Governor General of India

The Bengal Governor-General became the Governor General of British India via the Charter Act of 1833.
Additionally, William Bentick served as the first governor general of India, whereas, Warren Hastings
served as the first governor-general of Bengal from 1772 to 1785.

English statesman, Warren Hastings served as the Supreme Council of President of Bengal. He stopped
the Dual Government system by executing the Regulating Act of 1773. He and William Jones, founded
the Calcutta Madrasa and the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1781 to advance Islamic studies in 1784. In
1801, Hastings was also chosen to be a member of the Royal Society.

List of Governor General of India

Below is the complete governor-general of India list and the significant reforms they brought about.

Governor General Year Important Events

of India
Warren Hastings 1772- • The First Maratha War in 1775-
1785 82, and the second Mysore War
in 1780-84.
• He was the first Governor
General of Bengal.
• Several wars were observed
under his control: the Rohilla
War of 1774.
• Presented the Regulating Act of
1773, and the Pitt’s India Act of
1784
• The Treaty of Salbai was signed
in 1782

Lord Cornwallis 1786- • The third Mysore War (1790-92)

1793 and the Treaty of Seringapatam
(1792) happened under him.
• Introduced the Cornwallis Code
(1793).
• One significant move by him
was the introduction of the
Permanent Settlement of
Bengal, 1793.

Sir John Shore 1793- • War of Kharda.

1798 • Guideline of Non-intervention.
• Charter act (1793).
Lord Wellesley 1798- • The fourth Mysore War (1799)
1805 and the second Maratha War
(1803-05) occurred under his
control.
• Introduced influential revenue
system called the Subsidiary
Alliance System (1798).

Sir George Barlow 1805- • George was the acting

1807 Governor General of India till
Lord Minto came.
• The Mutiny of Vellore happened
under him in 1806.
• He helped to lessen the area of
British region owing to his
devotion for the economy and
retrenchment.

Lord Minto I 1807- • Treaty of Amritsar with Ranjit

1813 Singh (1809)
Lord Hastings 1813- • The third Maratha War (1817-
1823 19) happened which ended in
the dissolution of the Maratha
Confederacy.
• He established the Ryotwari
System (1820).
• The Anglo-Nepal War (1814-16)
was fought and culminated with
the Treaty of Sagauli in 1816.

Lord Amherst 1823- • First Burmese Battle (1824-

1828 1826)

Lord William 1828- • Upon the activity of Raja

Bentinck 1835 Rammohan Roy, he nullified the
Sati System in 1829.
• He brought important social
changes and reforms to India.
• Established Charter Act (1833).

Lord Charles 1835- • He was known as the ‘Iberator

Metcalfe 1836 of the Indian press as he
removed all limitations on an
open press.
Lord Auckland 1836- • First Afghan War (1838-42)
1842

