List of Governors-General

Name
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 East India
 Supreme Council of Bengal Company
 Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William (1774) was
established
 Asiatic Society of Bengal (1784)
 Pitt's India Act (1784) (1773–
 Stopped Mughal pension to Shah Alam II 1858)
 Abolished the Dual System in Bengal (Which was
introduced by Robert Clive).[1]
 Moved Treasury from Murshidabad to Calcutta
 James Augustus Hicky's Bengal Gazette- First Indian
20 newspaper published (in 1780)
8
Warren Hastings October  First Anglo-Maratha War (1775–82)
February
(1732–1818) 1773  Second Anglo-Mysore war (1780–84)
[nb 1] 1785
 First Rohilla War of 1773–1774
 Ring fence policy
 Founded Calcutta Madrasa (Aliah University)
 Creation of collector post
 The first Governor General to be prosecuted for
impeachment. (As a consequence of his involvement
in First Rohilla War)[2]

 Experimentation on land settlements. (1772-five years

settlement, changed to 1 year in 1776)
 English Translation of Bhagwat Gita by Charles
Wilkins[3]
12
John Macpherson 8
Septemb
(acting) February
er
(1745–1821) 1785
1786
 Established lower courts and appellate courts
 Permanent Settlement in Bihar and Bengal in 1793
 3rd Anglo-Mysore war (1790–92)
Charles Cornwallis 12
28  Introduction of Cornwallis Code
The Marquess Septembe
October  Introduction of Civil Services in India
Cornwallis [nb 2] r
1793  Sanskrit Vidyalaya at Benares (now Varanasi)
(1738–1805) 1786
established by Johnathan Duncan(then Governor of
Bombay)
 Introduced Sunset Law
 Policy of Non-intervention
28  Charter Act of 1793
John Shore 18 March
October
(1751–1834) 1798  Second Rohilla War 1794
1793
 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  Fourth Anglo Mysore War 1799
Wellesley, Earl of 18 May 30 July
 Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–05)[4]
Mornington [nb 3] 1798 1805
 Fort William College at Calcutta (1800)
(1760–1842)
 Raj Bhavan at Calcutta was established in 1803
The Marquess
30 July 5 October
Cornwallis
1805 1805
(1738–1805)
 Sepoy mutiny at Vellore (The prelude to the First
Sir George Barlow, Bt 10 War of Independence of India)
31 July
(acting) October
1807  Bank of Calcutta (1806) established (later Imperial Bank
(1762–1847) 1805
of India, now State Bank of India)
The Lord Minto 31 July 4 October  Charter Act of 1813
(1751–1814) 1807 1813  Treaty of Amritsar, 1809 with Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Francis Rawdon- 4 October 9 January  Ended the policy of Non-intervention
Hastings, 1813 1823  Third Anglo-Maratha War (1816–1818)
1st Marquess of
  Treaty of Sugauli (1816)
 Creation of Bombay Presidency in 1818
 Establishment of Ryotwari System in Madras (1820)
 Establishment of Mahalwari System in Northern India
(1822)
Hastings [nb 4]
 Hindu College (now Presidency University)
(1754–1826)
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)  Calcutta Unitarian Committee established by Raja Ram
1823 1823
(1779–1825) Mohan Roy
 First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–26) (East India
Company defeats Burmese King Bagyidaw and
annexes Assam, Manipur, Arakan and Tenasserim)
The Lord Amherst[nb 5] 1 August 13 March
 Establishment of Sanskrit College at Calcutta (1824)
(1773–1857) 1823 1828
 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 East India
 Bengal Sati Regulation, 1829 Company
 Mahalwari System in Central India, Punjab And
Western UP.
 Saint Helena Act 1833 or Charter Act 1833 (Christian
Lord William Bentinck 4 July 20 March
Missionaries get Exclusive rights to (1773–
(1774–1839) 1828 1835
spread Christianity in British India which included 1858)
the present day Pakistan)
 Kol Rebellion in 1831
 English Education Act 1835
 Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata (1835)
 Repealed 1823 Licensing Regulations
Charles Metcalfe, Bt
20 March 4 March  Known as Liberator of India Press
(acting)
1835 1836  Establishment of Calcutta Public Library in
(1785–1846)
1836 (currently known as National Library of India)
 Tripartite Treaty in 1838 between British, Shah Shuja (a
cruel Afghan traitor) and Maharaja Ranjit
Singh against Dost Muhammad Khan.
 The First Anglo Afghan War(1840–1842) (British
Army massacred by the strong Afghan army and militia
The Lord Auckland[nb 28 during the 1842 Retreat from Kabul-worst British Military
6] 4 March disaster)
February
1836
(1784–1849) 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
The Lord 28  Gwalior War (1843) (British defeat Marathas)
June
