James Thompson, officially addressed as Sir James Thompson KCSI, served as the Acting Governor of Madras Presidency in the year 1904, in the erstwhile undivided India under the rule of the British Empire. He was also a British colonial administrator. Thompson also served as one of the members of the British Indian Civil Service, which was the civil service of the Government of India during the era of the rule of British Empire in India. The members of the civil service were appointed under Section XXXII of the Government of India Act, 1858 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. After the year 1886, the Indian Civil Service was officially known as Imperial Civil Service. James Thompson was knighted with Knight Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India (KCSI) in the year 1904.

Early Life of James Thompson
James Thompson was born on 6 July 1848 to father John Thomson in Cults, Aberdeenshire. He successfully completed his education from Grammar school. He later did his graduation from the University of Aberdeen. Thompson completed his Masters' Degree in the year 1868. In the next year he passed the entrance examination and qualified for the British Indian Civil Service.

Career of James Thompson
Sir James Thompson KCSI went to British India in the year 1871. There he was appointed as Assistant Collector in the Madras Presidency and served in the designation from the year 1872 to 1882. Later he became Head Assistant Collector in 1882 and served till 1885. He also acted as Sub Collector from the year 1885 to 1889 and as Collector from 1889 till 1895. James Thompson served as the Political Agent or British Resident for the princely states of Travancore and Cochin states from 1895 to 1897. He was later appointed to the Board of Revenue for the Madras Presidency. Sir James Thompson KCSI was nominated to the Madras Legislative Council in the year 1898 and also acted as a member of the Executive Council of the Governor of Madras from the year 1901 to 1906.

James Thompson was appointed as the Governor of Madras on 30 April 1904 and was preceded by Oliver Russell, officially known as Arthur Oliver Villiers Russell, 2nd Baron Ampthill, GCSI, GCIE, DL, JP. Oliver Russell was selected to officiate temporarily as the Viceroy of India and thus Thompson acted as the Governor for the period. The Madras Presidency, also known as the Presidency of Fort St. George and Madras Province, was an administrative sub division of British dominated India. The territory included most of southern India, such as the modern states of Tamil Nadu, the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh, Lakshadweep Islands, the Malabar region of North Kerala, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangapur and Gajapati districts of southern Orissa and the Bellary, Ganjam, Dakshina Kannada, Rayagada and Udupi districts of Karnataka. Sir James Thompson KCSI served in office until 13 December 1904. He was later nominated to the council of the Secretary of State for India in the year 1908.

Personal Life of James Thompson
Sir James Thompson KCSI was married with Charlotte Georgina Grant in the year 1873. His wife was the eldest daughter of William White Grant. Thompson died in the year 1929.