Prof. Chirapat Prapandvidya (March 15, 1941), the Father figure of Sanskrit in Silpakorn University, has been teaching Sanskrit and promoting the cause of Sanskrit related studies for almost half a century. With a Bachelors Degree in Archaeology from Silpakorn University( 1963), he was awarded the ICCR scholarship to do Masters in Sanskrit from M.S. University of Baroda, India( 1970). He continued to finish successfully his degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the same University in 1975 by bringing in light hitherto unknown Purana (Dharmaranya Purana : A Cultural Study) under the celebrated Sanskrit scholar Prof. SG Kantawala. He was also Head, Department of Oriental Languages, Silpakorn University. Dr Prapandvidya retired from Silpakorn University in 2001 but he is officially appointed as the Advisor of Sanskrit Studies Centre after one term as its Director. Sanskrit Studies Centre is his brain child and whatever shape of Sanskrit one sees in Thailand is greatly due to his sincere efforts. For his contribution, he was conferred with the Degree of Honoris Causa or Vidya Vacaspati from Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, the worlds largest Sanskrit university under the patronage and support of the Govt. of India. 

With expertise in Buddhism, Sanskrit and Pali languages, Dr Prapandvidya has excelled in the field of epigraphy in Thailand. He has numerous publications to his credit in this field. With over 50 publications both in Thai and English on various Sanskrit related aspects, he recently co-edited a volume on Sanskrit inscriptions in Thailand with noted epigraphist Prof Dr KV Ramesh( passed away in July, 2013). Dr Chirapat Prapandvidya has been a cultural ambassador of promoting India in Thailand and is actively involved in fostering Indo-Thai relations.

Former ICCR Chair Visiting Professor of Sanskrit, Sanskrit StudiesCenter, Silpakorn University, BANGKOK, Thailand (From 15 August 2016 to till date, continuing).