Radha Krishna Choudhary
Indian historian (1921–1985)
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Radha Krishna Choudhary (15 February 1921 – 15 March 1985) was an Indian historian, educationist, and writer.[2] He contributed to the historical and archaeological studies of Bihar as well as to Maithili literature. He was a professor of history at Ganesh Dutt College, Begusarai, Bihar and published numerous original research papers on the history of Bihar and Mithila.[1] He is best known for his book "History of Bihar" (1958)[3], but his "Mithilak Itihas" (2010)[4] is considered his greatest work.[5]
Radha Krishna Choudhary | |
|---|---|
 Choudhary at Deoghar, Bihar, 1965 | |
| Born | 15 February 1921 |
| Died | 15 March 1985 (aged 64) |
| Occupations | writer, historian, educationist |
| Spouse | Shanti Devi |
| Parent(s) | Vidyawati Devi (mother)[1] Raj Kishor Choudhary (father) |
| Writing career | |
| Period | 20th century |
Early life and education
Radha Krishna Choudhary was born on 15 February 1921 in Bhagalpur, Bihar and Orissa Province, British India into a Maithil Karna Kayastha family.[1] He was the son of Raj Kishor Choudhary, a lawyer and one of the founding members of Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee.[6] His grandfather, Shyam Lal Choudhary was also a literary writer. Choudhary completed his schooling at Williams High School in Supaul. He completed his Intermediate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in history at Tej Narayan Banaili College, Bhagalpur, and went on to earn a Master of Arts in history from Patna University.[7]
Career
After completing his master's degree from Patna University in 1945, he joined the university as a government research scholar. In 1946, Choudhary joined Ganesh Dutt College, Begusarai as a lecturer of history.[7] After spending a year at the college, he established the Kashi Prasad Jaiswal Archaeological Museum to preserve the scattered archaeological remains of the Begusarai region.[8] Choudhary remained at the college as a head of the department of ancient indian history and culture from 1955 to 1970. In 1959, he became vice-principal, and later he served as an acting principal of the college from 1967 to 1970.[7]
Choudhary also served as the principal of Shankar Sah Vikramshila Mahavidyalaya in Kahalgaon for around 6 years from 1970 to 1973 and 1978 to 1981.[9][7] In March 1974, he started teaching in the Department of History at Bhagalpur University, where he remained active until his retirement in 1984.[7]
Research and contributions
Choudhary's scholarship spanned the social, cultural, and political history of Bihar, with a special focus on the Mithila region. He was among the first historians to incorporate regional folklore into formal historical analysis, thereby reshaping understandings of Mithila's past.[7]
He conducted extensive fieldwork uncovering rare inscriptions and coins from the Pala period (8th–12th centuries CE), notably at Jaiamangala Garh and Naulagarh sites, bringing to light Bihar's archaeological significance.[7] He published his findings regularly in the G. D. College Research Bulletin Series, earning commendation from scholars such as Joseph Campbell and A. S. Altekar for his rigorous methodology and archaeological insights.[7]
Among his notable research outputs was a paper on law and justice in ancient India, later expanded into four editions and published as a monograph in 1953.[7]
Affiliations and recognition
In March 1967, Choudhary was elected to the Advisory Board for Maithili at the Sahitya Akademi, reflecting his contributions to Maithili literature and language studies.[10] He was also a member of the Indian History Congress, All India Oriental Conference, and the Bihar Research Society, where he collaborated on projects aimed at reconstructing Bihar's political and cultural heritage.[7]
Personal life and death
Little is documented about Choudhary's personal life beyond his scholarly pursuits. After retiring from Bhagalpur University in 1984, he relocated to Deoghar to work on a “Corpus of Bihar Inscriptions” funded by the University Grants Commission. He died suddenly of cardiac arrest on 15 March 1985.[citation needed]
Major works
- Political History of Japan (1868–1947). Bihar Publishers, Patna. 1948. English.
- Maithili Sahityik Nibandhavali. Abhinav Granthagar, Patna. 1950. Maithili.
- Sidhharth. Abhinav Granthagar, Patna. 2 ed. 1952. Hindi.
- Studies in Ancient Indian Law. Motilal Banarsidas, Patna.1953. English.
- Bihar - The Homeland of Buddhism. Sidharth Press, Patna. 1956. English.
- History of Bihar. Motilal Banarsidas, Patna. 1958. English.
- Select Inscriptions of Bihar. Smt Shanti Devi. 1958. English.
- Mithilak Sankshipt Rajnaitik Itihas. Vaidehi Samiti, Darbhanga. 1961. Maithili.
- Vratyas in Ancient India. Choukhamba Prakashan, Varanasi. 1964. English.
- Prachin Bharat Ka Rajnaitik Evam Sanskritik Itihas (1200 Eisvi Tak). Bharati Bhavan Publishers, Patna. 1967. Hindi.
- Sharaantidha. Maithili Prakashan, Calcutta. 1968. Maithili.
- Vishva Itihas Ki Ruprekha (2 Volumes). Ajanta Press Patna. 1969. Hindi.
- History of Muslim Rule in Tirhut (1207 - 1765). Choukhamba Prakashan, Varanasi. 1970. English.
- Kautilya's Political Ideas and Institutions. Choukhamba Prakashan, Varanasi. 1971. English.
- Dhammapada - Maithili Translation. Maithii Prakashan Samiti, Calcutta. 1971. Maithili
- A Survey of Maithili Literature, Shruti Publications, Delhi, 2010, ISBN No.978-93-80538-36-5
- Mithilak Itihas, Shruti Publication, Delhi, 2010 (in Maithili Language), ISBN No.978-93-80538-28-0
Biography
- Verma, Binod Bihari (1995). Tapasa vai Ganga. ISBN 978-81-905911-2-6.