Robert Nathan (Indian civil servant)

Robert Nathan (Indian civil servant)

Sir Robert Nathan (1868-1921) CIE, KCSI, BA, Barr was an Indian Police Officer notable for his works against the Indian revolutionaries in Bengal, Britain and North America.Harvnb|Popplewell|1995|p=108] Harvnb|Popplewell|1995|p=218] Harvnb|Popplewell|1995|p=219] Harvnb|Spence|2002|p=85] Harvnb|Crane|Barrier|1981|p=189] Harvnb|Ghosh|1977|p=359]

Early career in India

Nathan was educated at St. Peter's College, Cambridge, before joining the Indian Civil Service in 1888. He was appointed secretary of the Indian Universities Commission in 1902, and Private Secretary to the Viceroy, Lord Curzon, in 1905. In 1907 Nathan was made Chief Secretary to the Government of Eastern Bengal and Assam, and Commissioner of Dhaka Police.Harvnb|Skolnik|Berenbaum|1972|p=847] In 1908, Nathan, then the Police Commissioner of Dhaka, was responsible along with the district collector H.L. Salkeld for uncovering the revolutionary organisation of the "Anushilan Samiti", and for instituting the measures to suppress the organisation.

Return to Britain

Nathan was appointed Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University in 1914, and the same year returned from India on account of ill-health.Harvnb|Popplewell|1995|p=219] He began his work for British intelligence against Indian revolutionaries in October 1914. After retiring from the ICS in 1915, Nathan joined the MI5's section dealing with the Indian seditionist movement in Europe, called MI5(g), that was formed at the time headed by Vernon Kell. Nathan's fellow officer at the time was another ex-Indian police official, H.L. Stephenson. He headed at the time the political branch of the Secret service,Harvnb|Popplewell|1995|p=232] and along with Basil Thomson who headed the Special Branch of the Scotland Yard, Nathan was closely involved in the interrogation of Indians who worked along with the Germans during the war.Harvnb|Popplewell|1995|p=220]

Nathan's efforts, along with those of John Wallinger's Indian Political Intelligence Office (with whom Nathan worked closely), were key in the British counter-espionage work. Nathan identified plans by Ghadar Party and the Berlin Committee to assassinate Lord Kitchener in 1915 through an associate of Har Dayal, Gobind Behari Lal.Harvnb|Popplewell|1995|p=224] He was also responsible at this time, along with Basil Thomson, to turn Harish Chandra (who was associated with the Berlin committee) into a double agent.Harvnb|Popplewell|1995|p=227] Nathan was also responsible for the plans made by British intelligence in late 1915 to assassinate Virendranath Chattopadhyaya through agent Donald Gullick.Harvnb|Popplewell|1995|p=229]

Work in North America

Later, on instructions from British secret service, Robert Nathan transferred to the Pacific coast of North America where the Ghadar Party worked closely with the German consulate at San Francisco to obtain arms and men for what came to be known as the Ghadar Conspiracy. Nathan successfully brought the Ghadarites and staff at the German consulate to trial following the "Annie Larsen" arms plot. He organised the Hindu-German conspiracy trial, which at the time was the longest in American legal history.Harvnb|Popplewell|1995|p=236] He was responsible for the arrest of Chandrakanta Chakraverty and his subsequent interrogation, along with that Ernst Sekunna. Through March 1917, Nathan worked closely with William Wiseman, and negotiated with the US State Department the details of the case against the Indian conspirators. He strongly supported granting a guarantee to the United States not to be held responsible for violation of neutrality.Harvnb|Popplewell|1995|p=250]

Later life

Nathan returned to Britain at the end of World War I where he died in 1921.

Notes

References

*Dictionary of Indian Biography. by Charles Edward Buckland. 1906.p 313
*Development of University Education, 1916-1920.Suresh Chandra Ghosh.1977.p359.
*Sir Horace Rumbold; Portrait of a Diplomat: 1869-1941. Martin Gilbert, Michael Gilbert.1973.p52
*Who's who: An Annual Biographical Dictionary. Henry Robert Addison, Charles Henry Oakes, et al. p1117
*The Universal Jewish encyclopedia. Isaac Landman, Simon Cohen. 1939.p111
*Encyclopaedia Judaica.Fred. Skolnik, Michael Berenbaum.1972.p847


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Robert Nathan — For the British Intelligence Officer, see Robert Nathan (Indian civil servant). Robert Gruntal Nathan (January 2, 1894–May 25, 1985) was an American novelist and poet.Nathan was born into a prominent New York family. He was educated in the United …   Wikipedia

  • NATHAN — NATHAN, English family, distinguished in public service. The first member of the family to settle in England was MEYER (Michael) NATHAN who came from Dessau about 1790. His grandson, Jonah, married twice. SIR NATHANIEL (1843–1916), the son of… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • literature — /lit euhr euh cheuhr, choor , li treuh /, n. 1. writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays. 2.… …   Universalium

  • performing arts — arts or skills that require public performance, as acting, singing, or dancing. [1945 50] * * * ▪ 2009 Introduction Music Classical.       The last vestiges of the Cold War seemed to thaw for a moment on Feb. 26, 2008, when the unfamiliar strains …   Universalium

  • Singapore — Singaporean, n., adj. /sing geuh pawr , pohr , sing euh /, n. 1. an island on the Strait of Singapore, off the S tip of the Malay Peninsula. 2. an independent republic comprising this island and a few adjacent islets: member of the Commonwealth… …   Universalium

  • arts, East Asian — Introduction       music and visual and performing arts of China, Korea, and Japan. The literatures of these countries are covered in the articles Chinese literature, Korean literature, and Japanese literature.       Some studies of East Asia… …   Universalium

  • Clements Markham — Clements Robert Markham Born 20 July 1830(1830 07 20) Stillingfleet, England Died 29 January 1916( …   Wikipedia

  • List of French Americans — A French American or Franco American is a citizen of the United States of America of French descent and heritage. The majority of Franco American families did not arrive directly from France, but rather settled French territories in the New World …   Wikipedia

  • New Year Honours 2006 — The New Year Honours 2006 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 31 December, 2005, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2006.The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour, and… …   Wikipedia

  • 2006 New Year Honours — The New Year Honours 2006 for the Commonwealth realms were announced on 31 December 2005, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2006. The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour, and… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”