Alexander Kinloch Forbes

Alexander Kinloch Forbes (7 July 1821 – 31 August 1865) was a colonial administrator in British India.

Early life Forbes was born in London on 7 July 1821 to John Forbes-Mitchell (1786-1822) of Thainston and Ann Powell (m. 1809 d. 1861). He was the youngest among six siblings. He was educated at a school in Finchley. He articled to George Basevi, an architect, for eight months but later joined a college Haileybury as he was appointed to Bombay Civil Service by Sir Charles Forbes in 1840. He left it in 1842 and arrived in Bombay, India in November 1843.

Administrative career

Forbes was appointed in 1842 to the Civil Service of the East India Company, later moved to Bombay in 1843. He spent his initial two and half years as Assistant Collector of Ahmednagar and Khandesh. Later he was appointed as Assistant Judge in Ahmedabad in November 1846 where he noted the absence of literary society.

Literature Forbes was introduced to Indian languages and literature through the works of William Jones and was inspired to learn Indian languages. So after moving to Ahmedabad, he began to learn Gujarati language first from Rao Saheb Bhogilal Pranavallabh (1818–1889), and then from Dalpatram, a Gujarati poet. He came into contact with Dalpatram through Bholanath Divetia in 1848.

On 26 December 1848 he started the Gujarat Vernacular Society in Ahmedabad, which contributed to a literary renaissance in Gujarati. The fund of Rs 9601 was raised from locals, Baroda State and British officers. The society started the first public library, first school for girls, first periodical, first newspaper and first literary magazine of Gujarat.

Personal life Forbes married Margaret-Moir Forbes-Mitchell (1825-1 November 1904), daughter of Henry David Forbes-Mitchell of Bawlgownie, in Bombay on 25 March 1846. They had six children; Edward Esme Forbes (1855-1920), Emmeline Maria Elizabeth Forbes, Margaret Theodora Lawrence Forbes (d. 1939), John Fraser Forbes (1847-1887), Henry David Erskine Forbes (1849-1920), and Alexander Abernethie Forbes (b. 1851).