Son of marine engineer, William Sanderson, Robert joined the High School at the age of 8 in 1889, and left in 1900 to go to St John's College, Oxford.

During WWI he was serving with the Simla Rifles, and in 1917 was promoted to Captain.

He appears to have continued to live in India, and worked in education, writing a book "Rural Education in the Punjab" in 1928.

By 1935 he was Director of Public Instruction, Punjab, in the Indian Educational Service, and was awarded a CBE.

It is believed that he died in 1943.