FERGUSON, Alastair Mackenzie. Urquhart and Logie Wester (Cannon Bridge?), Rossshire 25.1.1816 — Colombo 26.12.1892. British (Scottish) Journalist in Sri Lanka. Son of John F. and Ann Mackerras, brother of —> William F. Came to Ceylon in 1837 in the staff of Governor J. A. Stewart Mackenzie. Worked as planter, customs…
FELL, Edward. 17?? — 1824. British Colonial Officer in India. From 1807 Lieutenant, then Captain of 10th Native Infantry. Superintendent of Benares Sanskrit College, from 1820 until death. In 1819 he examined the remains of Sanchi and wrote the first published decription. He is reputed to have mastered Sanskrit. A…
FEIST, Samuel Sigmund. Mainz 12.6.1865 — Copenhagen 23.3.1943. German IE Linguist and Pedagogue. Son of David F. and Juliana Marx. Ph.D. Director of the Reichenheim Orphanage in Berlin, 1906-35. In 1939 emigrated as Jew to Denmark and died there, the widow and daughters escaped to the U.S.A. Married Antonie (Toni)…
FAULKNER, Alexander. 18?? — 1881?. British Civil Servant in India. He joined Bombay Civil Service in 1839 and made his career in Customs, Salt, and Opium Department, served in various positions there (1856 he was Assistant Commissioner) at least until 1874. The death of A.F., member of R.A.S., was announced…
FANTIN-DESODOARDS (F. des Odoards), Antoine-Étienne Nicolas. Le Pont-de-Beauvoisin (Isère) 26.12.1738 — Paris 25.9.1820. French Former Clergyman, Historical Author and Revolutionary. Entered ecclesiastic career in 1750. Joined S.J., ordained priest, after the suppression of Jesuits spent some time as a refugee in Tuscany. Back in 1773 he became prior in Betteville…
FALLON, Pierre. Namur 24.9.1912 — Calcutta 20.9.1985. S.J. Belgian Jesuit Missionary in India. Indian citizen 1950. After school in Namur joined S.J. in 1930, studied Indology and theology at Louvain (lic.phil. & lic. theol.). Came to Calcutta in 1935. Professor of French at Calcutta University for 25 years, also taught…
FABRICIUS, Pierre. Berlin 23./30.4.1912 — 20.12.1988. French (of German origin) Indologist and South-East Asian Scholar. Student of Zimmer at Heidelberg, emigrated because of Nazis. In 194?-74 taught Greek and Latin in Phnom Penh, then Professor of Sanskrit (?) in France (or perhaps schoolteacher of German). Specialist of vyākaraṇa. Publications: Mainly…
FAY, Edwin Whitfield. Minden, Louisiana 1.1.1865 — Pittsburgh, PA 17.2.1920. U.S. Indologist and Linguist. Professor in Austin. Son of Edwin Hedge Fay (1832–1898), a noted educator, and Sarah Elizabeth Shields, attended with a few other boys on a special permission the girls’ school, Silliman Institute, where his father was the…
FAIANI, Antonio. 17.8.1859 — 19??. Italian School-Teacher interested in Indology. Director of R. Liceo-Ginnasio Massimo d’Azeglio in Turin. Perhaps lived into an advanced age. But sources are contradictory. One Antonio Faiani of Verona has life years 1859–1933. However, Pullé in OC 10, 1894, 2:10 ascribes the Meghadūta to the Director…
FAIRBANKS, Gordon Hubert. Calgary, Alberta 22.3.1913 — Honolulu, Hawaii 13.7.1985. Canadian Linguist in the U.S.A., NIA, IE, Russian and Armenian Scholar. Citizen of the U.S.A. Professor in Ithaca, Manoa and Urbana. Son of Hubert F. and Constance Maude Bullock. Educated at Mount Royal College in Calgary, studies at at University…