PRATT, James Bissett. Elmira, NY 22.6.1875 — Williamstown, MA 15.1.1944.U.S. Philosopher and Scholar of Religion. The only child of Daniel Ransom Pratt and Katharine Graham Murdoch. Graduated 1893 from Elmira Free Academy and 1898 from Williams College. Studies at Harvard (M.A. 1899) and Berlin. Ph.D. 1905 Harvard under W. James.…
PRÁŠEK, Justin Václav. Brandýs nad Labem 7.8.1853 — Klánovice 23.12.1923 (Kdo byl kdo, Wikipedia has Brandýs 24.12.1924). Czech Historian of Ancient Iran. Studied history and classics at Prague, Ph.D. 1882. Worked as gymnasium teacher in Pardubice and other towns. From 1885 further studies at Munich and Berlin, then continued as…
PORTNJAGIN, Pavel Konstantinovič. Vladivostok 1903 — Samarkand 1977. Russian Traveller. Interested early in Theosophy and eastern religions. In 1925-26 travelled in China and Mongolia, in 1926 joined in Urga the Roerich Central Asian expedition, until 1928, then with I. A. D’jakov in Burma. After a while as teacher in Harbin…
PORRU, Giulia. 1913 — 2000 (?). Italian Linguist. Studies at Florence, i.a. under Devoto. Ph.D. 1937 Florence, PD in glottologia 1943. From 1946 Professore indaricato di filologia Germanica at Florence, also taught general linguistics. She was the first Italian to show interest in phonology. Publications: “I verbi della VII classe dell’antico…
POPE, John Van Someren. Plymouth 3.1.1850 — London 10.11.1936. British Teacher and Oriental Scholar. Son of —> G. U. Pope and Henrietta van Someren. Studies at Cambridge, M.A. Teacher in Calcutta: Professor at Presidency College (1877). Public Inspector of Schools for Eastern Circe (1889 on furlough). Finally Director of Public Instruction…
POLOMÉ, Edgar Ghislain Charles. Molenbeck-Saint-Jean near Brussels 31.7.1920 — Houston 11.3.2000. Belgian Linguist in the U.S.A. Professor in Austin, Texas. Son of a Walloon father (Marcel P.) and Flemish mother (Berthe). Studies at Free University Brussels (B.A. 1940) and after war service at Catholic University Louvain (M.A. 1943), learned Sanskrit from Lamotte.…
POITIERS, Thomas de. 16?? — ?.4.1742. Father. French Capuchin Missionary in India. Arrived in India in the 1690s, in 1715 in Madras. Supérieur of Capuchin missions on Coromandel coast in Pondichérey from before 1733 until death. He was involved in the quarrels between Jesuits and Capuchins. Publications: Le Paganisme des Indiens…
POGSON, Wredenhall Robert. Sutton, Surrey 1.7.1787 — Benares 6.8.1843. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Bedingfield P. (d. 1799) and Elizabeth Pearce. Served in Bengal Army from 1805, finally Colonel. Married 1815 Anna Cordelia Queiros, 12 children. Publications: History of the Boondelas. 7+174 p. Calcutta 1828 (translation of Lāl Kavi’s…
PLUNKETT, George Tindall. Islington, London 8.8.1842 — Surrey 2.5.1922. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Valentine William Pl. and Marianne Tindall, educated at Woolwich Military Academy, entered army 1862. Colonel 1889, retired 1894. Director of Science and Art Institutions, Dublin in 1895-1907. Married 1865 Emily Richardson, two sons and…