Sanskrit is making a quiet comeback in Pakistan’s higher education system for the first time since Partition, with Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) introducing a course in the classical language. The program started as a three-month weekend workshop but, due to strong interest, has expanded into a full four-credit university course.
Dr Ali Usman Qasmi, Director of the Gurmani Centre, highlighted that Pakistan holds one of the richest Sanskrit archives, housed in the Punjab University library, yet local scholars have largely ignored it since 1947. “A collection of Sanskrit palm-leaf manuscripts catalogued in the 1930s has been used mainly by foreign researchers. Training local scholars will change that,” he said. LUMS also plans to offer courses on the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita, aiming to cultivate Pakistan-based scholars over the next decade.
Initially, the weekend program was open to students, researchers, lawyers, and academics. Encouraged by the response, LUMS converted it into a formal university course, with plans to offer a year-long program by spring 2027.
Dr Shahid Rasheed, Associate Professor of Sociology at Forman Christian College, is central to the initiative. Having studied Arabic, Persian, and Sanskrit through online mentorship from scholars at Cambridge and Australia, he took a sabbatical to teach the LUMS course. “Many students were fascinated to learn that numerous Urdu words originate from Sanskrit. Initially challenging, the logical structure of the language made learning a rewarding experience,” he explained.
Both scholars see the initiative as part of a broader effort to connect with Pakistan’s linguistic heritage, which includes Sindhi, Pashto, Punjabi, Balochi, Arabic, and Persian. Dr Qasmi emphasized the importance of engaging with classical texts, noting that much of the region’s literature, art, and philosophy traces back to the Vedic age.
Despite political sensitivities, interest in Sanskrit is growing. Dr Rasheed sees it as a unifying cultural language: “Sanskrit is a cultural monument, not tied to any single religion. Learning it helps us claim a shared heritage.” He adds that cross-cultural language learning, such as Hindus and Sikhs learning Arabic or Muslims learning Sanskrit, could foster understanding and serve as a bridge across South Asia.
