripts are edited by the Principal of College and published in the form of book. The series of these books are known as Sarasvati Bhavana Texts. More than 400 books are published in this series.

After independence of India, in the year 1958 the effort of Sampurnanand changed the status of this institution from college to a Sanskrit University. In the year 1974 its name was changed to Sampurnanand Sanskrit University.[2]

Veda-Vedanga

In this faculty there are three departments which are as follows
1. Department of Veda
2.Department of Vyakarna
3. Department of Jyotish

[edit] Sahitya Sanskriti

In this faculty there are two departments which are as follows
1. Department of Sahitya
2.Department of Puranetihas

[edit] Darshana(Philosophy)

In this faculty there are two departments which are as follows
1. Department of Vedant
2.Department of Sankhyayogtantram

[edit] Shraman Vidya

In this faculty there is one departments which namely
1. Department of Pali and Thevad

[edit] Adhunik Jyan Vigyan

In this faculty there is one department namely
1. Department of Modern Language and Linguistics

[edit] Ayurveda

In this faculty there are many departments, such as
1. Kayachikitsa Tantra (Internal medicine)
2. Shalya Tantra (Surgery)
3. Shalakya Tantra (ENT)
4. Kaumarabhritya Tantra (Pediatrics)
5. Agada Tantra (Toxicology)
6. Bajikarana Tantra (Purification of the genetic organs)
7. Rasayana Tantra (Health and Longevity)
Proposed department of this faculty is
Bhuta Vidya (Spiritual Healing)

In earlier times when the status of this institution was Sanskrit College, all the research activities was carried by the Principal of the College. Which includes the work done for manuscript which were kept in Saraswati Bhavan Granthalaya.
When the status of the institution become of University, the whole research work done in University was supervised by the Director, Research Institute. The director is the chief editor of famous book series Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala and also the chief editor of journal Sarasvati Susama. He has to supervise all the research activities in the University. Director, is the academic head of the University.[3].