THIBAUT, Georg Friedrich Wilhelm (George Frederick Willim Thibaut). Heidelberg 20.3.1848 — Berlin-Lichterfelde 16.10.1914. German Indologist in India. Professor in Calcutta. Son of Carl Thibaut (1807–1881), the librarian of Heidelberg University, and grandson of the famous lawyer Anton Friedrich Justus Thibaut (1772–1840). After school in Heidelberg studied at Heidelberg (Holtzmann) and Berlin (Weber). Ph.D. 1868?. From 1871 further studies in England, became Assistant of Max Müller in Oxford. In 1875 went to India, as Anglo-Sanskrit Professor at Benares Saskrit College, in 1879-88 Griffith’s successor as its Principal. In 1888-95 Professor of Philosophy at Muir Central College in Allahabad, in 1895-1906 its Principal. In 1907-14 the first Carmichael Professor of Ancient Indian History and Culture at the University of Calcutta. C.I.E. 1906. Married in 1882.
Thibaut was one of the best specialists of his time in Indian astronomy and mathematics who also worked on philosophy.
Publications: Edited & translated: Das Jaṭâpaṭala. Lehrbuch des Jaṭâpaṭha für den Rigveda nebst Abschnitt der Prâtiçâkhyajyotsnâ über den Vikṛiti des Kramapâṭha. 53 p. Lp. 1870 (diss.?).
– Edited & transl.: “The Śulva-Sūtra of Baudhāyana, Āpastamba, and Kātyāyana”, Pandit 9-10 & N.S. 1, 1875; The Arthasaṅgraha of Laugākṣi Bhāskara. 15+26+48 p. Benares Skr. Ser. 4. B. 4. 1882; with S. Dvivedi: Panchasiddhāntikā: the astronomical work of Varāhamihira. Benares 1889.
– “On the Sulva-Sutras”, JASB 44:1, 1875, 227-275; “On the Sūryaprajñapti”, JASB 49:1, 1880, 107-127, 181-205; “Notes from Varáha Mihira’s Panchasiddhantiká”, JASB 53:1, 1884, 256-293.
– “On some Recent Attempts to determine the Antiquity of Vedic Civilization [by Tilak & Jacobi]”, IA 24, 1895, 85-100; On the nature of the evidence for the antiquity of Indian literature and civilization. 33 p. Allahabad 1904 (from the Hindustan Review).
– Translated: Bādarāyana: Vedānta-Sūtras. With the Commentary by Śankarācārya and Rāmānuja. 1-3. S.B.E. 34, 38, 48. L. 1890–1904.
– Astronomie, Astrologie und Mathematik. 82 p. Grundriss III:9. Strassburg 1899.
– Translated with G. Jha: Śrīharṣa, Khaṇḍanakhaṇḍakhādya, Indian Thought 1-5, 1907-13 and sep. Allahabad 1913.
– With Pt. Bahuballabha Shastri: An elementary Sanskrit grammar: with a supplement (Dhatukosha). 244 p. Calcutta 1913.
Sources: Buckland, Dictionary; Stache-Rosen 1990, 106f.; Who Was Who 1897–1915; Wikipedia; photo in Rau 51.
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