GLADWIN, Francis. 1744/45? — 1812. British Colonial Officer and Orientalist (Persian Scholar) in India. Served in the Bengal Army at least 30 years, until his death. He was encouraged by Warren Hastings in his study of Oriental languages, mainly worked on Persian literature. From 1801 he was the first Professor…
GIUSSANI, Carlo. Milano 6.11.1840 — Milano 21.4.1900. Italian Indologist and Classical Scholar. Teacher in Milano. Son of Giovanni G. and Angela Carrera. Learned first Sanskrit and linguistics from Ascoli, then studies at Turin and Pisa. Student of Bardelli, graduated at Pisa in 1864. Further studies at Berlin (Weber), Erlangen (Spiegel)…
GIRAUDEAU, Pierre-Philippe. Saint-Mars-de-Coutais (Loire-Intérieure) 17.3.1850 — Kangding (Dajianlu), Tibet 13.11.1941. French Catholic Missionary in Tibet. Son of Pierre Jean G. and Jeanne Guihal. Served in Franco-German war, ordained priest 1876. In 1877 joined Missions étrangères and after seminary in Paris departed in 1878 to Eastern Tibet. Served in various stations…
GIRARD DE RIALLE, Julien. Paris 27.9.1841 — Santiago (Chile) 23.11.1904. French Civil Servant and Diplomat interested in Indology and Ethnology. Graduated in 1861, travelled anonymously in the Balkans and wrote travel accounts. In 1865-66 by the order of French government in Syria. Privately he studied Sanskrit, Avestan and linguistics (also…
GIORGI, Antonio Agostino (Augustinus Antonius Georgius; baptized Francesco Maria Giorgi). Santo Mauro di Romagna (near Rimini) 10.5.1711 — Rome 4.5.1797. Italian Monk, Theologian, and Orientalist, a Coptic Scholar and Pioneer of Tibetan Studies. Son of Antonio G. and Antonia Semprini. Augustinian monk since 1727, from 1752 librarian of Biblioteca Angelina…
GIORDANO, Ferruccio Ducrey, conte. Turin 3.10.1928 — 8.7.1976. Italian Art Historian interested in Indology. Born of a Piemontese noble family, studied in Germany and England. Professionally he was a businessman, who managed the family estate, the Associazione laniera, etc. Several travels to the East made him interested in life, religion…
GINZEL, Friedrich Karl. Reichenberg (Liberec in Czech) 23.2.1850 — Berlin 29.6.1926. Austrian (Bohemian) Astronomer in Berlin. Son of Friedrich G. and his wife Helene. From 1877 Assistant at Th. von Oppolzer’s observatory in Vienna, in 1886 moved to Berlin, worked there at Astronomisches Rechen-Institut. Professor’s title 1899. Married, widower 1919.…
GINNEKEN, Jacques (Jacobus Johannes Antonius) van. Oudenbosch (North Brabant) 21.4.1877 — Nijmegen 20.10.1945. S.J. Dutch Linguist and Catholic Apologist. Professor in Nijmegen. Son of Pieter Josephus Hijronimus van G., a brewer, and Cornelia Jacoba van Aken. Educated at Katwijk and at klein-seminar in Cuzenborg. In 1895 joined the S.J. From…
GILL, Robert. Hackney, London 26.9.1804 — on route from Ajanta to Bhusawal 10.4.1879. British Colonial Officer (Major), Artist and Antiquarian in India. Son of a stockbroker. Entered the Indian Army in 1824, served in Madras, retired 1852. Appointed by his superiors to this work c. 1844-46 he made the first…
GIL’FERDING, Aleksandr Fedorovič (Alexander Hilferding). Warsaw 2.7.1831 — Kargopol, Arhangelsk oblast 20.7.1872. Russian Historian, Slavic Linguist and Folklorist interested in Sanskrit, a Slavophil. Public servant. Son of Fëdor Ivanovič G., a civil servant, and Amalija Jakovlevna Vitte, ancestors came from Germany in the early 18th century. Educated at home by…