Lord Ellenborough 1842- • Sindh was annexed

1844

Lord Hardinge I 1844- • He took forward Bentick’s social

1848 reforms and annulled female
infanticide.
• The first Anglo-Sikh War (1845-
46) was fought that topped with
the Treaty of Lahore (1846).
Lord Dalhousie 1848- • The annexation of Lower Burma
1856 (1852).
• He raised the Doctrine of Lapse.
• The second Anglo-Sikh War
(1848-49) was fought.
• Wood’s Despatch 1854.
• He laid down the first railway
line joining Thane and Bombay
in 1853.
• He also founded the PWD.
Lord Canning 1856- • Revolt of 1857.
1862 • Dissolution of East India
Company and transfer of control
to the Crown by the Government
of India Act, 1858.
• Establishment of three
universities in 1857 at
Madras, Calcutta, and Bombay.
• Indian Councils Act of 1861.
Lord John 1864- • Building of the High Courts at
Lawrence 1869 Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras
(1865).
• Bhutan War (1865).
Lord Lytton 1876- • The Arms Act (1878).
1880 • The Second Afghan War (1878-
80).
• The Vernacular Press Act
(1878).
• Queen Victoria took the crown
of ‘Kaiser-i-Hind’ or Queen
Empress of India.
Lord Ripon 1880- • The first Factory Act (1881)
1884 • Government decisiveness on
regional self-government
(1882).
• The Ilbert Bill controversy (1883-
84).
• Repeal of the Vernacular Press
Act (1882).
• Hunter Commission on
education (1882).
Lord Dufferin 1884- • The Third Burmese War (1885-
1888 86).
• Foundation of the Indian
National Congress (1885).
Lord Lansdowne 1888- • Setting up of Durand
1894 Commission (1893).
• Indian Councils Act (1892).
• Factory Act (1891).
Lord Curzon 1899- • Indian Universities Act (1904).
1905 • Partition of Bengal (1905).
• Selection of Police Commission
(1902).
• Selection of Universities
Commission (1902).
Lord Minto II 1905- • Surat Split of Congress (1907).
1910 • Building of Muslim League
(1906).
• Swadeshi Movements. (1905-
11).
• Morley-Minto Reforms(1909).
Lord Hardinge II 1910- • Shift of capital from Calcutta to
1916 Delhi (1911).
• Annulment of Division of Bengal
(1911)
• Establishment of the Hindu
Mahasabha (1915)
Lord Chelmsford 1916- • Montagu’s August Declaration
1921 (1917)
• Government of India Act (1919)
• The Rowlatt Act (1919)
• Lucknow pact (1916)
• Champaran Satyagraha (1917)
• Jallianwalla Bagh massacre
(1919)
• Launch of Non-Cooperation and
Khilafat Movements.
Lord Reading 1921- • Setting up of Swaraj Party
1926 (1922)
• Kakori train robbery (1925)
• Chauri Chaura incident (1922)
• Withdrawal of Non-Cooperation
Movement (1922)
Lord Irwin 1926- • Harcourt Butler Indian States
1931 Commission (1927)
• Deepavali Declaration (1929)
• Dandi March and the Civil
Disobedience Movement (1930)
• Nehru Report (1928)
• Lahore session of the Congress
(Purna Swaraj Resolution) 1929
• First Round Table Conference
(1930)
• Simon Commission to India
(1927)
• Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931).
Lord Willingdon 1931- • Government of India Act of
1936 1935.
• Communal Award (1932)
• Second & Third Round Table
Conference (1932).
• Poona Pact (1932).
Lord Linlithgow 1936- • Tripuri Crisis & formation of
1944 Forward Bloc (1939)
• Lahore Resolution of the Muslim
League (demand for a separate
state for Muslims) 1940
• Resignation of the Congress
ministries after the outbreak of
the Second World War (1939)
• ‘August Offer’ (1940)
• Formation of the Indian National
Army (1941)
• Cripps Mission (1942)
• Quit India Movement (1942)
Lord Wavell 1944- • Direct Action Day (1946)
1947 • Notification of end of British
control in India by Clement
Attlee (1947)
• C. Rajagopalachari’s CR
Formula (1944)
• Wavell Plan and the Simla
Conference (1942)
• Cabinet Mission (1946).
Lord Mountbatten 1947- • Redcliff commission (1947)
1948 • June Third Plan (1947)
• India’s Independence (15
August 1947)
 Chakravarti 1948- • Last Governor General of India,
Rajagopalachari 1950 before the office, was
permanently canceled in 1950.

Difference between the Viceroy and Governor General of

India
Governor of Bengal was the position that came before the Governor General
and Viceroy of India. Bengal was governed by the East India Company when
it arrived in India through the role of Governor of Bengal. Robert Clive served
as Bengal's first governor.
Following the Regulating Act of 1773, the governor of Bengal, who had
previously served as governor of Madras and Bombay, became the governor-
general of Bengal.
• Lord Warren Hastings served as Bengal's first governor-general.
• The Regulating Act of 1833 changed the position of Governor General
of Bengal to Governor General of India.
• Under the Government of India Act of 1858, this position is further
transformed into Viceroy of India.
Now let's examine the minute variations between these two positions.
Aspect Governor General of India Viceroy of India

The post The Regulating Act of 1833, Following the Revolt of

is created which changed the title of
by the position from Governor-
General of Bengal to
Governor General of India,
and formed the position.
East India Company's court
of directors appointed the
Governor General of India.
1857, the Government
of India established the
office in 1858. The
Viceroy of India, who
served as the British
crown's envoy, replaced
the position of Governor
General of India.

First- William Bentick Lord Canning

person to
hold the
office

Last C. Rajgopalachari (also first Lord Louis Mountbatten

person to Indian governor general of
hold the India)
office
Reporting Court of Directors of East British Crown
officer India Company
above
them

Duration 1833-1858 1858-1948