Kathmandu, June 15

Various programmes were organised to mark the Jayatu Sanskritam, the first student movement that took place on 15 June 1947, in Kathmandu today.

The movement was initiated against the Rana regime, demanding democracy and inclusion of modern subjects, including English, Maths, Science, Geography, among others, in the curriculum of Rajakiya Sanskrit Vidhyalaya. The main proponents of the movement were Parashuram Pokhrel, Purna Prasad Brahman, Sribhadra Sharma, Kamal Raj Regmi, Rajeshwar Devkota and Gokarna Shastri.

Students had submitted a memo to the-then prime minister Padma Shamsher, making a call to him to introduce these subjects, to which he did not respond. Instead, the leaders of the movement were sent to exile, who later joined leaders, including BP Koirala in India, to overthrow the Rana regime.

A morning rally was taken out today from Balmeeki Vidyapeeth which concluded at Durbarmarg.  Addressing the programme, vice chancellor at Nepal Sanskrit University Prof Kul Prasad Koirala stressed the importance of Sanskrit language.

The Jayatu Sankritam Award of this year will be provided to Prof Bishnu Raj Atreya for his Sanskrit epic ‘Hanumadayan’. The award carries a purse of Rs 11,111.