ELIADE, Mircea. Bucharest 9.3.1907 (his own, others say rather 13.3., Old Era 28.2.) — Chicago 22.4.1986. Romanian Scholar of Comparative Religion in the U.S.A. Son of Gheorghe E., a captain in the Romanian army, and Ioana Stoenescu (Jeana Vasilescu?). The father had changed his original family name, Ieremia, in honour…
EDGERTON, Franklin. Lemars, Iowa 24.7.1885 — Laramie, Wyoming 7.12.1963. U.S. Indologist. Professor in New Haven. Son of a civil servant, Charles Eugene E., and Annie Benedict White, his younger brothers were the lawyer Henry White E. (1888–1970) and the Egyptologist William Franklin E. (1893–1970). Though born in the West, the…
DUFF (Mrs. Rickmers), Christian Mabel. Calcutta 7.12.1866 — Munich 24.12.1939. British (Scottish) Traveller and Indologist. Daughter of William Pirie Duff, a merchant in Calcutta, granddaughter of the pioneer of Scottish mission in India, Dr. Alexander Duff (1806–1876). Educated in London and Berlin, she studied Sanskrit at Kiel under Deussen. From…
DEUSSEN, Paul Jakob. Oberdreis/Westerwald, Kr. Neuwied 7.1.1845 — Kiel 6.7.1919. German Indologist and Philosopher. Professor in Kiel. Son of Adam D., a minister, and Jakobine Ingelbach. Attended Gymnasium in Elberfeld and Landesschule in Pforta, where his classmate and future life-long friend Friedrich Nietzsche introduced him to Schopenhauer’s philosophy. In 1864-69…
DESIDERI, Ippolito. Pistoia 21.12.1684 — Rome 14.8.1733. S.J. Italian Missionary and a Pioneer of Tibetology, in Tibet in 1715-21, in India 1714-15, 1721-27, last years in Rome. Son of Iacopo D. and Maria Maddalena Cappellini, a patrician family. Joined Jesuits in 1700 and studied in Rome, from 1706 taught literature…
DE’ NOBILI DE MONTEPULCIANO, Roberto (Robertus de Nobilibus, Tattuvapodagar [‑pōtakar]). Montepulciano near Siena 1577 — Mailapur (Chennai) 16.1.1656. S.J. Italian Missionary in South India. Born of a family of high nobility (related to the Duke of Modena), joined the S.J. in 1597. Studies of theology in Naples and Rome. In…
DEMIÉVILLE, Paul. Lausanne 13.9.1894 — Paris 23.3.1979. French (born Swiss) Sinologist and Buddhist scholar. Professor in Paris. Son of Paul D. (1855–1947, Professor of Medicine at Lausanne) and Annette Manuel. After gymnasium in Bern studied history of music and Russian at Munich, London, Edinburgh and Paris, dr. degree in Music…
DE LORENZO, Giuseppe Giovanni Angelo. Lagonegro, Potenza 24.4.1871 — Naples 27.6.1957. Italian Scientist and Bauddha. Professor of Geology in Naples. Born in Southern Italy, son of Lorenzo De L. and Carolina Rinaldi. After studies at Naples became in 1897 PD and 1905 Professor of Geology and Physical Geography there. Retired…
DAVIES, John. 1812? — London 18.9.1890. Rev. British Indologist and Welsh Scholar (?). From Salford. From 1838 studies at Cambridge (St.John’s College, B.A. 1842, M.A. 1845). Ordained priest 1842. Curate of Smallwood in 1853-57, Rector of Walsoken, Norfolk 1857-71, then retired from church service and moved to London. Married 1846…
DAHLMANN, Joseph. Koblenz 14.10.1861 — Tokyo 22.6.1928. Father. S.J. German Indologist, later in Japan. Son of a tailor, Johann Simon D., and Catharina Schulten, educated in 1873-78 at Feldkirchen Jesuit College, joined the S.J. in the age of 17 in 1878. Studies in the Netherlands, the U.K. and Puerto Rico,…