RICE, Benjamin Lewis. Bangalore 17.7.1837 — Harrow 10.7.1927. Rev. British Schoolteacher, Historian and Indologist in India. Born in South India, where his father, Rev. —> Benjamin H. Rice (1814–1887), was working as missionary with his wife, Jane Peach Singer. Educated at home, then sent to school in England. After having worked for a while in business in London he came in 1860 to Mysore. First he was Principal of Central High School in Bangalore, in 1865-68 and 1870-73 Inspector of Schools in Mysore, in 1868-69 and 1873-83 Director of Public Instruction, Mysore State, 1883-90 Secretary to the Education Department, Mysore Government. In 1886/90-1905 Director of Archaeological Researches in Mysore. Retired in 1906 and returned to England, lived in Harrow until his death. C.I.E. Married Mary Sophia Garrett (1845–1933), the daughter of —> J. Garrett, ten children.

His scholarly interests included history, epigraphy and classical Kannada literature. Beside Kannaḍa he also knew Sanskrit.

Publications: Mysore and Coorg. A Gazetteer. 1. Mysore, in General. 12+658+12+15 p. 2. Mysore, by Districts. 3+504+12+27+21 p. 3. Coorg. 3+427+5+5+6+11 p. Bangalore 1876-78, rev. ed. 1-2. Westminster 1897.

– “On the Ganga Kings”, MJLS 1878, 138-149, and other articles.

Mysore Inscriptions. 91+336+30 p. Bangalore 1879; Census Report on Mysore. 1881.

Amara Simha. The Amara-Kosha, or Sanskrit Thesaurus. With meanings in English and Kannada, and an alphabetical Index to the words. 3rd ed. Bangalore 1883.

Catalogue of Sanskrit Manuscripts in Mysore and Coorg. 327 p. Bangalore 1884.

Edited: Bibliotheca Carnatica. 1882ff. (beginning with the Pamparāmāyaṇa).

– Edited: Nāgavarma’s Karnātaka Bhāshā Bhūshana. The oldest grammar extant of the Language. 44+96+22 p. Bangalore 1884; The Karṇāṭaka Śabdabhūṣanam of Bhaṭṭakalaṅka Deva. Bangalore 1890.

– Edited: Epigraphia Carnatica. 1-12. Bangalore 1886-99, beginning with Coorg Inscriptions. Ep. Carn. 1. 1886, 2nd ed. 1914; many epigraphical articles.

Mysore and Coorg from the inscriptions. 19+238 p. 10 pl. L. 1909.

Sources: L. D. Barnett, JRAS 1927, 934-936; Buckland, Dictionary; Wikipedia with photo; with photo in http://www.persecution.in/content/rev-benjamin-lewis-rice-missionaries-contributions-india.