British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia

The British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia – BACSA – holds a database of European cemeteries and burials in Undivided India and elsewhere in South Asia up to 1947. It has published a series of cemetery record books containing monumental inscriptions (MIs) and biographical details. Examples are the Agra Cantonment Cemetery and Bangladesh Burials books. Set up in 1977 and a charity run by volunteers, BACSA aims to record the locations of European cemeteries in South Asia, help support the conservation of European graveyards and record MIs. (The Commonwealth War Graves Commission cares only for casualties of the two World Wars). It publishes a journal, Chowkidar, twice a year, holds members’ meetings, organises events and can help track down graves of relatives and others of interest. Its archives are held in the British Library and are open to the public. BACSA’s rich website includes background information on European cemeteries across South Asia, news, and reports on conservation projects.

Events

The Cemetery Research Group runs two events a year: in May and in November. Follow the links and send in an abstract