DALRYMPLE, Alexander. New Hailes near Edinburgh 24.7.1737 (or 1736) — London 19.6.1808. British (Scottish) Geographer and Hydrographer. Son of Sir James Dalrymple (1692–1751), bart., and Lady Christian Hamilton. School in Haddington, East Lothian. After father’s death in 1752 went to London and joined E.I.C., 1753 writer in Madras. During his…
DILGER, Christian Wilhelm. Winterbach, Württemberg 12.12.1855 — Tübingen 13.4.1920. Rev. German Missionary of Basel Mission in Kerala. Son of Johannes Dilger (1820–1905) and Friederika Krebs. Worked in Kerala in 1880-1900 and 1906-07. In 1910 said to belong to Tübingen University. Knew Malayālam and Sanskrit. He began an extensive dictionary of Malayālam,…
DIACK, Alexander Henderson. 13.2.1862 — 7.7.1929. Sir. British (Scottish) Civil Servant in India. Son of John Diack. Studies at Aberdeen 1876-79. Joined I.C.S. in 1879, additional studies at Cambridge (King’s College, 1879-81). Served from 1881 in the Punjab. Settlement Officer of Kulu 1887-90. Finally Vice-President of the Punjab Legislative Council…
DE VINCENTIIS, Gherardo. Naples 19.12.1845 — Naples 19.1.1907. Italian Iranian (Persian) Scholar, also interested in Sanskrit and China. Studies at Naples under Lignana. Professor of Persian at Regio Istituto Orientale di Napoli: incaricato 1878, eo. 1890, ord. 1904-07. Publications: Il Gulistan, ossia il Roseto dello Scheich Sadi di Schiraz. Prima…
COLE, Robert Andrews. Madras 1835 — 1907. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Major Robert Wynne Cole, an army doctor. Educated in Madras. As a young Captain he served as Superintendent in Coorg in 1866-69 (with two intervals). Later Colonel in Madras Staff Corps. Retired as Major-General and spent…
DERVICHIAN, Serope (Seraphin Dervischjan). 1846 — 1899. Armenian Linguist. Mekhitarist, studied at Vienna, mainly Sanskrit and Pehlevi. Hübschmann wrote a very negative review of his book (ZDMG 30, 1876, 774-779). Publications: Armeniaka. 1. Das altarmenische “k”. Ein Beitrag zur indo-europäischen Lautlehre. 117 p. Vienna 1877; La langue primitive indo-européenne. 1885…
DEPREE, George Charles (De Prée). 1832? — Jersey 18.2.1887. British Colonial Officer in India. From 1848 at Addiscombe, joined Bengal Artillery in 1851. In 1854 joined the Survey Department and worked long in Ganjam district. As Captain in the 1860s conducted topographical survey of Chota Nagpur. Major 1868, in the 1870s…
DEHON, Paul. Maurage, Hainaut 29.8.1856 — Rajhara, Daltonganj 27.6.1905. Father. S.J. Belgian Missionary in India. Joined Jesuits in 1876. Ordained priest 1882. To India in 1883, from 1889 worked in Kurukh (Oraon) mission. Publications: “Religion and Customs of the Uraons”, MASB 1:9, 1906, 121-181. Sources: P. Tete in La Civiltà…
DECOURDEMANCHE, Jean-Adolphe. Paris 24.3.1844 — Paris 15.10.1916. French Pseudohistorian and Turkish Translator. Wikidata defines him as a diplomat and archaeologist, but no further details of his life are available. Publications: “La légende d’Alexandre chez les musulmans”, RHR 6, 1882, 98-112. – Études sur les racines Arabes, Sanscrites et Turques. 118…
DAWSON, James. Dunblane, Pertshire 29.9.1832 — 1885. Rev. British Missionary in India. Ordained 1864 in Edinburgh and left for India. First in Nagpur and from 1869 worked for the Free Church of Scotland among Gonds in Chindwara, served there until death. Married. Publications: “Gondi Words and Phrases”, JASB 39:1, 1870,…