Cotton College was named after
Sir Henry Stedman Cotton

 Cotton College was named after Sir Henry Stedman Cotton, the Chief Commissioner of the erstwhile British province of Assam. He was a great educationist and a strong advocate of higher education in Assam. He was instrumental in the establishment of Cotton College and other educational institutions in the province.

Sir Henry Stedman Cotton was born in 1845 in England. He was educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and served in the British Army in India. He was appointed Chief Commissioner of Assam in 1898.

During his tenure as Chief Commissioner, Sir Henry Stedman Cotton was keen to promote higher education in Assam. He felt that the province needed a college that would provide quality education to the people of Assam. He also felt that the college should be named after him, as a token of his appreciation for the people of Assam.

Cotton College was inaugurated on 27 May 1901 by Sir Henry Stedman Cotton himself. The college was affiliated with Calcutta University and began with five professors which included Frederick William Sudmerson, the first principal of the college, and 39 students.

Cotton College has played a significant role in the development of Assam. It has produced many eminent alumni, including politicians, scientists, artists, and writers. The college is a symbol of the state's commitment to education and its desire to create a better future for its people.

Sir Henry John Stedman Cotton

Cotton College was named after Sir Henry John Stedman Cotton, the then Chief Commissioner of the erstwhile province of Assam during British colonial rule. Sir Henry Cotton played a key role in the establishment of the college, and it was named in his honor as a recognition of his contributions to education in Assam. The college was founded in 1901, and its name has remained unchanged even as it evolved into Cotton University.