PINGREE, David Edwin. New Haven, CT 2.1.1933 — Providence, RI 11.11.2005. U.S. Indologist and Historian of Science. Son of Daniel Pingree (1902–1986) and Elizabeth Maconi. Grew up in Providence and attended school there. Graduated 1950 from Phillips Academy in Andover. Studied Sanskrit, classics and mathematics, then also Arabic, at Harvard. Mainly…
POWELL, Eyre Burton. Brecknockshire, Wales 1818/19 — Streatham, London 10.11.1904. British Civil Servant in India. Son of the elder E. B. Powell (1795–1859) and Elizabeth Labeste, studied at Pembroke College, Cambridge (B.A. 1840, M.A. 1857). In 1848 (or 1840?) joined Madras Civil Service. Worked as teacher, finally Principal of Presidency…
PETRI, Winfried Wilhelm Eduard Emil. Braunschweig 4..9.1914 — 10/11.4.2000.German Historian of Astronomy. Studied mathematics, physics and Oriental languages and worked in various positions, mainly in Berlin. Ph.D. 1943. Participated in WW II and was American war prisoner. In 1946-49 worked as miner. Then went to Munich, employed in observatory. Now studied…
BILLARD, Roger Louis. Puteaux (Paris) 29.12.1922 — Mennecy near Paris 30.12.2000. French Indologist. He was of modest origin and had to work after school, but the post in the Oriental bookshop Adrien Maisonneuve led him to studies and he soon entered É.L.O.V. Studied Hindi, Khmer, Arabic and Chinese, also Sanskrit…
WHISH, Charles Matthew. London 9.1.1795 — Cuddapah (Kadapa) 14.4.1833. British Civil Servant in India. Son of Martin Whish (1743–1826), a Commissioner of Excise, and Harriet Tysson (1765–1841). After studies at Haileybury served in Madras Presidency from 1812, in Zillah Court of South Malabar. Then criminal judge in Cuddapah. He was…
WARREN, John (Jean Baptiste François Joseph de Warren). Leghorn 21.9.1769 — Pondichéry 9.2.1830. British-French Colonial Officer in India. Lieutenant-Colonel. Son of Count Henri Hyacinthe de Warren (1732–1781) and Christine Walburge de Meurers (1737–1819). In 1793 moved to London and soon went to Calcutta. After a failed attempt as indigo planter joined…
PLAYFAIR, John. Benvie, Forfarshire 10.3.1748 — Burntisland, Fife 20.7.1819. British (Scottish) Scientist and Mathematician. Son of Rev. James Playfair (d. 1772) and Margaret Young, educated at home. From the age of 14 studies at St.Andrews and Edinburgh, began with divinity, but turned to science. Worked as preacher and tutor, continuing…
SCHRAM, Robert Gustav. Lemberg (L’viv) 18.1.1850 — Vienna 23.12.1923. Austrian Astronomer and Geodecist. Born in the then Austro-hungarian part of Ukraine, son of lawyer Adolf Schram. After gymnasium in Cracow from 1869 studies at Vienna. Ph.D. and PD 1874 Vienna. In 1872-73 briefly Assistant at Geneva observatory, then Th. von Oppolzer’s…
SPOTTISWOODE, William. London 11.2.1825 — London 27.6.1883. British Mathematician and Physicist. Son of Andrew Spottiswoode (1787–1866), a printer and politician, and Mary Longman, father’s family originally from Scotland. Educated at Eton and Harrow, in 1842-45 studies of mathematics at Oxford (Balliol College). Then entered his father’s printing firm and worked…
WILKINSON, Lancelot. Crosby-Ravensworth, Cumbria 22.6.1805 — Sehore near Bhopal 13.11.1841. British Scholar of Astronomy in India. Son of James Wilkinson (1765–1820) and Nanny Eggleston (1771–1820). Came to India as a writer around 1822 and joined Bombay C.S. From 1824 Assistant to Collector of Southern Konkan, from 1826 Assistant Resident in…