Maria Christopher Byrskin Awarded with Padma Shri

Maria Christopher Byrskin Awarded with Padma Shri

The President of India presented Amb. Maria Christopher Byrski with the Padma Shri Award, one of India’s highest civilian honors. He was previously Poland’s ambassador to India. Amb. Byrski was honored for his work in the fields of literature and education.

Who is Maria Christopher Byrski?

Maria Christopher Byrski is a polish diplomat, Indologist, and Sanskrit scholar. He has been Poland’s envoy to India in the past. He was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India for his work in Sanskrit, and Indology, in 2022.

One man from Poland stands out among the many Indologists, Orientalists, and Sanskrit scholars who have arisen from other nations over the years: Maria Christopher Byrski, who served as Poland’s ambassador to India from 1994 to 1996.

When Byrski was a student at the University of Warsaw studying Indian Studies, he had his first encounter with India in 1955. His interest in the ancient dramaturgy work Natyashastra led him to the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where he received his Ph.D. with a thesis on the “Concept of Ancient Indian Theatre.” The last remaining Sanskrit theatre, Koodiyattam, captured his attention as he was conducting the study.