From the Archives (February 23, 1922): Sanskrit studies

The Times' Educational correspondent writes — The cause of Oriental Scholarship in India cannot fail to be encouraged by the recent six months' tour to all parts of the country, as well as to Nepal and Tibet, of Dr. F. W. Thomas, the distinguished Orientalist, who is the librarian to the India Office. His report to the Royal Asiatic Society last week was necessarily condensed, but afforded most gratifying evidence of the devoted and serious efforts of many Indian scholars to remove the reproach that India was content for so long a time to lag behind Western countries in the field of Oriental research. Dr. Thomas showed that the lead given by the Calcutta University in providing facilities for research is being followed at some of the other Universities; and that the Provincial Governments, several of the more important Native States, many non-official societies and institutes, and individual students and patrons of learning are showing eagerness in the quest of knowledge of Ancient India. In particular he made some noteworthy observations on the present day representatives of the Tols, or pandit's schools of Sanskrit. These institutions began to attract the attention of Government in the closing years of the 18th century.