Ardaseer Cursetjee
Encyclopedia
Ardaseer Cursetjee FRS (October 6, 1808 – November 16, 1877) was an India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n shipbuilder and engineer.

He is noted for having been the first Indian to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...

. He is also recorded as having introduced several (at the time) novel technologies to the city of Bombay (now Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

), including gas lighting, the sewing machine, steam pump-driven irrigation and electro-plating.

Biography

Ardaseer Cursetjee was the son of Cursetjee Rustomjee, scion of the Wadia family
Wadia family
The Wadia family is a Parsi family originally based in Surat.Lovji Nusserwanjee Wadia began the Wadia shipbuilding dynasty in 1736, when he obtained a contract from the British East India Company for building docks and ships in Bombay...

 of shipbuilders and naval architects, and master builder at the Bombay Dockyard (today, Mumbai's Naval Dockyard).

In 1822, aged 14, Ardaseer joined his father at the dockyards. He is described to have been particularly interested in steam engines.

In 1833, aged 25, he launched a small 60 ton ocean-going ship of his design. This ship, the Indus, would subsequently warrant a mention in his nomination for the Royal Society.

On March 10, 1834, in the presence of the Governor of Bombay, he had his house and gardens at Mazgaon lit using gas lighting.

In 1837, he was elected a non-resident member of the Royal Asiatic Society
Royal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was established, according to its Royal Charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia." From its incorporation the Society...

.

In 1839, at the age of 31, he traveled overland to England to further his studies of marine steam power on behalf of the East India Company. He recounted his journey in The Diary of an Overland Journey from Bombay to England, which was published in London in 1840. While in England, he constructed a steam engine, which he then had shipped to India for installation on the Indus.

On May 27, 1841, Cursetjee was elected Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...

. The nomination, made by Spencer Compton, Marquess of Northampton
Spencer Compton, 2nd Marquess of Northampton
Spencer Joshua Alwyne Compton, 2nd Marquess of Northampton , known as Lord Compton from 1796 to 1812 and as Earl Compton from 1812 to 1828, was a British nobleman and patron of science and the arts....

, the then President of the Society, describes him as a "gentleman well versed in the theory and practice of naval architecture
Naval architecture
Naval architecture is an engineering discipline dealing with the design, construction, maintenance and operation of marine vessels and structures. Naval architecture involves basic and applied research, design, development, design evaluation and calculations during all stages of the life of a...

 and devoted to scientific pursuits." It credits him with both the introduction of gas lighting to Bombay, as well as having "built a [sea-going] vessel of 60 tons to which he adapted a Steam Engine."

In 1855 he was elected a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

.

Ardaseer Cursetjee remained Chief Engineer until August 1, 1857, when he retired. He returned to England, where he settled. He died, aged 69, on November 16, 1877 in Richmond.

On May 27, 1969, the Indian Postal Service
Indian Postal Service
The Department of Posts functioning under the brand name India Post , is a government operated postal system in India; it is generally referred to within India as "the post office"....

issued a commemorative stamp in recognition of his contributions as "pioneer and innovator."
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