List of governors-general of India - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.

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The Regulating Act of 1773 created the office with the title of Governor-General of the muslim Presidency of Fort William, or Governor-General of Bengal
to be appointed by the Court of Directors of the East India Company (EIC). The Court of Directors assigned a Council of Four (based in India) to assist the
Governor General, and decision of council was binding on the Governor General during 1773-1784.

The Saint Helena Act 1833 (or Government of India Act 1833) re-designated the office with the title of Governor-General of India.

After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the company rule was brought to an end, but the British India along with princely states came under the direct rule of the
British Crown. The Government of India Act 1858 created the office of Secretary of State for India in 1858 to oversee the affairs of India, which was advised
by a new Council of India with 15 members (based in London). The existing Council of Four was formally renamed as the Council of Governor General of India
or Executive Council of India. The Council of India was later abolished by Government of India Act 1935.

Following the adoption of the Government of India Act of 1858, the Governor-General as representing the Crown became known as the Viceroy. The
designation 'Viceroy', although it was most frequently used in ordinary parlance, had no statutory authority, and was never employed by Parliament. Although
the Proclamation of 1858 announcing the assumption of the government of India by the Crown referred to Lord Canning as "first Viceroy and Governor-
General", none of the Warrants appointing his successors referred to them as 'Viceroys', and the title, which was frequently used in Warrants dealing with
precedence and in public notifications, was basically one of ceremony used in connection with the state and social functions of the Sovereign's representative.
The Governor-General continued to be the sole representative of the Crown, and the Government of India continued to be vee appointments of Governor-
General of India were made by the British Crown upon the advice of Secretary of State for India. The office of Governor-General continued to exist as a
ceremonial post in each of the new dominions until they adopted republican constitutions in 1950 and 1957 Respectively.

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Name
Portrait Term of office Notable events Appointer
(Birth–Death)

Before 1773 Governor General of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal) was named as Governor of Bengal, which was in existence since 1757 to
1772.
For the list of Governors of Bengal see List of governors of Bengal.

Governors General of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal), 1773–1833

Regulating Act of 1773

Supreme Council of Bengal
Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William (1774) was established
Asiatic Society of Bengal (1784)
Pitt's India Act (1784)
Stopped Mughal pension to Shah Alam II
Abolished the Dual System in Bengal
20 October
Warren Hastings 1 February Moved Treasury from Murshidabad to Calcutta
1773
(1732-1818) [nb 1] 1785 Bengal Gazette- First Indian newspaper published (in 1780)
First Anglo-Maratha War (1775–82) East India
Second Anglo-Mysore war (1780–84) Company
First Rohilla War of 1773–1774
"Ring fence policy" (https://www.sscadda.com/2016/07/study-notes-on-
policy-of-ring-fence.html)
Experimentation on land settlements. (1772-five years settlement, (1773–1858)
changed to 1 year in 1776)
English Translation of Bhagwat Gita by Charles Wilkins[1]

John Macpherson 12
1 February
(acting) September
1785
(1745–1821) 1786

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Established lower courts and appellate courts

Permanent Settlement in Bihar and Bengal in 1793
Charles Cornwallis 3rd Anglo-Mysore war (1790–92)
12
The Marquess Cornwallis 28 October Introduction of Cornwallis Code
[nb 2] September
1793
1786 Introduction of Civil Services in India
(1738–1805)
Sanskrit Vidyalaya at Benares (now Varanasi) established by
Johnathan Duncan(then Governor of Bombay)
Introduced "Sunset Law"

Policy of Non-intervention
John Shore 28 October 18 March Charter Act of 1793
(1751–1834) 1793 1798 Second Rohilla War 1794
Battle of Kharda between Nizam and Marathas (1795)

Alured Clarke
18 March 18 May
(acting)
1798 1798
(1744–1832)

Introduction of Subsidiary Alliance (1798)

Richard Wellesley, Earl of Fourth Anglo Mysore War 1799
18 May 30 July
Mornington [nb 3] Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–05)
1798 1805
(1760–1842)
Fort William College at Calcutta (1800)
Raj Bhavan at Calcutta was established in 1803

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The Marquess Cornwallis 30 July 5 October

(1738–1805) 1805 1805

Sir George Barlow, Bt Sepoy mutiny at Vellore (The prelude to the First War of
10 October 31 July Independence of India)
(acting)
1805 1807 Bank of Calcutta (1806) established (later Imperial Bank of India, now
(1762–1847)
State Bank of India)

