GERARD, Alexander. Aberdeen 17.2.1792 — Aberdeen 15.12.1839. British (Scottish) Colonial Officer and Explorer in India. Son of Gilbert G. (1760–1815), D.D., and Helen Duncan, brother of —> James G. Gerard and —> Patrick Gerard. Graduated from King’s College, Aberdeen, in 1808 and joined the Bengal Native Infantry. In 1812-17 and…
GEMELLI CARERI (G. CARRERI), Giovanni Francesco. Radicena, Terranova 1651 (1661?) — Naples 25.7.1725. Italian Traveller. Studies at a Jesuit college in Naples. Dr.iuris. Worked as magistrate in Naples and travelled in Europe. In 1693 started a voyage round the world, during which he visited India in 1695. The voyage started…
GALVÃO, António (A. Galvano). Lisbon 1490? — Lisbon 11.3.1557. Portuguese Historian of Colonial India. Son of the chronicler Duarte G. (c. 1445–1517). From 1527 in the Moluccas, 1536-40 Governor in Ternate, established Portuguese rule in the islands and acted strongly on behalf of mission, destroying temples, etc. His last 17…
GALANOS, Demetrios (Δημήτριος Γαλανός). Athens 1760 — Varanasi 3.5.1833. Greek Indologist in India. Son of Pantaleon and Diamanta G., a wealthy Athenian family, educated in Athens, Patmos and Constantinople, where his uncle had a high ecclesiatic position. Himself rejected the priestly career. In 1786 he came to India to work…
FRYER, John. 1650? — London 31.3.1733. British Physician and Traveller in India and Iran. Son of William Fryer, of London. Studies of medicine at Cambridge, first at Trinity College, in 1671 moved to Pembroke College. M.B. 1671, M.D. 1683. Employed by E.I.C. embarked to India in 1672, returned after many…
FOSTER, William. Southsea, Portsmouth 19.11.1863 — 11.5.1951. Sir. British Historian of Indian Colonial Period. Son of William F., a civil servant, educated at Cooper’s Grammar School and London University (B.A.). In 1882 joined the India Office. In 1891-95 edited India Office List. From 1901 Assistant to the Registrar and Superintendent…
FORSTER, Johann Georg Adam. Nassenhuben near Danzig (now Mokry Dwór in Poland) 27.11.1754 — Paris 10.1.1794. German Scientist, Author and Traveller interested in India. The eldest son of —> J. R. F. and Justine Elisabeth Nicolai. As a youth travelled with his father in 1766 in Russia and England and…
FORSTER, George. 1752 — Nagpur 5.1.1792. British Civil Servant and Traveller in India. Served in Madras as early as 1776. In 1782 he travelled from India using the unusual route through Kashmir, Afghanistan, Herat, by the Caspian Sea to Baku, then to Astrakhan and Moscow and by ship from St.Petersburg…
FITCH, Ralph. 1550? — London (?) 1611. English Merchant and Traveller in India. In February 1583 left London with other merchants of the Levant Company (with John Newberry as leader) with the purpose of opening trade with India. They travelled through Tripolis, Aleppo (May), Baghdad and Basra to Ormuz (September),…
FINCH, William. 15?? — Baghdad ?.8.1613. British Merchant and Traveller in India. Native of London. He came to Surat with Hawkins in 1608 and had to stay there because of an illness, but joined later Hawkins in spring 1610 at Jahangir’s court and spent one and a half year in…