Sir John Malcolm (1769‑1833) was a Scottish soldier, statesman, and historian, born at Burnfoot , Dumfriesshire.

He went to India in 1782 as an agent of the East India Company, studied Persian, was employed in many important negotiations and held various distinguished posts, being Ambassador to Persia and Governor of Bombay 1826-30. He was the author of several valuable works regarded as authorities, viz., A History of Persia (1815), Memoir of Central India (1823), Political History of India from 1784 to 1823 (1826), and Life of Lord Clive (1836).