Buddhist Sanskrit Manuscripts of Nepal: Continuity of Ancient Indian Textual Traditions in the Himalayas

Keynote Speaker: Prof. Shanker Thapa, Professor of History (retired), Tribhuvan University.

Chair: Shri Shyam Sharan, President, IIC

The Buddhist manuscripts of Nepal are the only surviving original literary heritage of Mahayana Buddhism, preserved for over 1,500 years. The lecture will highlight their historical context, their links with Indian Buddhist traditions, and their role in preserving ancient wisdom. It will also cover medieval Buddhist scholarship, Newar manuscript culture, Nepal’s contributions to manuscript preservation, indigenous literature, repositories, and digital databases.

Prof Shanker Thapa is the first Dean of Lumbini Buddhist University, has taught for 40 years and held fellowships in Seoul and Tokyo. Since 2010, he has been digitizing endangered Sanskrit manuscripts and has authored 18 books, 26 chapters, and over 100 research articles on Buddhism worldwide

Fifteenth in a series of lectures organized by IIC-International Research Division with the support of Ministry of External Affairs