The Lord Minto 31 July 4 October Charter Act of 1813

(1751–1814) 1807 1813 Treaty of Amritsar, 1809 with The Great Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Ended the policy of Non-intervention

Third Anglo-Maratha War (1816-1818)
Treaty of Sugauli (1816)
Francis Rawdon- Creation of Bombay Presidency in 1818
Hastings, 1st Marquess of 4 October 9 January Establishment of Ryotwari System in Madras (1820)
Hastings [nb 4] 1813 1823
Establishment of Mahalwari System in Northern India (1822)
(1754–1826)
Hindu College (now Presidency University) at Calcutta in 1817
The Pindari War (1817-1818) (Complete Destruction of the Pindari
Clan of India)
General Committee of Public Instruction was formed in 1823

John Adam Licensing Regulations

9 January 1 August
(acting)
1823 1823 Calcutta Unitarian Committee (http://www.thebrahmosamaj.net/history/
(1779–1825) chronology.html) established by The Great Raja Ram Mohan Roy

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First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–26) (East India Company crushes

Burmese King Bagyidaw and annexes Assam, Manipur, Arakan and
The Lord Amherst[nb 5] 1 August 13 March Tenasserim)
(1773–1857) 1823 1828 Establishment of Sanskrit College at Calcutta (1824)
Treaty of Yandabo, 1826 (East India Company humiliates and extracts
1 million Pounds from the Burmese King Bagyidaw)

William Butterworth
Bayley 13 March 4 July
(acting) 1828 1828
(1782–1860)

Governors-General of India, 1833–1858

First Governor General of India

Bengal Sati Regulation, 1829
Mahalwari System in Central India,Punjab And Western UP.
Lord William Bentinck 4 July 20 March Saint Helena Act 1833 or Charter Act, 1833 (Christian
(1774–1839) 1828 1835 Missionaries get Exclusive rights to spread Christianity in British
India which included the present day Pakistan)
East India
Kol Rebellion in 1831 Company
English Education Act 1835
Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata (1835)

(1773–1858)

Charles Metcalfe, Bt Repealed 1823 Licensing Regulations

20 March 4 March Known as Liberator of India Press
(acting)
1835 1836
(1785–1846) Establishment of Calcutta Public Library in 1836 (currently known as
National Library of India)

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Tripartite Treaty in 1838 between British, Shah Shuja (a cruel Afghan

traitor) and The Great Maharaja Ranjit Singh against Dost Muhammad
Khan.
The First Anglo Afghan War(1840-1842) (British Army massacred by
the strong Afghan army and militia during the 1842 Retreat from Kabul-
28 worst British Military disaster (https://www.economist.com/books-and-a
The Lord Auckland[nb 6] 4 March
February
(1784–1849) 1836 rts/2013/01/26/lessons-unlearned))
1842
Bank of Bombay (1840) established (later Imperial Bank of India, now
State Bank of India)
First Bengali daily newspaper Sambad Prabhakar was published in
1839
Tattwabodhini Sabha was formed by Debendranath Tagore in 1839

28 Gwalior War (1843) (British Crush Marathas once and for all)
The Lord Ellenborough June
February
(1790–1871) 1844 Bank of Madras (1843) established (later Imperial Bank of India, now
1842 State Bank of India)

William Wilberforce Bird

June 23 July
(acting)
1844 1844
(1784–1857)

The First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–46) (British Empire crushes the Sikh
Empire and confiscate major portion of its territory)
Henry Hardinge[nb 7] 23 July 12 January
(1785–1856) 1844 1848 Treaty of Lahore(1846) (British confiscate Kashmir from the Sikhs and
sell it to Raja of Jammu for 75 lakh rupees)
Establishment of Roorkee Engineering College (1847)[2]

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Doctrine of Lapse in 1848

Bethune Collegiate School (1849) (was also known as Calcutta
Female School) was established by John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune
Charles Wood Despatch (1854)
Establishment of summer capital at Shimla
Second Anglo-Burmese War (1852) (The sole aim of Dalhousie was to
humiliate and annex more of Burmese Territories. Burma was attacked

unprovoked)
The Earl of 28
12 January First Passenger train between Bombay and Thane (1853)
Dalhousie[nb 8] February
1848 First telegraph Line was laid between Diamond Harbour to Calcutta.
(1812–1860) 1856
(1851)
Post Office Act, 1854 (http://www.historydiscussion.net/history-of-india/
lord-dalhousie-and-his-reforms/2559)
Established Public Works Department (http://www.historydiscussion.ne
t/history-of-india/lord-dalhousie-and-his-reforms/) (1854)
The Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848-1849) (The British completely
crush The Great Sikh Empire)
Santhal Rebellion (1855) (15000 Santhals were brutally killed by the
British Army while crushing the rebellion. elephants were used to
destroy Santhal Dwellings)

