Basham, A. L.

A Distinguished Indologist

Arthur Llewellyn Basham (1914–1986) was a distinguished English Indologist of the twentieth century. He is known for his in-depth study of Indian and Asian culture. Basham or “Bash” as he was fondly called by his friends and colleagues was born on 24 May 1914 in Loughton, Essex, England. Ancient India and South Asia remained the focus of his researches. Basham emphasized “India deserves a larger share of the credit than she is usually given and she has deeply affected the religious life of most of Asia and has contributed to the culture not only of South-East Asia but of many other parts of the world.” His research combined Sanskritic learning with a wide historical perspective. His book The wonder that was India(see) has been a significant contribution to the field of Indian cultural studies. First published in 1954, the book surveys the history and culture of Indian continent till the advent of the Muslim rule. The work covers many aspects of glorious...