Christine Chojnacki

Christine Chojnacki, formerly a Professor of Indian Studies at the University of Lyon, studied classical philology (Latin and Ancient Greek) before specializing in Indian studies, focusing on Sanskrit and Prakrit languages. She received an international education in France, Germany, and England. Her primary research focuses on the study of Jain sources from the 8th to the 14th centuries. Among her works is the study and annotated translation of a Jaina romance-poem in Prakrit dating from 779 CE: Kuvalayamālā by Uddyotana. This 1,177-page work, published in 2008 in Marburg as part of the Indica et Tibetica collection (edited by M. Hahn), was awarded the Prakrit Jnanabharati International Award in 2013 and was commissioned for translation into English. A revised version of the French edition was subsequently published in 2018 (Bangalore, Sapna House).

She has recently published a book based on extensive research titled Voix et échos du roman-poème en prakrit. Vers une histoire des traditions monastiques Jaina dans l’Inde médiévale (8e-12e siècles), which examines a corpus of eleven romance-poems, most of which remain largely unknown in the histories of Indian literature.

In addition to her scholarly contributions, Christine Chojnacki has always been deeply committed to teaching. In recognition of her dedication, she was awarded the Palmes Académiques in 2016.