Ram Raz

Ram Raz (Rama Raja) (1790–1830) was born in Tanjore. He wrote the remarkable "Essay on the Architecture of the Hindus" that was posthumously published in London by the Royal Asiatic Society in 1834.

He was born to a poor family but he mastered English serving as clerk in 1815 in the office of the English Military Auditor. As his abilities came to be known, he was first appointed head English master at the College of Fort St. George in Madras. Later he was appointed to the position of Judge and Magistrate in the Mysore state.

The foreword to the book by Royal Asiatic Society member Richard Clarke details the circumstances in which Ram Raz wrote the book.