Education
He was educated at Bishop Cotton School in Simla and in 1882 he joined the Punjab Provincial Civil Service.
He was educated at Bishop Cotton School in Simla and in 1882 he joined the Punjab Provincial Civil Service.
During the first seven years he was engaged in magisterial and executive duties but his talents were soon recognised and in 1889 he was appointed assistant to Sir Robert Sandeman who at that time was opening up communications with Baluchistan, Waziristan and the Punjab. In 1890 he was put in charge of the newly opened Gomal Pass in South Waziristan and in the autumn of that year was attached to the Shirani Field Force of the Zhob Expedition which earned him a "Mention in Despatches". In recognition of his services he was appointed to the Imperial Civil Service.
In August 1893 he accompanied Sir H. Mortimer Durand on a mission to Kabul for negotiations with the Emir of Afghanistan on the Afghan-India border dispute.
Foreign this work he was awarded the Companion oi the Order of the Indian Rmnirfl and given the Afghan decoration Izzat-i-Afghaniand a ceremonial sword by the Emir. John Stewart Donald had a flair for languages which undoubtedly helped his career.
Apart from the Punjabi of his birthplace he was also fluent in Pashtu-Waziri and other dialects. This enabled him to speak and negotiate directly with tribal leaders which proved to be beneficial in establishing many favourable relationships.
During 1897 -97 he spent a year in Moscow studying the Russian language and then went to London and qualified as an interpreter at the civil service examinations in London.
On return to India he spent the next few years in appointments on the North West Frontier are and in 1903 he served as British Commissioner on the Anglo-Afghan Boundary Commission which led to his appointment in 1908 to the newly established civil administrative position as Resident in Waziristan. In 1915 he was knighted with the award of the Knight Commander of the Star of India In 1917 he was sent back to Waziristan to negotiate a peace settlement among tribes in the area. He retired in April 1920 and left India to settle in England.
Sir John Stewart Donald had five brothers and all served the government in India in various capacities.
Douglas Donald Companion of the Order of the Star of India, Companion oi the Order of the Indian Rmnirfl, C.B.E. became Deputy Inspector General of the Punjab Police, Duncan Donald K.P.M.,O.B.E. was a District Superintendent of Police, Ranald Donald served in the Punjab Judiciary, William Donald served in the Public Works Department and Charles Hilliard Donald was Warden of the Pubjab Game and Fisheries Department and was the author of several books on wildlife in India. Sir John married Henrietta Mary Ommanney, daughter of Colonel Edward Lacon Ommanney Companion of the Order of the Star of India, in 1905 in London.
In 1911 he was awarded the Companion of the Order of the Star of India He was appointed Chief Commissioner and Agent to the Governor General in the North West Frontier Province during 1913-1915 and was made an additional Member of the Imperial Legislative Council of India.