Sir John Shore (1751-1834) was the Governor General of India during the period 1793-1798. He was the principal revenue adviser during the regime of the first Governor General of India, Warren Hastings (1772-1785). Most of the reforms in the revenue administration in 1786 and 1790 were introduced by Shore. The Court of Directors was so impressed by Shore's reasoning and knowledge and his genuine concern for the interests of the company and the people, that he was appointed the Governor General of India in 1793.
Sir John Shore came to India in 1768 as an apprentice clerk in the service of the English East India Company. He learnt Persian and Bangla while working in the Secret Political Department. He married an Indian woman because of his love for the oriental culture. He had close contact with the renowned orientalist, Sir William Jones. His biography, ‘Memoirs of Sir William Jones,’ was written by Sir John Shore.
During his tenure as the Governor General, John Shore avoided war and hostilities. His policy was to strengthen and govern the colonial state properly. He was known for his utter honesty, lacking in most other company officials.
