Kashinath Trimbak Telang facts for kids

Kashinath Trimbak Telang (born August 20, 1850, in Bombay – died September 1, 1893, in Bombay) was an important Indian scholar who studied India's history and culture. He was also a respected judge at the Bombay High Court.

Early Life and Schooling

Kashinath Telang grew up in a Gaud Saraswat Brahmin family. When he was five years old, he started school at the Amarchaud Wadi local school. In 1859, he joined the high school in Bombay named after Mountstuart Elphinstone. There, he was greatly influenced by his teacher, Narayan Mahadev Purmanand, who was very smart and had a strong personality. They later became close friends.

As a student, Telang won a special scholarship to study Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. He continued to study Sanskrit deeply throughout his life. After high school, he went to Elphinstone College. He earned advanced degrees in arts and law (M.A. and LL.B.). He then decided to become a lawyer, following the path of Bal Mangesh Wagle, who was the first Indian allowed to practice law in the high court. Telang passed his exams and began his legal career in 1872.

His Career and Contributions

Working as a Lawyer

Kashinath Telang was a successful lawyer at the high court. He was also very active in many other areas, including writing, social work, city management, and politics. He was also involved with the University of Bombay, where he became the vice-chancellor in 1892, a position he held until his death.

Because of his great knowledge and skills, he quickly became a very busy lawyer. He spoke English perfectly, and his deep understanding of Sanskrit helped him study and use Hindu law books easily. This was something many European lawyers found difficult. He was one of the lawyers who defended Rukhmabai in a famous court case about marriage rights. Telang was offered a government job, but he turned it down because his law career was going so well. However, in 1889, he accepted a position as a judge on the high court. His decisions as a judge are still considered very important, especially those related to Hindu law.

Helping Education

Telang was a leader in education. He was a special member of the university's governing body from 1881. He then became the vice-chancellor of the university in 1892, holding this role until he passed away. In that same year, he was also chosen to be the President of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. No Indian person had ever held these two important positions before him.

In 1884, he received a special honor called the C.I.E. This was to recognize his work as a member of the Hunter Commission. This commission was set up by the government to improve the education system in India.

Involvement in Politics

Telang was active in politics from 1872 to 1889. In 1884, he was chosen to be a member of the Bombay legislative council. He was offered a similar position on the viceroy's council, but he did not accept it. He, along with other lawyers from Bombay like Pherozshah Mehta and Badruddin Tyabji, helped start the Bombay Presidency Association. He was also the secretary for the first meeting of the Indian National Congress in 1885.

Studying Sanskrit

Telang translated the Bhagavad Gita, a very important Hindu scripture, into English prose and poetry. This translation is still widely used today. It is part of a large collection of sacred books called the Sacred Books of the East, put together by Max Müller. Telang's translation is in Volume 8, titled Bhagavadgita With the Sanatsugâtiya and the Anugitâ (published in 1882).

In 1884, he also published a historical Sanskrit play called Mudrarakshasa by Vishakhadatta. This was done with the help of the Education Department and the Government Central Book Depot in Bombay. Telang disagreed with a theory by Albrecht Weber, who thought that the story of the Ramayana was influenced by ancient Greek poems like the Homeric epics.

Even though he loved the sacred writings of the Hindus, Telang also cared about his own language, Marathi. He translated Lessing's play Nathan the Wise into Marathi. He also wrote an essay in Marathi called Social Compromise.

Works

• The Bhagavadgîtâ With the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâ (1882)
• Rise of the Maráthá Power (1900)
• Mudrarakshasa With the Commentary of Dhundiraja (1915)