Alain Daniélou

Alain Daniélou (1907–1994) was a French historian, Indologist, musicologist, and intellectual who became a renowned scholar and convert to Shaivite Hinduism after living in India for 25 years. He collected extensive knowledge on Hindu philosophy, languages, and arts, and played a pivotal role in introducing Indian musicians like Ravi Shankar and the Dagar brothers to European audiences. Daniélou founded the Institute of Comparative Music Studies in Berlin and Venice and served as a UNESCO advisor on traditional music collections.