SPRENGER, Aloys. Nassereith, Tyrol 3.9.1813 — Heidelberg 19.12.1893. Austrian Oriental Scholar, in India 1842-56. then Professor in Bern. Son of a customs officer, Christoph Sprenger and Therese Dietrich, gymnasium in Innsbruck. Studied from 1782 medicine and Oriental languages at Vienna, then from 1836 in London. British citizen 1838. Dr.Med. 1840…
SPIES, Otto. Bad Kreuznach 5.4.1901 — Bonn 29.10.1981. German Semitist (Turkish and Arabic Scholar) also interested in Hindi. Professor in Bonn. Studies of Oriental languages (Ph.D. 1923 under E. Littmann) and law (Dr. juris 1924) at Bonn and Tübingen, then Assistant at Bonn under P. Kahle in 1925-32. PD 1927…
SOTNIKOV, Mihail Nikolaevič. 1??? — 19??. Russian Indologist, Specialist of Hindi Grammar. In the 1930s Docent of Indology at Leningradskij Vostočnyj Institut imeni A. S. Enukidze. Later moved to Moscow and was 1954-56 Head of Department of Indian Linguistics at Moscow Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) and 1956-65 at Institute of…
SONTHEIMER, Günther-Dietz. Ulm 21.4.1934 — Dossenheim bei Heidelberg 2.6.1992. German Indologist, Specialist of Law, Popular Religion and Marathi. Professor in Heidelberg. Son of Dr. Walther S. (1890–1984), a teacher and schooldirector, and Herma Dietz. During the war living in mother’s home area, in the former Prussian Posen (Poznań). In 1945-53…
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 and Administrator in India. Son of yeoman Philip Sleeman and Mary Spray, a family of Cornish gentry. He lost his father in 1798 (or 1802?), mother 1818. In 1809 joined the Bengal Army as infantry cadet,…
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…
SIMONSSON, Nils. Offerdal, Jämtland 12.11.1920 — Uppsala 22.5.1994. Swedish Indologist. Professor in Oslo and Uppsala. Son of a farmer, Simon Simonsson (1885–1972), and Helena Olofsson. Educated in Offerdal and Östersund. From 1941 studies at Uppsala under H. Smith, passed fil.kand. 1945 and fil.lic 1951. In 1949 further studies in Paris…
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 (1785–1848) of Bengal Civil Service and Mary Fombelle (1782–1877), born in the British base in Sumatra, baptized in Calcutta. Served in North India: Lieutenant in the 1830s,…