Ellenborough February  Bank of Madras (1843) established (later Imperial Bank
1844
(1790–1871) 1842 of India, now State Bank of India)
William Wilberforce
Bird June 23 July
(acting) 1844 1844
(1784–1857)
 The First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–46) (British
Empire defeats the Sikh Empire and confiscate major
12 portion of its territory)
Henry Hardinge[nb 7] 23 July
January  Treaty of Lahore(1846) (British confiscate Kashmir from
(1785–1856) 1844
1848 the Sikhs and sell it to Raja of Jammu for 75 lakh
rupees)
 Establishment of Roorkee Engineering College (1847)[5]
The Earl of 12 28  Doctrine of Lapse in 1848
Dalhousie[nb 8] January February  Bethune Collegiate School (1849) (was also known
(1812–1860) 1848 1856 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)
 First Passenger train between Bombay and Thane
(1853)
 First telegraph Line was laid between Diamond Harbour
to Calcutta. (1851)
 Post Office Act, 1854
 Established Public Works Department (1854)
 The Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848–1849) (The British
totally defeats the Sikh Empire)
 Santhal Rebellion (1855) (15,000 Santhals were killed
by the British Army during the rebellion. Elephants were
used to destroy Santhal Dwellings)
 Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856
The Viscount 28 31
 Indian Rebellion of 1857
Canning[nb 9] February October
 University of Calcutta, University of Bombay,
(1812–1862) 1856 1858
and University of Madras were set up in 1857
Governors-General and Viceroys of India, 1858–1947
 The Government of India Act, 1858 Victoria
1  System of Budget introduced
The Viscount  Formation of Imperial Civil Services
Novembe 21 March
Canning[nb 9]
r 1862  Indigo Revolt in Bengal in 1859–60
(1812–1862)
1858  Enactment of Indian Penal Code in 1860
(1837–
 Establishment of Archaeological Survey of India 1901)
20
 Establishment of Calcutta High Court (2 July), Bombay
The Earl of Elgin 21 March Novembe
High Court (14 August) and Madras High Court (15
(1811–1863) 1862 r
August) in 1862
1863
21 2
Robert Napier
Novembe Decembe
(acting)
r r
(1810–1890)
1863 1863
2
William Denison 12
Decembe
(acting) January
r
(1804–1871) 1864
1863
 Bhutan War (1864–65) (The British defeated an
undefended Bhutan and
annexed Assam and Bengal Duars)
Sir John Lawrence, 12 12  Establishment of Shimla as India's summer capital in
Bt January January 1863
(1811–1879) 1864 1869
 The Tabernacle of New Dispensation, a new Church
established by Keshub Chandra Sen
 Establishment of Allahabad High Court in 1866
 Assassinated by a Pathan Sher Ali Afridi
 Started the Census.
 Opening of Rajkumar college in Rajkot and Mayo
12 8 College at Ajmer for political training of Indian Princes
The Earl of Mayo
January February  Started Financial decentralization
(1822–1872)
1869 1872  Enacted IPC amendment-Sedition Act 1870 to tackle
Wahabi Movement
 Keshub Chandra Sen establishes Indian Reform
Association
Sir John Strachey 9 23
(acting) February February
(1823–1907) 1872 1872
The Lord Napier 24
3 May
(acting) February
1872
(1819–1898) 1872
 Jyotiba Phule launches The Satyashodhak
The Lord Northbrook 3 May 12 April Samaj in Maharashtra in 1873 against the caste
(1826–1904) 1872 1876 system and Untouchability.
 Dramatic Performances Act, 1876
 Great Famine of 1876–1878
 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'
The Marquess of 8 June 13  First Factory Act (1881)
Ripon 1880 Decembe  Negotiable Instruments Act (1881)
(1827–1909) r  Repeal of the Vernacular Press Act (1882)
1884  Ilbert Bill (1883)
 Government resolution on local self-government (1882)
 Appointment of Education Commission under Sir
William Hunter
 First complete Census
 13 10
The Earl of Dufferin Decembe Decembe  Formation of Indian National Congress (1885)
(1826–1902) r r  Third Anglo-Burmese War (1885)
1884 1888
10  Indian Council Act 1892
The Marquess of 11
Decembe  Factory Act 1891
Lansdowne October
r  Setting up of Durand Commission in 1893 (India-
(1845–1927) 1894
1888 Afghanistan)
11  Indian famine of 1896–97
The Earl of 6 January
October  Establishment of Ramkrishna Mission by Swami
Elgin (1849–1917) 1899
1894 Vivekananda at Belur Math in 1897
 Indian famine of 1899–1900
 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
18  Appointment of Raleigh University Commission (1902)
The Lord Curzon of
6 January Novembe  Passing of Indian Universities Act 1904
Kedleston[nb 10]
1899 r  2nd Swadeshi Movement (1905–1911) against Partition
(1859–1925)
1905 of Bengal by Lal-Bal-Pal-Aurbindo Ghosh)
 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."
[6]

