106.51.241.93 at 13:19, 1 May 2021

2021-05-01T13:19:26Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Robertsonpet
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = City
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Karnataka
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Karnataka, India
| coordinates = {{coord|12.9547|N|78.2767|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Karnataka]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Kolar district]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 58.12
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 843
| population_total = 162,230
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = 2433.31
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kannada]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 563 122
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 08153
| registration_plate = KA-08
| website =
| footnotes =
| official_name =
}}
'''Robertsonpet''' is a township in the [[city]] of [[Kolar Gold Fields]] in [[India]]. It is one of the first planned residential areas in modern-day India. The township was planned and built to accommodate the increasing population of the city of Kolar Gold Fields. The town hall popularly known as [[King George Hall, Kolar Gold Fields|King George Hall]] is lavishly built in [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] style with an impressive lawn and garden in front of it.

Robertsonpet was established in 1902 and named after Sir Donald Robertson the [[Residencies of British India|British Resident]] of the [[Princely state]] of [[Kingdom of Mysore|Mysore]]. It is considered to be one of the premier well-planned townships in Modern India.<ref name=Deccan>{{cite news|last1=White|first1=Bridget|title=Tale of two thriving townships|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/113032/tale-two-thriving-townships.html|accessdate=13 January 2015|issue=Bangalore|work=Deccan Herald|date=15 November 2010}}</ref>

==History==
In the late 19th and early 20th century, the mining industry expanded under the John Taylor and Sons Company. In its peak period, it employed 4500 employees, and the waste rocky terrain was developed into a township.<ref name=Deccan /> The township was first established in 1901 as New Town, to house the population working in the KGF Mines. On 15 August 1903, the township was renamed as Robertsonpet.<ref name=Srikumar>{{cite book|last1=Srikumar|first1=S|title=Kolar Gold Field: (Unfolding the Untold)|date=12 March 2014|publisher=Partridge Publishing|isbn=978-1482815078|page=336|edition=International|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QrWEAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA336&lpg=PA336&dq=tamil+population+in+KGF#q=tamil%20population%20in%20KGF|accessdate=6 January 2015}}</ref> The town got its name at the insistence of the [[Maharaja of Mysore]], who named it after Sir Donald Robertson the [[Residencies of British India|British Resident]] of [[Kingdom of Mysore|Mysore]]. As the township grew, tradesmen such as bakers, confectioners, jewellers, pawn brokers, barbers, timber merchants, tailors, etc. migrated and set up shop in Robertsonpet.<ref name=Deccan />

A town hall (similar to town halls in Australia) was built in Victorian architectural style with arches, canopies and large gardens, and was named as the King George Hall. The KGF Club in Oorgaum and the King George Hall Cosmopolitan Club were established providing faculties for badminton, tennis, cards, carom, snooker, etc.<ref name=Deccan /><ref name=George>{{cite web|last1=White|first1=Bridget|title=King George Hall, Roberstonpet|url=http://memoriesofkgf.blogspot.com.au/2010/06/king-george-hall-robertsonpet.html|website=Kolar Gold Fields - Nostalgia|accessdate=13 January 2015}}</ref>

==Sir Donald Robertson==
Sir Donald Robertson is credited with starting the hydro-electric plant at [[Shivanasamudra]], which supplied electricity to the KGF Mines.<ref name=Deccan /><ref name=George /> Robertson served as the British Resident of the Mysore Darbar in the 1900s, and during his tenure drafted the Constitution of the [[princely state]] of [[Kingdom of Mysore|Mysore]]. He worked towards providing amenities to the population of KGF, even to those who were not employed by the mines, and is largely credited for establishing the KGF mining towns. In recognition of his services, His Highness the [[Maharaja of Mysore]] [[Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV]] renamed New Town as Robertsonpet. After retirement from government services, Robertson joined the mining enterprise John Taylor and Sons Company. He died on 13 October 1930.(p. 291)<ref name=Srikumar />

==Demographics==
There is also a substantial [[Anglo-Indian]] population at KGF, descendants of the English mine supervisors.<ref name=Bridget>{{cite book|last1=White|first1=Bridget|title=Kolar Gold Fields - Down Memory Lane: Paeans to Lost Glory!|date=2010|publisher=Author House|location=Central Milton Keynes|isbn=978-1452051031|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2iFRgQXTbeAC&dq=tamil+population+in+KGF|accessdate=6 January 2015}}</ref> Robertsonpet is a melting pot of cultures with people of different communities: Anglo Indian, Tamil, Telugu, Marwari, Kannada Muslims, etc., living in the township.<ref name=Deccan />

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110721161703/http://www.robertsonpetcity.gov.in/ Official City Government Website]
*[http://www.greatestcities.com/community/forum/Asia/India/Karnataka_State/Kolar_Gold_Fields/ KGF Forum]
*[http://www.kgfonline.com/ KGF Website]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Kolar district]]
[[Category:Cities in Karnataka]]

Robertsonpet - Revision history

106.51.241.93 at 13:19, 1 May 2021