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Moving Category:British people of colonial India to Category:British people in colonial India per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2021 August 18#British people of colonial India

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{{Infobox scientist
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| image = Robert Bruce Foote.jpg
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1834|9|22|df=y}}
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| death_date = {{Death date and age|1912|12|29|1834|9|22|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Calcutta]]
| resting_place = Holy Trinity Church, [[Yercaud]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India
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| known_for = Geology and archaeology of India
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'''Robert Bruce Foote''' (22 September 1834 – 29 December 1912) was a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[geologist]] and [[archaeologist]] who conducted geological surveys of prehistoric locations in [[India]] for the [[Geological Survey of India]].

Foote joined the [[Geological Survey of India]] (GSI) on 29 December 1858 was posted in the [[Madras Presidency]], [[Hyderabad State|Hyderabad region]] and [[Bombay Presidency|Bombay]]. In 1887 he became a Director of the [[Geological Survey of India|GSI]] and on retiring in 1891, he joined the [[state of Baroda]].

In later life, he settled in [[Yercaud]] where his father-in-law [[The Reverend|Reverend]] [[Peter Percival]] had worked and lived.<ref>{{cite journal| title=Robert Bruce Foote and Indian Prehistory |first=Dilip K. |last=Chakrabarti |journal=East and West |volume= 29| year=1979|issue=1/4 | pages=11–26| jstor=29756503 }}</ref>

An interest in [[Paleolithic lifestyle|paleolithic life]] was inspired by the work of [[Joseph Prestwich]] in 1859. In 1863, the year after his archaeological survey began, he discovered the first conclusive [[Paleolithic]] stone tool (a [[hand axe]]) in [[India]]. He found the tool in southern India ([[Pallavaram]], near [[Chennai|Madras]]). After the discovery he, along with [[William King (GSI)|William King]], went on to discover more such tools and settlements in Southern and Western India. In 1884, he discovered the {{convert|3.5|km}} long [[Belum Caves]], the second largest cave in the [[Indian subcontinent]].<ref name="Dec">{{cite news|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jan272008/sundayherald2008012648758.asp |title=Underground adventure in Belum caves|date=27 January 2008|work=Deccan Herald |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080602003524/http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jan272008/sundayherald2008012648758.asp |archive-date = 2 June 2008}}</ref>

Foote spent 33 years (starting at age 24) working for the [[Geological Survey of India|geological survey]].

As a geologist, one of his significant contribution{{Citation needed|date=July 2020}} to Indian Geology was the "Geological Features of the [[Marhatta (region)|South Mahratta Country]] and Adjacent Districts" (i.e. Border districts of [[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]] States in [[India]]).

He died on 29 December 1912 and was cremated at [[Calcutta]], his ashes were deposited at [[Holy Trinity Church, Yercaud]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India. There is a memorial to him there.<ref name="TheHindu">{{cite news | url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/08/stories/2009070855681100.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712071555/http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/08/stories/2009070855681100.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=12 July 2009 | title=The trail of two British innovators in India | date=8 July 2009 | access-date=2 January 2013 | work=[[The Hindu]] | author=Subramanian, T}}</ref> Foote was a [[Fellow of the Geological Society]], London from 1867 and a [[Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute]].

Foote built a valuable collection as a result of 40 years of geological and pre-historic expeditions in various parts of western and southern India.

Foote's collection of antiquities were all sold to the [[Madras Museum|Madras Government Museum]] in 1906, where it is quoted to be a valuable treasure.<ref name="Satyanarayana-DH">{{cite news|last1=Rao|first1=Satyanarayana|title=Tracing Foote's steps in Bellary|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/spectrum/tracing-footes-steps-in-bellary-326486.html|access-date=28 August 2019|issue=Bangalore|work=Deccan Herald|date=4 June 2013}}</ref>

His grandson was [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major General]] [[Henry Bowreman Foote]], who was the recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]] for his contributions in the defence of the realm during the [[Second world war|Second World War]] ([[World War II|World War 2]]).

==See also==
*[[Madrasian culture]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2002/stories/20030131002608300.htm Museum article which discusses Foote's contributions]
*[http://www.ourkarnataka.com/states/history/historyofkarnataka7.htm Indian prehistory ]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050213214418/http://www.mssu.edu/projectsouthasia/tsa/VIN1/Pappu.htm An introduction to Indian prehistory]
*[http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prehistoric/past/past37.html Article by the Prehistory Society]
*[http://www.stephen-knapp.com/archeological_finds_of_2004.htm Effect of Foote's work on modern archeological finds]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Foote, Robert Bruce}}
[[Category:1834 births]]
[[Category:1912 deaths]]
[[Category:Scottish geologists]]
[[Category:Scottish archaeologists]]
[[Category:British people in colonial India]]

Robert Bruce Foote - Revision history

imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:British people of colonial India to :Category:British people in colonial India per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2021 August 18#British people of colonial India