The Accused
Nayiniyappa: Chief commercial broker to the Compagnie des Indes in Pondichéry, 1708–1716
Nayiniyappa’s Family and Associates
Guruvappa: Nayiniyappa’s eldest son
The Widow Guruvappa: Guruvappa’s wife, Nayiniyappa’s daughter-in-law
Tiruvangadan: A merchant of Madras, and Nayiniyappa’s business associate and brother-in-law
Ramanada: Nayiniyappa’s business associate.
Ananda Ranga Pillai: Nayiniyappa’s nephew, Tiruvangadan’s son, and chief commercial broker to the Compagnie des Indes, 1748–1761.
French Trader-Administrators
Guillaume André Hébert: Governor of Pondichéry 1708–1713; Général de la nation, 1715–1718
Hébert fils : The governor’s son and a junior employee of the Compagnie des Indes
Pierre André Prévost de La Prévostière: Governor of Pondichéry, 1718–1721
Nicolas de La Morandière: Pondichéry councillor, author of several appeals filed by the accused Indians
The Missionaries
Guy Tachard: First superior of the Jesuit mission in Pondichéry
Jean-Venant Bouchet: Second superior of the Jesuit mission in Pondichéry
Père Esprit de Tours: Capuchin missionary and parish priest to Europeans in Pondichéry
Jean-Jacques Tessier de Queralay: Representative of the Missions étrangères de Paris.
The Interpreters
Manuel Geganis: A French-speaking Tamil Christian, son of the Jesuits’ chief catechist (religious interpreter)
Père Turpin: A Tamil-speaking Jesuit missionary
Cordier: A French man born in India to a company employee