1. Introduction
Krishna Kanta Handique (20 July 1898 – 7 June 1982) was one of Assam’s most distinguished Sanskrit scholars, Indologists, linguists, educationists and philanthropists. He made important contributions to the study of Sanskrit literature, Indian culture and classical languages and played a major role in the development of higher education in Assam.
Handique is particularly remembered as the founding Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University, a position he held from 1948 to 1957. Before that, he served as the founding principal of J.B. College, Jorhat. His scholarship extended beyond Sanskrit: he studied numerous Indian and European languages and used his knowledge of languages and Western academic traditions to deepen the study of Indian texts and culture.
His contributions were recognised with the Padma Shri in 1955 and the Padma Bhushan in 1967. After his death, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1985, making his scholarly legacy an important part of Assamese literary history.
2. Quick Facts
| Particular | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Krishna Kanta Handique / Krishna Kanta Handiqui |
| Native Name | কৃষ্ণকান্ত সন্দিকৈ |
| Date of Birth | 20 July 1898 |
| Place of Birth | Jorhat, Assam |
| Date of Death | 7 June 1982 |
| Place of Death | Dibrugarh, Assam |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Profession | Sanskrit scholar, Indologist, educationist, linguist and philanthropist |
| Field of Achievement | Sanskrit, Indology, literature, education and classical studies |
| Languages Known | Reportedly 13 languages, including Indian and European languages |
| Major Academic Position | Founding Vice-Chancellor, Gauhati University |
| Years Active | Particularly prominent in scholarship and education from the 1920s to 1982 |
| Major Awards | Padma Shri (1955), Padma Bhushan (1967), Sahitya Akademi Award (1985, posthumous) |
The Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University profile records his birth in Jorhat and describes his extensive linguistic and scholarly training.
3. Award Information
Padma Bhushan – 1967
| Award Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Award Name | Padma Bhushan |
| Award Category | Literature and Education |
| Award Year | 1967 |
| Awarded To | Shri Krishna Kanta Handique |
| State | Assam |
| Presented By | President of India |
| Date of Ceremony | The exact ceremony date is not clearly established in the official online record available today |
| Official Field/Reason | Literature and Education |
The official Government of India Padma Awards database lists Shri Krishna Kanta Handique – Padma Bhushan (1967) – Literature and Education – Assam.
The historical postal record also states that he received the Padma Bhushan from the President of India.
Earlier Award: Padma Shri
Handique received the Padma Shri in 1955, also in the field of Literature and Education. The original 1955 Gazette of India records his name as “Handiqut, Shri Krishna Kant” and identifies him as Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University.
Later Recognition: Sahitya Akademi Award
In 1985, three years after his death, Handique was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award posthumously for Krishnakanta Handiqui Rachana Sambhar, a collection of critical writings. The work was recognised in Assamese literary criticism.
4. Why Did Krishna Kanta Handique Receive the Padma Bhushan?
Krishna Kanta Handique received the Padma Bhushan in 1967 in the field of Literature and Education.
His recognition was connected with his exceptional contribution to Sanskrit scholarship, Indological research and education. He produced important studies of classical Sanskrit works and also contributed significantly to the development of higher education in Assam.
His work was not limited to writing books. As the founding Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University, he helped establish an institutional foundation for higher education in the region. His scholarship, educational leadership and dedication to Indian classical learning made him one of Assam’s leading intellectual figures.
Important: The official Padma database gives his field as “Literature and Education” rather than providing a lengthy individual citation. Therefore, it is better for a blog to describe his contributions rather than invent a detailed “official citation.”
5. Early Life
Krishna Kanta Handique was born on 20 July 1898 in Jorhat, Assam, into a prominent Tai-Ahom family. His father was Rai-Bahadur Radha Kanta Handique, a respected figure associated with Assam’s social and educational development.
From an early age, Handique demonstrated an exceptional interest in learning. His intellectual curiosity eventually extended beyond Sanskrit and Assamese to numerous Indian and European languages.
Unlike someone interested only in obtaining academic degrees, Handique developed a reputation for pursuing knowledge for its own sake. His years in Europe exposed him to European languages, literature and academic traditions, which later influenced his approach to Indological scholarship.
6. Education
Handique’s education was unusually broad for his time.
Major stages of his education
- Jorhat Government High School – early schooling.
- Cotton College, Guwahati – studied from approximately 1913 to 1915.
- Sanskrit College, Calcutta – studied from 1915 to 1917.
- University of Calcutta – completed higher studies and obtained an M.A. in Sanskrit in 1919.
- Oxford University – studied in Britain.
- University of Paris – continued his intellectual and linguistic studies.
- University of Berlin – further exposure to European scholarship.
