Vincent Arthur Smith (VA Smith), who worked in India from 1871-1900 as an ICS officer, observed in one of his books that among the various branches of science, Jesuits always had an inclination towards astronomy and geography. He credits Fr. Anthony Monserrate (1536-1600) as the first European since Ptolemy to draw a map of India. He is said to have recorded accurately all the mountains, rivers and cities that lay between Goa to Kabul. Fr. Clande Stamila Boudier (1687-1757) was a reputed astronomer. Fr. Calmette worked in the Carnatic Mission and discovered the similarity between the Indian and European Zodiac. Joseph Tieffenthaler (1710–1785) was a missionary geographer. He travelled extensively and wrote about the geography of India.
Login to read more
Comments are closed.