An eminent scholar and learned Professor of long standing, Dr. Upadhye comes out of a traditional pious family. He passed M.A. in 1st Division in 1930 and received his D. Litt. from Bombay University in 1939. He was Springer Research Scholar during 1940-43.
He was Lecturer/Professor of Ardhamagadhi in Rajaram College, Kolhapur upto 1962 and later Professor Emeretus getting UGC grant for superannuated teachers for research work. Since 1971 he is Professor of Jainology and Prakrit in Mysore University.
He has been a keen research student and teacher of Sanskrit, Prakrit and Apabhramsa, history of Indian literature, Jainism and Indian philosophy. His mother tongue is Kannada. He has working knowledge of Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, German and French.
Son of Shri Nemanna Bhommanna Dr. Upadhye was born at Sadalga Distt. Belgaum in Kannataka State.
A prolific writer, he has to his credit nearly 25 critical editions of Sanskrit and Prakrit works with introductions containing original research. More than 150 of his research papers have been published in different journals. He is member of Advisory Committee of Bharatiya Jnanpith. As General Editor of its Murti Devi Granthmala he along with late Dr. Hira Lai Jain cooperated in the publication of vast Jain literature. He has been honoured with the Shraman Bhajan Pracharak Sangh prize of Rs. 2500/-. He is Patron of Ahimsa International.
Dr. Upadhye has been President of Prakrit, Pali, Jainism and Buddhism Section of All India Oriental Conference held at Hyderabad in 1946 ; General President of this Conference held at Aligarh in 1966 and General President of Kannada Sahitya Sammelan held at Sravanabelgola in 1967. He attended the International Congress of Orientalists at Canberra (Australia) in 1971 and at Paris in 1973 as an Indian Govt, delegate. He also visited France, Germany and England in 1973 on invitation of the Universities and institutions of those countries. He attended the World Conference of Religion and Peace held at Leuven in Belgium in 1974.
Residence : Dhavala, 8 Rajarampuri, Kolhapur. (Maharashtra)