[8] Alfred James was born in Narsapur, West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh on 17 August 1931[5] and was raised a Christian as a member of the Lutheran[5] community.
[5] Prof. M. Kistaiah, writing in the memorial volume to his honour, brings out the fact that Alfred James was for sometime employed in Ceylon.
[5] Professor Alfred James began his doctoral studies at Osmania University where he submitted his dissertation entitled Municipal administration in Andhra Pradesh[2] and was awarded a Ph.
D. in the year 1966[8] Alfred James began teaching at his alma mater, Osmania University in the Department of Public Administration[19] where he initially was a Lecturer.
[23] With the sudden death of Alfred James in the University on 3 May 1983,[5][12] colleagues and students came together and instituted[5] an annual Endowment[24] in honour of P. A. James by which annual lectures are taking place at the Kakatiya University through public discourses by doyens of public administration, who are being invited[25] to lecture.
During the 12th endowment, Prof. D. Ravindra Prasad of Administrative Staff College of India presented[26] a paper entitled Our urban futures: Towards Good Governance and Sustainability.
James, which was published in 1986, reminisces, The Teacher and serious Researcher in him had left an indelible mark on the minds of his numerous students and associates.