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| Sir James Davidson Gordon |
The Deputy Commissioner’s Office is one among the many heritage buildings of Mysore. The foundation stone for the building was laid on June 20, 1887 and formally opened in 1895. It was built in memory of Sir James Gordon and his statue was installed in the midst of the rose garden in front of the imposing DC office.
Son of Evelyn Meadows, Sir James Davidson Gordon was born on 1835. He joined the Civil Service in lower Bengal in 1854. He was the Private Secretary to Governor Gen. Lord Lawrence from 1866 to 73. In 1873, he became the Judicial Commissioner of Mysore, the Chief Commissioner in 1878 and Resident of Mysore from 1881 to 1882.
Also, he was the guardian to Chamaraja Wadiyar from 1871 to 1873. Sir Gordon retired in 1883 and died on June 27, 1889. He was awarded the title of CSI in 1866 and KCSI in 1881.
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| The DC Office |
When Sir Gordon was serving as the Chief Commissioner, Chamaraja Wadiyar was the heir to the throne. Since the Wadiyar was still a minor and could not rule, Sir Gordon took care of his education and guided him with the administration. After he became the King, Gordon continued to guide him and taught him about being a leader of the masses. Sir Gordon also struggled for the welfare of the Anglo-Indian community.
The bronze statue of Sir Gordon, with a dagger in one hand and a hat in the other, though poorly maintained, stands as a testimony to time and adds beauty to this office of power.
(Published in Star of Mysore dated June 2, 2011)
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