COUSINS, James Henry Sproull. Belfast 22.7.1873 — Madanapalle 20.2.1956. Irish author (poet and dramatist), critic and teacher. Born in a family of Huguenot origin, son of merchant James C. and Susan Davis. Worked as a clerk, in 1897 moved to Dublin, where he befriended with Joyce, Russell and Yeats, living as playwright and high school teacher (of geography). A Theosophist from 1908, he moved in 1915 to Madras and spent the rest of his life in India and worked as journalist and lecturer, becoming familiar with Aurobindo, R. Tagore, Rukmini Devi and Gandhi. In late years formally converted to Hinduism. Married 1903 Margaret Elizabeth Gillespie (1878–1954), a suffragist and educationalist.
Publications: Wrote much, also under noms-de-plume Mac Oisín and Jayaram.
– The Renaissance in India. 294 p. Madras 1918; Samadarsana (Synthetic Vision): A Study in Indian Psychology. 96 p. Madras 1925; many other books.
– With S. Kramrisch & R. V. Poduval: Arts and Crafts of Travancore. 1948, rev. & enl. ed. The Arts and Crafts of Kerala. 227 p. 116 pl. Cochin 1970.
– With M. Cousins: We Two Together. A Duo-Autobiography. 14+774 p. Madras 1950.
Sources: Boylan, A Dictionary of Irish Biography. Dublin 1978; Lennon 2008, 324-370; short note in IAC 19, 1956; *The Indian Year Book and Who’s Who 1941-42; Wikipedia (also his wife, with further references).
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