Governor Generals of India

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ignored by candidates as they tend to focus more on other subjects
like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Analytical Reasoning. In any competitive
examination, around 25% of the paper features questions that are based on General
Knowledge. So, if you’re aspiring to get an admission into the top colleges across the
country or crack any Government job exam, then it is essential to stay abreast of
current affairs and General Knowledge topics. Having a firm grip on the General
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General Knowledge can cover a variety of topics like the Physical Geography, the
Indian and World Geography & History, Everyday Science, International
Organizations, Awards & Honors, Everyday Science, Indian Economy & Politics, The
Constitution of India, Current Affairs, etc. Today, in this article, we’re focusing on
one important aspect of the Indian History that usually finds its way in the entrance
exams i.e. the Governor General and Viceroy of India.

On this page, you can find all the important and relevant information about the
Governor Generals of India, their achievements, and the important events that took
place during their tenure as the Governor Generals of India.

The List of the Governor Generals of India

Warren Hastings (1773-1785)

Warren Hastings was an English statesman and the first Governor of the Presidency
of Fort William (Bengal), the head of the Supreme Council of Bengal, and thereby the
first de facto Governor General of India.
Hastings brought the Dual Government system to an end by enforcing the Regulating
Act of 1773. The Zamindars were given judicial powers and civil and criminal courts
were established in each district during his tenure as the Governor General of India.
Warren Hastings founded the Calcutta Madrasa for the promotion of Islamic studies
in 1781 and founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal with William Jones in 1784.
Hastings was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1801.

Sir John Macpherson (1785-1786)

Sir John Macpherson temporarily held the position of the Governor General of India.
He was the acting Governor-General of Bengal from 1785 to 1786.

Lord Cornwallis (1786-1793)

Lord Cornwallis enjoyed the confidence of the British Government and was knighted
in 1786. In the same year he was appointed as the Governor-General of India and the
Commander-in-chief of India.
Lord Cornwallis enacted various significant reforms within the East India Company
and its territories, including the Cornwallis code, part of which was responsible for
implementing a number of significant land taxation reforms known as the
Permanent Settlement of Bengal (also known as the Zamindari system). The
settlement was an agreement between the East India Company and the then Bengali
landlords to fix revenues to be raised from land. He was the pioneer of the Police
reforms according to which each district was divided into 400 square miles and
placed under a police superintendent. Lord Cornwallis also introduced Civil Services
in our country and established lower courts and appellate courts.  From 1789 to 1792,
he led the British and Company forces in the Third Anglo-Mysore War to defeat Tipu
Sultan, the ruler of Mysore.

Sir John Shore (1793-1798)

Sir John Shore succeeded Lord Cornwallis as the Governor General of India in 1793.
The period of Sir John Shore’s rule as the governor-general of India was
comparatively uneventful as he followed the policy of non-intervention.

Sir John Shore introduced the Charter Act of 1793. The attack of the Marathas on the
Nizam was the important event that happened during his tenure as the Governor
General of India.

Lord Wellesley (1789-1805)

Lord Wellesley became the Governor General of India at a time when the British
were involved in a life and death struggle with France all over the world. He soon
realized that the political conditions in India were favorable for the expansion of the
British Empire in India.

Lord Wellesley adopted the policy of Subsidiary Alliance to keep the Indian rulers
under control and to further strengthen the British Empire in India. He opened a
college to train the Company’s servants in Calcutta and is known as the Father of
Civil Services in India. Lord Wellesley founded the Fort William College in Calcutta,
which was a training center for those who would be involved in governing India. The
important events that took place during Lord Wellesley’s tenure as the Governor
General of India were the fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1979) and the second Anglo-
Maratha War (1803-1805).

Sir George Barlow (1805-1807)

Sir George Barlow served as the Acting Governor General of India from 1805 to 1807
until the arrival of Lord Minto in 1807. He is perhaps the only Governor General of
India who diminished the area of British territory because of his passion for economy
and retrenchment.

It was during the tenure of Sir George Barlow that the Mutiny of Vellore took place in
1806 in which the Indian soldiers killed many English officials.

Lord Minto I (1807-1813)

Lord Minto was a well-trained politician and had been engaged for many years in the
management of public affairs.

Lord Minto concluded the treaty of Amritsar with Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1809. He
also introduced the Charter Act of 1813.

Lord Hastings (1813-1823)

Lord Hastings served as the Governor General of India from 1813 to 1823, a long ten
years term. His tenure is known for the policy of intervention and war.

Lord Hastings put an end to the policy of non-intervention which was adopted by
John Shore. He abolished the censorship of the press and established the Ryotwari
System in Madras and the Mahalwari System in Central India, Punjab, and Western
UP. The important events that took place during the tenure of Lord Hastings are
Third Anglo-Maratha War (1816-1818), the treaty of Sagauli with Nepal in 1816, and
the creation of Bombay Presidency in 1818.

