Late Kasturmal Banthia

Summary

The article commemorating the late Kasturmal Banthia serves as both biography and bibliography of a devoted scholar-translator. Born into a merchant family in Indore, Banthia received his education at Ajmer, Allahabad and Bombay before joining the Birlas’ business house. He spent five years in London, where exposure to English scholarship broadened his intellectual horizon. After the death of his wife, he withdrew from business and devoted himself entirely to reading and writing, focusing on Jain philosophy and history. The article emphasises Banthia’s passion for translation: he rendered numerous Gujarati and English works into Hindi, aiming to make Jain literature accessible to a wider readership. Among his twenty translations are The Life of Hemacandra Ācārya, Studies in Jaina Art, Jainism in Bihar, and The Life of Lord Mahāvīra. He also translated Muni Punyavijaya’s History of the Śvetāmbara Canon and J.C. Jain’s Life in Ancient India. In addition to translation, Banthia wrote original essays on topics such as Jain logic and biography. Unfortunately, many of his manuscripts remained unpublished at the time of his death on 6 July 1969. The article notes his contributions to the Jain Journal as a regular contributor and acknowledges his assistance to scholars in verifying bibliographic references. Although he never sought recognition, his work greatly facilitated the dissemination of scholarly research in Hindi. The obituary concludes by expressing regret that Banthia’s project of translating the Gommatsāra and other canonical texts could not be completed. Through its detailed listing of his translated works, the piece highlights the crucial role played by translators in bridging linguistic communities and preserving doctrinal knowledge.