GOVERNOR-GENERALS AND VICEROYS OF INDIA

British rule over India started as a trading unit, when East India Company received a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I on 31 December 1600. Within a time period of nearly three centuries, the British turned from a trading power to one of the most powerful countries in the world.

Even after being a small island country, Britain was able to establish one of the largest empires in the world. The extent of the empire can be depicted by the phrase that “the empire on which the Sun never sets”.

Britain was able to achieve this tremendous feat on the backdrop of the strong and efficient bureaucracy that it established in its colonies. In India, the British were able to establish this control through Governor-General & Viceroys.

Governor-General of Bengal (1773-1833): When East India Company came to India, it controlled Bengal through a post named as “Governor of Bengal” (first Governor of Bengal: Robert Clive).
- Other Presidencies, Bombay and Madras, had their own Governor.
- However, after the passing of Regulating Act 1773, the post of Governor of Bengal was converted into “Governor-General of Bengal” (first Governor-General of Bengal was Warren Hastings).
- Through this Act Governor of Bombay and Madras worked under the Governor-General of Bengal.
Governor-General of India (1833-58): By Charter Act of 1833, the post name of Governor-General of Bengal again converted into “Governor-General of India” (first Governor-General of India was William Bentinck.
- This post was mainly for administrative purposes and reported to the Court of Directors of the East India Company.
Viceroy (1858-1947): After the revolt of 1857, the company rule was abolished and India came under the direct control of the British crown.
- Government of India Act 1858 passed which changed the name of post-Governor General of India by Viceroy of India.
- The Viceroy was appointed directly by the British government.
- The first Viceroy of India was Lord Canning.

PART I — GOVERNOR-GENERALS OF BENGAL

1773–1833

1. WARREN HASTINGS

1773–1785

Administrative & Judicial Reforms

First Governor-General of Bengal under the Regulating Act, 1773.
Established the Supreme Court at Fort William, Calcutta — 1774.
Established/reorganised:
- Diwani Adalats
- Fauzdari Adalats
- Sadar Diwani Adalat
- Sadar Nizamat Adalat
Abolished the Dual Government of Bengal established by Robert Clive.
Divided Bengal into districts and strengthened revenue administration.
Encouraged the study of Indian laws and languages.
Translation of Sanskrit legal texts into English.

Important Acts

Regulating Act, 1773
Act of Settlement, 1781
Pitt’s India Act, 1784

Wars & Treaties

Rohilla War — 1774
First Anglo-Maratha War — 1775–1782
Treaty of Salbai — 1782
Second Anglo-Mysore War — 1780–1784

Other

Asiatic Society of Bengal — 1784, founded by Sir William Jones during his tenure.

2. LORD CORNWALLIS

1786–1793

Administrative Reforms

Associated with the Cornwallis Code, 1793.
Reorganised civil and judicial administration.
Created the post of District Judge.
Separated revenue administration from judicial functions.
Europeanisation of higher civil services.
Increased salaries of officials to reduce corruption.

Permanent Settlement

Permanent Settlement of Bengal — 1793

Revenue settlement with zamindars.
Zamindars recognised as hereditary landholders subject to payment of fixed revenue.

War

Third Anglo-Mysore War — 1790–1792
Treaty of Seringapatam — 1792

3. SIR JOHN SHORE

1793–1798

Important Points

Followed a policy of non-intervention/non-interference.
Charter Act, 1793.
Battle of Kharda — 1795 between the Nizam and Marathas.

4. LORD WELLESLEY

1798–1805

Subsidiary Alliance

Introduced the Subsidiary Alliance System in 1798.
First major alliance was with the Nizam of Hyderabad.
Indian rulers accepting the system had to accept British military/political control.

Wars & Expansion

Fourth Anglo-Mysore War — 1799
Tipu Sultan killed — 1799
Treaty of Bassein — 1802
Second Anglo-Maratha War — 1803–1805

Major Maratha powers affected included:

Scindia
Bhonsle
Holkar

Education

Fort William College — 1800

5. SIR GEORGE BARLOW

1805–1807

Important Event

Vellore Mutiny — 1806

6. LORD MINTO I

1807–1813

Important Events

Treaty of Amritsar — 1809 with Ranjit Singh.
Charter Act — 1813.

7. LORD HASTINGS

1813–1823

Policy

Adopted a policy of intervention and war.

Wars

Anglo-Nepalese War

1814–1816
Treaty of Sugauli — 1816

Third Anglo-Maratha War

1817–1818/19
End of the political power of the Peshwa.
Dissolution of the Maratha Confederacy.

Pindaris

Pindari power was suppressed during 1817–1818.

Revenue Developments

Ryotwari System associated with Thomas Munro in Madras.
Mahalwari System developed in northern India.

8. LORD AMHERST

1823–1828

Major Events

First Anglo-Burmese War

1824–1826
Treaty of Yandabo — 1826

Other

Capture of Bharatpur — 1826.
Sanskrit College at Calcutta was established during this period.

