IL’IN, Grigorij Fedorovič. Rostov-na-Donu 11.1.(24.1.)1914 — Moscow 15.10.1985. Russian Indologist and Historian of India. Professor in Moscow. Born in a worker family, orphan at the age of six. Worked in a factory, then studied aircraft technology at Red Army School and served in Air Forces. Childhood poverty had broken his health and he had to quit the army as tuberculotic. Now studied at Workers’ Faculty (“Rasfak”) and from 1937 history at Moscow University, graduated 1941. Passed his military service in a factory, where he met with a loading accident and had one leg amputated. Even the tuberculosis was renewed. Now he was posted as a school-teacher of history, and had thus the chance to go on with his studies. Learned Sanskrit from Peterson. Prepared his kand. dissertation under I. M. Rejsner and defended it in 1947 (Kand. ist. nauk). In 1947-53 taught Indian and Iranian history at Diplomate School (Vysšaja diplomatičeskaja škola) of the Foreign Ministry. Docent 1950. From 1952 naučnyj sotrudnik at Historical Institute of Academy of Science, in 1953 moved to Oriental Institute, 1956 staršij naučnyj sotr. 1970 doctor istoričeskih nauk. Professor.

Il’in was a specialist of Indian social and economic history. He was especially interested in slavery and in the Mauryan period.

Publications: 50 publications, e.g.:

Cand. diss. O nekotoryh osobennostjah rabstva v Indii v èpohu Maur’ev. Manuscript 1947.

Drevnej indijskij gorod Taksila. 81 p. Moskva 1958.

Starinoe indijskoe skazanie o gerojah drevnosti – “Mahabharata”. 140 p. M. 1958.

Religii drevnej Indii. 47 p. M. 1959.

Rev. ed. of Elmanovič’s Manu translation: Zakony Manu. 361 p. M. 1960.

– “Osnovnye problemy rabstva v drevnej Indii”, Istorija i kul’tura drvnej Indii. M. 1963, 118-161; “Klassovyj harakter drevneindijskogo obščestva”, Problemy dokapitaličeskih obščestv v stranah Vostoka. M. 1971, 147-189.

With G. M. Bongard-Levin: Drevnjaja Indija. Istoričeskij očerk. 736 p. M. 1969; Indija v drevnosti. 758 p. M. 1985.

Diss. Osnovnye problemy socialnoj istorii drevnej Indii. Manuscript of 707 p. M. 1970.

Sources: NAA 1986:5, 210f. (with bibliography); *VDI 1986:2, 218-220; Miliband 1977, 1995; Russian Vikipedija.