DRESDEN, Mark Jan. Amsterdam 26.4.1911 — Philadelphia 16.8.1986. Dutch Indologist and Iranian scholar in the U.S.A. Citizen of the U.S.A., Professor in Philadelphia. Son of the composer Sem Dresden (1881–1957) and Jacoba Dhont, educated in Amsterdam. Studies of classical and especially Indo-Iranian philology at Amsterdam, B.A. 1933, M.A. 1937 (under…
DOWSON, John. Uxbridge near London 1820 — Sandhurst, Buckinghamshire 23.8.1881. British Indologist. Professor in Sandhurst. In the age of 16 came to London to assist his uncle —> Edwin Norris, the secretary of R.A.S. He became soon interested in Oriental languages. He was a self-made scholar, but very able. Tutor…
DOWNING, Clement. 16?? — at sea 1736. British Engineer in India 1715-23. In Mughal service. Birth and early years unknown, to India perhaps in 1715. According to his title page he was “Midshipman on board the Salisbury; afterwards Lieutenant of the Victory Frigate, Fame Gally, and Revenge Grab, part of…
DOWNES, Edmund. Northampton, Middlesex 1844 — Eastbourne, Sussex 11.1.1912 (others 11.12.1911). Rev. British Colonial Officer turned Missionary. Son of Rev. John Downes and Lucy Todd. Educated at Radley College and Woolwich. Served as lieutenant in Royal Horse Artillery in India about 8 years, then left army and worked for Church…
DOW, Alexander. Crieff, Perthshire 1735/36 — Bhagalpur 31.7.1779. British (Scottish) Colonial Officer, Historian and Persian Scholar in India. Son of a customs officer. He had mercantile education, but had to leave Scotland after a fatal duel. He came to Bencoolen (Sumatra) as a sailor and entered in 1760 the E.I.C.’s…
DOUGLAS, James. 4.6.1826 — 3.8.1904. British (Scottish) Banker in India, interested in History. Son of William Douglas, a solicitor, “educated at Sorbie Parish School and privately in Edinburgh. Went to Karachi in 1864 as Agent of the Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China, Agent in Bombay 1865-72. Exchange and…
DOUGLAS, Gordon (Bhikkhu Asoka). 18?? — April 1900 (Payer) or 1905. British Bauddha. He was claimed to be the very first British who was ever (known to be) ordained as a Buddhist monk (Wikipedia Laurence Carroll as U Dhammaloka is earlier, see W. on him). The ordination took place in…
DOROW, Wilhelm. Königsberg 22.3.1790 — Halle 16.12.1846. German Antiquarian Scholar. A precursor of Indian art history who, according to Mode, did not share the common contempt of Indian art of his times. Lost early his father, educated in Marienburg (Malbork in Poland). For a while studied at Königsberg. Moved 1811…
DORN, Johann Albrecht Bernhard (Boris Andreevič) von. Scheuerfeld bei Koburg 11.5.1805 — St.Petersburg 19.5.(31.5.)1881. German Oriental (Iranian) Scholar in Russia. Son of Heinrich Wilhelm Dorn (1770–1836), a minister, and Susanna Friederike Bühl. Gymnasium in Coburg. Studies from 1822, first Theology, soon Oriental languages, at Halle and Leipzig. Ph.D. and PD…
DONNER, Otto. Kokkola 15.12.1835 — Helsinki 17.9.1909. Finnish Indologist and Finno-Ugrian Linguist. Professor in Helsinki. Son of Anders Donner (1796–1857), a wealthy businessman and shipowner in Kokkola on the west coast of Finland, and Olivia Matilda Dahlström (1803–1857). Matriculated in 1857 from Vaasa, then studied Finnish at Helsinki and passed…