Quick Facts
Biography
Dr. Shekhar Pathak is an Indian historian, writer and academician from Uttarakhand. He is a founder of People's Association for Himalaya Area Research (PAHAR), established in 1983, former professor of History at Kumaun University, Nainital and a Nehru Fellow at the Centre for Contemporary Studies at Teen Murti in New Delhi.
He was awarded the Padma Shri by Govt. of India, in 2007.
Career
He remained professor of History at Kumaun University in Nainital for two decadesOnce every decade, in 1974, 1984, 1994 and 2004, he has undertaken a padayatra, a trek. from Askot-Arakot.
In 2007, he took upon a three-year project to study the Himalayan people along with Magsaysay Award winner, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, traversing the Himalayas, from Leh to Arunachal Pradesh. He also co-wrote with Dr Uma Bhatt, Asia ki Peeth Per (On Asia's Back), a biography of Himalayan explorer, Pundit Nain Singh Rawat.
He has remained the founder editor of the Annual published by People's Association for Himalaya Area Research (PAHAR), a Nainital-based a non-profit organization for research on Himalayan people, established in 1983.
At the first Asia level meeting of the WMPA (World Mountain People Association), held at Yuksom, Sikkim, from 9–11 April 2002, he was chosen as the National Coordinator of the Indian chapter of World Mountain Peoples Association, (WMPA)At present he is a research scholar at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, after he received the Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship.
Works
- Kumaon Himalaya : Temptations. Gyanodaya Prakashan. 1993. ISBN 81-85097-26-7.
Awards
- 2006: Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan Award (Kendriya Hindi Sansthan)
- 2007: Padma Shri (Govt. of India)