INDIA, University of Punjab, Patiala, 1890, a copper medal, unsigned [by J. Pinches], bust of John Sime left, rev. titles of Rajinder Singh, Maharaja of Patiala in nine lines, 38mm (Pudd. 890.1). Extremely fine and very rare £80-£100

Dr John Sime, CIE (1843-1911) was born in Inchture (Perthshire) and attended St Andrews University. He went out to India in 1864 where he became a professor at the Government College in Agra. He spent seven years at Delhi College after which he was Principal at Lahore College until 1885, when he became tutor to the Maharaja of Patiala. In 1887 he was appointed Inspector of Schools and subsequently Director of Public Instruction in the Punjab. During this period, he became acquainted with Rudyard Kipling’s father who ran a text-book print shop in Lahore