BIČURIN, Iakinf (Hyacinth, originally Nikita Jakovlevič). Akulevo, Tsivil’skij district, Kazan Province 29.8.1777* — St.Petersburg 11.5.1853. Russian (Čuvaš) Monk, Orthodox Priest, Sinologist and Central Asian Scholar. Son of Jakov, a deacon, and Akelina Stepanovna. From 1786 studied theology and languages at Kazan Ecclesiastical Academy, graduated 1799, then lecturer there. Ordained as…
GIUSEPPE MARIA DA GARGNANO (Iosephus Maria a Gargnano; lay Bernardino Bernini). Gargnano near Brescia (then Venetian Republic) 2.9.1709 (hardly 1711) — Bettia in Bihar Terai 15.1.1761. Count. Italian Missionary in Tibet. Son of Count Giuseppe De Bernini and Giovanna De’ Bettoni, partly grew up in Vienna. Joined the Capuchin order…
BERNARD, Theos Casimir Hamati. Los Angeles 10.12.1908 — Kosar, Pakistan ?.9.1947. U.S. Bauddha and Yogi. Son of Glen Agassiz Bernard and Aura Georgina Crable, nephew of the yogi Pierre Arnold Bernard (born P. A. Baker, 1875–1955). After parents’ divorce grew up with his mother in Tombstone, Arizona. Graduated from the…
BELL, Charles Alfred. Calcutta 31.10.1870 — Oak Bay, Victoria, B.C. 8.3.1945. Sir. British Tibetan Scholar, Traveller, and Civil Servant in India. Born as a son of a civil servant (in India) Henry Bell and his wife Anne, educated at Winchester and Oxford (New College). In 1891 joined Indian service in…
BECKH, Christoph Eugen Hermann. Nürnberg 4.5.1875 — Stuttgart 1.3.1937. German Indologist and Tibetan Scholar, later turned into Anthroposophist Priest. Son of a factory owner, Eugen Beckh, and Marie Seiler, studied economy and law at the Maximilianeum of Munich until 1896 and worked as assessor, but was soon frustrated with law…
BARUCH, Willy. Herford, Kr. Detmold 1900 — Montfavet, Avignon ?.3.1954. German Indologist, Sinologist, Tibetan, Buddhist and Central Asian Scholar. Born of a Jewish family in Westfalen. Studies at Berlin and Leipzig, student of Lüders and F. Weller, then of Kirfel at Bonn. Ph.D. 1937 Bonn. Leaving Germany he was living…
BARADIJN, Badzar Baradinevič. v Mogojtuj Aginsk. ajmaka 16.6.(28.6.)1878 — 24.8.1937. Russian (Buryat) Buddhist, Tibetan and Mongolian scholar. Born in a herder family. Graduated 1905 at St.Petersburg. In 1905-07 further studies in Tibet. In 1908-17 taught at Oriental Faculty, St.Petersburg, then 1917-23 at intermediate school in Ulan-Ude. In 1923-35 chairman of…
BACOT, Jacques. St.-Germain-en-Laye (Indre) 4.7.1877 — Paris 25.6.1965. French Traveller and Tibetologist. Born in a family of cloth merchants, son of Raymond Bacot (1843–1917) and Marie Louise Bapterosses. With father and grandfather, who were experienced travellers, he himself made a journey round the world in 1904. In 1907 he conducted…
AZEVEDO, Francisco de. Lisbon 1578 — Goa 12.8.1660. S.J. Portuguese Missionary in India and Tibet. Came to India as a boy and never returned. Joined S.J. in Goa, when 19. After studies served at Diu (1614) and Rachol, from 1620 Visitor of Monomotapa Mission in South Africa. In 1627 joined…
ARIS, Michael Vaillancourt. Havana, Cuba 7.3.1946 — Oxford 27.3.1999. British Tibetan Scholar, Specialist of Bhutan. Son of English father (John Arundel Aris, a British Council Officer) and Canadian French mother (Josette Vaillancourt), one of identical twins (brother Anthony Aris). Educated at Worth School in Sussex, then studied modern history at…