Born c. 1832,
India
Died c. 1882,
India

Upon presenting Nain Singh a gold medal on behalf of the Royal Geographical Society of Great Britain in 1878, the viceroy of India, Colonel Henry Yule, remarked that Singh’s “observations have added a larger amount of important knowledge to the map of Asia than those of any living man.” Singh not only had a brilliant career as a mapmaker but also repeatedly risked his life as a spy for Great Britain. He was the first of the Indian “pundits” who were trained by the British to go where Westerners were forbidden entry.

British interests in Asia

During the 1800s the major world powers were determined to open up previously unexplored areas for trade and access to resources. Russia and China had competing interests in the Far East. Under the rule of Queen Victoria, Great Britain...