File:The Asiatic Society, kolkata.jpg

English: On 15th January 1784 Sir William Jones who was a Poet, Linguist and above all an Orientalist par excellence invited thirteen gentlemen, the elite of the European community, like Justice John Hyde, John Carnac, Henry Vanisttart, John Shore, Charles Wilkins, Francis Gladwin and Jonathan Duncan in the Grand Jury Room of the Supreme Court at Calcutta with Sir Robert Chambers who was in the Chair, and a resolution was passed for the establishment of the Asiatick Society. ‘The bound of investigations will be the geographical limits of Asia, and within these limits its enquiries will be extended to whatever is performed by a man or produced by nature’ – a statement contained in the memorandum of Articles of the Asiatic Society was prepared by Sir William Jones in that historic meeting. Thus began the long journey of the Asiatic Society, Kolkata.