Lord Amherst (1823-1828)

Lord Amherst was the Governor General of India from 1823 to 1828.  The principal
events of his tenure were the annexation of Assam leading to the first Burmese war of
1824, resulting in the surrender of Arakan and Tenasserim to the British Empire. The
mutiny of Barrackpur in 1824 also took place during Lord Amherst’s tenure.

Lord William Bentinck (1828-1835)

Lord William Bentinck is known as the liberal Governor General of India. He is
credited with very important social and educational reforms in India including the
abolishing of Sati, the suppression of female infanticide and Thuggee, ending
lawlessness, human sacrifices.

Lord William Bentinck was instrumental in introducing English as the langue of

instruction in India.

Sir Charles Metcalfe (1835-1836)

Sir Charles Metcalfe held the office of the Governor-General of India briefly for a
year. His tenure is remembered for the carrying out and execution of all the
measures that were initiated before him by Lord William Bentinck.

Sir Charles Metcalfe removed the restrictions on the Vernacular Press and repealed
the 1823 licensing regulations.

Lord Auckland (1836-1842)

Lord Auckland served as the Governor General of India from 1836 to 1842. As a
legislator, he dedicated himself especially to the improvement of native schools and
the expansion of the commercial industry of India.

During Lord Auckland’s tenure, the first Anglo-Afghan war gave a severe blow to the
British Prestige in India.

Lord Dalhousie (1848-1856)

James Andrew Ramsay, also known as Lord Dalhousie served as the Governor
General of India from 1848 to 1856. During his tenure, the Second Anglo-Sikh War
(1849) was fought in which the Sikhs were again defeated and Lord Dalhousie
annexed the whole of Punjab to the British administration. He introduced the
Doctrine of Lapse and captured Satara (1848), Jaipur and Sambhalpur (1849),
Udaipur (1852), Jhansi (1853), and Nagpur (1854).

During Lord Dalhousie’s tenure, the first railway line between Bombay and Thane
was opened in 1853 and in the same year, Calcutta and Agra were connected by
telegraph. In 1854, Wood’s Despatch was passed which provided the proper system
of education from the School to the University. His other reforms include setting up
of P.W.D. and passing of the Widow Remarriage Act (1856). Lord Dalhousie was the
one who made Shimla the summer capital of India.

The useful information provided on this page about the Governor Generals of India
will help you a great deal in answering some tricky questions in entrance
examinations.

List of Governor General of India:

 

 
 

Governor
Period Important achievements/Events Images
General

Warren Hastings was the first Governor

of Bengal (Presidency of Fort William). In
1750 he joined the British East India
Company as a clerk and sailed out to
India, reaching Calcutta in August 1750. In
1814 he made a Privy Counsellor.

Warren 1772-
Zamindars were given judicial powers;
Hastings 1785
establishment of civil and criminal
courts in each district.

In 1781, he founded the Calcutta  

Madrasa, for promotion of Islamic
studies.

He founded the Asiatic Society of

Bengal with William Jones in 1784.

Sir John 1785-

He held the post temporarily.
Macpherson 1786
 Introduced Permanent Settlement of
Bengal (also called Zamindari system). It
was an agreement between East India
Company and Bengali landlords to fix
revenues to be raised from land.He
1786- introduced Police reforms according to
Lord Cornwallis
1793 which each district was divided into 400
square miles and placed under a police
superintendent.
 
 

Introduction of Civil Services in India.

He followed policy of non-

1793-
Sir John Shore intervention.Introduced Charter Act of
1798
1793.

He adopted the policy of Subsidiary

Alliance- a system to keep the Indian
rulers under control and to make British
the supreme power.He opened College to
train the Company’s servants in Calcutta.
1798-
Lord Wellesley So, Known as the Father of Civil Services
1805
in India.

 
 
He founded the Fort William College
at Calcutta.

The important event which took place in

Sir George 1805- his time was Mutiny of Vellore in 1806 in
Barlow 1807 which the Indian soldiers killed many
English officials.

 
 1807- He concluded the Treaty of Amritsar
Lord Minto I
1813 (1809) with Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

He ended the policy of non-intervention,

which was followed by Sir John Shore.He
1812- abolished the censorship of
Lord Hastings
1823 press.Introduced Ryotwari and
Mahalawari system in Bombay.

His tenure was known for First Anglo

1823-
Lord Amherst Burmese War (1824-26) and Mutiny of
1828
Barrackpur (1824)

  1828- Lord William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck

1835 (Lord William Bentick) was British Soldier
  and Statesman.
Lord William He was first Governor General of
Bentick India.

  He carried out social reforms such as

abolition of Sati Pratha with the help  
  of Rajaram Mohan Roy, Suppression
of Thuggee.
 
Established first Medical College in
  Calcutta.

He made English as the language of

higher education.

He also suppressed female infanticide

 and child sacrifice.

Sir Charles 1835- He held the post temporarily and

Metcalfe 1836 removed restriction on Vernacular press.

1836-
Lord Auckland First Afghan War was fought in his reign.
1842

Lord Dalhousie 1848- Opened first Railway line from Bombay to

1856 Thane in 1853.Opened first Telegraph
line from Calcutta to Agar in 1853.

Introduced Doctrine of Lapse captured
Satara (1848), Jaipur and Sambhalpur
(1849), Udaipur (1852), Jhansi (1853),
Nagpur (1854).
 
