DRUMMOND, John James Graham. 28.10.1884 — Aberdeen 19.4.1958. British (Scottish) Civil Servant in India. Son of James William Drummond (1855–1934) and Williamina MacFie Graham (1855–1932). Studies at Christ’s College, Cambridge (B.A. 1906). In 1906-36 in I.C.S. in Bengal, then Lecturer in Bengali at Christ’s College, Cambridge. Ph.D. there 1938/39. Married 1912…
DROUIN, Edmond (Edme Alphonse). Brussels 27.6.1837 (or 1838) — Paris 28.1.1904. Belgian Lawyer and Numismatician in Paris. Son of Jacques Drouin and Sidonie Renard. Studied law in Paris from 1855, became a lawyer and worked in Paris. He spent his leisure in the study of languages, numismatics, and archaeology, from…
DREW, William Hoyles. Plymouth 21.12.1805 — Plicate (Pazhaverkadu) May 1856. Rev. British Missionary in South India. Son of William Drew, a merchant, who died when he was three. Grew up in Dartmouth and early entered the service of a local trading company, which involved two or three trips to Newfoundland.…
DRESDEN, Mark Jan. Amsterdam 26.4.1911 — Philadelphia 16.8.1986. Dutch Indologist and Iranian scholar in the U.S.A. Citizen of the U.S.A., Professor in Philadelphia. Son of the composer Sem (Samuel) Dresden (1881–1957) and Jacoba Catharina Adriana Dhont, educated in Amsterdam. Studies of classical and especially Indo-Iranian philology at Amsterdam, B.A. 1933,…
DOWSON, John. Uxbridge near London 1820 — Sandhurst, Buckinghamshire 23.8.1881. British Indologist. Professor in Sandhurst. In the age of 16 came to London to assist his uncle —> Edwin Norris (1795–1872), the secretary of R.A.S. He became soon interested in Oriental languages. He was a self-made scholar, but very able.…
DOWNING, Clement. 16?? — at sea 1736. British Engineer in India 1715-23. In Mughal service. Birth and early years unknown, to India perhaps in 1715. According to his title page he was “Midshipman on board the Salisbury; afterwards Lieutenant of the Victory Frigate, Fame Gally, and Revenge Grab, part of…
DOWNES, Edmund. Northampton, Middlesex 1844 — Eastbourne, Sussex 11.1.1912 (others 11.12.1911). Rev. British Colonial Officer turned Missionary. Son of Rev. John Downes and Lucy Todd. Educated at Radley College and Woolwich. Served as lieutenant in Royal Horse Artillery in India about eight years, then left army and worked for Church…
DOW, Alexander. Crieff, Perthshire 1735/36 — Bhagalpur 31.7.1779. British (Scottish) Colonial Officer, Historian and Persian Scholar in India. Son of a customs officer. He had mercantile education in Dunbar and briefly worked in Eyemouth, but had to leave Scotland (possibly after a fatal duel). He came to Bencoolen (Sumatra) as…
DORN, Johann Albrecht Bernhard (Boris Andreevič) von. Scheuerfeld bei Koburg 11.5.1805 — St.Petersburg 19.5.(31.5.)1881. German Oriental (Iranian) Scholar in Russia. Son of Rev. Heinrich Wilhelm Dorn (1770–1836), a minister, and Susanna Friederike Bühl. Gymnasium in Coburg. Studies from 1822, first Theology, soon Oriental languages, at Halle and Leipzig. Ph.D. and…
DONNER, Otto. Kokkola 15.12.1835 — Helsinki 17.9.1909. Finnish Indologist and Finno-Ugrian Linguist. Professor in Helsinki. Son of Anders Donner (1796–1857), a wealthy businessman and shipowner in Kokkola on the west coast of Finland, and Olivia Matilda Dahlström (1803–1857). Matriculated in 1857 from Vaasa, then studied Finnish at Helsinki and passed…