The Asiatic Society is a Government of India
organisation founded during the Company rule in India to enhance and further
the cause of "Oriental research" (in this case, research into India
and the surrounding regions). It was founded by the philologist William Jones
on 15 January 1784 in a meeting presided over by Justice Robert Chambers
in Calcutta, the then-capital of the Presidency of Fort William. At the time of
its foundation, this Society was named as "Asiatick Society". In
1825, the society was renamed as "The Asiatic Society". In 1832 the
name was changed to "The Asiatic Society of Bengal" and again in 1936
it was renamed as "The Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal". Finally, on
1 July 1951, the name of the society was changed to its present one. The
Society is housed in a building at Park Street in Kolkata (Calcutta). The
Society moved into this building during 1808. In 1823, the Medical and Physical
Society of Calcutta was formed and all the meetings of this society were held
in the Asiatic Society.
Key Details of
Foundation
- Founder: The society was
established by the philologist and scholar Sir William Jones.
- Inaugural Meeting: The first meeting took
place at the Grand Jury Hall of the Supreme Court in Calcutta (now
Kolkata), then presided over by Justice Sir Robert Chambers.
- Original Name: At its inception, it
was named the Asiatick Society.
- Objective: It was created to
promote "Oriental research"—specifically to enquire into the
history, civil and natural antiquities, arts, sciences, and literature of
Asia.
No comments:
Post a Comment