Pandurang Vaman Kane was one of India’s greatest Sanskrit scholars, Indologists, and historians of ancient Indian law and culture. He was born on 7 May 1880 in Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra. Renowned for his vast learning and rigorous scholarship, Kane devoted his life to the study and interpretation of India’s classical texts.
Pandurang Vaman Kane is best known for his monumental work History of Dharmasastra, a multi-volume scholarly masterpiece that examines ancient Indian social, religious, and legal traditions in extraordinary detail. This work is regarded as one of the most authoritative studies of Hindu law, customs, and institutions and is respected worldwide for its depth, objectivity, and use of original sources.
Apart from this landmark contribution, Kane wrote extensively on Sanskrit literature, philosophy, and Indian cultural history. His scholarship helped modern Indians and global academics understand the complexity and richness of India’s ancient intellectual traditions. He was admired for his clarity of thought, balanced judgment, and dedication to academic integrity.
Pandurang Vaman Kane also served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bombay (now the University of Mumbai), where he promoted higher learning and research. Though not directly involved in politics, his work strengthened cultural self-confidence during the colonial and early post-independence periods.
In recognition of his unparalleled contribution to Indian scholarship, Pandurang Vaman Kane was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1963. He passed away on 18 April 1972.
He is remembered as a towering intellectual figure whose lifelong dedication preserved and clarified India’s civilizational heritage for future generations.