Vidyadhar Johrapurkar
Vidyadhar Pasusa Johrapurkar, also spelled as Vidyadhar Pasusa Joharapurkar, is a Sanskritist, social anthropologist, and historian who specializes in Jainism and Jain philosophy.
Early life and education
Born in Nagpur, Johrapurkar completed his M.A. in 1956 and Ph.D. in 1959 from Nagpur University.Johrapurkar's early love for reading was inspired by his grandfather Nemasav's personal library. As a young man, he joined the Jain Svayamsevak Sangh, which sparked his interest in social service. His close friend Shantikumar Killedar encouraged his study of Indian history and social anthropology.
Career
He worked as a Professor of Sanskrit in the Department of Education under the Government of Madhya Pradesh. Throughout his career, he taught Sanskrit at various government colleges, including those in Nagpur, Jabalpur, Jaora, Mandala, and Bhopal. He eventually retired as Professor and Head of the Department of Sanskrit at Government College, Keolari, District Seoni, Madhya Pradesh.Literary work
Johrapurkar has published nearly 100 scholarly articles in well-known magazines like Sanmati and Anekanta. He has also been interviewed by Nagpur Doordarshan and Radio Nagpur.One of his notable works, Bhattaraka-Sampradaya, offers a detailed reconstruction of Digambar Jain monastic lineages through the study of Jain inscriptions.