POUCHA, Pavel. Vienna 29.12.1905 — Prague 15.1.1986. Czech Indo-Iranian, Mongolian and Tocharian Scholar. Son of tailot František Poucha. After early years in Vienna, where his parents lived for a while, he came in the age of seven to Neuhaus (now Jindřichův Hradec in Southern Bohemia) and attended classical gymnasium there.…
POPE, George Uglow. Bedeque, Prince Edward Island 24.4.1820 — Oxford 11.2.1908. British (born in Canada) Missionary Indologist (Tamil Scholar) in India and the U.K. Son of John Pope, a merchant of Cornish origin, and Catherine Uglow, they had come to Canada in 1818. The family moved soon to Nova Scotia…
PLÜTSCHAU (Plütschow, Plütscho), Heinrich. Wesenberg bei Neustrelitz 1676 — Beidenfleth, Kr. Steinburg, Holstein 4.1.1752 (Hantzsch 1747). German Pietist Missionary in India. Educated in Berlin, then studied theology at Halle. Prompted by Francke to enter missionary career he was ordained in Copenhagen in 1705 andarrived at Trankebar (Tamilnadu) in 1706 together…
PERTOLD, Otakar. Jaroměř, Hradec Králové 21.3.1884 — Prague 3.5.1965. Czechoslovakian Indologist and Anthropologist. Professor in Prague. Born in Northern Bohemia as son of a chemist and owner of a sugar factory. Educated in Slany 1894-1902, then studies of classical philology, philosophy, Oriental languages (under Zubatý et al.) and astronomy at…
PARKER, Henry John. 1849 — 19??. British Engineer and Civil Servant in Sri Lanka. Arrived in 1873 and in 1873-1904 worked as Irrigation Officer at Public Works Department, serving in different parts of the island. Interest in ancient reservoirs led him to archaeology. At the same time he achieved an…
VOROB’EV-DESJATOVSKIJ, Vladimir Svjatoslavovič. Tver 3.10.1927 — Leningrad 2.7.1956. Russian Indologist. Son of an official. After the 9th school class joined the army and served in 1944-45 in Romania, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Disbanded in 1945 he concluded his school education and studied at the Oriental Faculty of Leningrad University Indology (specially Sanskrit,…
VINSON, Elie Honoré Julien. Paris? (Wikip. claims Pondichéry and data.bnf.fr Bagnères-de-Luchon, Haute-Garonne) 21.1.1843 — Libourne (Gironde) 21.11.1926. French Indologist and Scholar of Religion. Professor in Paris. Probably born in France, but grew up in Karikal and Pondichéry, where his father was a civil servant, and thus learned Tamil almost to…
ZIEGENBALG, Bartholomäus. Pulsnitz, Saxony 14.6.1683 (or 10.6.1682?) — Tranquebar, India 23.2.1719. German Missionary and Precursor of Indology (Tamil Scholar). In South India 1706-19. Son of the elder B.Z. (d. 1694), a modest grain merchant, and Maria Brückner (d. 1692). After gymnasium in Görlitz and Berlin, studied one year under A.…
NEVILL, Hugh. Tottenham, Middlesex 19.6.1847 — Hyères, France 10.4.1897. British Civil Servant in Sri Lanka. Son of William Nevill and Mary Oridge (d. 1857). Came to Ceylon when 17 as private secretary to Chief Justice and served 27 years there, finally (1895-97) District Judge in Batticaloa. He left Ceylon because…
NAU, Heinrich (Henry). Beltershausen, Marburg 21.9.1881 — Greensboro, NC 17.5.1956. German Lutheran Missionary and Student of Indology (Tamil). Son of a farmer, studied at Marburg. Emigrated to the U.S.A. in 1902. Now turned to religion and studied at Concordia Seminary in St.Louis. Missionary in South India 1905-14. Learned Tamil and Sanskrit.…