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Eduncle posted an Article
September 11, 2019 • 22:45 pm

List of Governor General and Viceroy of India (Complete List)

List of Governor-General and Viceroy of India

 

 

General Awareness is considered an integral part of the competitive exams. From history to polity, facts regarding General Science, Physics, Biology, our constitution, economy, banks and almost everything. Questions from these spheres can be found in SSC Exam and Railways Exam Question Papers.

 

Being an SSC exam or Railway exam appearing aspirant, this list will help you to know the complete details of the Governor General and Viceroy of India from the year 1772 to 1947. It also covers the important achievements and events that took place during their time.

 

So, enhance your learning with the complete list of Governor General and Viceroy of India.

 

 

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List of Governor General of India:

 

Governor General Period Important achievements/Events Images
Warren Hastings 1772-1785 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.

Zamindars were given judicial powers; 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.

 Warren Hastings
Sir John Macpherson 1785-1786 He held the post temporarily. Sir John Macpherson
Lord Cornwallis 1786-1793 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 introduced Police reforms according to which each district was divided into 400 square miles and placed under a police superintendent.

 

Introduction of Civil Services in India.

 Lord Cornwallis
Sir John Shore 1793-1798 He followed policy of non-intervention.Introduced Charter Act of 1793.  Sir John Shore
Lord Wellesley 1798-1805 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. So, Known as the Father of Civil Services in India.

 

He founded the Fort William College at Calcutta.

 Lord Wellesley
Sir George Barlow 1805-1807 The important event which took place in his time was Mutiny of Vellore in 1806 in which the Indian soldiers killed many English officials.  Sir George Barlow
Lord Minto I 1807-1813 He concluded the Treaty of Amritsar (1809) with Maharaja Ranjit Singh.  Lord Minto I
Lord Hastings 1813-1823 He ended the policy of non-intervention, which was followed by Sir John Shore.He abolished the censorship of press.Introduced Ryotwari and Mahalawari system in Bombay.

 

Lord Hastings
Lord Amherst 1823-1828 His tenure was known for First Anglo Burmese War (1824-26) and Mutiny of Barrackpur (1824)  Lord Amherst
 

 

Lord William Bentick

 

 

 

 

1828-1835 Lord William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck (Lord William Bentick) was British Soldier and Statesman.

He was first Governor General of 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.

 Lord William Bentick
Sir Charles Metcalfe 1835-1836 He held the post temporarily and removed restriction on Vernacular press.  Sir Charles Metcalfe
Lord Auckland 1836-1842 First Afghan War was fought in his reign.  Lord Auckland
Lord Dalhousie 1848-1856 Opened first Railway line from Bombay to 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.

 Lord Dalhousie

 

 

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

 

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

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

 

He was known as the Savior of Punjab.

 Lord Lawrence
Lord Mayo 1869-1872 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.

 

He organized Statistical survey of India.

 

He was the only Viceroy who was murdered in office by a pathan in Andaman in 1872.

 Lord Mayo
Lord Lytton 1876-1880 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 the civil services examination which 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.

 Lord Lytton
Lord Rippon 1880-1884 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 labour.Illbert Bill in 1883 was passed by him.

 

Passed Local Self Government act in 1882.

 Lord Rippon
Lord Dufferin 1884-1888 He formed the Indian National Congress.  Lord Dufferin
Lord Lansdowne 1888-1894 Indian Council Act was passed in 1892.Second Factory Act (1891) was passed during his time.He appointed Durand Commission to define a line between British India and Afghanistan.  Lord Lansdowne
Lord Curzon 1899-1905 Partition of Bengal (1905) into two provinces- Bengal and East Bengal was done during his time.Passed the Ancient Monuments Act (1904), to restore India’s cultural heritage. Thus, established Archeological Survey of India.  Lord Curzon
Lord Minto 1905-1910 Morley-Minto reform was passed in 1909.  Lord Minto
Lord Hardinge 1910-1916 Partition of Bengal was cancelled and capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911.Gandhi ji returned to India from South Africa in 1915.Home Rule moment was launched by Annie Beasant.  Lord Hardinge
Lord Chelmsford 1916-1921 August Declaration of 1917, after 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

 Lord Chelmsford
Lord Reading 1921-1926 Suppressed of non-cooperation movementChauri -Chaura incident took place.Formation of Swaraj party.Ahmedabad session of INS held in 1921.  Lord Reading
Lord Irwin 1926-1931 Simon commission visited India in 1928.Dandi March was held in 1930.Civil Disobedience movement launched in 1930.Gandhi- Irwin pact was signed and First Round Table Conference was held in 1931.  Lord Irwin
Lord Willingdon 1931-1936 Poona Pact was signed.Second and Third Round Table Conference was held during his time.Communal Award started by British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald.

 

Government of India Act (1935) was passed.

 Lord Willingdon
Lord Linlithgow 1936-1944 Government of India Act enforced in provinces.Cripps Mission visited India in 1942.Quit India movement was started in 1942.Second World war took place in 1939.  Lord Linlithgow
Lord Wavell 1944-1947 Shimla Conference was held on June 25, 1945 between Muslim League and Indian national Congress was failed.Cabinet Mission Plan was launched in 1946.On December 09, 1946, first meeting of Constituent Assembly was held.  Lord Wavell
Lord Mountbatten March 1947- August 1947 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 parliament. As per the Act India became independent on August 15, 1947.

 

He was succeeded by C. Rajagopalachari, who was the last Governor General of free India.

 Lord Mountbatten

 

 

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So, this article covers list of all the Governor General and Viceroy of India.

 

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Showing 10 comments out of 35
  • Harshit chanderia

    Thank you .... . It's very helpful and helped me a lot in my studies ..... Thanks Eduncle

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    Hello Harshit,
    Greetings from Eduncle!
    Thank you for the kind words and appreciation.
    Stay connected and keep visiting for more such blogs!

  • Yashi

    In the achievements of Lord Dalhousie you have written started the great trunk road, but it's the Grand Trunk Road. Please see to it.

    T
    eduncle-logo-app

    But otherwise it's a very good and informative article.

    eduncle-logo-app

    Hello Yashi,   Greetings from Eduncle!   Thanks for the kind words and appreciation! We value your generous feedback. For more such updates, Kindly stay tuned with Eduncle.   Kind Regards, Eduncle Team

    eduncle-logo-app

    Hello Yashi,   Greetings from Eduncle!   Thanks for sharing out your suggestion with us. We have edited the blog as suggested by you.   Thanks again!   Kind Regards, Eduncle Team

  • Suhail Vk

    It's very helpful. Thanks for this nice article ..

    T
    eduncle-logo-app

    Hello Suhail, Greetings from Eduncle! Thanks for the kind words and appreciation! We value your generous feedback. Kind Regards, Eduncle Team

  • Rishu

    Amazing work guys...

    T
    eduncle-logo-app

    Hello Rishu, Greetings from Eduncle! Thanks for the kind words and appreciation! We value your generous feedback. Kind Regards, Eduncle Team

  • Nikhil

    There is something error in your list.. Warren hesting was First governor general of BENGAL... And, william bentick was First Governor General of INDIA...

    T
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