GOVERNOR GENERALS n VICEROYS of BRITISH INDIA

GOVERNOR GENERALS/Governor of Bengal

Warren Hastings (1772-1785 AD)

Hastings was imprisoned with others in the Bengali capital, Murshidabad, by the Nawab Siraj ud daula

 Robert Clive arrived to rescue him. 

Hastings served as a volunteer in Clive's forces as they retook Calcutta 1757. 

Warren Hastings came as Governor of Bengal/Governor of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal) in 1772 at the age of forty

Under the Mughal system, the diwan was in charge of the reve­nue collection and to decide all cases related to land and land revenue. 

With the grant of the Diwani (1765) the Company also obtained the responsibility of the civil justice. 

Collection of revenue was taken over by the Company.  

severe Bengal Famine, which resulted in about ten million deaths.

Zamindars  were given judicial powers

establishment of civil and criminal courts in each district.

In 1773 Regulating Act was passed by the British Parliament in order to control and regulate the affairs of the East India Company in India. 

Act provided for, the establish­ment of a Supreme Court at Calcutta with a Lord Chief Justice and three judges under him. 

The Supreme Court administered English laws. 

It may be mentioned here that the Sadar Dewani Adalat(civil) and Sadar Nizamat Adalat(criminal) with their subordinate Adalats administered justice according to Hindu and Muslim laws, supplemented by the capacity.

Supreme Council Of Bengal

Asiatic Society of Bengal

Reduced the allowance to Mughal king Shah Alam II

Stopped Diarchy in Bengal

In 1781, Hastings founded Madrasa 'Aliya; in 2007, it was transformed into Aliah University by the Government of West Bengal , at Calcutta.

In 1784, Hastings supported the foundation of the Bengal Asiatic Society, now the Asiatic Society of Bengal, by the oriental scholar Sir William Jones; it became a storehouse for information and data on the subcontinent. no English person thoroughly understood Sanskrit until Sir William Jones

Moved Treasury from Murshidabad to Calcutta

Bengal Gazette- First Indian newspaper published

First Anglo-Maratha War (1775–82)

Second Anglo-Mysore war (1780–84)

First Rohilla W of 1773–1774

"Ring fence policy"

Second Rohilla War 1779

Experimentation on land settlements(1772-five years settlement, changed to 1 year in 1776)

English Translation of Bhagwat Gita

In 1787, he was accused of corruption and impeached, but after a long trial, he was acquitted in 1795. 

he was impeached in the House of Commons for crimes and misdemeanors during his time in India, especially for the alleged judicial killing of Maharaja Nandakumar

Lord Cornwallis (1786-1793AD)

Permanent settlement of Bengal 

Reorganization of the civil courts and the criminal courts.

Lord Cornwallis enjoyed the confidence of the British Government and was knighted and appointed as the Governor-General of India and the Commander-in-chief of India in 1786. 

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 

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 AD)

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 Battle of Kharda (1795)  was the important event. 

Lord Wellesley, (1798-1793 AD)

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. 

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. 

Formation of Madras Presidency in 1801

the fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1799)

second Anglo-Maratha War (1803-1805).

Sir George Barlow (1805 - 1807 AD)

served as the Acting Governor General of India 

He is 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 AD)

Signed the treaty with Shah of Persia 

Lord Minto was a well-trained politician

Lord Minto concluded the treaty of Amritsar with Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1809. 

He also introduced the Charter Act of 1813.

Lord Hastings 1813 to 1823
ten years term tenure is known for the policy of intervention and war.
He abolished the censorship of the press
established the Ryotwari System in Madras
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
creation of Bombay Presidency in 1818.
Lord Amherst 1823 to 1828.
The annexation of Assam leading to the first Burmese war of 1824, resulting in the surrender of Arakan and Tenasserim to the British Empire.
Treaty of Yandabo, 1826
The sipoy mutiny of Barrackpur in 1824.
He was the last Governors Generals of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal), 1773–1833.
Governor Generals of India
Lord William Bentinck (1828-1835 AD)
First Governor General of India
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 in 1829
the suppression of female infanticide and Thuggs, ending human sacrifices and lawlessness, .
abolition of provincial courts of appeal and circuit, power of the magistrate increased,
appointment of Indians as judges
Lord William Bentinck was instrumental in introducing English as the language of instruction in India. English Education Act 1835
reform in the Hindu Law of Inheritance.

