Patna, Aug. 21: Eminent historian Ram Sharan Sharma was cremated at Bans Ghat amid prayers of his loved ones.

Sharma, a celebrated historian of ancient and early medieval India, died at the age of 91 at Ruban Hospital on Saturday night after suffering from several age-related problems. He was admitted to the hospital for a little over a week. The last rites of the historian, R.S. Sharma, were performed by his son Gyan Prakash Sharma, who is also a professor in the same subject at Jamia Milla Islamia.

Several VIPs, including chief minister Nitish Kumar, senior JD(U) leaders Shivanand Tiwari, Ramashray Prasad Singh among others, paid a visit to the house of the eminent historian at Boring Canal Road to condole the death of Sharma.

Born in a village near Barauni in Begusarai district, Sharma was a historian of international repute and it is being said that his death would “leave a void in Indian history”.

Sharma, besides being a historian, indirectly participated in the freedom struggle of the nation. He played a pivotal role for girls’ education in the country.

Sharma’s wife Malina Sharma said: “For many, Sharma was an historian who also took part in the freedom struggle.”

Malina, who had also served as the principal of Women’s Training College, Patna, said: “It was on his insistence and pressure that Sharma’s sister Shiv Kumari Sinha continued with her studies.”

Namita Shukla, Sharma’s niece said: “My mother (Shiv Kumari Sinha) was the first girl from her village to clear middle school examination and the man behind her dedication was Mamaji (R.S. Sharma).”

Sharma’s foresightedness in girls’ education can be gauged from the fact that he played a key role in opening schools in the Baruni region and motivated people to educate girls at the time when people rarely thought of sending their daughters to schools.

Shukla said: “Our mother used to tell us that mamaji used to instigate his sisters to join the freedom struggle and attack British government’s property, as my mother and her sisters were younger.”

“When my husband returned to Bihar from Delhi University after his retirement, he had donated his books to the village library in Baruni,” Malina said.

R.S. Sharma taught ancient and early medieval history of India at Patna University, Delhi University and the University of Toronto.

He wrote as many as 115 books, which have been published in 15 languages around the world.

Sharma was also the founding chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research.

He also played a key role in shaping up the country’s history. His effort resolved the Bihar-Bengal boundary dispute forever, which was recorded by Sachchinand Sinha in a letter to the first President of the country, Rajendra Prasad.