View source for Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid

{{Short description|Indian Vedic scholar and astrologer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2025}}

{{Infobox person
| name          = Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid
| image         = 
| alt           = 
| caption       = 
| birth_place   = [[Varanasi]], Uttar Pradesh, India
| occupation    = Vedic scholar, astrologer
| known_for     = Vedic astrology, determining muhurta for Ram Mandir consecration
| awards        = [[Padma Shri]] (2025)
}}

'''Pandit Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid''' is an Indian Vedic scholar, astrologer, and Sanskrit academic based in [[Kashi, Uttar Pradesh|Kashi]], [[Uttar Pradesh]]. He is widely recognised for his contributions to traditional Hindu rituals, Vedic sciences, and astrology. In 2025, he was conferred the [[Padma Shri]], India’s fourth-highest civilian award, for his distinguished service in the field of literature and education.<ref>{{Cite web |title=जानें कौन हैं गणेश्वर शास्त्री द्रविड़ जिन्होंने राम मंदिर प्राण प्रतिष्ठा का शुभ मुहूर्त निर्धारित किया |url=https://www.india.com/hindi-news/faith-hindi/know-who-is-ganeshwar-shastri-dravid-who-determined-the-auspicious-time-for-the-ram-madir-pran-pratishtha-time-6608273/ |work=India.com (Hindi) |date=22 January 2024 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=कौन हैं पंडित गणेश्वर शास्त्री द्रविड़, जिन्होंने अयोध्या में रामलला की मूर्तिपूजा का शुभ मुहूर्त निर्धारित किया |url=https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/india/up-uttarakhand/varanasi/who-is-pandit-ganeshwar-shastri-who-determined-auspicious-time-for-consecration-of-ramlala-ayodhya/2026969 |work=Zee News (Hindi) |date=22 January 2024 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=पंडित गणेश्वर शास्त्री द्रविड़ को पारंपरिक ढेर पहन कपड़े में मिला पद्म श्री, जानें उनके बारे में |url=https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/religion/pandit-ganeshwar-shastri-dravid-received-padma-shri-in-indian-attire-dhoti-know-more-about-him/2735081 |work=Zee News (Hindi) |date=29 April 2025 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
 |title=Padma Awards 2025 announced
 |url=https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2096285
 |website=Press Information Bureau
 |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
 |date=25 January 2025 |access-date=7 June 2025
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
 |title=Padma Awards 2025 – Notifications |url=https://www.padmaawards.gov.in/Document/pdf/notifications/PadmaAwards/2025.pdf
 |website=Padma Awards (Official)
 |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=28 April 2025 |access-date=8 June 2025
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Who is Padma Shri‑awarded Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid? History |url=https://www.abplive.com/photo-gallery/astro/who-is-padma-shri-awarded-ganeshwar-shastri-dravid-history-2870913 |work=ABP Live |date=27 January 2025 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref>

== Career and contributions ==
Dravid is a senior scholar affiliated with the [[Kashi Vidvat Parishad]], a prestigious institution of Vedic scholars. He has significantly contributed to the preservation and promotion of Vedic knowledge and astrology. One of his most widely acknowledged contributions was identifying the auspicious muhurta (ceremonial time) for the [[Pran Pratishtha]] of the [[Ram Mandir]] in [[Ayodhya]], which took place on 22 January 2024.<ref name="toi-padma">{{cite news |title=Padma Shri received by Kashi Vedic scholar Dravid Ganeshwar Shastri |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/padma-shri-received-by-kashi-vedic-scholar-dravid-ganeshwar-shastri/articleshow/120742028.cms |work=The Times of India |date=27 January 2025 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><ref name="hindupost">{{cite news |title=Shri Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid – the unsung Vedic luminary behind Bharat's sacred moments honored with Padma Shri |url=https://hindupost.in/news/shri-ganeshwar-shastri-dravid-the-unsung-vedic-luminary-behind-bharats-sacred-moments-honored-with-padma-shri/ |work=Hindu Post |date=27 January 2025 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Renowned astrologer Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid to oversee Pran Pratishtha rituals in Ayodhya |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/renowned-astrologer-ganeshwar-shastri-dravid-to-oversee-pran-pratishtha-rituals-in-ayodhya/articleshow/107021429.cms |work=The Times of India |date=20 January 2024 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=अयोध्या राम मंदिर उद्घाटन: रामलल्ला की मूर्तिपूजा के शुभ समय का निर्धारण करने वाले पंडित गणेश्वर शास्त्री का परिचय |url=https://www.livehindustan.com/uttar-pradesh/story-ayodhya-ram-temple-inauguration-who-is-pandit-ganeshwar-shastri-who-determined-the-auspicious-time-for-the-consecration-of-ramlala-read-profile-9107613.html |work=Live Hindustan (Hindi) |date=22 January 2024 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=वाराणसी के 10 शख्सियतों में पद्म श्री से सम्मानित गणेश्वर शास्त्री, राम मंदिर समारोह में निभाई भूमिका |url=https://www.bhaskar.com/local/uttar-pradesh/varanasi/news/uttar-pradesh-varanasi-kashi-10-personalities-writer-ram-bahadur-rai-sadhvi-ritambhara-devi-honored-padma-shri-ganeshwar-shastri-ram-temple-134361012.html |work=Dainik Bhaskar |date=29 April 2025 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref>

In addition to his scholarly contributions, he was one of the proposers for Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]]’s 2024 Lok Sabha nomination from Varanasi.<ref name="ndtv">{{cite news |title=Who is Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid, seen with PM Narendra Modi while filing nomination from Varanasi? |url=https://ndtv.in/india/who-is-ganeshwar-shastri-dravid-seen-with-pm-narendra-modi-while-filing-nomination-from-varanasi-5659857 |work=NDTV |date=14 May 2024 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><ref name="amarujala-proposer">{{cite news |title=Padma Shri awarded to Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid, proposer of PM Modi |url=https://www.amarujala.com/uttar-pradesh/varanasi/padma-award-2025-kashi-scholar-pandit-ganeshwar-shastri-dravid-proposer-of-pm-modi-awarded-padma-shri-ann-2870930 |work=Amar Ujala |date=29 April 2025 |access-date=17 June 2025 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== Recognition ==
Pandit Dravid was awarded the [[Padma Shri]] in 2025 by the Government of India in recognition of his lifelong dedication to Sanskrit scholarship, astrology, and his pivotal role in the Ram Mandir ceremonies.<ref name="ht-padma">{{cite news |title=Four from UP among Padma Shri awardees |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/four-from-up-among-padma-shri-awardees-101745868905746.html |work=Hindustan Times |date=26 January 2025 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><ref name="ie-padma">{{cite news |title=Key figures behind Ram Temple opening among Padma Shri awardees |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/key-figures-behind-ram-temple-opening-among-padma-shri-awardees-9799505/ |work=Indian Express |date=27 January 2025 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref><ref name="etvbharat">{{cite news |title=Journalist, astrologer from Varanasi get Padma Awards |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/en/!bharat/journalist-astrologer-from-varanasi-get-padma-awards-enn25012602351 |work=ETV Bharat |date=26 January 2025 |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Ram Mandir]]
* [[Kashi Vidvat Parishad]]
* [[Chandrakant Sompura]]

== References ==
<references />

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Literature & Education}}

[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian astrologers]]
[[Category:Indian Vedic scholars]]
[[Category:People from Varanasi]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature and education]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]