MICHAEL, James. 17?? — 15.12.1837. British Colonial Officer and Oriental (Persian and Urdu) Scholar in India, then in 1827-37 Professor of Hindu Literature and Asian History at Haileybury. From 1934 also registrar of the College. Beside Persian and Hindustani he also knew Marathi. During his last years suffered of poor health and in the end committed suicide. Married. —> J. R. Ballantyne was his sister’s son.

G. de T. says he was Major in India and also A. A. Powell, Scottish Orientalists and India. Woodbridge 2010, 74, note 61 calls him Major, but in the member list in JRAS 1, 1835 he is only a Captain

Publications: Persian Fables from the Anwari Sooheyly of Hussein Vaiz Kashify, with a Vocabulary. 50+50 p. L. 1827..

On Urdu: Naclât-i hindi, or Hindi Stories. Selections from Bagh o Bahâr. L. 1829; Intikhab-i Ikhwân-us-Suffâ, or Hindi Selections. Selections from its Urdu version. 80 p. L. 1829.

Sources: G[arcin de] T[assy], JA 3:5, 1838, 202f.; stray notes in Internet.