Sharda

Sharda is a name and toponym with multiple uses in South Asia. It is associated with learning, heritage, and spirituality, appearing in ancient scripts and temples as well as in modern institutions and personal names.

Sharada script: An ancient Brahmi-derived script used primarily in the Kashmir region for Sanskrit and Kashmiri texts. Named after the goddess Saraswati (Sharada), it flourished from roughly the 9th to the 12th centuries and survives in manuscripts and inscriptions.

Sharda Peeth: An ancient Hindu temple and center of learning dedicated to Saraswati, located in the Sharda Valley of present-day Pakistan-administered Kashmir. It was a famed seat of scholarship, with temples and libraries, and remains a symbolic pilgrimage site for scholars.

Sharda River: A transboundary river in the northern Indian subcontinent. On the Indian side it is known as Sharda; in Nepal the same river is usually called the Mahakali. The river travels through Nepal and India, contributing to the region’s river networks and the Ganges basin.

Sharda University: A private university established in 2009 in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Part of the Sharda Group, it offers programs across engineering, management, medicine and allied sciences and is recognized by Indian authorities.

Sharda (name): A feminine given name in South Asia, derived from Sharada, the Sanskrit form of Saraswati, goddess of learning. It is used across several languages and regions.