BÁLINT-ILLYÉS, Gábor Szentkátolnai. Szentkátolna (now Catalina in Romania) 13.3.1844 — Temesvár (now Timişoara in Romania) 25.5.1913. Hungarian Altaic Scholar, Polyglott and Linguist, also interested in Dravidian. Professor in Kolozsvár. He learnt many languages already as a schoolboy. Studied Law at Vienna and Budapest, also attended the Orientalische Akademie. Richterprüfung 1871,…
BALFOUR, Francis. Fife 1744? — Fernie estate, Fife 7.5.1818. British (Scottish) Physician in India. Son of Arthur B., an officer. Dr.Med. 1767 Edinburgh. From 1769 in E.I.C.’s service in India, mainly in Calcutta, a friend of Warren Hastings and soon joined the A.S.B, where he was very active. Became famous…
BALFOUR, Edward Green. Angus, Montrose 6.9.1813 — London 8.12.1889. British (Scottish) Physician in India. Son of Captain George B. of E.I.C. marine, educated at Montrose, studies at Edinburgh University. Went to India in 1839 and joined the Medical Department serving in Bombay and Madras armies, became full surgeon in 1852.…
BALDAEUS (Baelde), Philippus. Delft bapt. 24.10.1632 — Geervliet 1671. Dutch Priest and Traveller. Son of Jan Baelde, a merchant, and Maria Junius, of Flemish origin, lost early his parents (1636). After Latin school in Delft studied at Groningen and, in 1650-54, Leiden universities. In 1654 he got a post of…
BALBI, Gasparo. 15?? — after 1590. Italian Merchant and Traveller, in the East 1579-86. He was from Venice and dealt in jewels, and therefore went to India. Started from Venice in 1579, travelled by the land route, via Aleppo, Basra, and Ormuz to Goa, where he stayed till 1582. Then…
BAKTAY, Ervin (Erwin, to 1925 Baktay-Gottesmann). Dunaharaszti 24.6.1890 — Budapest 7.5.1963 (when 73). Hungarian Art Historian. Originally intended to become a painter, he studied under Simon Hollósy, whose brother Joszef was one of the first in Hungary to be interested in Buddhism. Served in WW I 1915-18. In 1926 he…
BAKE, Arnold Adriaan. Hilversum 19.5.1899 — London 8.10.1963. Dutch Indologist in India and in the U.K. Born in a well-to-do family. School at Hilversum and in 1912-18 in Haarlem. He planned to go to Indonesia, and therefore began in 1918 Sanskrit (Vogel) and Arabian (Snouck Hurgronje) studies at Leiden, also…
BAINES, Jervoise Athelstan. Bluntisham, Huntingdonshire 17.10.1847 — 26.11.1925. Sir. British Civil Servant in India and an Ethnologist. Son of the Rev. Edward B. and Catherine Eulalia Baines. Educated at Rugby, and Trinity College, Cambridge. Served in the I.C.S. in Bombay 1870-89. Then Census Commissioneer under the Government of India 1889-93.…
BAINBRIDGE, Reginald Balipooreah. Channel Islands 2.5.1871 — Arrah, Bengal 1.5.1914. British Civil Servant and Ethnologist concentrating on the Saoria tribe (also known as Pahariya) of Bihar. He has been difficult to identify as he has not left many traces. He is not among members of A.S.B. in 1906. The study…
BAILLY, Jean-Sylvain. Paris 15.9.1736 — Paris 10.11.1793. French Mathematician, Astronomist and Historian of Astronomy. Son of Jacques B., an artist. Attracted early attention with his scientific skill. From 1763 member of French Academy. Also a politician, participated in early revolution, but was then executed. In 1789-91 Mayor of Paris. Explained…