Govind Chandra Pande (born 1923) is a well-known Indian historian of the Vedic

Vedic period

The Vedic period was a period in history during which the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, were composed. The time span of the period is uncertain. Philological and linguistic evidence indicates that the Rigveda, the oldest of the Vedas, was composed roughly between 1700–1100 BCE, also...

 and the Buddhist periods http://sify.com/news/prof-govind-chandra-pande-presented-padma-shri-award-news-national-ke0wachachc.html. He has served a professor of ancient history and vice-chancellor at Jaipur

Jaipur

Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....

 and Allahabad

Allahabad

Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...

 universities. He was also the chairman of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study

Indian Institute of Advanced Study

The Indian Institute of Advanced Study is a prestigious research institute based in Shimla, India. It was set up by the Ministry of Education, Government of India in 1964 and it started functioning from October 20, 1965....

, Simla for several years, the Chairman of Allahabad museum Society and the Chairman of Central Tibetan Society, Sarnath Varanasi.

He has edited several volumes of ancient history in Project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture

Project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture

Project of History of Indian science and civilization under the general editorship of Professor D. P. Chattopadhyaya. The series also contains 20 monographs....

.

His most recent work (in June 2008) is a translation and explanation of the Rigveda

Rigveda

The Rigveda is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns...

 in Hindi that has been published by Lokbharti Booksellers and Distributors, Allahabad (under the aegis of Lokbharti proprietor Mr. Dinesh Chandra Grover). This is the first of a four part series, and covers the third, fourth and fifth mandalas of the sacred text and is generally dedicated to Agni

Agni

Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...

 - the sacred fire. This volume also has the translation of the sacred Gayatri Mantra

Gayatri

Gayatri is the feminine form of , a Sanskrit word for a song or a hymn. Gayatri is a consort of Brahma and the goddess of learning. Brahma married her when there was a need for a companion during a yajna. Brahma had to start the yajna along with his wife...

.

Works

• Life and Thought of Sankaracharya (1998)
• Bauddha Dharma ke Vikas ka Itihas (बौद्ध धर्म के विकास का इतिहास)
• Apohasiddhi (अपोहसिद्धि)
• Nyayavindu (न्यायबिन्दु)
• Mulya Mimamsa (मूल्य मीमांसा) (2005)
• Vaidik Samskriti (वैदिक संस्कृति)
• Studies in the Origins of Buddhism
• The Meaning and Process of Culture
• Rigveda (ऋग्वेद) (2008) (Published by Lokbharti Booksellers and Distributors, Allahabad)