WILSON, Horace Hayman. London 26.9.1786 (date uncertain) — London 8.5.1860. British Indologist. In India 1808-32, then Professor in Oxford. Born in a modest family. Educated in London and studied medicine at St.Thomas’ Hospital, but also learned the elements of minting. In 1808 left forBengal as Assistant-Surgeon, during the six months’…
WILLMAN-GRABOWSKA, Helena Antonina Maria. Warsaw 4.1.1870 — Cracow 31.10.1957. Polish Indologist. Professor in Krakow. Daughter of Józef Grabowski and Elżbieta Lipińska. After school in Warsaw she became a schoolteacher in 1887 (when 17). Soon active in anti-Russian movement. Women were then not allowed to the university, but she studied privately…
WILFORD, Francis. 1761 (1771 makes him too young for his early career) — Benares 1822. British (of German Origin) Colonial Officer and Indologist in India. Born in the Kingdom of Hannover, obtained classical education. In 1781 joined the E.I.C.’s military service. Served many years as Lieutenant, in the end Colonel…
WIKANDER, Oscar Stig. Norrtälje 27.8.1908 — Uppsala 20.12.1983. Swedish Indo-Iranian Scholar. Professor in Uppsala. Son of Åke Magnus W., a pharmacist with classical education and literary activity, and Gerda Holmberg, educated in Uppsala. Studies in 1925-38 at Uppsala, of classics, Semitic (Zetterstéen), Iranian (Nyberg) and Indology (Charpentier), then alsoat Copenhagen…
WHITNEY, William Dwight. Nothampton, Mass. 9.2.1827 (hardly 1828) — New Haven, Conn. 7/8.6.1894. U.S. Indologist. Professor in New Haven. Born in an old Yankee family as the son of a businessman, Josiah Dwight Whitney, and Sarah Williston. Educated in 1842-45 at Williams College (B.A. 1845). In 1845-49 he worked in…
WESTERGAARD, Niels Ludvig. Copenhagen 27.10.1815 — Copenhagen 9.9.1878. Danish Indologist and Iranian Scholar. Professor in Copenhagen. Son of a master carpenter, Niels Nielsen W. and Sophie Magdalene Nyeborg. As a schoolboy he became interested, from the example of Rask, in comparative linguistics and Oriental languages. From 1833 studied at Copenhagen…
WEST, Edward William. London 2.5.1824 — Watford, Hertfordshire 4.5.1905. British Indologist and Iranian Scholar in India. Born in a family of architects and engineers, both parents had been in India (father William W. in Bombay, mother Belinda Hickman in Calcutta). In 1839-42 studied engineering at King’s College in London, learnt…
WENZEL, Heinrich Christian Ferdinand. Mainz 7.6.1855 — London 16.6. 1893. German Indologist and Tibetan Scholar in England. Son of Karl August W., a physician, and Amalia Ida Gabriele Michel. Educated in Mainz, matriculated 1874. Studies at Jena, Leipzig and Tübingen. Ph.D. 1879 Tübingen (under Roth). Further studies at Strassburg and…
WENNERBERG, Claes. 1939 — ?.7.1996, when 57. Swedish Indologist. Son of Gunnar W. and Torborg “Bojan” Broden. Studies at Gothenburg under Liebert. Ph.D. 1981 Göteborg Universitet. Docent and half-time Universitetslektor teaching Indology and comparative linguistics at Gothenburg until his sudden and unexpected death. Married Doris, two sons. Publications: Diss. Die…
WELLER, Hermann (nom-de-plume Hans Lindach). Schwäbisch-Gmünd 4.2.1878 — Tübingen 9.12.1956. German Indologist and Poet. Born in a Catholic family, son of a merchant, lost early (1890) his both parents. Educated in Gmünd, Mergentheim and Ehingen. Studied at Tübingen and Berlin law, classics, Hebrew and Indology. Ph.D. 1901 (not in Indology).…