Noboru Karashima

Noboru Karashima
Born	April 24, 1933 Japan
Died	November 26, 2015 (aged 82) Tokyo, Japan
Occupation	Professor, Writer, Historian
Awards	Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize Padma Shri
Academic work
Institutions	University of Tokyo Taisho University Epigraphical Society of India Japan Association for South Asian Studies International Association of Tamil Research (IATR)
Main interests	South Indian History South Asian History

Noboru Karashima (辛島昇 Karashima Noboru, 24 April 1933 – 26 November 2015)^[1] was a Japanese historian, writer and Professor Emeritus in University of Tokyo, Japan. He also served as Professor Emeritus at the Taisho University, Japan. He was a prominent scholar of Asia in the studies of South Indian and South Asian histories. He has rewritten historical accounts on medieval South India and published a number of writings.^[2]

Professor Karashima played a critical role in developing Indo-Japan cultural ties and was conferred the Padma Shri award in 2013, one of India's highest civilian award, for his contribution in the field of Literature and Education.^[3] In a rare gesture the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh handed over the award personally to Professor Karashima in Tokyo.^[4] He died of leukemia in 2015.

Position held

• President of the Epigraphical Society of India in 1985.
• President of the Japan Association for South Asian Studies from 1996 to 2000.
• He was the President of International Association of Tamil Research (IATR) from 1989 to 2010.^[5] He organized 8th World Tamil Conference in 1995 at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.^[6] He and IATR boycotted 9th World Tamil Conference in 2009 due to the political interferences. He resigned from the post of president in 2010 because of the same reason.^[7]

Books

• Kingship in Indian history^[8]
• Towards a New Formation: South Indian Society under Vijayanagar Rule^[9]
• A concordance of the names in Cōl̲a inscriptions^[10]
• History and society in South India^[11]
• Ancient to Medieval: South Indian Society in Transition
• A Concise History of South India. Issues and Interpretations^[12]

Awards

• Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize (1995)
• Japan Academy Prize (2003)
• Person of Cultural Merit (2007)
• Padma Shri (2013)^[13]

References

1. "Tamil scholar who inspired a generation". The Hindu. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
2. "KARASHIMA Noboru – Fukuoka Asian Culture Prizes – Archive Library – Fu:a SENSE ASIA IN FUKUOKA". City.fukuoka.lg.jp. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
3. "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
4. PTI. "Manmohan presents Padma Shri to Japanese Tamil scholar.". The Hindu. Retrieved 2013-08-07.
5. Noboru Karashima (2010-07-23). "Opinion / Op-Ed : IATR and the World Classical Tamil Conference". The Hindu. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
6. PTI Sep 25, 2009, 03.23pm IST (2009-09-25). "DMK govt has no locus standi to host global Tamil meet: Jayalalitha – Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
7. "Opinion / News Analysis : Requiem for the IATR and my resignation as its President". The Hindu. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
8. Karashima, Noboru (1999). Kingship in Indian history – Google Books. Manohar Publishers & Distributors. p. 271. ISBN 9788173045448. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
9. Karashima, Noboru (1992). Towards a new formation: South Indian society under Vijayanagar rule – Noboru Karashima – Google Books. Oxford University Press. p. 294. ISBN 0195628616. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
10. Karashima, Noboru (1978). A concordance of the names in Cōl̲a inscriptions – Noboru Karashima, Y. Subbarayalu, Tōru Matsui – Google Books. Sarvodaya Ilakkiya Pannai. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
11. Karashima, Noboru (2001). History and society in South India: the Cholas to Vijayanagar : comprising ... – Noboru Karashima – Google Books. Oxford University Press India. p. 307. ISBN 0195651049. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
12. . Oxford University Press. Missing or empty |title= (help)
13. "List of Padma Awardees" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, India. Retrieved 2013-01-26.