[INDOLOGY] Johannes Bronkhorst gone

Thu May 15 09:14:20 UTC 2025

I am so grateful to Vincent for the account of the last days of Johannes and Joy. In a sense, this relieves the immense sadness I am feeling now for the loss of a dear and tender friend, and of an extraordinary scholar (the mystery of his works was that, even when I happened to disagree, or not fully agree, on some particular point, the reading of them was always a powerful and creative impulse to think or rethink on an astonishing variety of subjects). The image of Johaness and Joy peacefully walking together towards death will forever remain in my memory...

Raffaele

> Il giorno 15 mag 2025, alle ore 00:46, Eltschinger, Vincent via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info> ha scritto:
> 
> Johannes taught me Sanskrit and Indology; taught me never to take anything for granted, academic and religious traditions, which have so much in common, even less than the rest. A great master is leaving us, the author of an abundant, but also innovative and provocative body of work, which covered all areas of Indian studies, from Vyākaraṇa, his initial training, to Vedic and Buddhist studies, from Vaiśeṣika to Vedānta via Mīmāṃsā, Sāṅkhya, Jainism and Ājīvikism. His greatness lay in his erudition, and, almost as much, in his humility; I also remember a teacher always listening to his students, curious about their ideas, and laughing heartily with them. Johannes was also a man of convictions. The freedom to choose the time and circumstances of his death has always been one of these.
> About a month ago, on the occasion of a meeting between colleagues and friends in Lausanne, Johannes took me aside and asked me to drive him home. On the way, he told me that he and his beloved Joy would soon be “leaving” to escape illness and debilitating age. We spent a beautiful and moving evening, a “last supper” so to speak. While my eyes were heavy, Johannes and Joy were perfectly serene, joking as if nothing were happening. We celebrated a cloudless friendship, without sadness, as if it were to last eternally. They still didn’t know the exact date of their “departure,” but it was imminent. And then, as if it were impossible for that meal to be our last, I asked him if he would lend himself to a last interview. A few days later, equipped with a camera, I asked Johannes about his life, his training, his career path, for almost two hours of a unique and privileged moment. I left with big eyes. It was imminent. It was today.
> My sadness reflects my selfishness. Johannes and Joy entered death the same way they met and loved each other, and that alone is what counts, the very thing that makes me happy in spite of everything.
> Johannes did not consider his life to be of any interest other than his work. He leaves us with it, and it has, he has everything to teach us.
> Today he had Joy Manné’s son send a last message to his friends. I allow myself to quote its last paragraph: “Our sympathies are with those who are obliged to live through the sometimes long and often painful process of old age and dying.”
> Vincent Eltschinger
> 
> 
> Vincent Eltschinger, korrespondierendes Mitglied der OeAW
> Directeur d'études 
> École Pratique des Hautes Études, Section des sciences religieuses
> Patios Saint-Jacques, 4-14 rue Ferrus - 75014 Paris
> vincent.eltschinger at ephe.sorbonne.fr <mailto:vincent.eltschinger at ephe.sorbonne.fr>
> 0033 1 56 61 17 34 / 0033 7 85 86 84 05
> Von: INDOLOGY <indology-bounces at list.indology.info <mailto:indology-bounces at list.indology.info>> im Auftrag von Greg Bailey via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info <mailto:indology at list.indology.info>>
> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 15. Mai 2025 00:11:19
> An: indology at list.indology.info <mailto:indology at list.indology.info>; Harry Falk
> Betreff: [EXT] Re: [INDOLOGY] Johannes Bronkhorst gone
>  
> External Email: please use links and attachments from trusted sources only
> Dear List,
> 
> Very sad news. Johannes was a wonderful colleague with some highly original contributions.
> 
> Sadly,
> 
> Greg Bailey
> From: INDOLOGY <indology-bounces at list.indology.info <mailto:indology-bounces at list.indology.info>> on behalf of Harry Falk via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info <mailto:indology at list.indology.info>>
> Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2025 4:47 AM
> To: indology at list.indology.info <mailto:indology at list.indology.info> <indology at list.indology.info <mailto:indology at list.indology.info>>
> Subject: [INDOLOGY] Johannes Bronkhorst gone
>  
> Dear friends and colleagues,
> I have just received the news that Johannes Bronkhorst left this world
> today at noon in a controlled manner, as was his custom, together with his
> beloved wife Joy Manné.
> He sent the last batch of his papers just a few days ago. He will be
> remembered as an innovative and inspired scientist, a cheerful person and
> a true and dear friend.
> Sadly.
> Harry Falk
> 
> 
> 
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Prof. Raffaele Torella
Emeritus Professor of Sanskrit
Sapienza University of Rome
wwwuniroma1.academia.edu/raffaeletorella

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