Patna: The third edition of the Prof Surendra Gopal memorial lecture was organised at the Patna Museum auditorium here on Wednesday to commemorate the 90th birth anniversary of the eminent historian. The event witnessed participation from noted academicians, jurists, doctors and public figures, and featured a keynote lecture by Sunita Sharma on the historical evolution of the Indian caste system.
Sharma, former sectional president of the Indian History Congress and a noted scholar of gender studies, examined the caste system through the lens of changing historical perspectives. She stressed the need for rigorous and objective historical inquiry to understand the complexities of India’s social structure and the evolution of caste over centuries.
The session was presided over by Bijoy Kumar Choudhary, former director of the KP Jayaswal Research Institute and the Bihar Heritage Development Society. In his presidential address, Choudhary referred to his readings of the Vedas while discussing the origins and evolution of the caste system. He argued that different sections of Indian society emerged from a common lineage.
The memorial lecture series has been instituted in honour of Prof Surendra Gopal (1936-2022), regarded as one of Bihar’s most distinguished historians. He served in the history department of Patna University from 1958 to 1996 and was closely associated with Patna College both as a student and teacher.
During his long academic career, Gopal earned international recognition for his scholarship. He authored eight books and more than 100 research papers, drawing extensively from historical sources in English, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and Russian. His work is widely regarded as a significant contribution to modern Indian historiography.
Historian and former Mithila University teacher Ratneshwar Mishra attended the programme as the chief guest, while eminent surgeon Dr Abdul Ahmad Hai was the guest of honour. Several eminent personalities from different fields were also present at the event.
The lecture was organised by Dr Kusum Kapoor, wife of the late historian, while the proceedings were conducted by Dr Pramila Modi, a close associate of the Gopal family.
Adwitiya primarily covers crime and civic stories. She has in the...
Read MoreAdwitiya primarily covers crime and civic stories. She has in the past written on varied topics, including decline of the glass bangle culture, illegal trade of firecrackers in Champahati, West Bengal apart from many more on food and travel. She has recently completed her PGDM in journalism from Xavier's, Mumbai. She loves music and is very affectionate about animals.
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