Somnath Temple Trust to award Sanskrit scholars

The Shree Somnath Trust, which manages the historic Somnath temple in Gir-Somnath district of Gujarat, will confer 'Somnath Suvarnchandrak' award on three Sanskrit scholars at a function here on December 1.
The award ceremony is being organised in Ahmedabad for the first time in order to give it wider audience and popularise Sanskrit language, a member of the organising committee said.
The award is conferred on scholars for their contribution to Sanskrit language to mark the 'Shree Somnath Mandir Sankalp Siddhi Diwas'.
"This year, we will confer awards on scholars Padmavibhushan Dahyabhai Shastri, Vijay Pandya, and Jivan Parmar, for years 2014, 2015, and 2016 respectively, at a function that will be organised at Sardar Patel Bhavan in Ahmedabad on December 1," Somnath Trust secretary P K Laheri told reporters here.

He said former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel, who is the Chairman of the trust, and prominent Gujarati litterateur Gunwant Shah will be chief guests on the occasion.
"The names of winning scholars have been selected by a three-member panel" Laheri said.
A play on Sardar Patel will also be staged during the function, he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is one of the trustees of the Somnath Trust.