BernardoWebb158 at 06:55, 28 January 2026

2026-01-28T06:55:17Z

New page

{{Short description|Author, translator and Member of Royal Asiatic Society (1855–1912)}}

{{Infobox author
| name = Manmatha Nath Dutt (Shastri)
| birth_date = 1855
| death_date = 1912
| occupation = Author & translator of sacred hindu text from Sanskrit to English
| period = 1892-1912
| subject = Hindu literature, religious scriptures, translation of the [[Ramayana]], [[Mahabharata]], [[Puranas]] and other ancient Indian texts.
| notable_works = Translation of the [[Garuda Purana]], the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and other ancient Indian texts related to [[Hinduism]] and [[Buddhism]], both religious and secular.
| awards = Awarded the title of Shastri by Sanskrit College Calcutta in 1901
| image =
| caption = Manmatha Nath Dutt
| nationality = Indian
| language = English, Sanskrit
| birth_place = [[Pabna]], Bengal Presidency, British India
| years_active = 1892-1912
| education = MA in English Literature
| alma_mater = Scottish Church College, Calcutta University,
[[Sanskrit College]],
Member of the [[Royal Asiatic Society]] (MRAS)
}}

'''Manmatha Nath Dutt''' ([[Pabna]], [[British India]] 1855–1912) was a prolific [[Translation|translator]] of ancient [[Hinduism|Hindu]] texts to [[English language|English]]. He has translated many ancient [[Sanskrit]] texts to English. To this day, his translations remain one of the few or sometimes the only English versions of some [[Hindu scripture]]. He translated the [[Ramayana|Valmiki Ramayana]](1892–1894), [[Markandeya Purana]] (1896), [[Bhagavata Purana]] (1896), [[Vishnu Purana]] (1896), [[Harivaṃśa]] (1897), Mahabharata (1895–1905), Mahanirvana Tantra (1900), several ''[[Samhita|samhitas]]'' and ''[[Dharmaśāstra|dharmashastra]]'' texts (1906, 1908–09), [[Garuda Purana]] (1908) and Rig Veda Samhita (1906–1912) which remained incomplete.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-07-17 |title=Manmatha Nath Dutt: The Lost Hero |url=https://openthemagazine.com/columns/guest-column/manmatha-nath-dutt-the-lost-hero/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Open The Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref> He has also translated the Kamandakiya [[Nitisara]] (1896) which is an ancient book authored by Kamandhaka based on Kautilya's Artha Shastra.

Apart from his translations of sacred and secular texts on Sanatana and [[Buddhism]], he has also authored some books in English. Among them are his biography of [[The Buddha|Buddha]](1901), and Gleanings from Indian classics (1893) which is a collection of famous stories and anecdotes from classical Sanskrit literature. In the introduction to this book, Manmatha Nath Dutt mentions that it was his attempt to clear western misconception about Hindu religion, literature, and philosophy.

== Biography ==
Manmatha Nath Dutt was born into a [[Bengalis|Bengali]] family at [[Pabna District|Pabna]], [[Bengal Presidency]] in British India.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SEARCHING FOR A HERO LOST IN TRANSLATION |url=https://thedailyguardian.com/searching-for-a-hero-lost-in-translation/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=TheDailyGuardian |language=en}}</ref> He received his formal education in Calcutta University where he earned a MA in English and thereafter was awarded the title of Shastri by the Sanskrit College in Calcutta. He became the rector of the Keshub Academy an institute named after [[Keshub Chandra Sen]]. He did most of his translation work while he was a rector at Keshub Academy.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-07 |title=The Ganguli-Dutt Bind |url=https://openthemagazine.com/columns/the-ganguli-dutt-bind/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Open The Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref> He became the member of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1894.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1895-01-01 |title=I. General Meetings of the Royal Asiatic Society |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-royal-asiatic-society/article/abs/i-general-meetings-of-the-royal-asiatic-society/3508D9B3D6D8D4F419823FA62AE7B113 |journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society |language=en |volume=27 |issue=1 |pages=213–214 |doi=10.1017/S0035869X00022917 |issn=2051-2066|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Manmatha Nath Dutt was the maternal grandfather of the eminent Indian freedom fighter [[Sucheta Kripalani|Sucheta Kriplani]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-13 |title=Manmatha Nath Dutt-I |url=https://openthemagazine.com/columns/guest-column/manmatha-nath-dutt-i/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Open The Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Goyal |first=Anuradha |date=2020-10-13 |title=Manmatha Nath Dutt By Bibek Debroy |url=https://www.anuradhagoyal.com/manmatha-nath-dutt-bibek-debroy/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Anuradha Goyal |language=en-US}}</ref>

A road in North Kolkata (Manmatha Dutt Road) is named after him.

== References ==

{{reflist}}

{{Improve categories|date=September 2024}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dutt, Google Lens finds one or more versions of this prior to upload here}}
[[Category:1855 births]]
[[Category:1912 deaths]]
[[Category:Scottish Church College alumni]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:People from the Bengal Presidency]]

{{Translator-stub}}

Manmatha Nath Dutt - Revision history

BernardoWebb158 at 06:55, 28 January 2026