T.Wignesan: Born in Kuala Krai, Malaysia. Up to his twenty-first year in Singapore, India, and Malaysia; then in London, Heidelberg, West Berlin, Madrid, and Paris.

Education: After only four years of schooling at Batu Road School and the Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur (1946- 1949: dropped out in 1950); school and higher school certificates (Cambridge University: 1951 (SC: 9 subjects - Grade One) & 1953 (HSC: 1 A-level & 3 O-levels), and London University GCE: 4 A-levels and 1 O-level - 1955); Bar studies at the Inns of Court School of Law, London (1953-56); began doctoral dissertation in Philosophy (epistemology) at Heidelberg Universität and Freien Universität in West Berlin (1957-58); Hispanic Studies in Madrid (1968-72): Escuela Oficial de Idiomas: 3rd Year Certificates in language, literature & civilization: 1968-70; Universidad de Madrid: Diploma in Hispanic Studies, 1971 (1970-72) and Instituto de la Cultura Hispanica (M.A. course in Hispano-Filipino studies:1971-72); Université de Paris-VIII [Equivalence in Spanish Literature for the Licence: 1972; Maitrise d’Enseignement d’Espagnol: 1973]; Comparative Literature: Sorbonne-Nouvelle (1973-83); Aesthetics-Poietics: Université de Paris-I-Panthéon-Sorbonne [Doctorat d’Etat ès lettres et sciences humaines: March 1987. Viva scheduled at the Sorbonne-Nouvelle for June 3, 1983 postponed sine die due to jury mishap]. Extraordinary Prize in Hispanic Studies at Madrid University (1971). Distinctions: Très Bien for the Master’s degree and Très Honorable à l’unanimité (summa cum laude) for the doctorate.