The exact description of his European studies varies among secondary biographical accounts, but authoritative institutional profiles agree that his years in Europe were crucial in developing his knowledge of Western languages and scholarship.
A remarkable linguist
Handique was reputed to know 13 languages, including Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit and several European languages such as Latin, Greek, French, German, Russian, Italian and Spanish.
His multilingual ability helped him compare Indian classical traditions with European literary and scholarly traditions.
7. Career Journey
Founding Principal of J.B. College
In 1930, Handique became the founding principal of J.B. College, Jorhat. He remained associated with the institution for many years and contributed to the growth of higher education in Upper Assam.
President of Asam Sahitya Sabha
Handique served as president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha at its Guwahati session in 1937, when he was only 39 years old. This reflected his growing reputation in Assamese literary and intellectual circles.
Founding Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University
One of his most important roles came in 1948, when he became the first Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University.
He served as Vice-Chancellor until 1957, helping establish the academic and administrative foundations of the university during its formative years.
His approach to education emphasised character, intellectual development and the practical influence of education on society.
8. Major Achievements
Some of Krishna Kanta Handique’s most important achievements include:
1. Major Sanskrit scholarship
His research on classical Sanskrit literature established him as a major Indologist.
2. Translation of Naisadhacarita
His English translation and study of Sriharsha’s Naisadhacarita, published in 1934, became one of his best-known scholarly achievements.
3. Yasastilaka and Indian Culture
Published in 1949, this work examined the Sanskrit literary work Yasastilaka and its relationship to Indian culture and intellectual traditions.
4. Pravarasena’s Setubandha
Another important scholarly work was his study of Pravarasena’s Setubandha, published in 1976.
5. Development of higher education
As founding Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University, he played an important role in building Assam’s higher-education system.
6. Promotion of multilingual scholarship
His knowledge of Indian and European languages enabled him to approach Indian classical literature from a broad comparative perspective.
9. Contribution to the Nation
Krishna Kanta Handique’s contribution to India went beyond individual academic publications.
Preservation of Indian classical knowledge
Through his Sanskrit and Indological research, he helped make important Indian classical texts accessible to a wider scholarly audience.
Development of education
His work at J.B. College and Gauhati University contributed to the expansion of higher education in Assam.
Encouragement of intellectual exchange
His knowledge of European languages allowed him to connect Indian scholarship with international academic traditions.
Philanthropy
Handique was also known for supporting educational and literary institutions. He eventually donated his extensive personal library to Gauhati University, making valuable books available to future students and researchers. The collection is reported to have contained 7,489 books.
Support for scholarship after his death
He also gave the copyrights of his works to institutions involved in Sanskrit, Prakrit and Indological studies, helping ensure that his scholarship would continue to benefit researchers.
10. Other Awards and Honours
Krishna Kanta Handique received several important recognitions during and after his lifetime.
Padma Shri – 1955
He received the Padma Shri in 1955 in the field of Literature and Education.
Padma Bhushan – 1967
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1967 for Literature and Education.
Honorary Fellowship of Deccan College
He was made an Honorary Fellow of Deccan College in 1968.
Honorary D.Litt.
Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University conferred honorary Doctor of Literature distinctions on him, according to biographical accounts.
Sadasya Mahiyan
The Asam Sahitya Sabha honoured him with the distinction of Sadasya Mahiyan, a significant recognition in Assamese literary circles.
Sahitya Akademi Award – 1985
He received the Sahitya Akademi Award posthumously in 1985 for Krishnakanta Handiqui Rachana Sambhar.
11. Legacy and Influence
Krishna Kanta Handique’s legacy can be seen in three major areas: scholarship, education and philanthropy.
His scholarly works remain significant to the study of Sanskrit literature and Indian culture. His career as the founding Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University helped shape the university’s early academic identity.
His decision to donate his large personal library also demonstrated his belief that knowledge should be shared rather than kept private.
The Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University (KKHSOU) in Assam bears his name, reflecting the continuing recognition of his contribution to education. Its institutional profile describes him as a major Sanskritist, Indologist and educationist.
The Government of Assam has also instituted the Krishna Kanta Handique Memorial Award to promote Sanskrit language and literature.
12. Interesting Facts
Here are some interesting facts you can use in your blog:
- He was born in Jorhat in 1898, at a time when modern higher education in Assam was still developing.
- He reportedly knew 13 languages.
- His linguistic knowledge included both classical Indian and European languages.
- He became the founding Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University.
- He served as president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha in 1937.
- His personal library reportedly contained 7,489 books.
- He received both the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan during his lifetime.
- He received the Sahitya Akademi Award after his death.
- A commemorative postage stamp in his honour was issued on 7 October 1983.
- The university named Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University carries his name as a continuing tribute to his educational legacy.
