Dear Listers, July 24, 1860 is the date on which the first Income Tax Act of India, Act XXXII of 1860, received the assent of the Viceroy and direct taxation of income commenced in India. Today is the 150th anniversary of that significant but almost forgotten event. The creator of that Act, James Wilson, who was the Finance Member of the Viceroy's Council, was sent to India for this express purpose. He came to India in 1659 and was dead within 8 months of arrival but left behind, as his creation, Act XXXII of 1860. The following extract about him is taken from the Wikipedia entry on James Wilson at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Wilson_(UK_politician) "In August 1859 Wilson resigned these offices and his seat in parliament to sit as the financial member of the Council of India. He was sent to India to establish the tax structure, a new paper currency and remodel the finance system of India after the revolt of 1857. However, he was in office only a year before he died. In 1860 he refused to leave the stifling summer heat of Calcutta, contracted dysentery and died in August of that year, aged 55. Strangely even though he contributed greatly to the financial set-up of the British empire in India, he lay buried unknown at a cemetery at Mullick Bazar in Kolkata. His grave was discovered in 2007 by CP Bhatia, an assistant commissioner of Income Tax, while he was researching a book on India's tax history. Due to the efforts of CP Bhatia the tombstone was restored by the Christian Burial Board, thus restoring some dignity to a man that was in a way one of the forefathers of the Indian Tax structure." More information on James Wilson, including a photo of his gravestone, may be seen at http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090811/jsp/calcutta/story_11343895.jsp. His other significant contribution is that he founded in 1843 and edited for its first 16 years the journal 'Economist', which continues to be published till date and is one of the influential journals of the modern times. For this please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Economist Arvind Kolhatkar, Toronto, July 24, 2010.