Edward Albert Gait
Encyclopedia
Sir Edward Albert Gait KCSI
CIE
(1863–1950) was an administrator in the Indian Civil Service who rose to serve as Lieutenant-Governor of the British Raj
Province known as Bihar and Orissa
. He held that office for the years 1915–1920, with a brief absence during April–July 1918 when Edward Vere Levinge
officially acted in the position.
Gait graduated from University College, London. He sat the competitive examination
for the Indian Civil Service in 1882 and was subsequently appointed, arriving in India on 11 December of that year. He served as assistant commissioner in Assam
, and then from 1890 as provincial superintendent for the 1891 census in that region. He wrote the official report for that region's census, which formed a part of the national census undertaken in that year.
After various other roles in the administration, Gait was appointed as a magistrate and District collector
in November 1897. In April 1900 he became superintendent of census operations in Bengal
, where he worked with Herbert Hope Risley
, the Census Commissioner, to produce the official report of the 1901 Census of India. He was himself Census Commissioner from 1902 until after the census of 1911.
Official recognition of his work came with the award of Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in 1907. In 1912 he became a Companion of the Star of India
(CSI), and in 1915 he was raised to the rank of Knight Commander (KCSI) in the same Order. In 1917 he was appointed a Knight of Grace of The Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem in England
.
Amrendra Thakur has said with the publication of A History of Assam "historical research in North East India entered into a new age. Truly speaking Gait's was the first full-length history of the province. The book is freely used by scholars as an authentic source material."
KCSI
KCSI may refer to:* Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India* KCSI-TV, a local cable television station in Jamestown, North Dakota, United States* KCSI , a radio station licensed to Red Oak, Iowa, United States...
CIE
CIE
-Organizations:* Cambridge International Examinations, an international examination board* Cleveland Institute of Electronics, a private technical and engineering educational institution — the International Commission on Illumination...
(1863–1950) was an administrator in the Indian Civil Service who rose to serve as Lieutenant-Governor of the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
Province known as Bihar and Orissa
Bengal Presidency
The Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal, was a colonial region of the British Empire in South-Asia and beyond it. It comprised areas which are now within Bangladesh, and the present day Indian States of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa and Tripura.Penang and...
. He held that office for the years 1915–1920, with a brief absence during April–July 1918 when Edward Vere Levinge
Edward Vere Levinge
Sir Edward Vere Levinge KCSI CIE was an administrator in the Indian Civil Service who rose to serve as acting Lieutenant-Governor of the British Raj Province known as Bihar and Orissa...
officially acted in the position.
Gait graduated from University College, London. He sat the competitive examination
Competitive examination
A competitive examination is an examination angwhere candidates are ranked according to their grades. If the examination is open for n positions, then the first n candidates in ranks pass, the others are rejected...
for the Indian Civil Service in 1882 and was subsequently appointed, arriving in India on 11 December of that year. He served as assistant commissioner in Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, and then from 1890 as provincial superintendent for the 1891 census in that region. He wrote the official report for that region's census, which formed a part of the national census undertaken in that year.
After various other roles in the administration, Gait was appointed as a magistrate and District collector
District collector
The District Collector is the district head of administration of the bureaucracy in a state of India. Though he/she is appointed and is under general supervision of the state government, he/she has to be a member of the elite IAS recruited by the Central Government...
in November 1897. In April 1900 he became superintendent of census operations in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, where he worked with Herbert Hope Risley
Herbert Hope Risley
Sir Herbert Hope Risley KCIE CSI was a British ethnographer and colonial administrator, a member of the Indian Civil Service who conducted extensive studies on the tribes and castes of Bengal. He is also remembered for the formal application of the caste system to the entire Hindu population of...
, the Census Commissioner, to produce the official report of the 1901 Census of India. He was himself Census Commissioner from 1902 until after the census of 1911.
Official recognition of his work came with the award of Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in 1907. In 1912 he became a Companion of the Star of India
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
(CSI), and in 1915 he was raised to the rank of Knight Commander (KCSI) in the same Order. In 1917 he was appointed a Knight of Grace of The Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem in England
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
.
Publications
Aside from co-editing the official Reports of the 1901 census of India, Gait wrote other publications. These include:Amrendra Thakur has said with the publication of A History of Assam "historical research in North East India entered into a new age. Truly speaking Gait's was the first full-length history of the province. The book is freely used by scholars as an authentic source material."