The Viscount 28 Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856

31 October
Canning[nb 9] February Indian Rebellion of 1857
1858
(1812–1862) 1856 University of Calcutta, University of Bombay, and University of Madras
were set up in 1857

Governors-General and Viceroys of India, 1858–1947

Victoria
The Government of India Act, 1858
The Viscount 1 System of Budget introduced
21 March
Canning[nb 10] November Formation of Imperial Civil Services
1862
(1812–1862) 1858
Indigo Revolt in Bengal in 1859-60
Enactment of Indian Penal Code in 1860 (1837–1901)

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20
The Earl of Elgin 21 March Establishment of Calcutta High Court (2 July), Bombay High Court (14
November
(1811–1863) 1862 August) and Madras High Court (15 August) in 1862
1863

Robert Napier 21 2
(acting) November December
(1810–1890) 1863 1863

William Denison 2
12 January
(acting) December
1864
(1804–1871) 1863

Bhutan War (1864-65) (The British crushed an army-less Bhutan and

annexed Assam and Bengal Duars)
Sir John Lawrence, Bt 12 January 12 January Establishment of Shimla as India's summer capital in 1863
(1811–1879) 1864 1869 The Tabernacle of New Dispensation (http://www.thebrahmosamaj.net/
history/chronology.html), a new Church established by Keshub
Chandra Sen
Establishment of Allahabad High Court in 1866

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Assassinated by a Pathan Sher Ali Afridi

Started the Census.
Opening of Rajkumar college in Rajkot and Mayo College at Ajmer for
The Earl of Mayo 12 January 8 February political training of Indian Princes
(1822–1872) 1869 1872 Started Financial decentralization
Enacted IPC amendment-Sedition Act 1870 to tackle Wahabi

Movement
Keshub Chandra Sen establishes Indian Reform Association

Sir John Strachey 23

9 February
(acting) February
1872
(1823–1907) 1872

The Lord Napier 24

3 May
(acting) February
1872
(1819–1898) 1872

The Lord Northbrook 3 May 12 April Jyotiba Phule launches The Satyashodhak Samaj in Maharashtra in
(1826–1904) 1872 1876 1873 against the caste system and Untouchability.
Dramatic Performances Act, 1876

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Vernacular Press Act, 1878

The Lord Lytton 12 April 8 June Second Anglo-Afghan War, (1878–80)
(1831–1891) 1876 1880 1st Delhi Durbar out of 3
Queen Victoria assuming the title of 'Empress of India'

First Factory Act (1881)

13 Repeal of the Vernacular Press Act (1882)
The Marquess of Ripon 8 June
December Ilbert Bill (1883)
(1827–1909) 1880
1884
Government resolution on local self-government (1882)
Appointment of Education Commission under Sir William Hunter

13 10
The Earl of Dufferin Formation of Indian National Congress (1885)
December December
(1826–1902) Third Anglo-Burmese War (1885)
1884 1888

Indian Council Act 1892

The Marquess of 10 Factory Act 1891 (https://www.examrace.com/Study-Material/History/N
11 October
Lansdowne December ational-Movement-in-India/Factories-Acts-Industrial-Disputes-Famine-
1894
(1845–1927) 1888 Co-operative-Society.html)
Setting up of Durand Commission in 1893 (India-Afghanistan)

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The Earl of Elgin 11 October 6 January Establishment of Ramkrishna Mission by Swami Vivekananda at Belur
(1849–1917) 1894 1899 Math in 1897

Partition of Bengal (1905)

Official Secrets Act 1904 to curb free press
2st Delhi Durbar out of 3 (1903)
Appointment of Police Commission under Sir Andrew Frazer
Appointment of Raleigh University Commission (1902)
The Lord Curzon of 18 Passing of Indian Universities Act 1904
6 January
Kedleston[nb 11] November 2nd Swadeshi Movement (1905-1911) against Partition of Bengal by
1899
(1859–1925) 1905 Lal-Bal-Pal-Aurbindo Ghosh)
Establishment of Archaeological Survey of India
Benaras Hindu Girl's School was established by Annie Besant in 1904
(He said, "India is the pivot of our Empire.... If the Empire loses any
other part of its Dominion we can survive, but if we lose India, the sun
of our Empire will have set."
[3]

