In Memorium: Dr. W. Norman Brown

Summary

In this memorial P. C. Das Gupta commemorates the life and work of Dr W. Norman Brown (1892–1975), a distinguished American Indologist who dedicated his career to the study of Indian history, religions and literature. Born in Pennsylvania, Brown spent his childhood years in India, where his parents were missionaries. After studying at Johns Hopkins University under Maurice Bloomfield, he earned a doctorate in Sanskrit and joined the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, eventually becoming Professor Emeritus of Sanskrit and Chair of the South Asia Regional Studies Department. Das Gupta notes that Brown was a pioneer in promoting Asian studies in the United States and reorganised the Far Eastern Association into the Association of Asian Studies, serving as its president in 1960‑61. He also became the first president of the American Institute of Indian Studies when it was founded in 1961. The obituary emphasises Brown’s deep appreciation for Indian civilisation, his sympathy for India’s national aspirations and his role in interpreting Indian culture for Western audiences. It lists several of his notable publications, including articles on Jain miniatures, Vaishnava and Christian folklore, studies on the Pañcatantra and the Vasanta Vilāsa, and works on ethical concepts from Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Das Gupta observes that Brown’s scholarship combined textual study with folklore and art history and that he passed his passion for India on to generations of students through his teaching and lectures. Brown died on 22 April 1975, and the author mourns the loss of a mainstay of American Oriental studies and a scholar who bridged Eastern and Western intellectual traditions.