Richard Hingston was an Irish physician, explorer and naturalist. He spent many years working in India, where he made natural history collections.

Following his graduation from the National University of Ireland he joined the Indian Medical Service in 1910. His keen interest in natural history led to his secondment in 1913 to the Indo-Russian Pamir triangulation expedition as naturalist. He also travelled to East Africa and the Middle East on active service during the First World War.

Hingston made natural history collections in Pakistan in 1914 and 1916, publishing an account of his travels as A Naturalist in Himalaya. He later served as medical officer and naturalist to the Mount Everest Expedition of 1924, during which he collected a great deal of insects and about 500 plants.

Hingston went on to serve as surgeon-naturalist to the Marine Survey of India in 1925-1927. He subsequently participated in two Oxford University expeditions, one to Greenland and another to British Guiana. In the 1930s he travelled in East Africa, concerned with wildlife conservation, and served in the Second World War in India from 1939. He retired to Cork in 1946, where he died in 1966.

Sources:
Anon, 1966, "Obituary: Major Richard William George Hingston, M.C.", The Geographical Journal, 132(4): 598.