Alain Daniélou

Alain Daniélou (1907–1994) was a French historian, orientalist and musician who devoted his life to Indian music, philosophy and culture. His widely read translation of the Kama Sutra, published in 1994 with scholarship on the text's full context, is among the standard English editions.

A disciple of Swami Karpatri and a trained classical musician, Daniélou wrote acclaimed books on Hindu civilisation, musicology and erotic tradition. His work introduced Western audiences to the depth and freedom of ancient Indian thought about pleasure and the sacred, though his popular editions remain debated among academics.