author
James Burnes
1801–1862
A Scottish doctor, traveler, and writer, he spent much of his career in India and turned first-hand experience into vivid books on Sindh, Cutch, and the wider world around Bombay. His life joined medicine, travel writing, and public service in a way that still feels adventurous today.
1 Audiobook
Sketch of the History of the Knights Templars Second Edition
by James Burnes
About the author
Born in Montrose, Scotland, in 1801, James Burnes trained in medicine before going to Bombay in 1821. He built a substantial career there as a surgeon and later rose to become physician-general of Bombay, while also writing about the places and societies he encountered.
His books drew on direct observation and wide curiosity. He is especially known for A Narrative of a Visit to the Court of Sinde and Sketch of the History of Cutch, works that helped introduce British readers to western India and neighboring regions through a mix of travel, history, and local detail.
Burnes was also active beyond medicine and travel writing, with interests that included public affairs and freemasonry. He died in 1862, leaving behind a body of work that reflects both the opportunities and the attitudes of the British imperial world in which he lived.