Dr. Yoganand Shastri
Dr. Yoganand Shastri (डॉ. योगानंद शास्त्री) (Rahad), Born on 17th April 1944, in a respectable family of Late Sh. Mahashaya Prahlad Singh Arya in village Bhadaani, Haryana, who worked throughout his life for national cause and national language and was sent to jail many times.
All this inspired young Yoganand to devote his life for the cause of cultural heritage and society. An intellectual of international eminence, Dr.Yoganand Shastri is a down to earth and very humble person, who believes in simple living and strives for the enhancement of Indian cultural heritage and values.
Academician turned Politician, Dr. Yoganand Shastri till a few years back was Reader at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College where he taught Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology. Two years ago, he took voluntary retirement. However, he has kept himself in touch with the vibrancy and awareness of youth. He is an accessible and tireless leader to whom people's problems are foremost and has been working for the overall development of the capital.
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Family
His wife Damyanti Shastri is daughter of Chaudhary Hira Singh of Mukhmail Pur , she is a reader in Hindi at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College. His daughter Priyanka Singh Sihag is married to Amardeep Sihag of Chautala village grandson of Ch. Sahib Ram Sihag. Son Aniruddh works in real estate consultancy CB Richard Ellis.
Educational Qualifications
- M.A. Ph.D.(Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology)
- Specialization in Ancient languages and scripts (Brahmi, Kharoshthi and Indo-Greek)
- Reader in Bhagat Singh College, Delhi University since 1971
Achievements
- Members Sanskrit Academy, Delhi.
- Convener of University Teachers Congress during 1978-1981.
- Former member of international Aryan League (Sarvadeshika Arya Pratinidhi Sabha).
- Former Treasurer of ‘Vidya Sabha’, Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar.
- Has been a close associate of Swami Omanand Saraswati. He also written Swamiji's biography which can be read here - Biography of Swami Omanand Saraswati
Books/Creative Work by Dr. Shastri
- Dr. Yoganand Shastri is an author of the book ‘Youdheya Republic in ancient India’ published in year 1999.
- He also authored a book "Prachin Bharat Mein Yadhey Ganrajya" based on Culture & relationship of various tribes of ancient India.
- He is writer of ‘Tiranga’ a chapter in the documentary film on National Movement produced by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India.
- Dr. Shastri has delivered more than thirty talks for All India Radio and Doordarshan on Historical and Cultural Diversity in India.
International Representations
Dr. Yoganand Shastri represented India in the year 1972 at the International Congress of Orientalists held in Paris and presented a research paper on ‘The Republican Government in Ancient Conference on Human Sciences held in 1976 in Mexico. In 1983 he attended the International congress held at Tokyo and presented a paper ‘Inscribed Terracottas of the Gupta period depicting Ramayana scenes’ and also attended 34th Congress of Asian and North African Studies in 1993 held at Hong Kong and China. In various symposiums and seminars he presented research papers in Italy, England, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Holland and Switzerland.
Political Career
Dr. Yoganand Shastri joined Congress during student days. He was elected to the Delhi Legislative Assembly in 1998 with a thumping majority and took oath as a Minister for Development, Food and Civil Supplies, Government of Delhi. He was later elected as Vice President, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC). Dr. Yoganand Shastri was again elected to the Delhi Legislative Assembly in 2003 from Malviya Nagar Constituency with another impressive margin and took oath and served as Minister for health & Social Welfare, Govt. of Delhi. In the last Delhi Legislative Assembly elections, he has been again re-elected to the fourth Delhi Assembly, but this time from Mehrauli Assembly Constituency. Following the 4th Delhi Assembly elections, he was unanimously elected Speaker, Delhi Legislative Assembly on 19.12.2008.
Later, in February 2015 elections of Delhi Vidhan Sabha, he was defeated because a new political party Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) clean-sweept the polls.
डॉ. योगानंद शास्त्री की धर्मपत्नी प्रो. दमयंती शास्त्री का निधन
दिल्ली विधानसभा के भूतपूर्व अध्यक्ष और दिल्ली सरकार में मंत्री रहे डा. योगानंद शास्त्री जी की धर्मपत्नी श्रीमती प्रोफ़ेसर दमयंती शास्त्री जी का निधन आज बुधवार 17 जनवरी 2023 को शाम 6 बजे गीतांजली इंक्लेव स्थित उनके निवास स्थान पर हो गया। 72 वर्षीय प्रो. दमयंती जी पिछले कुछ समय से गंभीर रूप से बीमार चल रही थी। उनका अंतिम संस्कार बृहस्पति वार 18 जनवरी को दोपहर 1 बजे लोधी रोड़ स्थित शमशान घाट में किया जायेगा। बाहरी दिल्ली के मुखमेलपुर गाँव में चौधरी हीरा सिंह जी (भूतपूर्व मुख्य कार्यकारी पार्षद) के घर पर जन्मी स्वर्गीय डा. दमयंती शास्त्री जी दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय के भगत सिंह कॉलेज में प्रोफेसर रही।
See also
Rahad : For the gotra history of Dr. Yoganand Shastri
Gallery
External Links
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