Sir Charles Metcalfe (1828-1835 AD)
He was liberal and carried out 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)
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 AD)
James Andrew Ramsay, also known as Lord Dalhousie
Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848-49) 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).
second Burwese war, 1852,
During Lord Dalhousie’s tenure, the first railway line between Bombay and Thane was opened in 1853
in the same year, Calcutta and Agra were connected by telegraph.
Engineering College was established at Roorkee.
competitive examination for the Indian Civil Services began in 1853.
Post Office Act, 1854
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.
Widow Remarriage Act (1856).
set up of universities in Culcutta, Bombay and Madras,
BRITISH VICEROYS IN INDIA
Lord Canning (1856 – 1862):
The last Governor General and the first Viceroy of India.
Mutiny took place in his time.
On November, 1858, the rule passed on to the crown.
Withdrew Doctrine of Lapse.
The Universities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras were established in 1857.
Indian Councils Act was passed in 1861.
Lord Elgin (1862 – 1863)
Wahabi movement occurred during his tenure and get suppressed
Lord Lawrence (1864 – 1869)
Bhutan War
Establishment of Shimla as India’s summer capital in 1864
High Court was established at Calcutta, Bombay, and 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 the second Sikh war.
He was known as the Savior of Punjab.
Lord Mayo History (1869 – 1872)
Started the process of financial decentralization in India.
Established the Rajkot college at Kathiarwar and European-oriented Mayo College at Ajmer for the Indian princes.
For the first time in Indian history, a census was held in 1871.
Organised the Statistical Survey of India.
Was the only Viceroy to be murdered in office by Sher Ali Afridi Patan in the Andamans in 1872.
He was visiting the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in February 1872 used as a British penal colony for convicts from India, both criminals and political prisoners.
He was returning to his boat, where Lady Mayo was also waiting. Sher Ali Afridi appeared and stabbed him to death at the foot of Mount Harriet. (national park park is also a butterfly hotspot located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands -third-highest peak in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago -top; Saddle Peak (732 metres).
The murder of the Viceroy, the supreme official of India appointed by the British Crown, sent shock waves throughout Britain and British India.
Sher Ali Afridi wanted to kill two white people, the Superintendent and the Viceroy, as a revenge for his life sentence.
He served the British in a cavalry regiment.
He said that he killed on the instructions of God.
Wahabi jihadist-inspired prisoners were jailed at Andaman during the same period but the British found no link to the murder.
Sher Ali Afridi was condemned to death and was hanged on the gallows of Viper Island prison, an island of the Andaman Islands, in 1873.
Lord Northbrook (1872 – 1876)
Kuka movement in Punjab occurred during his tenure.
Lord Lytton (1876 – 1880)
Known as the Viceroy to reverse characters.
Organised the Grand ‘Delhi Durbar’ or the Imperial Durbar in 1877 to decorate Queen Victoria with the title of ‘Kaiser I Hind’.
Passed the infamous Vernacular Press Act, 1878, for better control of Indian language newspapers was passed during his tenure.
foundation of the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh in 1877,
famine in 1876-1878
Indian Arms act, 1878 made it mandatory for Indians to acquire license for arms.
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 was reduced from 21 to 19 years.

Lord Ripon (1880 – 1884)
Liberal person, who sympathized with Indians.
The first complete and synchronous census of British Territories in India was conducted in 1881
first factory act 1881 aimed at reducing child labour.
Repealed the Vernacular Press act (1882)
Constitution of the Hunter commission on education (1882)
Took steps to improve primary & secondary education (on William Hunter Commission’s recommendations).
Resolution in 1882 for institution of local self - government in India.
Passed the local self government act (1882)
He is hailed as the Father of Local Self Government in India.
He introduced the dual system of governance.
He was associated with Ilbert Bill which sought to allow Indian judges to try British offenders.
Passed the libert Bill (1883) which enabled Indian district magistrates to try European criminals. But this was withdrawn later.
Lord Dufferin (1884 – 1888)
Indian National Congress was formed during his tenure.
Third Anglo-Burmese War
Lord Lansdowne (1888 – 1894)
II Factory act (1891) granted a weekly holiday and stipulated working hours for women and children, although it failed to address concerns such as work hours for men.
Categorization of Civil Services into Imperial, Provincial and Subordinate.
Indian Council act of 1892 was passed.
Appointment of Durand Commission to define the line between British India and Afghanistan.
Lord Elgin II (1894 – 1899)
Great famine of 1896 – 1897.
Lyall Commission was appointed.
Two British officials were assassinated by Chapekar brothers (1897)
Lord Curzon (1899 – 1905)

