BRACHET, Benjamin

BRACHET, Benjamin, as the author of a Vedic work (Prières antèhistoriques. Œuvres de Koutsa et Hirayastoupa. P. 1870) is sometimes called, seems to be mistaken. See under —> Benjamin GACHET.

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BOYER, Augustin-M.

BOYER, Augustin-M. Vannes (Morbihar, Brittany) 20.11.1850 — 2.1.1938. Abbé, S.J. French Indologist and Epigraphist, a Catholic Priest. Educated at the Collège diocésain de Nantes, at the age of 20 a Jesuit novice, first in Angers, then in Saint-Acheul. In addition to philosophy and theology studied mathematics with success. In 1884…

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BOULNOIS, Jean

BOULNOIS, Jean Raymond Paul. Berville-en-Caux, Normandy 19.3.1904 — Philippeville, Algeria 1956. French Physician interested in India. Son of Paul Boulnois (1868–1949) and Louise Léonie Ehrer (1872–1962), both teachers.  Dr.Med. 1928 Bordeaux. First served as colonial physician in Côte d’Ivoire, in 1932-35 at French settlements in Tamilnadu and Bengal, then in…

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BORÉ, Eugène

BORÉ, Eugène. Angers 15.8.1809 — Paris 3.5.1878. French Orientalist, especially Armenian Scholar. Son of an official who died in 1812, in 1828 also lost his mother. Educated in Angers and Paris, then studied languages: Arabic, Turkish, Armenian, Persian, Hebrew, Syriac and in 1833 Sanskrit. In 1833-34 Professor of Armenian at…

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BOISSEROLLE-BOISVILLIERS, Aurèle-Jean de

BOISSEROLLE-BOISVILLIERS, Aurèle-Jean de (Baron A.-J. de Boisserolle, chevalier de Boisvilliers). Paris 3.9.1764 — Sumène (Gard) 1.2.1829. French General, apparently interested in Sanskrit. Son of a civil servant, Count François de Boisserolle, and Elisabeth Law de Lauriston, joined the army in 1782. 1782-83 served as a sous-lieutenant, then gardes du corps.…

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BOCHINGER, Jean-Jacques

BOCHINGER, Jean-Jacques (Johann Jacob B.). Strasbourg 28.11.1802 — Strasbourg 12.8.1831. Alsatian Protestant Theologian. Of humble origin, son of Jean Bochinger, a weaver, and Christine Madeleine Lutz. Studies at Protestant Seminary and Theological Faculty of Strasbourg, then at Heidelberg and Göttingen. For a while, 1824-26, private tutor in Lyon, then further…

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BLOCHET, Edgar

BLOCHET, Gabriel Joseph Edgar. Bourges (Cher) 12.12.1870 — Paris 5.9.1937. French Oriental (Arabic and Iranian) Scholar and Historian of Religions. Son of a cavalry officer. After studies in Paris (i.al. ancient Iranian under Darmesteter at É.P.H.É. and Arabic (diploma), Persian, Turkish and Urdu at É.L.O.V.), from 1895 Assistant, then Librarian…

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BLOCH, Jules

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…

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BIOT, Jean Baptiste

BIOT, Jean Baptiste. Paris 21.4.1774 — Paris 3.2.1862. French Historian of Science, especially Astronomy. Son of a treasury official, Joseph Biot, joined the army in 1792, but sent to home because of failing health in 1794. Graduated as an engineer and taught Mathematics from 1797 in Beauvais, from 1799 at…

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BIGANDET, Paul-Ambroise

BIGANDET, Paul-Ambroise. Malans (Doubs) 13.8.1813 — Rangoon 19.4.1894. French Catholic Missionary and Buddhist Scholar. Fifty years in Burma. Educated in Besançon and at the seminary of Missions Etrangères in Paris (two years there). In 1837 ordained as priest and sent as missionary to Malacca, later moved to Burma. From 1852…

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