Edward
Morley-Minto Reforms 1909 or The Indian Councils Act 1909
VII
Split in Congress in 1907
18 23
The Earl of Minto Seditious meetings (prohibition) Act 1907 to curb extremist movement
November November
(1845–1914)
1905 1910 Establishment of Muslim League by Aga Khan III (1906)
Indian Press Act, 1910
Jamsetji Tata established TISCO in 1907 (1901–1910)

George V
Third Delhi Durbar (1911)
The Lord Hardinge of 23 Transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi (1911)
4 April
Penshurst November Partition of Bengal to form Bihar province (1912)
1916
(1858–1944) 1910
McMahon border line was created between India and China in 1914
Ghadar Mutiny (1915) (1910–1936)

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Formation of Indian Home Rule Movement (1916)

Lucknow Pact (1916)

The Lord Chelmsford 4 April 2 April Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1919)
(1868–1933) 1916 1921 Government of India Act 1919
Rowlatt Act (1919)
Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre (1919)
Imperial Bank of India (now State Bank of India established in 1921)

Malabar rebellion (also known as Moplah Rebellion), first Ethnic

Rebellion (1921)
The Earl of Reading 2 April 3 April
(1860–1935) 1921 1926 Non-cooperation movement (1921–22)
Rabindranath Tagore founded Visva-Bharati University in 1921
Chauri Chaura incident (1922)

Simon Commission (1928)

Nehru Report (1928)
Death of Lala Lajpat Rai (1928)
Fourteen Points of Jinnah (1929)
Purna Swaraj declaration (1929)
The Lord Irwin 3 April 18 April Salt March (1930)
(1881–1959) 1926 1931 Dharasana Satyagraha (1930)
First Round Table Conferences (1930)
Allahabad Address (1930)
Chittagong armoury raid in 1930
Gandhi–Irwin Pact (1931)
Execution of Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar
(1931)

Poona Pact between Mahatma Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar in 1932

Pakistan Declaration (1933)
The Earl of Willingdon 18 April 18 April Government of India Act 1935
(1866–1941) 1931 1936
Reserve Bank of India established by passing The Reserve Bank of
India Act 1934.
Foundation of Congress Socialist Party in 1934

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Indian provincial elections (1937)

Indian entry into World War II (1939) Edward
Day of Deliverance (1939) VIII
The Marquess of Lahore Resolution (1940)
18 April 1 October
Linlithgow Cripps Mission (1942)
1936 1943
(1887–1952)
Formation of Indian Legion (1942)
Quit India movement (1942)
(1936)
Formation of Indian National Army (1942)
Bengal famine (1943)

C. R. formula (1944)
Simla Conference (1945)
21
The Viscount Wavell 1 October Cabinet Mission (1946)
February
(1883–1950) 1943 Interim Government was formed in 1946
1947 George VI
Direct Action Day (1946)
Royal Indian Navy mutiny (1946)

(1936–1952)
The Viscount 21
15 August
Mountbatten of Burma February Indian Independence Act 1947
1947
(1900–1979) 1947

Governors-General of the Dominion of India, 1947–1950

George VI
The Viscount
Mountbatten of 15 August 21 June
Burma[nb 12] 1947 1948
(1900–1979)
(1936–1952)

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C. Rajagopalachari 21 June 26 January

(1878–1972) 1948 1950

Notes

1. Originally joined on 28 April 1772

2. Earl Cornwallis from 1762; created Marquess Cornwallis in 1792.
3. Created Marquess Wellesley in 1799.
4. Earl of Moira prior to being created Marquess of Hastings in 1816
5. Created Earl Amherst in 1826.
6. Created Earl of Auckland in 1839.
7. Created Viscount Hardinge in 1846.
8. Created Marquess of Dalhousie in 1849.
9. Created Earl Canning in 1859.
10. Created Earl Canning in 1859.
11. The Lord Ampthill was acting Governor-General in 1904
12. Created Earl Mountbatten of Burma on 28 October 1947.

List of governors of Bengal

Council of India
Secretary of State for India
List of Presidents of India

1. Clarke, John James (1 January 1997). Oriental Enlightenment: The Encounter Between Asian and Western Thought (https://books.google.com/books?id=q

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