Pakistan has taken a notable academic step by reintroducing Sanskrit into higher education, marking the first such initiative since the country’s creation in 1947. The move comes from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), which has launched a four-credit Sanskrit course following the success of a three-month weekend workshop.
The programme aims to familiarise students with the ancient language while also introducing them to classical South Asian texts and cultural references linked to Sanskrit literature. As part of the course activities, students have been exposed to elements drawn from epics such as the Mahabharata, including well-known adaptations that resonate across the region.
Academics associated with the initiative have pointed out that Pakistan holds a substantial collection of Sanskrit manuscripts, particularly palm-leaf texts preserved at Punjab University. Many of these manuscripts were catalogued during the colonial period but have remained largely unstudied in the decades since. The new academic push seeks to develop local expertise capable of researching and interpreting these texts.
University authorities have indicated that this is only the beginning. Plans are underway to introduce dedicated courses focusing on the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita in the coming years. The long-term goal is to cultivate a generation of Pakistani scholars proficient in Sanskrit and classical South Asian studies.
Those driving the initiative argue that Sanskrit is part of the shared cultural and intellectual heritage of the subcontinent and should be studied beyond religious or national boundaries. The reintroduction of the language is being seen as an effort to reconnect with a broader historical and cultural past through academic inquiry rather than political positioning.