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{{for|Bengali writer|Hara Prasad Shastri}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Hariprasad Shastri
| image =
| image_size =
| image_upright =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1919|10|17}}
| birth_place = Malataj, [[Petlad]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2014|8|9|1919|10|17}}
| death_place = [[Ahmedabad]], Gujarat, India
| occupation = Historian, [[epigraphist]], [[indologist]]
| language = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
| nationality =
| education =
| alma_mater =
| period =
| notableworks =
| spouse = {{marriage|Shridevi Bhatt|1947}}
| children = Nandan (son)
| relatives =
| awards = {{plainlist|
* [[Narmad Suvarna Chandrak]] (1951)
* [[Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak]] (1960)
* [[Kumar Suvarna Chandrak]] (1975)
}}
| signature =
| module = {{Infobox academic
| child = yes
| doctoral_advisor = [[Rasiklal Parikh]]
| thesis_title = Gujarat Under the Maitrakas of Valabhī: History and Culture of Gujarat During the Maitraka Period, Circa 470-788 A.D.
| thesis_year = 1947
| thesis_url= https://books.google.com/books?id=zeVjAAAAMAAJ
}}
}}

'''Hariprasad Gangashankar Shastri''' (17 October 1919 – 9 August 2014) was an Indian scholar, historian, [[epigraphist]], [[indologist]] and editor primarily known for his work on the political and cultural history of [[Gujarat]] state. He spent much of his career at the B. J. Institute of Learning and Research, [[Ahmedabad]] as a lecturer, professor, deputy director and then as director.

==Early life==
[[File:Gangashankar V Shastri.jpg|thumb|Gangashankar Shastri, father of Hariprasad Shastri|upright=0.8]]
Hariprasad Shastri was born on 17 October 1919 at Malataj, a village near [[Petlad]].<ref name="GSP">{{cite web |title=હરિપ્રસાદ શાસ્ત્રી, ગુજરાતી સાહિત્ય પરિષદ |website=[[Gujarati Sahitya Parishad]] |url=http://www.gujaratisahityaparishad.com/prakashan/photo-gallery/sahitya-sarjako/Hariprasad-Shastri.html |language=gu |access-date=2018-12-26}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> He was the youngest son of Gangashankar Shastri, a physician and ritualist. His elder brother, [[Shankarlal Shastri]], was a professor of Sanskrit at the Bahauddin College, [[Junagadh]] and a [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] literary critic.<ref name="(India)1977">{{cite book|title=Gazetteers: Kheda District|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v1FuAAAAMAAJ|year=1977|publisher=Directorate of Government Print., Stationery and Publications|page=700|oclc=312722922}}</ref> His grandfather, [[Vrajlal Shastri|Vrajlal Kalidas Shastri]] (1825–1892) was a scholar of Sanskrit and Prakrit languages as well as a pioneer philologist of [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] and the youngest brother of the saint-poet, [[Chhotam]] (1812–1885).<ref name="Felicitation Volume">{{cite book|editor1-last=Parikh|editor1-first=P. C.|editor2-last=Shelat|editor2-first=Bharati|editor2-link=Bharati Shelat|editor3-last=Parmar|editor3-first=Thomas|title=Dr. H.G. Shastri Felicitation Volume|date=June 1994|publisher=Dr. H.G. Shastri Felicitation Volume Committee, C/o Dr. Bharati Shelat|location=Ahmedabad|pages=3–7|oclc=32466092}}</ref>

As he pursued higher studies, his PhD guide, [[Rasiklal Parikh]] served as a key source of inspiration. Shastri was also influenced by the views of [[Mahatma Gandhi]], [[Swami Vivekananda]] and [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]].

He married Shridevi Bhatt, daughter of an educationalist Karunashankar Kuberji Bhatt, in 1947. They had a son.<ref name="Felicitation Volume"/>

==Education==
Hariprasad Shastri was educated the primary school of his village, Malataj (1924–1930), and then attended A. V. High School, Malataj (1930–1932). He moved to [[Junagadh]] and joined Bahadur Khanji High School in 1932, from where, he [[matriculated]] in 1936.<ref name="GSP"/> He received [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in 1940 and MA with Sanskrit (Epigraphy) and [[Ardhamagadhi language|Ardhamagadhi]] language as his major subjects in 1942 from the [[University of Bombay]].<ref name="Lal1992">{{cite book|editor=Mohan Lal|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KnPoYxrRfc0C&pg=PA3994|year=1992|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-260-1221-3|pages=3994–3995}}</ref>

Later, he joined the [[Gujarat Vernacular Society]], [[Ahmedabad]], as a lecturer, and started his research under the guidance of [[Rasiklal Parikh]]. He wrote his thesis on the ''Political and Cultural History of the Maitraka Kingdom of Vallabhi'' on the basis of inscriptions of the [[Maitraka dynasty]], and was awarded PhD in 1947.<ref name="Lal1992"/><ref name=":0" />