The risings of the frontier tribes in 1897 – 98 led him to create the North Western Frontier Province (NWFP).
Passed the Indian Coinage and Paper Currency act (1899) and put India on a gold standard.
Passed the Indian Universities act (1904) in which official control over the Universities was increased.
Ancient Monuments Protection act (1904), to restore India’s cultural heritage. Thus the Archaeological Survey of India was established.
Set up a Famine Commission
Partitioned Bengal (October 16, 1905) into two provinces Bengal (proper) & East Bengal & Assam.
Appointed a Police Commission under Sir Andrew Frazer to enquire into the police administration of every province.
Extended railways to a great extent.
History of Lord Minto (1905 – 1910)
Various acts were passed to curb the revolutionary activities.
Extremists like Lala Laipat Rai and Ajit Singh and Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1908) were sent to Mandalay jail in Burma.
The Indian Council act of 1909 or the Morley Minto Reforms was passed.
Lord Hardinge (1910 – 1916)
Held a durbar in December, 1911 to celebrate the coronation of King George V.
Partition of Bengal was cancelled (1911)
capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi (1911).
A bomb was thrown at him; but he escaped unhurt (1912).
his tenure generally saw better relations between the British administration and the nationalists, thanks to the implementation of the Morley-Minto reforms of 1909.
Hardinge's efforts paid off in 1914 during the First World War. Due to improved colonial relationships, Britain was able to deploy nearly all of the British troops in India as well as many native Indian troops to areas outside of India. In particular the British Indian Army was able to play a significant role in the Mesopotamian campaign against The Ottoman Empire.
Gandhiji came back to India from South Africa (1915).
Annie Besant announced the Home Rule Movement.
Lord Chelmsford (1916 – 1921)
August Declaration of 1917, whereby control over the Indian government would be gradually transferred to the Indian people.
The government of India act in 1919 (Montague Chelmsford reforms) was passed.
Rowlatt act of 1919
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (April 13, 1919).
Non Cooperation Movement.
An Indian Sir S.P.Sinha was appointed the Governor of Bengal.
A Women’s university was founded at Poona in 1916.
Saddler Commission was appointed in 1917 to envisage new educational policy.
Lord Reading (1921 – 1926)
Rowlatt act was repealed along with the Press act of 1910.
Suppressed non – cooperation movement.
Prince of Wales visited India in November, 1921.
Moplah rebellion (1921) took place in Kerala.
Ahmedabad session of 1921.
Formation of Swaraj Party.
Vishwabharati University started functioning in 1922.
Communist part was founded in 1921 by M.N. Roy.
Kakory Train Robbery, 1925.
Communal riots of 1923 – 25 in Multan, Amritsar, Delhi, etc.
Lord Irwin (1926 – 1931)
Simon Commission visited India in 1928.
Congress passed the Indian Resolution in 1929.
Dandi March (March 12, 1930).
Civil Disobedience Movement (1930).
First Round Table Conference held in England in 1930.
Gandhi Irwin Pact (March 5, 1931) was signed and Civil Disobediance Movement was withdrawn.
Martydorm of Jatin Das after 64 days hunger strike (1929).
Lord Willington (1931 – 1936)
Second Round Table conference in London in 1931.
On his return Gandhiji was again arrested and Civil Disobedience Movement was resumed in January, 1932.
Communal Awards (August 16, 1932) assigned seats to different religious communities. Gandhiji went on a epic fast in protest against this division.
Third Round Table conference in 1932.
Poona Pact was signed.
Government of India act (1935) was passed.
Lord Linlithgow (1936 – 1944)
Congress ministries formed in 8 out of 11 provinces.
They remained in power for about 2 years till October 1939, when they gave up offices on the issue of India having been dragged into the II World War.
The Muslim League observed the days as ‘Deliverance Say’ (22 December)
Longest reign as viceroy (12) of India
Cripps Mission in 1942.
Quit India Movement (August 8, 1942).
the Great Famine of Bengal (1943)
Outbreak of World War II in 1939.
Lord Wavell (1944 – 1947)
Arranged the Shimla Conference on June 25, 1945 with Indian National Congress and Muslim League; failed.
Cabinet Mission Plan (May 16, 1946).
Elections to the constituent assembly were held and In 1946, the Interim Government under Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru’s leadership
Atlee’s Declaration.
First meeting of the constituent assembly was held on December 9, 1946.
Lord Mountbatten (March 1947 – August 1947)
Last Viceroy of British India and the first Governor General of free India.
Declaration of third June, 1947 plan
Partition of India decided by the June 3 Plan.
Indian Independence Act passed by the British parliament on July 4, 1947, by which India became independent on August 15, 1947.