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{{Short description|British Indian civil servant, statistician and administrator}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = Sir
| name = George Townsend Boag
| honorific_suffix = [[Order of the Indian Empire|KCIE]] [[Order of the Star of India|CSI]]
| image =
| image_size = 200px
| order1 = Diwan of Cochin
| term_start1 = 1943
| term_end1 = 1944
| predecessor1 = [[A. F. W. Dickinson]]
| successor1 = [[C. P. Karunakara Menon]]
| order2 = Chief Secretary to the Government of the Madras Presidency
| term_start2 = 1938
| term_end2 = 1939
| premier2 = [[C. Rajagopalachari]]
| governor2 = [[John Erskine, Lord Erskine]]
| predecessor2 = [[C. F. Brackenbury]]
| successor2 = [[S. V. Ramamurthy]]
| order3 = Governor of Odisha (acting)
| term_start3 = 11 August 1938
| term_end3 = 8 December 1938
| predecessor3 = John Austen Hubback
| successor3 = John Austen Hubback
| governor_general3 = [[Victor Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow]]
| premier3 = [[Bishwanath Das]]
| order4 = Chief Secretary of Madras Presidency
| term_start4 = 1938
| term_end4 = 1939
| governor4 =
| premier4 = [[C. Rajagopalachari]]
| predecessor4 = [[C. F. Brackenbury]]
| successor4 = [[S. V. Ramamurthy]]
| order5 = Municipal Commissioner of Madras
| term_start5 = 1923
| term_end5 = 1925
| birth_date = 1884
| birth_place =
| death_date = 1969 (age 85)
| death_place = [[United Kingdom]]
| party =
| alma_mater =
| profession =
| occupation =
| spouse =
}}

'''Sir George Townsend Boag''' <small>[[Order of the Indian Empire|KCIE]]</small> <small>[[Order of the Star of India|CSI]]</small> (1884–1969) was a British Indian civil servant, statistician and administrator who served as the Acting [[Governor of Odisha]] from 11 August 1938 to 8 December 1938.

== Early life ==

George Townsend Boag was born on 12 November 1884 to Rev. George Boag, the [[Vicar]] of [[Winster, Cumbria|Winster]] in [[Westmorland]].<ref name="westminstersp100">{{cite book|title=The record of old Westminsters: a biographical list of all those who are known to have been educated at Westminster school from the earliest times to 1927|author1=George Fisher Russell Barker |author2=Alan Herbert Stenning |author3=Geoffrey Reynolds Yonge Radcliffe |author4=John Beach Whitmore |author5=David Crighton Simpson |pages=100|publisher=Chiswick press|year=1928}}</ref> He gained admission to [[Westminster School]] on 21 January 1897<ref name="westminstersp100" /> and studied at the school from 1897 to 1903.<ref name="toip1150">{{cite book|title=The Times of India directory and year book including who's who|year=1948|publisher=Bennett, Coleman|pages=1150}}</ref> He was a Mure Scholar for the year 1901.<ref name="westminstersp100" /> He obtained his [[bachelor's degree|baccalaureate]] and master's degrees from the [[University of Cambridge]].<ref name="toip1150" /> In 1907, he passed the [[Indian Civil Service]] examinations and was allotted to the [[Madras Presidency]].<ref name="archivep225">{{cite book|title=A manual of archival systems and the world of archives|pages=225|publisher=Siva Publications|author=M. Sundararaj|year=1999}}</ref>

== In India ==

=== Madras Presidency ===

Boag arrived in India in 1908 and served as a special settlement officer from 1912 to 1918.<ref name="archivep225" /> He was appointed to the Indian Nutrition Board and served as the Collector of Transtuffs from 1912 to 1918.<ref name="archivep225" /> From 1920 to 1922, Boag served as Superintendent of Census Operations for the Presidency succeeding J. C. Molony.<ref name="archivep225" /> Boag served as the Municipal Commissioner for Madras from 1923 to 1925.<ref name="archivep225" /> He was the Chief Secretary of Madras Presidency from 1925 to 1928 and 1934 to 1938.<ref name="whoswhop114">{{cite book|title=Who's who in India, Burma & Ceylon|pages=114|publisher=Who's Who Publishers (India) Ltd|year=1941}}</ref> Boag served as the [[District magistrate|District Collector]] of West Godavari in 1930 <ref name="whoswhop114" /> before being appointed the Superintendent of the Madras Presidency Archives succeeding A. V. Venkatarama Ayyar on 19 August 1930.<ref name="archivep254">{{cite book|title=A manual of archival systems and the world of archives|pages=254|publisher=Siva Publications|author=M. Sundararaj|year=1999}}</ref> Boag served as a member of the Indian Tariff Board from 1931 to 1933.<ref name="whoswhop114" />

He served as the [[District Grand Master]] of [[District Grand Lodge of Madras]] (1891-1900, 1933-1945).

