SMITH, Vincent Arthur. Dublin 3.6.1848 — Oxford 6.2.1920. British (Irish) Indologist, Historian and Art Historian of India, in India (1871–1900) and the U.K. Son of Aquilla Smith (1806–1890), a physician and noted numismatist and archaeologist, and Esther Faucett (d. 1850). Educated at Trinity College, Dublin (B.A. 1868) and Cambridge (M.A.).…
SMITH, Helmer. Boo, Stockholms län 26.4.1882 — 9.1.1956. Swedish Indologist. Professor in Uppsala. Son of an engineer, Henning Smith (of distant British origin), and Fanny Sehlstedt (d. 1929). Matriculated from Stockholm in 1900. Studies at Uppsala: fil.kand. 1904, fil.lic. 1908. In 1909-20 further studies in Berlin, Paris (Bloch) and especially…
SLEEMAN, William Henry. Stratton, Cornwall 18.8.1788 — at sea 10/25.2.1856. Sir. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of yeoman Philip Sleeman and Mary Spray, lost his father in 1798 (or 1802?), mother 1818. In 1809 joined the Bengal Army as infantry cadet, was immediately sent to India. From 1810 Ensign,…
ŠIRJAEV, Mihail Alekseevič. 1887 — 1952. Russian Indologist. Student of Ščerbackoj and Barannikov, specialised first in Hindustani, then also in Sanskrit. In the 1930s Docent of Indology at Leningradskij Vostočnyj Institut imeni A. S. Enukidze. He also started translating Manu and even planned Mahābhārata, but in 1937 the publication of Sanskrit…
SIDDONS, George Richard. Fort Marlborough, Bengkulu, Sumatra 1.12.1809 — at sea ?.7.1857. British Colonial Officer in India. Major. Son of George John Siddons of Bengal Civil Service and Mary Fombelle, born in the British base in Sumatra, baptized in Calcutta. Lieutenant in the 1830s, then Captain, finally Major. Married 1850…
SHARPE, Phoebe Elizabeth (née Lavnder). Bangalore 1888 — 8.1.1941. Miss. British Authoress interested in Indian Society. No scholar. Daughter of Horace William and Alice Lavender. In 1905 married John Charles Sharpe (1877–1943), an officer, but later separated (no formal divorce). She spent more than twenty years in India and was…
SHAKESPEAR, John (elder). 14.8.1774 — Langley Priory, Leicestershire 14.6.1858. British Oriental (Hindi/Urdu, Arabic and Persian) Scholar. Professor in Addiscombe. Son of a small farmer, John Shakespear, who died when he was 11, and his wife Martha. Educated at the parish school and privately. He studied Arabic in London in order…
SEREBRJAKOV, Igor’ Dmitrievič. Sartana, Mariupolsk, gub. Ekaterinoslav (obl. Doneck), Ukraine 14.(27.)11.1917 — Ibid. 20.9.1998. Russian Indologist. Son of a Russian worker. Graduated 1940 from Philological Faculty, Leningrad. Kand. filol. nauk 1964, Dr. filol. nauk 1975. In 1940-56 in army service, in 1941-47 taught at VIIJa. In 1959-61 cultural delegate in…
SCHAYER, Stanisław. Sędziszów, Malopolski 8.5.1899 — Otwock near Warsaw 1.12.1941. Polish Indologist. Professor in Warsaw. Son of Antoni and Maria Schayer. From 1916 studies at Warsaw, then soon philosophy and Indology at Heidelberg (under Liebich and Walleser) and Freiburg i.Br. (E. Leumann, Husserl). Ph.D. 1921 Freiburg. Further studies at Munich…
WILSON, Horace Hayman. London 26.9.1786 (date uncertain) — London 8.5.1860. British Indologist. In India 1808-32, then Professor in Oxford. Born in a modest family. Educated in London and studied medicine at St.Thomas’ Hospital, but also learned the elements of minting. In 1808 left forBengal as Assistant-Surgeon, during the six months’…