Vedabandhu Sharma

Vedabandhu Sharma (born R Venkitachala Iyer; 20 April 1901) was an Indian freedom fighter and a prominent leader of the Arya samaj movement. He was an exemplary scholar and spoke many languages. He traveled the globe as a missionary of Swami Dayanand Saraswati's vedic interpretations.

Life
His parents were Sri. Ramakrishna Iyer and Smt. Seethalakshmi Ammal. He married Smt. Saraswathi Devi. He earned a Masters in Sanskrit. He served at different Arya Samaj gurukulas in Lahore and northern India. He actively participated in India's freedom struggle and missionary works for Arya Samaj whose motto is कृण्वन्तो विश्वमार्यम् (Make This World Enlightened).

Notable achievements
Served as Assistant Director of Hoshyarpur Research Institute. He is the first Keralite Arya Missionary to organise Arya Samaj work in Kerala. He is the author of many books on  vedic literature as well as Indian aeasthetics.

Major Works
He wrote many articles on Vedic literature, the upanishads, Sanskrit grammar etc.
 * First translator of Sathyartha Prakasham into Malayalam (1933)
 * Rig veda praveshika.
 * Sandhyayum Agnihothravum.
 * Artha Vigyanam.
 * Rasabharathi.
 * Bharatheeya Kavya Shasthram.
 * Jathiyum Parivarthanavum.
 * Purusha Sooktham Bhashyam.
 * Samudaya Parivarthanam.