=== Odisha ===

On 11 August 1938 the Governor of [[Odisha]], Sir John Austen Hubback proceeded on a leave.<ref name="Odishap261">{{cite book|title=Odisha, People, Culture, and Polity: People, Culture and Polity|pages=261|author=B. B. Jena|publisher=Kalyani Publications|year=1980}}</ref> Boag was appointed Acting Governor of Odisha in his stead and served from 11 August 1938 to 8 December 1938.<ref name="worldstatesmen">{{cite web|title=Provinces of British India: Odisha|url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_BrProvinces.htm#Odisha|publisher=World Statesmen}}</ref> As the Acting Governor of Odisha, he inaugurated the opening session of the [[Odisha Legislative Assembly]] on 29 August 1938.<ref name="indianreviewp616">{{cite book|title=The Indian Review|pages=616|author=G. A. Natesan|author-link=G. A. Natesan|publisher=G. A. NAtesan & Co.|year=1938}}</ref>

On 12 September 1938 severe agitations broke out in the [[princely state]] of Dhenkanal demanding the abolition of stringent taxes.<ref name="dhenkanalrevolt1_p31">{{cite book|title=People's revolt in Odisha: a study of Talcher|pages=31|author=D. P. (Debi Prasad) Mishra|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distributors|year=1998|isbn=81-7156-739-8 |id={{ISBN|978-81-7156-739-3}}}}</ref> The situation turned violent as the agitations intensified.<ref name="dhenkanalrevolt1_p31" /> The [[Eastern States Agency]], a federation of princely states of which Dhenkanal formed a part, resorted to police action.<ref name="dhenkanalrevolt1_p31" /> Large scale arrests were carried out and there was police firing in some areas.<ref name="dhenkanalrevolt1_p31" /> As a result of the disturbances in the neighbouring Dhenkanal, a large number of refugees poured into Odisha.<ref name="dhenkanalrevolt1_p32">{{cite book|title=People's revolt in Odisha: a study of Talcher|pages=32|author=D. P. (Debi Prasad) Mishra|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distributors|year=1998|isbn=81-7156-739-8 |id={{ISBN|978-81-7156-739-3}}}}</ref> Boag kept the Viceroy of India regularly updated with the events at Dhenkanal.<ref name="dhenkanalrevolt1_p32" /> The influx of refugees reached such alarming proportions that refugee camps had to be established along the border towns.<ref name="dhenkanalrevolt1_p33">{{cite book|title=People's revolt in Odisha: a study of Talcher|pages=33|author=D. P. (Debi Prasad) Mishra|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distributors|year=1998|isbn=81-7156-739-8 |id={{ISBN|978-81-7156-739-3}}}}</ref>

On 8 December 1938 Sir John Austen Hubback returned from leave and resumed his duties as Governor of Odisha. Boag was transferred back to Madras Presidency where he served as a member of the Special Advisory Council during Governor's rule and was given charge of the public, finance and revenue departments.<ref name="whoswhop9">{{cite book|title=Who's who in India, Burma & Ceylon|pages=9|publisher=Who's Who Publishers (India) Ltd|year=1941}}</ref> He served in the Council from 1939 to 1943.<ref name="indiaoffice_portraits">{{cite book|title=Portraits in the India Office Library and Records|pages=22|author=India Office Library and Records|publisher=British Library|year=1983|isbn=0-7123-0015-5 |id={{ISBN|978-0-7123-0015-5}}}}</ref> On 1943, he was appointed Diwan of Cochin and served from 1943 to 1944.<ref name="indiaoffice_portraits" /><ref name="worldstatesmen_kochin">{{cite web|title=Indian Princely States, Cochin - Dewans|url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_princes_K-W.html#Kochin|publisher=World Statesmen}}</ref>

== Honours ==

George Townsend Boag was made a [[Order of the Indian Empire|Companion of the Indian Empire]] in 1928 and a [[Order of the Star of India|Companion of the Star of India]] in 1936.<ref name="toip1150" /> He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1941.<ref name="toip1150" />

== Boag's residence ==

Boag's official residence in Madras city was located at [[T. Nagar]].<ref name="madrasmusings">{{cite journal|title=Historic Residences in Chennai-2|journal=Madras Musings|author=V. Sriram|volume=18|issue=11|url=http://madrasmusings.com/Vol%2018%20No%2011/historic_residences_of_chennai_2.html|date=November 2008}}</ref> The street in which it was situated was named Boag Road in his honour. The house was later purchased by [[Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu]].<ref name="madrasmusings" /> In 1959, it was bought by Tamil film actor [[Sivaji Ganesan]] who renamed it ''Annai Illam''.<ref name="madrasmusings" /> Today, the house is owned by the actor's family who continue to reside here.<ref name="madrasmusings" />

== Works ==

* {{cite book|title=The Madras Presidency, 1881-1931|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.203864|author=George Townsend Boag|publisher=Government Press|year=1933}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== Notes ==
{{s-start}}
{{succession box|title=Collector of Transtuffs (Indian Nutrition Board)|before=|after=|years=1912-1918}}
{{succession box|title=Superintendent of Census Operations for the Madras Presidency|before=J. C. Molony|after=M. W. M. Yeats|years=1921-22}}
{{succession box|title=Municipal Commissioner of Madras city|before=|after=|years=1923-1925}}
{{succession box|title=Chief Secretary of Madras Presidency|before=|after=[[A. Y. G. Campbell]]|years=1925-1928}}
{{succession box|title=Governor of Odisha (Acting)|before=[[John Austen Hubback]]|after=[[John Austen Hubback]]|years=11 August 1938 – 8 December 1938}}
{{succession box|title=Member of Governor of Madras Advisory Council|before=|after=|years=1939-1943}}
{{succession box|title=Diwan of Cochin|before=A. F. W. Dickinson|after=C. P. Karunakara Menon|years=1943-1944}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boag, G.T.}}
[[Category:1884 births]]
[[Category:1969 deaths]]
[[Category:People educated at Westminster School, London]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Star of India]]
[[Category:Governors of Odisha]]
[[Category:People from Westmorland]]
[[Category:Diwans of Cochin]]

G. T. Boag - Revision history

Wikialpha49 at 12:53, 7 April 2026