PART II — GOVERNOR-GENERALS OF INDIA

1833–1858

The Charter Act of 1833 changed the designation from Governor-General of Bengal to Governor-General of India. Lord William Bentinck became the first holder of this office.

9. LORD WILLIAM BENTINCK

1828–1835

Social Reforms

Abolition of Sati — 1829

Sati abolished through Regulation XVII of 1829 in the Bengal Presidency.

Suppression of Thuggee

Strong measures were taken against the Thuggee system.

Education

Macaulay’s Minute — 1835
English education promoted.
Associated with modern Western education in India.

Constitutional Development

Charter Act, 1833
Became the first Governor-General of India.

10. LORD METCALFE

1835–1836

Press Reforms

Repealed the Licensing Regulations of 1823.
Introduced a liberal press policy.
Known as the:

“Liberator of the Indian Press”

11. LORD AUCKLAND

1836–1842

Major Event

First Anglo-Afghan War

1838–1842
British intervention in Afghanistan.

12. LORD ELLENBOROUGH

1842–1844

Important Events

Brought the First Anglo-Afghan War to an end.
Annexation of Sindh — 1843
Gwalior campaign — 1843

13. LORD HARDINGE I

1844–1848

Major Event

First Anglo-Sikh War

1845–1846
Treaty of Lahore — 1846

Other

Measures against female infanticide and human sacrifice.
Roorkee Engineering College established in 1847.

14. LORD DALHOUSIE

1848–1856

Doctrine of Lapse

Associated with Dalhousie’s expansionist policy.

Important annexations included:

Satara
Sambalpur
Jhansi
Nagpur

Other Annexations

Punjab

Second Anglo-Sikh War — 1848–1849
Punjab annexed in 1849.

Burma

Second Anglo-Burmese War — 1852
Lower Burma/Pegu annexed.

Infrastructure Revolution

Railways

First passenger railway:
Bombay to Thane — 1853

Telegraph

Large telegraph network developed.

Postal Reform

Post Office Act — 1854

Public Works

Public Works Department strengthened.
Ganges Canal — 1854

Education

Wood’s Despatch — 1854

Major landmark in the development of education in British India.

Social Reform

Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act — 1856

15. LORD CANNING

1856–1862

⭐ Transition from Company Rule to Crown Rule

Revolt of 1857

Revolt occurred during his tenure.

Government of India Act, 1858

Ended the rule of the East India Company.
Beginning of direct rule by the British Crown.
Canning became the:

First Viceroy of India

Other Important Developments

Indian Councils Act — 1861
Portfolio system.
Budget system developed.
Universities established at:
- Calcutta
- Bombay
- Madras — 1857
Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act — 1856.

PART III — VICEROYS OF INDIA

1858–1947

16. LORD ELGIN I

1862–1863

Short tenure.
High Courts at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras were established during this period.

17. LORD JOHN LAWRENCE

1864–1869

Major Events

Bhutan War — 1865
British control over the Duars.
Shimla developed as the summer capital.
Allahabad High Court established — 1866.

18. LORD MAYO

1869–1872

Administrative Reforms

Financial Decentralisation

Began the process of financial decentralisation.
Departments and provinces received greater financial responsibilities.

Other

Statistical Survey of India.
Department of Agriculture and Commerce.
State railways.
Mayo College, Ajmer.
Rajkumar/Rajkot College-related education for Indian princes.

Important Event

Assassinated at Port Blair — 1872

19. LORD NORTHBROOK

1872–1876

Important Events

Satyashodhak Samaj — 1873, founded by Jyotiba Phule.
Prince of Wales visited India — 1875.
Kuka Movement.
Trial of the Gaekwar of Baroda.
Resigned over disagreement concerning Afghan policy.

20. LORD LYTTON

1876–1880

Important Events

Royal Titles Act, 1876

Queen Victoria assumed the title:
Empress of India

Delhi Durbar

1877
First Delhi Durbar associated with Queen Victoria’s imperial title.

Famine

Famine of 1876–78

Repressive Measures

Vernacular Press Act — 1878

Restricted Indian-language press.

Arms Act — 1878

Restricted possession of arms.

Second Anglo-Afghan War

1878–1880

21. LORD RIPON

1880–1884

⭐ Father of Local Self-Government

Major Reforms

First Factory Act — 1881
Local Self-Government Resolution — 1882
Hunter Commission — 1882
Repealed the Vernacular Press Act.

Ilbert Bill — 1883

Proposed greater judicial authority for Indian judges over European British subjects.
Led to the famous Ilbert Bill controversy.

22. LORD DUFFERIN

1884–1888

Indian National Congress

INC Founded — 1885

First session at Bombay.
First President:
W.C. Bonnerjee

Other

Third Anglo-Burmese War — 1885–1886

23. LORD LANSDOWNE

1888–1894

Important Acts

Indian Councils Act, 1892

Expanded legislative councils.
Introduced an indirect element of election.