 Morley-Minto Reforms 1909 or The Indian Councils Act Edward

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

 Third Delhi Durbar (1911)

23  Transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi (1911)
The Lord Hardinge of
Novembe 4 April  Partition of Bengal to form Bihar province (1912)
Penshurst
r 1916  McMahon border line was created between India and
(1858–1944)
1910 China in 1914
 Ghadar Mutiny (1915)
 Formation of Indian Home Rule Movement (1916)
 Lucknow Pact (1916)
 Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1919)
The Lord Chelmsford 4 April 2 April  Government of India Act 1919
(1868–1933) 1916 1921  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  Non-cooperation movement (1921–22)
(1860–1935) 1921 1926  Rabindranath Tagore founded Visva-Bharati George V
University in 1921
 Chauri Chaura incident (1922)
 Simon Commission (1928)
 Nehru Report (1928) (1910–
 Death of Lala Lajpat Rai (1928) 1936)
 Fourteen Points of Jinnah (1929)
 Purna Swaraj declaration (1929)
 Salt March (1930)
The Lord Irwin 3 April 18 April
 Dharasana Satyagraha (1930)
(1881–1959) 1926 1931
 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
The Earl of  Pakistan Declaration (1933)
18 April 18 April
Willingdon  Government of India Act 1935
1931 1936
(1866–1941)  Reserve Bank of India established by passing The
Reserve Bank of India Act 1934.
 Foundation of Congress Socialist Party in 1934
  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)
 Formation of Indian National Army (1942) (1936)
 Bengal famine (1943)
 C. R. formula (1944)
 Simla Conference (1945)
21  Cabinet Mission (1946) George VI
The Viscount Wavell 1 October
February
(1883–1950) 1943  Interim Government was formed in 1946
1947
 Direct Action Day (1946)
 Royal Indian Navy mutiny (1946)
The Viscount (1936–
21 1952)
Mountbatten of 15 August
February  Indian Independence Act 1947
Burma 1947
1947
(1900–1979)
Governors-General of the Dominion of India, 1947–1950
The Viscount George
Mountbatten of 15 August 21 June VIDominio
 First Governor-General of Independent India
Burma[nb 11] 1947 1948 n of India
(1900–1979)

Chakravarti 26
21 June  Last Governor-General of India, before the office was
Rajagopalachari January
1948 permanently abolished in 1950 (1936–
(1878–1972) 1950
1952)