==Academic career==
In 1945, Shastri joined the B. J. Institute of Learning and Research, Ahmedabad as a lecturer where he taught Indian Culture and [[Sanskrit]]. He took roles of increasing responsibilities and was recognized as a P.G. teacher in Indian Culture in the year 1952 and in Sanskrit in the year 1956, by [[Gujarat University]]. In 1958, he was promoted as an assistant director of the B. J. Institute and served on this position for six years. He served there as the director from 1968 to his retirement in 1979.<ref name="GSP"/><ref name=":0"/> He also served as a Professor at Shri Ramananda Mahavidyalay, Ahmedabad in 1955–1956 and L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad in 1958–1962. He served as the president of Gujarat Itihas Parishad from 1960 to 1962.<ref name="GSP"/><ref name="Felicitation Volume"/>

He died on 9 August 2014 in [[Navarangpura|Navrangpura]], Ahmedabad.<ref name=":0" />

==Works==
Selected works by Shastri:<ref name="Lal1992"/><ref name="Felicitation Volume"/>

===Gujarati===
* Harappa & Mohenjo-daro (1952)
* Gujarat during the Maitraka Period (in two parts) (1955)
* Indian culture Extended in Indonesia (1957)
* Ancient History of Gujarat (1964, 1973, 1994)
* Ceylo (1969)
* Ancient India (in two parts) (1970)
* Asoka and His Inscription (1972)
* Portions of Political and Cultural History of Gujarat (1972–87)
* Indian Epigraphy (1973)
* Indian Culture Spread in China (1975)
* The Source of the Ancient History of Gujarat (1978)
* Indian Numismatics (co-authored P. C. Parikh, 1979)
* Ancient Spread of Indian Culture in Neighbouring Countries (co-authored with S. S. Shah, 1980)
* Buddhist Architecture in India (1983)
* The Inscriptions of Gujarat as a Source of History (1983–1984)
* Charotar Reflected in Mirror of History (1989)
* Studies and Research (1991)
* The Memoirs of Life (1991)
* Karunashankar: the Educationalist (1991)

===English===
* A Historical and Cultural Study of the Inscriptions of Gujarat up to 1304 A.D. (1989)
* History and Culture of Gujarat during the Maitraka Period

Besides writing above books, Shastri also edited several books related to history of Gujarat. He served as an editor for a Gujarati magazine ''[[Buddhiprakash]]'' in 1957-58.<ref name="GSP"/> He had authored or co-authored about 775 research papers.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31805&articlexml=Hariprasad-Shastri-historian-dies-at-95-17082014004034|title=Hariprasad Shastri, historian, dies at 95|date=2014-08-17|website=The Times of India|access-date=2018-12-26}}</ref>

==Recognition==
* [[Narmad Suvarna Chandrak]] for 1951 awarded by Narmad Sahitya Sabha in 1958 for his book ''Maitrakkalin Gujarat''.<ref name="GSP"/>
* [[Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak]] for 1960 awarded by [[Gujarat Sahitya Sabha]] in 1962 for his contributions in historical research.<ref name="GSP"/><ref name=":0" />
* [[Kumar Suvarna Chandrak]] (1975).<ref name="GSP"/>
* Haridas V. Gokani Gold Medal for the research paper ''Shrikrishna in Harivamsa: A Critical Study'' presented at the 8th session of Gujarat Itihas Parishad, Patan, 1975.<ref name="Lal1992"/>

==Selected papers==
* {{cite journal |last=Shastri |first=Hariprasad |title=THE FALL OF THE VALABHI KINGDOM |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=10 |year=1947 |publisher=Indian History Congress |pages=238–241 |jstor=44137138}} {{closed access}}
* {{cite journal |last=Shastri |first=Hariprasad |title=THE PURANIC CHRONOLOGY OF THE MAURYAN DYANSTY |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume= 22 |year=1959 |publisher=Indian History Congress|pages=78–83|jstor=44304272}} {{closed access}}
*{{cite journal |last=Shastri |first=Hariprasad |title=LACUNAE IN THE STUDY OF THE EARLY HISTORY OF GUJARAT |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume= 23, Part - II |year=1960 |publisher=Indian History Congress|pages=170–173|jstor=44137534}} {{closed access}}
* {{cite journal |last=Shastri |first=Hariprasad |title=THE DATE OF THE FOUNDATION OF AHMEDABAD |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume= 26, PART II |year=1964 |publisher=Indian History Congress|pages=119–123|jstor=44140333}} {{closed access}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Gbooks-author|Hariprasāda Gaṅgāśaṅkara Śāstrī}}
* {{Internet Archive author|search=Hariprasad Shastri}}
* {{Internet Archive|id=in.ernet.dli.2015.318477|name=Historical Inscriptions of Gujarat}} (Part 4)

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shastri, Hariprasad}}
[[Category:1919 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language writers]]
[[Category:Writers from Gujarat]]
[[Category:Scholars from Gujarat]]
[[Category:People from Anand district]]
[[Category:Indian Indologists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian historians]]

Hariprasad Shastri - Revision history

>Goszei at 01:23, 25 January 2021