Roberto Di Nobili (1577–1656) was a Jesuit priest and missionary who spent much of his time in Madurai, India.
Di Nobili traveled to India to convert Indians to Catholicism and to aid his endeavor to study the native languages, in this instance Sanskrit (holy language) and Tamil, as the Jesuits had done.
He also attempted to comprehend local culture and attain the ceremonial authority that comes with brahmin (priestly) rank by copying brahmin habits (vegetarianism, forms of clothing, etc.) as a means of more successfully spreading the Gospel.
He was a keen observer and writer, but his works were never published during his lifetime.
They were just recently uncovered; for further information, see Tamil language.