Dr. B.K. Khadabadi
As a renowned Professor of Prakrit (Ardhamagadhi) and Jainology
After having a bird's eye-view of Dr. Upadhye's life and accomplishments let us now know certain things about these in details, bring out their significance and evaluate them in short.
As a Professor of Prakrit in the Rajaram College, Kolhapur, he taught Jaina Canonical works from P.U.C. to M.A. level. Among the canonical works, he included the important parts of the Satkhandagama works, Acarya Kundakunda's important works like the Pravacanasara, Samayasara etc. Vattakeracarya's Mulacara, Sivakotyacarya's Mularadhana etc. in the syllabus of the Post-graduate courses and thus, introduced them to his students. He also inspired and encouraged them to study such works in details. He taught, in the course of 32 years of his service, thousands of students and created hundreds of scholars and lecturers, readers and professors. They all later continued the work of their teacher in the colleges and Universities mostly in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Mysore, etc. Dr. A.M. Ghatge can be said to be supreme in this regard. Dr. S.B. Deo, Dr. V.M. Kulkarni, Prof. R.V. Dixit, Dr. B.K. Khadabadi etc. also cannot be forgotten in this respect.
Another important point is that Dr. Upadhye worked sincerely and successfully to get for Jainology its own and deserving place in several Universities in India. Shivaji University, Karnatak University, Pune University, Sukhadia University (Udaipur) - these can be said to be the main ones in this regard. Formally Jainology was a part of Prakrit courses, just as Buddhology was a part of Pali courses. Later gradually Jainology got its own place along with Prakrit. It is said Dr. Upadhye, along with Dr. Hiralal Jain, tried to give such push from different quarters. Even in the All India Conferences and Seminars, he tried to get for Jainology its own place. Formerly in the All India Oriental Conferences, and its International Sessions, there used to be a joint Section of Buddhism and Jainism. Later there came into existence an independent Section as Prakrit and Jainism. Even for this change Dr. Upadhye and Dr. Hiralal Jain extended their helping hand, it is said. As a result of this, recently Parsvanath Research Institute (Varanasi), L.D. Institute of Indology (Ahmedabad), Jain Vishva Bharati (Ladnun), Prakrit Jnana Bharati (Bangalore) etc. also gave an independent place to Jainology in the Conferences and Seminars organized by them.
