James Prinsep

James Prinsep was an English scholar, orientalist and antiquary. He was the founding editor of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and is best remembered for deciphering the Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts of ancient India. He studied, documented and illustrated many aspects of numismatics, metallurgy, meteorology apart from pursuing his career in India as an assay master at the mint in Benares.

20 August 1799

Born on the same birth day (20 August): Bolesław Prus • Craig Ochs • DeForest Soaries • Fabien Jarsalé • Fernando Poe Jr. • Frank Rosolino • Gus Macdonald • Hamza Abdullah • Peter Day (chemist) • Sylvester McCoy