CALMETTE, Jean. Rodez (Aveyron) 5.5.1692 (not 1693) — Chickballapur, Karnataka ?.2.1740 (hardly 1739). S.J. French Missionary and a Pioneer of Indology. He joined the S.J. as novice in Toulouse in 1709 (not in 1720!). Ordained 1725 and left for India in 1726 and worked at Carnatic mission, in Carveypondi (near…
CALDWELL, Robert. Clady, county Antrim, Northern Ireland 7.5.1814 — Kodaikanal, India 28.8.1891. Rev. British (Scottish) Missionary and Indologist. Born in Ireland of poor Presbyterian Ulster Scottish parents, the family moved to Glasgow, where he had to work from the age of nine. When fifteen he moved to Dublin and began…
BURNOUF, Eugène. Paris 8.4. (or 12.8.?) 1801 — Paris 28.5.1852. French Indologist. Professor in Paris. Son of —> Jean-Louis Burnouf (1775–1844) and Marie Genoviève Chavarin, cousin of —> Émile-Louis Burnouf (1821–1907). Studied classical languages under his father and from 1822 at École de Chartes (licencié ès lettres et en droit…
BURNELL, Arthur Coke. St.Briavels, Gloucestershire 11.7.1840 — West Stratton, Hampshire 12. or 16.10.1882. British Civil Servant and Indologist in India. Son of Arthur Burnell, of E.I.C.’s marine service, and Mary Agnes Coke. Educated at Bedford School, studies at King’s College in London (met Fausbøll there who aroused his interest in…
BOWER, Henry. Madras 1812 — Palayankottah 1885. Rev. Anglo-Indian Missionary in South India. D.D. Son of Francis Bower (François Bouverie, d. 1824) and his wife Justinia. After Vepery Seminary worked as Catechist of Wesleyan Missionary Society, from 1838 Assistant Missionary in the Madras mission. Ordained deacon 1843 and priest 1845.…
BLOCH, Jules. Paris 1.5.1880 — Sèvres (Seine-et-Oise) 29.11.1953. French Indologist and Linguist. Professor in Paris. Son of a Jewish merchant, Salomon Bloch and Caroline Bernheimer, a modest unreligious family originating in Alsace. After Lycée Charlemagne, studied in Paris (Fac. des lettres, etc.) under Lévi and Meillet (also Gauthiot, Foucher and…
BEYTHAN, Hermann. Teichel bei Rudolstadt, Thüringen 29.5.1875 — 1945?. German Missionary and Indologist (Tamil Scholar). Son of a farmer. After Mission School in Leipzig in 1895-1901 he was ordained priest and sent to India. Arrived in February 1902, he worked in Erode, at Fabrizius School in Madras and in 1905-09…
BESCHI, Constantino Gioseffo Eusebio (Constanzo B., Constantinus Beschius, Vīra-māmunivar). Castiglione delle Stiviere near Mantua 8.11.1680 — Ambalakat near Cranganore, Kerala 4.2.1747. S.J. Italian Jesuit missionary and Tamil scholar. Nearly 40 years in India. Educated at Jesuit school in Mantua. Novice of S.J. 1698, then studies in Ravenna and in 1701-10…
BAULEZ, Marius-Joseph-Aimé. Marseille 12.9.1842 — Bangalore 29.4.1906. French Missionary in India. Ordained priest in 1865 and in 1866 went to Pondichéry. From 1869 worked in Cuddalore, 1872 in Salem, from 1874 taught Tamil at a college in Karikal, from 1875 until end stayed in Vellore. Publications: Transl. from Tamil: Le…
BÁLINT-ILLYÉS, Gábor Szentkátolnai. Szentkátolna (now Catalina in Romania) 13.3.1844 — Temesvár (now Timişoara in Romania) 25.5.1913. Hungarian Altaic Scholar, Polyglott and Linguist, also interested in Dravidian. Professor in Kolozsvár (now Cluj-Napoca in Romania). Son of Endre Bálint, of the Szekely noble family, and Agnes Illyés. He learnt many languages already…