Krishna Singh Rawat

Krishna Singh Rawat, also known as Kishen Singh, Kishan Singh Milamwal and titled as Rai Bahadur, (1850-1921) was an Indian explorer and cartographer, was styled as a pundit - a title used by the British for the native surveyors who worked for the "Survey of India".[1][2][3]

Early Life

He was born to a trader named Deb Singh Rawat. He was born at Milam village on India-China border now in present day Pithoragarh district. His elder brother was Mani Singh Rawat. His cousin Nain Singh Rawat was also an explorer.[4][5] [6]

Education (1862-1867)

He simultaneous studied and worked as assistant at "Garbyang government school" in Dharchula area and progressed to later obtain the "Tehsil Mudarisi" diploma from "Normal School" at Almora. He taught at "Milam Girl’s School" and "Garbyang government school".[7][5][6]

Explorer (1867-1885)

He was hired and trained by the Geological Survey of India's Dehradun office, after which he participated in the Great Trigonometrical Survey, and later even became a trainer for the survey. James Walker, the superintendent of the survey, took him and his cousin Nain Singh Rawat on expeditions of Tibet and Central Asia. He was part of the several important expeditions listed below.[8][9][1][10]

  1. 1869 Kailash-Mansarovar expedition.
  2. 1871-1872 Shigache– Lhasa expedition.
  3. 1873-1874 Yarkand–Kashgar expedition, second expedition of this area by Sir Thomas Douglas Forsyth.
  4. 1878-1882 Darjeeling–Lhasa–Mongolia expedition, stayed in Lahsa for a year masquerading as a merchant, surveyed Mekong, Salween, and Irrawaddy rivers.

He was also the first person to map the Ramgarh crater on a finer scale of (1 : 63,360).[11]

Retirement and death (1885-1921)

He retired in 1885. In 1913 he became a guardian patron of "Johar Upkarini Mahasabha" grassroot development co-operative society of Johar Valley. He passed away in February 1921.[2][3]

Honors

He received the following:[1][2][3]

  1. Royal Geographic Society, honored him with an inscribed gold watch and 500 Indian rupees.
  2. Paris Geographical Society, a gold medal.
  3. Italian Geographic Society, a gold medal.
  4. British government of India, title of Rai Bahadur.
  5. British government of India: with a grant of jagir by British in Sitapur district of present day Uttar Pradesh with annual revenue of INR1850.

See also

References

Citations
  1. Derek J. Waller, 2004, "The Pundits: British Exploration of Tibet and Central Asia," University Press of Kentucky.
  2. Dr. Sher Singh Pangtey, 1992, "Madhya Himalaya Ki Bhotia Janjaati (Bhotia Tribe of the Central Himalayas)".
  3. Indra Singh Rawat, 1973, "Indian Explorers of the 19th Century".
  4. Kenneth Mason, 1923, "Kishen Singh and the Indian Explorers", The Geographical Journal, Vol. LXII-July to December.
  5. Babu Ram Singh Pangtey, 1980, "Johar Ka Itihaas (History of Johar)".
  6. Peter Hopkirk, 1982, "Trespassers on the Roof of the World: The Race for Lhasa", Oxford University Press.
  7. Kenneth Mason, 1923, "Kishen Singh and the Indian Explorers", The Geographical Journal, Vol. LXII-July to December.
  8. Clements R. Markham, 1878, "A Memoir on The Indian Surveys", 2nd Ed., W H Allen & Co., London, p.189.
  9. Charles E. D. Black, 1891, "A Memoir on The Indian Surveys (1875-90)" , London , p.168.
  10. Account of the Pundit's Journey in Great Tibet - Capt. H. Trotter, The Journal of the Royal Geographic Society (1877).
  11. BALASUNDARAM, M., DUBE, A. Ramgarh, 1973, "Structure, India", Nature (journal), 242, 40 doi:10.1038/242040a0.
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