->Ingeodes at 14:27, 9 January 2022

2022-01-09T14:27:38Z

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{{Short description|Indian philosopher (1925-2021)}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Copy edit|date=July 2021}}
{{sources|date=July 2021}}
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{{Infobox philosopher
| name = A. K. Chatterjee
| image = AKChatterjee.jpg
| caption = Chatterjee on his 94th Birthday
| birth_date = {{birth-date|27 November 1925}}
| birth_place = [[Allahabad]]
| death_date = {{d-da|21 April 2021|27 November 1925}}<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sebastian |first1=C. D. |title=Obituary: A. K. Chatterjee (1925–2021) |journal=Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research |date=May 2021 |volume=38 |issue=2 |pages=273–279 |doi=10.1007/s40961-021-00240-y}}</ref>
| alma_mater = [[Banaras Hindu University]]
| occupation = Professor of Philosophy
| institutions = Banaras Hindu University
| awards = Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR)
- Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014
}}

'''Ashok Kumar Chatterjee''' (27 November 1925 - 21 April 2021<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sebastian |first1=C. D. |title=Obituary: A. K. Chatterjee (1925–2021) |journal=Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research |date=1 May 2021 |volume=38 |issue=2 |pages=273–279 |doi=10.1007/s40961-021-00240-y}}</ref>) was an Indian [[philosopher]] and [[Buddhist]] scholar who was a professor of philosophy at the [[Banaras Hindu University]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=28 August 2021|title=Chatterjee, Ashoke Kumar 1933-|url=http://worldcat.org/identities/lccn-nb2004301828/|url-status=live|access-date=28 August 2021|website=Worldcat}}</ref> Varanasi. He is best known for his book ''The Yogãcāra Idealism'', published in 1962, in which he interpreted Yogacara-Vijnanavada school of [[Buddhism]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chatterjee |first1=Ashok Kumar |title=The Yogācāra idealism |date=1975 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |location=Delhi |isbn=9788120803152 |edition=2d, rev.}}</ref> He died at the age of 95 in [[Varanasi]].

== About ==
Ashok Kumar Chatterjee was born in [[Allahabad]] to a [[Bengalis|Bengali]] [[Brahmin]] family. He was first inspired by his uncle, Professor A. C. Mukherjee of [[Allahabad University]], and he continued his education under his [[Guruji]] professor T. R. V. Murti of Banaras Hindu University, where he had a distinguished academic record. He attended the Central Hindu School of [[Banaras Hindu University]] throughout high school and intermediate studies and then continued his B. A., M. A. , and Ph.D. in philosophy. He received a French and German diploma. His command over [[Sanskrit]], English, and [[Hindi]] is well acknowledged.{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}} He is known to have frequently engaged in philosophical discussions with leading figures in [[Indian philosophy]] like Professor [[Kalidas Bhattacharya]]. He was a Sayajirao Gaekwad Fellow from 1947 to 1950 in the Department of Philosophy, [[Banaras Hindu University]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Annual Report 2014-15 |url=https://www.bhu.ac.in/anualreport/_pdf_files/Eng_Annual_Report2014-15.pdf}}</ref>

== Career ==
Chatterjee was a professor from 1950 to 1963 at [[Agra University]]<ref>{{cite web |title=DR. BHIMRAO AMBEDKAR UNIVERSITY, AGRA |url=http://www.dbrau.org.in/AboutUniversity.aspx |website=www.dbrau.org.in |access-date=14 February 2021}}</ref> (now Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University Agra, since 1995) and became the Head of the Department of Philosophy. After establishing the Centre of Advanced Study in Philosophy at Banaras Hindu University, he joined Banaras Hindu University in 1963 and retired in 1985 as the Professor and the Head of the Department of Philosophy and Religion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Banaras Hindu University, Faculty of Arts, Department of Philosophy and Religion, Varanasi |url=https://www.bhu.ac.in/arts/philosophy_religion/faculty.php |website=www.bhu.ac.in |access-date=14 February 2021}}</ref> Chatterjee taught [[logic]] and [[analytic philosophy]] at Banaras Hindu University, but his ''forte'' was [[Buddhist philosophy]].

The [[Indian Council of Philosophical Research]] (ICPR), [[New Delhi]], honoured him with the National Lectureship in 1992 and Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |title=BHU Annual Report 2014-15, p. 69 |url=https://www.bhu.ac.in/anualreport/_pdf_files/Eng_Annual_Report2014-15.pdf |website=www.bhu.ac.in |access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> He was the president of the Metaphysics and Epistemology Section of the 45th Session of the Indian Philosophical Congress in 1971 (held at [[Osmania University]], [[Hyderabad]]). He was the General President of the 86th Session of the Indian Philosophical Congress (IPC)<ref>{{cite web |title=http://indianphilosophicalcongress.in/ |url=http://indianphilosophicalcongress.in/}}</ref> held at [[Annamalai University]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Annamalai University |url=https://annamalaiuniversity.ac.in/index.php |website=annamalaiuniversity.ac.in}}</ref> Chennai, in 2011. As one finds from his writings, the 1960s and 1970s were the most effervescent period of Professor A. K. Chatterjee's academic acumen.<ref name="auto">{{cite book|last1=Sebastian|first1=C. D.|title=Recent researches in Buddhist studies : Festschrift in honour of Professor A.K. Chatterjee|date=2008|publisher=Sri Staguru Publications|isbn=978-8170308904|edition=1st|location=Delhi, India}}</ref>

== Publications ==
Chatterjee is a leading figure in [[Buddhism]] in general and the ''[[Yogācāra]]'' in particular. Professor [[David J. Kalupahana]] wrote about Chatterjee's ''magnum opus'' (''The Yogācāra Idealism''): "Ashok Kumar Chatterjee has produced one of the few detailed and significant treatments of ''[[Yogachara|Yogācāra]]''. Unfortunately, his work "The ''Yogācāra Idealism"'' has not enjoyed the same publicity as his teacher's work (T. R. V. Murti's ''The Central Philosophy of Buddhism''). Yet, it is no way second to Murti's treatment of ''[[Mādhyamika]]'' philosophy."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kalupahana |first1=David J. |title=The principles of Buddhist psychology |date=1987 |publisher=State University of New York Press |location=Albany, N.Y. |isbn=9780585061450}}</ref>

== Books ==
* ''The Yogācāra Idealism (1962)''
* ''Readings on Yogācāra Buddhism (1971)''
* ''Facets of Buddhist Thought (1973)''
* ''Sākșī in Vedānta (1978)''
In 2008, the students of A. K. Chatterjee brought out a ''[[Festschrift]]'' to honour him.<ref name="auto"/>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chatterjee, A.K.}}
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Banaras Hindu University faculty]]
[[Category:Banaras Hindu University alumni]]
[[Category:Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University faculty]]
[[Category:Indian scholars of Buddhism]]
[[Category:Yogacara scholars]]
[[Category:People from Allahabad]]

A.K. Chatterjee - Revision history

->Ingeodes at 14:27, 9 January 2022