DAUMAL, René. Boulzicourt (Ardennes) 16.3.1908 — Paris 21.5.1944. French Poet interested in India. Son of anticlerical socialist teacher Lon Daumal. Educated at Lycée de Reims and Lycée Henri-IV, studies at Sorbonne. Born in rural milieu he became a socialist and active anticlerical, but at the same time he was also…
DARMESTETER, James. Château-Salins (Meurth, Lorraine) 28.3.1849 — Maisons-Laffitte near Paris 19.10.1894. French Iranian Scholar. Professor in Paris. Son of Calmann Darmesteter, a Jewish bookbinder, and Rosalie Brandeis, younger brother of the philologist Arsène Darmesteter (1846–1888). Educated in Paris, matriculated from Lycée Concordet in 1866. Then studied philology (lic. 1868) and…
DAPPER, Olfert. Jordaan, Amsterdam, baptized 6.1.1636 — Amsterdam 29.12.1689. Dutch Physician and Geographer. Son of a linen weaver (d. 1644) and his wife Trintje Heeren. From 1658 studies at Utrecht, in 1659 Med.Dr. Then living in Amsterdam, where he became friend with mayor Nicolaas Witsen (1641–1717, known as cartographer) and…
DANTINNE, Jean. Liège 1930 — 1996. Belgian Buddhist Scholar (Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan). Studies of Buddhist philology, Chinese and Japanese at Louvain (Leuven, i.al. under Lamotte) 1964-66, also Indology at Liège. From 1975 Lecturer in Modern and Classical Chinese at Liège, then Professor (?) at Louvain-la-neuve (1983). But if he was…
DANIELSSON, Olof August. Häradshammar, Östergötland 15.10.1852 — Uppsala 10.7.1933. Swedish Linguist. Professor in Uppsala. Son of Daniel Danielsson, a shoemaker, and Anna Brita Olofsdotter. School in Norrköping. From 1870 studied at Uppsala, M.A. 1874, Ph.D. 1880 there. Learnt Sanskrit from Erdman, then further studies under Windisch and Lindner at Leipzig…
DANIÉLOU, Alain (nom-de-plume Shiva Sharan). Neuilly-sur-Seine (Seine) 4.10.1907 — Lonay, Switzerland 27.1.1994. French Musicologist deeply interested in India. Son of Charles Daniélou (1878–1953), an anticlerical Breton journalist and politician, and Madeleine Clamorgan (1880–1956), an ardent catholic, his brother Jean Daniélou (1905–1974) was a jesuit and cardinal. Educated at Institution de…
DANIELL, William. Kingston upon Thames, London 1769/70 — Camden Town, London 16.8.1837. British Painter in India. Nephew of —> Thomas Daniell (1749–1840). Son of innkeeper William Daniell and his wife Sarah. After his father’s premature death in 1779 came to live with his uncle. “Accompanied his uncle … to India.…
DANIELL, Thomas. Kingston upon Thames, London 1749 — Kensington, London 19.3.1840. British Landscape Painter in India. Uncle of —> William Daniell (1769/70–1837). Studied and worked in London, in India 1785-94. “Son of an innkeeper… Was in India painting for ten years, from 1784, with his nephew… and published his pictures……
DANDARON, Bidija Dandarovič. Kižinga, Buryatia 15.12.1914 — Vydrino, Buryatia 26.10.1974. Russian Buryat Lama, Tibetologist and Buddhist Scholar. Son of Dorji Badmaev, a Tantric practitioner, and Balžima Abudueva. In 1921 he was declared the heir of Lobsang Samdan and in 1924 succeeded him as formal head of the Vajrayānic Balagat movement.…
DAMES, Mansel Longworth. Bath 1850 — Guildford, Surrey 8.1.1922. British Civil Servant, Baluchi Scholar and Historian of India. Son of Captain George Longworth Dames (1808–1860, of Irish background) and Caroline Amelia Brunswick. Passed the I.C.S. examination in 1868 and 1870 joined Bengal Civil Service, first posted to the Punjab. Served…