BILLARD, Roger Louis. Puteaux (Paris) 29.12.1922 — Mennecy near Paris 30.12.2000. French Indologist. He was of modest origin and had to work after school, but the post in the Oriental bookshop Adrien Maisonneuve led him to studies and he soon entered É.L.O.V. Studied Hindi, Khmer, Arabic and Chinese, also Sanskrit at É.P.H.É. (Renou). In 1945-51 worked in the manuscript department of Bibliothèque nationale, in 1952-79 in É.F.E.O., first in Phnom Penh, then 1955-60 in Paris, 1960-66 in Pondichéry and 1966-79 in Paris. He was a good Sanskrit scholar and specialist of Indian astronomy, who published very little. Last years ill, living in Mennecy. Married 1949.
Publications: Five articles on Indian astronomy in the 1956-86, e.g. “Perspectives nouvelles sur l’astronomie indienne”, Art. As. 19, 1956, 186-196, 2 fig.; “Âryabhata and Indian Astronomy: an outline of an unexpected insight”, Indian Journal of History of Science 12, 1977, 207-224; “Investigation du présent karaṇaratna”, BEFEO 75, 1986, 21-35.
– L’astronomie indienne. Investigations des textes sanskrits et des données numériques. 175 p. 52 fig. P.E.F.E.O. 83. P. 1971.
Sources: Chercheurs d’Asie 38f. with photo; Cl. Jacques, BEFEO 88, 2001, 17-19 with photo and bibliography; R. Mercier, J. for the Hist. of Astronomy 32, 2001, 369f.
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