 

Many bridges were constructed and

started Grand Trunk Road.

Established Postal system which made

communication easier.

In 1854, Wood’s Dispatch was passed,

which provided the proper system of
education from School to University.

 
 Widow Remarriage Bill was passed.
 

Learn about RBI Governors – Complete List of Past and Present Governors!

List of Viceroy of India:

 

As per the Regulating Act of 1773, the post of Governor general came into existence. Earlier, the
Governor General of Bengal was appointed by East India Company. After the adoption of Government
of India Act 1858, Governor General become Viceroy of India.

Viceroy Period Important achievements/Events Images

 He was the Governor General during
Mutiny pf 1857 and after the war,
he was made first Viceroy of
India.He withdrew Doctrine of
1856- lapse.Indian Council Act was passed
Lord Canning
1862 in 1861

 
 
University of Bombay, Calcutta,
Madras was established in 1857.

High Court was established at

Calcutta, Bombay, Madras in
1865.He created Indian Forest
Department.Opened telegraph line
with Europe.He introduced various
1864- reforms and became the member of
Lord Lawrence
1869 Punjab Board of Administration
after second Sikh war.

   

He was known as the Savior of

Punjab.

Started financial decentralization in

India.He established Rajkot College
in Kathiawar and Mayo College in
Ajmer for Indian princess.First
Census of India was held during his
time in 1871.

1869-  
Lord Mayo
1872
He organized Statistical survey of
India.
 
 

He was the only Viceroy who

was murdered in office by a
pathan in Andaman in 1872.
 The Delhi Durbar was held on
January 1 1877, to decorate Queen
Victoria with the title of Kaiser-i-
hind.Statutory Civil Service in 1879.
It was also laid down that the
candidates had to appear and pass
1876- the civil services examination which
Lord Lytton
1880 began to be held in England. The
maximum age for these candidates
were reduced from 21 to 19 years.
 
 

Vernacular press Act was passed

in 1878.

Age for the entry in Civil Service

exam was raised to 21 years.First
Factory act was passed during his
time in 1881, it prohibited the child
1880- labour.Illbert Bill in 1883 was passed
Lord Rippon
1884 by him.

 
 
Passed Local Self Government
act in 1882.

1884- He formed the Indian National

Lord Dufferin
1888 Congress.

Indian Council Act was passed in

1892.Second Factory Act (1891) was
1888- passed during his time.He appointed
Lord Lansdowne
1894 Durand Commission to define a line
between British India and
Afghanistan.
 
 Partition of Bengal (1905) into two
provinces- Bengal and East Bengal
was done during his time.Passed the
1899-
Lord Curzon Ancient Monuments Act (1904), to
1905
restore India’s cultural heritage.
Thus, established Archeological
Survey of India.
 

1905- Morley-Minto reform was passed in

Lord Minto
1910 1909.

Partition of Bengal was cancelled

and capital shifted from Calcutta to
1910- Delhi in 1911.Gandhi ji returned to
Lord Hardinge
1916 India from South Africa in
1915.Home Rule moment was
launched by Annie Beasant.
 

Lord Chelmsford 1916- August Declaration of 1917, after

1921 which the control over the Indian
Government would be transferred
to Indian people.Rowlett Act 1919
was passedMontague-Chelmsford
reform was passed.

 
 
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre 1919
took place during his time.

Non- Cooperation and Khilafat

movement took place.
  

Women’s University was

founded at Poona in 1919

Suppressed of non-cooperation
movementChauri -Chaura incident
1921-
Lord Reading took place.Formation of Swaraj
1926
party.Ahmedabad session of INS
held in 1921.

Simon commission visited India in

1928.Dandi March was held in
1926- 1930.Civil Disobedience movement
Lord Irwin
1931 launched in 1930.Gandhi- Irwin pact
was signed and First Round Table
Conference was held in 1931.
 

Poona Pact was signed.Second and

Third Round Table Conference was
held during his time.Communal
Award started by British Prime
1931-
Lord Willingdon Minister Ramsay MacDonald.
1936
 

Government of India Act (1935)  

was passed.

Government of India Act enforced in

provinces.Cripps Mission visited
1936-
Lord Linlithgow India in 1942.Quit India movement
1944
was started in 1942.Second World
war took place in 1939.

 
 Shimla Conference was held on June
25, 1945 between Muslim League
and Indian national Congress was
1944-
Lord Wavell failed.Cabinet Mission Plan was
1947
launched in 1946.On December 09,
1946, first meeting of Constituent
Assembly was held.
 

Last Viceroy and first Governor

General of free India.Partition of
India was done on June 3,
1947.India Independent Act was
passed on July 4, 1947 by British
March
parliament. As per the Act India
Lord 1947-
became independent on August 15,
Mountbatten August
1947.
1947
 
 
He was succeeded by C.
Rajagopalachari, who was the last
Governor General of free India.