13. Quotes
A particularly useful quotation attributed to Handique comes from his convocation address at Gauhati University in 1955:
“the man counts more than the degrees”
The larger message of the speech was that the value of university education should ultimately be judged by its influence on a person’s life and actions. This captures Handique’s educational philosophy: education was not merely about obtaining qualifications but about developing the individual.
For your blog, it is best to use this short quotation rather than unattributed “quotes” circulating on social media.
14. Timeline of Krishna Kanta Handique’s Life
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1898 | Born on 20 July in Jorhat, Assam |
| 1913–1915 | Studied at Cotton College, Guwahati |
| 1915–1917 | Studied at Sanskrit College, Calcutta |
| 1917–1919 | Higher studies at Calcutta University |
| 1920s | Pursued extensive studies in Europe and learned European languages |
| 1930 | Became founding principal of J.B. College, Jorhat |
| 1934 | Naisadhacarita of Sriharsha published |
| 1937 | President of Asam Sahitya Sabha |
| 1948 | Became founding Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University |
| 1949 | Yasastilaka and Indian Culture published |
| 1951 | President of Classical Sanskrit Section, All India Oriental Conference |
| 1955 | Received Padma Shri |
| 1957 | Completed his tenure as Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University |
| 1961 | General President of the All India Oriental Conference session at Srinagar |
| 1967 | Received Padma Bhushan |
| 1968 | Became Honorary Fellow of Deccan College |
| 1976 | Pravarasena’s Setubandha published |
| 1982 | Died on 7 June |
| 1983 | Government of India issued a commemorative postage stamp |
| 1985 | Posthumously received the Sahitya Akademi Award |
The timeline is compiled from institutional and government sources, including the Padma Awards database, KKHSOU profile and historical biographical material.
15. References
For a credible blog, I recommend prioritising these sources rather than relying only on Wikipedia or general biography websites:
- Government of India – Padma Awards Database — Best source for his Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan records.
- Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University – Brief Profile — Useful institutional biography.
- Assam.org – Krishna Kanta Handique biography — Detailed discussion of his education, scholarship, philosophy and legacy.
- 1955 Padma Awards – Gazette of India — Primary government record for his Padma Shri.
- Indian postal-history records documenting his commemorative stamp and career details.
Blog research tip: For the strongest article, cite the Government of India’s Padma Awards database for award information and KKHSOU/Gauhati University-related institutional sources for biographical and educational information.
16. Related Personalities
If your blog is about Indian scholars, Assamese personalities or Sanskrit scholarship, you could also cover:
- Anundoram Borooah – pioneering Assamese Sanskrit scholar and Indologist.
- Lakshminath Bezbaroa – major Assamese literary figure.
- Atul Chandra Hazarika – Assamese writer and scholar.
- Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna – Sanskrit scholar and educationist.
- Suniti Kumar Chatterji – renowned Indian linguist and scholar.
- Radhakanta Deb – Sanskrit scholar and educationist.
- Mulk Raj Anand – Indian writer and contemporary recipient of the 1967 Padma Bhushan.
- D. V. Potdar – historian and scholar who also received the 1967 Padma Bhushan in Literature and Education.
17. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who was Krishna Kanta Handique?
Krishna Kanta Handique was an Assamese Sanskrit scholar, Indologist, linguist, educationist and philanthropist who played an important role in Indian classical scholarship and higher education in Assam.
When was Krishna Kanta Handique born?
He was born on 20 July 1898 in Jorhat, Assam.
When did Krishna Kanta Handique die?
He died on 7 June 1982.
Which award did Krishna Kanta Handique receive in 1967?
He received the Padma Bhushan in 1967 in the field of Literature and Education.
Did Krishna Kanta Handique receive the Padma Vibhushan?
No. This is an important correction for your blog. The official Government of India record lists him as a Padma Bhushan recipient in 1967, not Padma Vibhushan.
When did he receive the Padma Shri?
He received the Padma Shri in 1955.
What was Krishna Kanta Handique’s major academic position?
He was the founding Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University, serving from 1948 to 1957.
How many languages did Krishna Kanta Handique know?
Biographical sources commonly state that he knew 13 languages, including Indian and European languages.
What are his major books?
His best-known scholarly works include Naisadhacarita of Sriharsha, Yasastilaka and Indian Culture and Pravarasena’s Setubandha.
Did Krishna Kanta Handique receive the Sahitya Akademi Award?
Yes. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award posthumously in 1985 for Krishnakanta Handiqui Rachana Sambhar.
Why is Krishna Kanta Handique remembered today?
He is remembered for his contributions to Sanskrit and Indological scholarship, his role in establishing higher education in Assam, his multilingual scholarship, his philanthropy and his influence on generations of students and researchers.
About the Author
