Theresa Suski
www.herenow4u.net/index.php?id=96587
Nearly one and a half years have passed, since the last visit of Prof. Hampa Nagarajaiah. Fortunately, Prof. Hampa Nagarajaiah from Bangalore University, Karnataka, once again visited the Center for Jaina Studies (CfJS) at Free University Berlin, Germany. It was not only Prof. Hampana who returned but also his endless power and positive energy with which he suffused us.
The reason for his visit was the award ceremony of the Prakrit Jnanabharathi International Award of the National Institute of Prakrit Studies & Research, Shravanabelagola, India. This prize, including INR Rs. 1,50,000 (One Lakh Fifty Thousand), was committed to Prof. Christine Chojnacki, Professor for languages and cultures of India at the University of Lyon, France, and to Prof. Johannes Bronkhorst, Professor of Sanskrit and Indian Studies at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Distinguished guests, colleagues and friends like Prof. Shiva Prakash, Prof. Monika Zin, Prof. Adalbert J. Gail and Prof. Nalini Balbir accepted Prof. Hampanas invitation to participate in this important ceremony. The award ceremony took place in the auditorium of the Asian Art Museum in Berlin-Dahlem and was kindly organized within a few days by Patrick Krueger, the head of the Berlin Center for Jaina Studies.
After having started this memorable day by having tea and coffee, mutual salutations and first conversations, Patrick Krueger and Prof. Hampana welcomed all participants with a lively speech. Even Prof. Shiva Prakash and Prof. Monika Zin shortly orated, emphasizing the honor of Prof. Hampanas visit, the planned abolishment of the subject of Art History of South Asia at Free University Berlin and the upcoming excursion to India, to which Prof. Hampana kindly invited six students of the Free University Berlin. After being introduced and honored by Prof. Adalbert J. Gail, Prof. Christine Chojnacki accepted the Prakrit Jnanabharathi International Award, which was presented by Prof. Hampana himself. Prof. Nalini Balbir, from Paris University (Sorbonne III), bestowed the title upon Prof. Johannes Bronkhorst, the second honoree of the Prakrit Jnanabharathi International Award.
During the prize giving ceremony, Prof. Hampana paid tribute to the two honorees and to Prof. Adelheid Mette, who unfortunately could not attend this award ceremony. Furthermore, he thanked the present guests, friends, and colleagues for following his invitation, his supporters for having made this festivity possible within a very short time and all attendees for having such a good time. Subsequently we were all invited to have lunch together, to end this great day with delicious food and inspiring subject specific conversations.
We, all participants and me, are all very thankful, that this great ceremony took place in our Center for Jaina Studies in Berlin. It was a special honor for us to welcome so many great scholars at our center and to meet them in such familiar surroundings. The six students from the Free University Berlin, including me, are delightedly looking forward to following Prof. Hampanas invitation to join the Jaina-Excursion in India. He is offering us a great opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the great scholars we met.
Thank you so much for these inspiring days, Prof. Hampana!
Berlin, 21.10.2013
Theresa Suski
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