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The Royal Asiatic Society Medal was instigated in 2000 to replace the Society's Triennial Gold Medal and to be awarded in recognition of an outstanding contribution to scholarship in the field of Asian Studies. A new design for the Medal was sought and this was commissioned from Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn. The medal took longstanding symbols of the Society and gave them a modern twist. She suggested:

'The starting point for the design of the medal was an article by John Hansman in the Society's Journal of 1984: ‘The Emblems, Medals and Medallists of The Royal Asiatic Society’. I was very inspired by the Daniells’ design of a caparisoned elephant for a signet, first produced in 1824, which was used to seal letters and documents. A simplified version of this design by Professor Perceval Yetts has become the ‘logo’ of the society, stamped on its letter head and on all its publications, and so it was a particularly appropriate image to use. I depicted the signet impressed into the brass as if it were wax, to act as a metaphor for the medal as a ‘seal of approval’. Unlike most Victorian award medals the lettering is incised, this is so that it will blend in with the name of the recipient, which obviously has to be engraved at a later date. In 1823 the Banyan tree was chosen for the society’s official seal by the Council and it has been depicted on previous medals commissioned by the society. It is a magnificent tree and an apt symbol of the society, growing strong and branching out. The medal was cast (rather than struck) which allows for more depth in modelling and I tried to take advantage of that by depicting the tree as a mature and vigorous plant, still growing strongly.' (Email, see details in the catalogue).

The medal was first awarded to John Gullick in 2001 with subsequent awards being made:
2003 – Professor Edmund Bosworth
2006 – Professor Christopher Shackle
2009 – Professor Sir Christopher Bayly
2014 – Dr Bridget Allchin and Professor David Bivar
2019 - Professors Carole and Robert Hillenbrand
2023 – Robert Irwin

The material covered by this catalogue consists of correspondence and administrative documents concerning the setting up of the award and the commissioning of the medal, and the individual awards. There are also photographs of some of the award events and a sample of the medal.

Correspondence and administrative documents concerned with the inauguration and commissioning of the medal. These are:

• 'Gold Medals - Memorandum to House and Events Committee, for 11 May 2000', memorandum from Giles Tillotson, Director, Royal Asiatic Society, setting out his suggestion for the procedure for awarding the new medal. Typed, 1 piece, undated.
• Letter from Farrokh Vajifdar to Giles Tillotson to explain his thoughts regarding the new medal. Typed, 2 pieces, dated 11 February 2000.
• Letter from Dr G.S.P. Freeman-Grenville to Giles Tillotson to thank for his letter and the memorandum and to express his opinion regarding the medal. Typed, 1 piece, dated 14 February 2000.
• Copy of an email from Luke Syson, British Museum, to Rachel Ward, Council Member, Royal Asiatic Society, to provide a list of potential medallists to create the new medal for the Society, Typed, 1 piece, dated 16 May 2000.
• 'Proposed Procedure for the new Royal Asiatic Society Award (replacing the former Gold Medal)' - memorandum from Giles Tillotson concerning the procedure for selection for recipients for the new medal. Typed, 1 piece, dated November 2000.
• Copy of an email from Rachel Ward to Giles Tillotson to give details of approximate costing for the medal and her preferences for its style. Typed, 1 piece, dated 9 February 2001.
• Copy of an email from Giles Tillotson to Rachel Ward to thank her for her help and suggest she writes a memorandum for the next House and Events Committee meeting giving the details of the costings. Typed, 1 piece, dated 14 February 2001.
• Copy of an letter from Rachel Ward to Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn, Medallist, to express the Society's interest in possibly commissioning the design of a Medal from her. Typed, 1 piece, dated 16 February 2001.
• Letter from Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn to Rachel Ward to thank her for the invitation to submit her portfolio. She provides provisional costings and enclose a portfolio catalogue and cards. Typed, 1 piece, dated 6 April 2001. The portfolio and catalogue are with the letter. These are printed and computer printed.
• 'Medal for the Royal Asiatic Society Award' - memorandum from Rachel Ward for the Events and House Committee concerning possible medallists and their costs. Typed, 1 piece, dated 27 April 2001. (On the reverse of this is a further copy of Rachel Ward's letter to Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn, dated 16 February 2001.)
• Letter from Rachel Ward to Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn to ask for drawings ready for the next committee meeting on 27 September 2001. She also encloses the Society's lecture programme and gives some suggestions re the design of the medal. Typed, 1 piece, dated 25 May 2001.
• Letter from Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn to Rachel Ward to send designs for the medal. Typed, 1 piece, dated 23 September 2001. With the letter are 10 sheets of designs.
• Letter from Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn to Rachel Ward to send a design in progress and ask for comments. Typed, 1 piece, dated 8 November 2001.
• Letter from Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn to Rachel Ward to send a plaster model ready for casting. Typed with handwritten annotation by Rachel Ward, 1 piece, dated 25 November 2001.
• Letter from Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn to Rachel Ward to send an invoice for her work and to inform that the Medal and Coins Department at the British Museum is interested in purchasing a copy. Typed, 1 piece, dated 5 January 2002.
• Copy of an email from Giles Tillotson to Adrian Thomas, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to suggest a timetable regarding the procedure for the award of the new medal. Typed, 1 piece, dated 18 February 2002.
• Letter from Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn to Rachel Ward to detail the results of her investigations into foundries and to give costs for production of 6 medals. Typed, 1 piece, dated 6 March 2002.
• Copies of emails between Rachel Ward and Philip Attwood, British Museum, concerning the possible purchase of a medal by the museum. Typed, 1 piece, dated 13 May 2002.
• Copies of emails between Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn, Rachel Ward and Adrian Thomas regarding payment for the medals. Typed, 1 piece, dated 13 and 19 December 2002.
• 'Commissioning a medal: celebration and reward' - copy of an article from British Arts Medal which features the new Royal Asiatic Society medal. Photocopy, 2 pieces, dated 2002.
• Letter from Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn to Rachel Ward to enclose one bronze cast of the medal and invoice for five. Typed, 1 piece, dated 5 November 2003. The invoice is with the letter. Handwritten, 2 pieces, dated 5 November and as paid 11 November 2003.
• Copy of an email from Rachel Ward to Alison Ohta, Director, Royal Asiatic Society to provide a description of the Royal Asiatic Society Medal. Typed, 1 piece, dated 11 December 2003.

There is also a bronze cast of the Medal within a presentation case.