Aline Dobbie – India

Aline Dobbie was born in India as the daughter of a Scottish army officer serving in the Indian army. She lived in India for the first 16 years of her life, speaking Hindi, Urdu and English. She has returned many times since and thinks of it as home as much as Scotland.

Aline has travelled extensively within India and has come to know a great many people in different walks of life, including politics, business, the arts, wild life conservation and the armed forces. Widely acknowledged as an authority on the country, she has written extensively about it in many publications. She is the author of three books covering her travels and experiences in the sub continent.

Aline takes a close interest in India’s rapid development and the associated challenges of preserving what is best from the country’s rich past. She is an authority on its history, culture and architectural heritage. She has been actively involved in efforts to save that most iconic of creatures, the Tiger; still under severe threat despite current efforts to protect it and its habitat.

In recognition of her work, Aline won the prestigious Pride of India Gold Award in 2006.