Kapil Kapoor

Kapil Kapoor (born 17 November 1940) is an Indian scholar of History linguistics and literature and an authority on Indian intellectual traditions. He is former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and served as professor at the Centre for Linguistics and English, and at the Centre for Sanskrit Studies there before retiring in 2005. He is Editor-in-Chief of the 11-Volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism published by Rupa & Co. in 2012. He is a member of the Kapoor family.

The Government of India awarded him with the civilian honour of Padma Bhushan in 2023.

Kapil Kapoor has been teaching for fifty-two years; 41 scholars worked for PhD and 36 for M.Phil. under him. He was Dean of the School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, JNU, from 1996–1999 and Rector (Pro-Vice-Chancellor) of the University from 1999–2002.

In 2018, he was appointed chairperson of Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS) at Shimla. Previously, he was Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya at Wardha.

His teaching and research areas include literary and linguistic theories, both Indian and Western, the philosophy of language, nineteenth century British life, literature and thought and Indian intellectual traditions. He has written and lectured extensively on these themes. He retired from JNU in 2005.[citation needed ]

Two of his books, Abhinavagupta: Manuscripts and Irish-Indian Anthology (with Professors Welch and Mac Mathuna of the University of Ulster, UK, as co-editors) are under publication. Another book Concept and Taxonomy of Knowledge in History of Science, Culture and Civilization, D.P.Chattopadhyaya, General Editor, in the Volume edited by Professor G.C.Pande is also under publication as of February 2013. Kapoor is also working on Encyclopedia of Indian Poetics, as Chief Editor, under a Sahitya Akademi Project.