The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, commonly known as the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS), was established, according to its

royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...

of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia." From its incorporation the society has been a forum, through lectures, its journal, and other publications, for scholarship relating to Asian culture and society of the highest level. It is the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

's senior

learned society A learned society (; also learned academy, scholarly society, or academic association) is an organization that exists to promote an academic discipline, profession, or a group of related disciplines such as the arts and science. Membership ...

in the field of Asian studies. Fellows of the society are elected regularly. Fellows include highly accomplished and notable scholars of Asian studies. They are entitled to use the post-nominal letters ''FRAS''.The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations, 2nd edition, Market House Books Ltd and Oxford University Press, 1998, ed. Judy Pearsall, Sara Tulloch et al., p. 175Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage 2011, Debrett's Peerage Ltd, p. 26The International Who's Who of Women 2002, 3rd edition, ed. Elizabeth Sleeman, Europa Publications, p. xiWho's Who in Malaysia and Singapore, John Victor Morais, 1973, p. 423

History

The society was founded in London in 1823, with the first general meeting being held on 15 March at the Thatched House on St James's Street, London, chaired by

Henry Thomas Colebrooke Henry Thomas Colebrooke FRS FRSE (15 June 1765 – 10 March 1837) was an English orientalist and mathematician. He has been described as "the first great Sanskrit scholar in Europe". Biography Henry Thomas Colebrooke was born on 15 June ...

. This meeting elected the officers (including Charles Williams-Wynn as the first president) and council, defined that the name of the society was the Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and that members should be designated Members of the Asiatic Society (MAS). It also empowered the council to frame regulations (these were approved at the next general meeting on 19 April), to look for a suitable site for the society's meetings, and to seek a charter of incorporation. Later that year, at a general meeting held on 7 June, Williams-Wynn announced that King George IV, who had already agreed to be patron of the society, had granted the title of "Royal" to the society, giving it the name of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland and its members the designation Members of the Royal Asiatic Society (MRAS). The society received its charter under that name on 11 August 1824. The RAS was established by a group primarily composed of notable scholars and colonial administrators. It was intended to be the British counterpart to the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, which had been founded in 1784 by the noted

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominalization, nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cul ...

scholar and jurist Sir William Jones. A leading figure in the foundation of the RAS was

, who was himself an important Sanskrit scholar, and one time President of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta. Another was Sir George Staunton, 2nd Baronet, a Chinese-speaking diplomat who had worked in China. When the Oriental Club of London was formed in 1824, membership of the RAS was stated as one of the four qualifications for membership of the new club. Due to the nature of the society's close connection with the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading post ...

in the east, much of the work originating with the society has been focused on topics concerning the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India ...

. However, the purview of the Society extends far beyond India: all of

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...

and into Islamic

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in t ...

, and

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the Er ...

are included. The Society does have a few limitations on its field on interest, such as recent political history and current affairs. This particular moratorium led to the founding of the Central Asian Society, which later became the Royal Society for Asian Affairs. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, with the gradual end of British political hegemony 'east of

Suez Suez ( ar, السويس '; ) is a seaport city (population of about 750,000 ) in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez (a branch of the Red Sea), near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same b ...

', the Society maintained its disinterested academic focus on Asia. Originally, members of the society were styled Members (MRAS), Honorary Members (Hon. MRAS), Corresponding Members (CMRAS) and Foreign Members (FMRAS). By the 1870s, the post-nominal letters ''FRAS'', indicating fellowship of the society, were being used by some members, including the physician and writer on India John Forbes Watson, and the writer on India and co-founder of the India Reform Society John Dickinson. This usage continued through the twentieth century, advertisements in the Society's Journal also reflecting the use of the letters ''FRAS'' by some members, although all members of the society were referred to as "members" in the 1908 constitution, and it was not until 1967 that reports of the Anniversary Meeting referred to "fellows" rather than "members". , members are designated "fellows" or "student fellows"; no post-nominals are assigned by the society to these grades in its regulations, but the use of the post-nominal letters ''FRAS'' is recognized in numerous reference works. The post-nominal letters are used by some academics working in Asia-related fields, and have been used in the society's journal in reference to the Indologist Dr Michael D. Willis, and to the poet and translator of Bengali Dr William Radice and the Islamic scholar Leonard Lewisohn. Notable members and fellows of the society have included

Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...

, Sir Aurel Stein,

Sir Wilfred Thesiger Sir Wilfred Patrick Thesiger (3 June 1910 – 24 August 2003), also known as Mubarak bin Landan ( ar, مُبَارَك بِن لَنْدَن, ''the blessed one of London'') was a British military officer, explorer, and writer. Thesiger's trav ...

