Henry T. Colebrooke was a Professor of Sanskrit at which one of the following institutions in India?

Introduction / Context:
During the early period of British rule in India, several educational and scholarly institutions were established where European scholars studied Indian languages, literature and law. Henry Thomas Colebrooke was one of the pioneering Orientalists who contributed greatly to the study of Sanskrit and Hindu law. Competitive exams often include questions linking such scholars to the institutions where they worked.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The scholar mentioned is Henry T. Colebrooke.
• The question asks at which institution he served as Professor of Sanskrit.
• The options are Fort William College, Serampore Mission, Kashi Vidyapith, Asiatic Society and Calcutta University.
• Only one of these locations matches his formal teaching position in Sanskrit.

Concept / Approach:
Fort William College in Calcutta was established by the British East India Company to train its civil servants in Indian languages and laws. Henry T. Colebrooke was appointed there as a Professor of Sanskrit. While he had connections with other scholarly bodies, this teaching role was specifically at Fort William College. The other options either refer to missionary stations, later nationalist institutions or learned societies, not his Sanskrit professorship post.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Henry T. Colebrooke was an early European expert on Sanskrit and Hindu law.Step 2: Associate his teaching career with Fort William College, which trained British administrators in Indian languages.Step 3: Examine the other options: Serampore Mission was a missionary centre; Kashi Vidyapith is a nationalist era university; the Asiatic Society is a learned society, not primarily a teaching college; Calcutta University was established later as a full university.Step 4: Recognise that the title "Professor of Sanskrit" linked to Colebrooke is historically attached to Fort William College.Step 5: Choose "Fort William College" as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
A helpful verification is to remember that several British Orientalists such as William Carey, H. H. Wilson and others taught at or were associated with Fort William College. Historical accounts of early Sanskrit and Hindu law studies often mention Colebrooke's role there. In contrast, the Asiatic Society functioned more as a research and discussion body rather than a formal professor student college in the modern sense, supporting the conclusion that his professorship was at Fort William College.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Serampore Mission is primarily known for missionary work and Bible translation; while it involved language study, Colebrooke is not chiefly remembered as its Sanskrit professor. Kashi Vidyapith was a nationalist institution founded much later, and Henry T. Colebrooke lived in an earlier period. The Asiatic Society provided a forum for scholarly research but the question specifically asks about a professorship, which is more accurately associated with Fort William College. Calcutta University was established later and does not match the standard biographies of Colebrooke's academic postings.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may be tempted to choose the Asiatic Society, since Colebrooke did play a part in Orientalist scholarship linked with that body, but the wording "Professor of Sanskrit" points more clearly to a teaching institution like Fort William College. Others may simply guess the best known academic name, Calcutta University, without considering the historical time line. Learning to match specific scholars to specific institutions and time periods is crucial for scoring well on such questions.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Fort William College.