KÉGL, Sándor (Alexander von K.). Szúnyog near Pest 1.12.1862 — Áporka near Pest 29.12.1920. Hungarian Nobleman and Indo-Iranian Scholar. Born in a wealthy Catholic landowner family (knighted 1762). Inspired by Vámbéry’s travels he studied of several Oriental languages in Budapest (Persian, Arabic, Ottoman Turkish, Tatar, Sanskrit, Urdu, Chuvash, and Mordvin – some only from books). Ph.D. 1889. In 1889-90 travels in Iran, to collect books and learn spoken Persian. From 1893 PD of Persian at Budapest, from 1904 eo. Professor there. At early years also taught Sanskrit. From at least 1901 also lived at his estate in Puszta Szent Király, Laczháza, com. Pest-Pilis. From 1906 member of Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He was shy in character and never married.
Publications: “Egy új dsátaka-gyüjtemény”, Budapesti Szemle 1893 (A new Jātaka selection); “Amánat ésa hindusztani drame”, Egyet. Phil. Közl. 1894 (Amānat and Hindustani drama); Hungarian translation of the Bhagavadgītā, Budapesti Szemle 1910 (or 1887?); “Bhagavadgítá”, Ertekezések a nyelv-és széptudományok köréböl 21:5, 1910, 37 p.
– Critical reviews of Indological works; articles on India in Pallas Lexikon 1892-96.
– Much Iranian Studies, especially on classical Persian language and literature.
Sources: M. Sarkozy, Encyclop. Iranica 16:2, 2013, 223-225 (with further references). Briefly mentioned in Bethlenfalvy 1980, 20 and Wojtilla 1977, 178; Révar Nagy Lexikon 11, Budapest 191?, 398; *Hungarian Vikipedio.
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