, and George V. Tsereteli.

Branches

The society is affiliated with associate societies in India (

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comm ...

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...

, Bangalore,

Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Tamil Nadu, the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and territories of India, Indian state. The largest city ...

, and Bihar), the former branch in Mumbai now being known as the Asiatic Society of Mumbai. It is also affiliated with the

Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka The Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka (RASSL) is based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is one of the oldest learned societies in Sri Lanka with a history of over 160 years. It was established on 7 February 1845, paralleling the Royal Asiatic Soci ...

, the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch (established in 1847), the Asiatic Society of Japan (established in 1875), the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (established in 1877), and Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch (established in 1900). In China, the former South China Branch is now known as the Hong Kong Branch. The North China branch has been re-established in 2006 in

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...

as the

Royal Asiatic Society China The Royal Asiatic Society China is a learned society based in Shanghai and Beijing, China. It was established in Shanghai in 1857 by a small group of British and American expatriates as the Shanghai Literary and Scientific Society, and within a ...

, the original branch having been founded in 1857 and dissolved in 1952. It has chapters in

Suzhou Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹'' , Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the largest city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trad ...

and

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

Journal

The '' Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society'' (''JRAS'') is published by

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press in the world. It is also the King's Printer. Cambr ...

four times a year, each issue containing a number of scholarly essays, and several book reviews. It has been published under its current name since 1991, having previously been the ''Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland'' (1834–1991) and ''Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland'' (1824–1834). The present editor of the journal is Professor Sarah Ansari of Royal Holloway, University of London. The Executive Editor is Charlotte de Blois. The society also regularly publishes historical manuscripts, and monographs of the highest academic quality on numerous topics.

Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland

This fund was initially established in 1828. The results of its initial funding projects were soon forthcoming. The Fund became one of a large number of Victorian subscription printing clubs which published translations, re-issued historical works or commissioned original books which were too specialized for commercial publication; but unlike most of those now defunct organizations, the work of the Royal Asiatic Society Oriental Translation Fund is on-going into the 21st century with a "new series" and "old series" microform catalog available for scholarly research.

President

Currently (2021–), the President of the Society is Professor

Sarah Ansari Sarah Frances Deborah Ansari is a British professor of history at Royal Holloway, University of London. She is a specialist in the recent history of South Asia, and particularly Pakistan and the partition of India. Career Ansari's research intere ...

and the vice-president is Dr. B. Brend.

Past presidents

* 2018-2021

Anthony Stockwell Professor Anthony John "Tony" Stockwell, FRAS is a British academic. He is best known for his research into the history of British imperialism and decolonisation in Southeast Asia. Professor Stockwell was appointed President of the Royal Asiat ...

* 2015-2018 Gordon Johnson * 2012–2015 Peter Robb * 2009–2012 Gordon Johnson * 2006–2009

* 2003–2006 Francis Robinson * 2000–2003

* 1997–2000 Francis Robinson * 1993–?1997 David W. MacDowall * 1990–1993 Prof. Adrian David Hugh Bivar * 1988–1990 Frank Steele * 1979–1988 Sir Cyril Philips * 1976-1979 Charles Fraser Beckingham * 1973–1976 Prof. E.H.S. Simmonds * 1970–1973 Basil William Robinson * 1967–1970 Charles Fraser Beckingham * 1964–1967 Prof. Sir Harold Walter Bailey * 1961–1964 Sir Richard Olaf Winstedt * 1958–1961 Gerard L.M. Clauson * 1955–1958 Sir Richard Olaf Winstedt * 1952–1955 Sir Ralph Lilley Turner * 1949–1952 Sir Richard Olaf Winstedt * 1946–1949 The Earl of Scarbrough * 1943–1946 Sir Richard Olaf Winstedt * 1940-1943 Viscount Samuel * 1939-1940 Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon * 1937–1939 Malcolm Hailey, 1st Baron Hailey * 1934–1937 David Samuel Margoliouth * 1931–1934

Edward Douglas Maclagan Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan (25 August 1864 – 22 October 1952) was an administrator in British India. He was born in the Punjab, the son of General Maclagan of the Royal Engineers and educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford. I ...

* 1928–1931 Lawrence Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland * 1925–1928

* 1922-1925 Robert Chalmers, 1st Baron Chalmers * 1921–1922 Richard Carnac Temple * 1893–1921

Donald James Mackay, 11th Lord Reay Donald James Mackay, 11th Lord Reay (22 December 1839 – 1 August 1921) (in the Netherlands: Donald Jacob, Baron Mackay, Lord of Ophemert and Zennewijnen) was a Dutch-born British administrator and Liberal politician. Background Mackay was bo ...

