Award of Medals

The Sir Percy Sykes Memorial Medal

The Society has in its gift an award called “The Sir Percy Sykes Memorial Medal.” The award is named after its founder benefactor who was the Society’s Honorary Secretary from 1932 till his death in 1945. In a lifetime spent as scholar, soldier and diplomat in Persia, Chinese Turkestan and other parts of Central Asia he had a wealth of knowledge both of its past history and present circumstances such as few other of his time could claim to possess.

The Donors of the medal were the Sykes family who contributed and founded a Trust in 1947

“to be awarded by The Council of The Royal Society for Asian Affairs at such time or times as The Council may in its discretion think fit, to any distinguished traveller, writer or any other distinguished person whatsoever approved by the Society, who is deemed to have increased man’s knowledge of and stimulated man’s interest in Asian countries, or done work furthering cultural relations between the Commonwealth and Asian countries.....”

Recipients of the medal are listed here

The Lawrence of Arabia Memorial Medal

Instituted in 1935 and awarded “in recognition of work of outstanding merit in the fields of exploration, research or literature. Such service must be rendered by British subjects by birth, within the area covered by the activities of the Society, but it is not intended to limit the objects for which the medal will be awarded, and naval, military and air force officers, explorers, writers and administrators, pioneers of trade routes, archaeologists and anthropologists may be specially mentioned as eligible, especially where work involved personal hazard.”

Recipients of the medal are listed here

The Special Award

The Society's Special Award was instituted in 1998 by a resolution of Council. The criteria are that “the award shall be made in recognition of exceptionally outstanding and unusual achievement in Asia, or any part of it or in connection with Asia. The achievement may be in any sphere, including service to humanity, contribution to science, the extension of knowledge, innovation, individual ingenuity and resource, personal effort and courage, endurance, fortitude or contribution to culture.”

The Special Award is intended to supplement the categories of persons who may be recognised by the Society by the award of the Sykes or Lawrence medals and not to exclude anyone who might also be considered for the honour of either of these medals.

Recipients of the award are listed here

Sir Peter Holmes Memorial Award

The Sir Peter Holmes Memorial Award was established by Lady Holmes in memory of her late husband, Sir Peter Holmes MC (1932-2002), a long-standing member of the Society who besides becoming Chairman of the Royal Dutch Shell Group was a distinguished traveller, mountaineer, fisherman and photographer.

The aim of the award is to encourage purposeful travel in Asia by young people. Applicants submit a plan of a project involving travel in a country or countries of Asia and relating to the geography, history, politics, environmental conservation, culture or art of the area to be visited. Any part of Asia, including the Middle East, may be chosen. The award will be made on the basis of originality, coherence, evidence of background knowledge, and the degree to which the project is likely to add to general understanding of the area chosen and/or to benefit local people or the applicant. Preference is given to projects that are not requirements in an academic or other course.