Factory Act, 1891

Labour-related reforms.

Age of Consent Act, 1891

Raised the age of consent from 10 to 12 years.

Durand Commission — 1893

Associated with the demarcation of the India-Afghanistan frontier.

24. LORD ELGIN II

1894–1899

Major Events

Famine of 1896–97
Plague epidemic in Bombay.
Chapekar Brothers — 1897
Santhal and Munda uprisings during this period.

25. LORD CURZON

1899–1905

Administrative Reforms

Calcutta Corporation Act — 1899
Police Commission — 1902.
Universities Commission — 1902.
Indian Universities Act — 1904
Department of Commerce and Industry.
Ancient Monuments Preservation Act — 1904
PUSA Agricultural Institute established during this period.
North-West Frontier Province — 1901

Partition of Bengal — 1905

Bengal partitioned in 1905.
Led to:
- Anti-Partition Movement
- Swadeshi Movement
- Boycott Movement

Other

Younghusband Mission to Tibet — 1904.
Second Delhi Durbar — 1903.

26. LORD MINTO II

1905–1910

⭐ Morley-Minto Reforms

Indian Councils Act, 1909

Expanded legislative councils.
Introduced separate electorates for Muslims.

Other Events

Muslim League founded — 1906
Surat Split — 1907
Indian Press Act — 1910.

27. LORD HARDINGE II

1910–1916

Major Events

Annulment of Partition of Bengal

1911

Transfer of Capital

Calcutta → Delhi — 1911

Delhi Durbar

1911
King George V attended.

Other

Ghadar Movement-related developments.
Home Rule Movement began in 1916.
Lucknow Session — 1916.
Lucknow Pact — 1916.

28. LORD CHELMSFORD

1916–1921

Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms

Government of India Act, 1919

Introduced Dyarchy in provinces.
Expanded legislative councils.

Important Political Events

Rowlatt Act — 1919
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre — 1919
Home Rule Movement.
Lucknow Pact.
Non-Cooperation Movement — 1920
Khilafat Movement.

Other

Montagu’s August Declaration — 1917.
Saddler Commission — 1917.

29. LORD READING

1921–1926

Major Events

Chauri Chaura — 1922

Led Gandhi to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Swaraj Party — 1922

Associated with C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru.

Kakori — 1925

Kakori train action occurred during his tenure.

Other

Lee Commission — 1923.
RSS founded — 1925.
Press Act of 1910 and Rowlatt Act repealed.

30. LORD IRWIN

1926–1931

⭐ Civil Disobedience Era

Simon Commission

Arrived in India — 1928
Boycotted by Indians.

Lahore Congress — 1929

Purna Swaraj declared as the goal.

Civil Disobedience Movement

Began in 1930.

Dandi March

Gandhi’s Salt March — 1930

Gandhi-Irwin Pact

1931

Other

First Round Table Conference — 1930.
Execution of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev — 1931.

31. LORD WILLINGDON

1931–1936

Major Events

Second Round Table Conference — 1931
Civil Disobedience Movement resumed.
Communal Award — 1932
Poona Pact — 1932
Third Round Table Conference — 1932.
Government of India Act — 1935
Burma separated from India — 1935.
RBI established.
All India Kisan Sabha — 1936.

32. LORD LINLITHGOW

1936–1944

⭐ Longest-Serving Viceroy

Government of India Act, 1935

Provincial autonomy came into operation.
Provincial elections held in 1937.
Congress ministries formed in several provinces.

Second World War

Britain declared India at war with Germany in 1939.
Congress ministries resigned in 1939.

August Offer

1940

Individual Satyagraha

1940
Vinoba Bhave was the first individual satyagrahi.

Cripps Mission

1942

Quit India Movement

1942

Bengal Famine

1943

Subhas Chandra Bose

Congress President — 1938.
Forward Bloc — 1939.
Escaped India — 1941.
INA-related developments.

33. LORD WAVELL

1944–1947

Major Events

Wavell Plan

Proposed reconstitution of the Executive Council.

Shimla Conference

1945
Failed to reach an agreement.

Cabinet Mission

1946
Proposed a constitutional framework for India.
Constituent Assembly process began.

Interim Government

1946
Formed under Jawaharlal Nehru.

Other

INA trials.
Royal Indian Navy Mutiny — 1946.
Direct Action Day — 1946.
End of Second World War — 1945.

34. LORD MOUNTBATTEN

1947

⭐ Last Viceroy of British India

3 June Plan — 1947

Provided the framework for partition and transfer of power.

Indian Independence Act, 1947

Created the Dominions of:
- India
- Pakistan

Boundary Commissions

Sir Cyril Radcliffe headed the boundary commissions for Bengal and Punjab.

Independence

Pakistan — 14 August 1947
India — 15 August 1947

After Independence

Mountbatten became:

First Governor-General of independent India