* 1890–1893

Thomas George Baring Thomas George Baring, 1st Earl of Northbrook, (22 January 182615 November 1904) was a British Liberal statesman. Gladstone appointed him Viceroy of India 1872–1876. His major accomplishments came as an energetic reformer who was dedicated to ...

* 1887–1890 Thomas Francis Wade * 1884–1887 William Muir * 1882–1884 Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere (2nd term) * 1881 Sir Thomas Edward Colebrooke * 1878–1881 Henry Creswicke Rawlinson * 1875–1878 Sir Thomas Edward Colebrooke * 1872–1875 Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere * 1869–1871 Henry Creswicke Rawlinson * 1867–1869 Percy Smythe, 8th Viscount Strangford * 1864–1867 Sir Thomas Edward Colebrooke * 1861–1864 Percy Smythe, 8th Viscount Strangford * 1858 William Henry Sykes * 1855–1858 Horace Hayman Wilson * 1852–1855 William Baring, 2nd Baron Ashburton * 1849–1852 Lord Ellesmere * 1843–1849

Earl of Auckland Baron Auckland is a title in both the Peerage of Ireland and the Peerage of Great Britain. The first creation came in 1789 when the prominent politician and financial expert William Eden was made Baron Auckland in the Peerage of Ireland. In ...

* 1842–1843 Lord Fitzgerald and Vesey (died in office) * 1841–1842 George Augustus Frederick Fitzclarence (died in office) * 1823–1841 Charles Williams-Wynn

References

Some Society publications

*"Charter of Incorporation of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland." ''Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society.'' pp 25–27, 1957. *Beckingham, C.F. ''Centenary Volume of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1823-1923.'' Pargiter, F.E. (ed.) Published by the Society, 1923, London. *Mashita, Hiroyuki. ''Theology, Ethics and Metaphysics: Royal Asiatic Society Classics of Islam.'' Routledge Publishing, 2003. *Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. B. W. Robinson. ''Persian Paintings in the Collection of the Royal Asiatic Society'' Routledge, 1998. *Rost, Reinhold. "Miscellaneous Papers Relating to Indo-China and the Indian Archipelago" Reprinted for the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, from the "Journals" of the Royal Asiatic, Bengal Asiatic, and Royal Geographical Societies; the "Transactions" and "Journal" of the Asiatic Society of Batavia ... Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland Malayan Branch Published by Trübner & co., 1887. *Tritton, Arthur Stanley. ''Muslim Theology...'' Royal Asiatic Society by Luzac, 1947. * Winternitz, Moriz (compiled), Frederick William Thomas (appendix). ''A Catalogue of South Indian Sanskrit Manuscripts: Especially Those of the Whish Collection Belonging to the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.'' Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland Library. Whish Collection, 1902.

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Catalogues

* *

Miscellaneous

* * * * *Leyden, John. (2013)
Miscellaneous Papers Relating to Indo-China and the Indian Archipelago, Reprinted for the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.
London: Forgotten Books. (Original work published 1886)

References relating to the Society and noted Fellows

*Finn, Elizabeth Anne McCaul. ''Reminiscences of Mrs. Finn, Member of the Royal Asiatic Society.'' Marshall, Morgan and Scott, 1929. *Hunter, William Wilson. ''Life of Brian Houghton Hodgson: British Resident at the Court of Nepal, Member of the Institute of France; Fellow of the Royal Society; a Vice-president of the Royal Asiatic Society, Etc.'' J. Murray, 1896. *Simmonds, Stuart, Simon Digby. "The Royal Asiatic Society: its history and treasures": ''In commemoration of the sesquicentenary year of the foundation of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.'' E. J. Brill, 1979. * Skrine, Francis Henry, William Wilson Hunter. ''Life of Sir William Wilson Hunter, K.C.S.I., M.A., LL.D., a Vice-president of the Royal Asiatic Society.'' Longmans, Green, and Co., 1901. *Taintor, Edward C. "The Aborigines of Northern Formosa: A Paper Read Before the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society." Customs Press: Shanghai, 18 June 1874.

External links

Royal Asiatic Society website
* Charter of Incorporation of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland
Hong Kong branchMalaysian branchNorth China Branch Journal
(Full texts of older editions online.)
South Korean branchShanghai branchSri Lanka branch
{{Authority control 1824 establishments in the United Kingdom Ancient Near East organizations Clubs and societies in London Learned societies of the United Kingdom Organisations based in the United Kingdom with royal patronage Organizations established in 1824

Asiatic Asiatic refers to something related to Asia. Asiatic may also refer to: * Asiatic style, a term in ancient stylistic criticism associated with Greek writers of Asia Minor * In the context of Ancient Egypt, beyond the borders of Egypt and the cont ...

Asian studies