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List of Governor General and Viceroy of British India:


Governor General / ViceroyWarren Hastings
Period1774 - 1785
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) First Governor General of India,
(2) During his tenure Regulating Act, 1773 was introduced which brought the dual government of Bengal to an end.
(3) He was impeached due to mismanagement and personal corruption but was finally acquitted.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Cornwallis
Period1786 - 1793
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) Introduced Permanent Settlement of Bengal (or Zamindary System). It was an agreement between the East India Company and Bengali landlords to fix revenues to be raised from land.
(2) Introduced police reforms.
(3) He led British forces in the Third Anglo-Mysore War to defeat the Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Wellesley
Period1798 - 1805
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

He introduced the policy of Subsidiary Alliance to keep the Indian rulers under control by keeping British forces in their territory. Hyderabad was the first state to accept Subsidiary Alliance.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Minto I
Period1807 - 1813
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

Concluded the treaty of Amritsar with Maharaja Ranjit Singh.


Governor General / ViceroyLord William Bentinck
Period1828 - 1835
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) He was made the first Governor General of India (earlier the designation was Governor General of Bengal).
(2) He carried out social reforms such as Prohibition of Sati, Indian people were again appointed as subordinate judges, made English the language of higher education, suppress the thugs.


Governor General / ViceroySir Charles Metcaffe
Period1835 - 1836
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

He abolished all restrictions on vernacular press (He was also called Liberator of the press).


Governor General / ViceroyLord Auckland
Period1836 - 1842
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events
First Afghan war.

Governor General / ViceroyLord Dalhousie
Period1848 - 1856
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) He opened the first Indian Railway from Bombay to Thane in 1853.
(2) He introduced Telegraph lined from Calcutta to Agra in 1853.
(3) He introduced the infamous 'Doctrine of Lapse' and captured Satara (1848), Jaipur and Sambhalpur (1849), Udaipur (1852), Jhansi (1853) and Nagpur (1854).
(4) He made Shimla the summer capital.
(5) Started the Public Works Department
(6) Remarriage of widows was legalised by Widow Remarriage Act, 1856.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Canning
Period1856 - 1862
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) He was the Governor General during the mutiny of 1857 (India's First War of Independence). After war he was made first Viceroy of India.
(2) He withdrew Doctrine of Lapse.
(3) In 1861, Indian Councils Act was passed.
(4) Universities at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras was established in 1857.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Lawrence
Period1864 - 1869
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) After second Sikh war, he became member of the Punjab Board of Administration and was responsible for numerous reforms which earned him the sobriquet "the Saviour of the Punjab".
(2) High Court were constituted at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1865.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Mayo
Period1869 - 1872
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) Census was held in 1871.
(2) He was the only Viceroy of India who was killed in office by a convict in the Andaman Island in 1872.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Lytton
Period1876 - 1880
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

In 1877, he organised the Delhi Durbar in which Queen Victoria was proclaimed with the title of 'Kaiser-i-Hind'.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Rippon
Period1880 - 1884
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) He repealed the Vernacular Press Act in 1882.
(2) Age for entry in Civil Services was again raised to 21 years.
(3) The first Factory Act, 1881, was passed to prohibit child labour.
(4) He passed Local Self Government Act in 1882.
(5) He introduced IIbert Bill in 1883.

He was also known as Father of Local Self Government in India.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Dufferin
Period1884 - 1894
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

Indian National Congress was formed.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Lansdowne
Period1888 - 1894
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) Indian Council Act was passed in 1892.
(2) Durand Commission was appointed to demarcate the line between British India and Afghanistan.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Curzon
Period1899 - 1905
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) Partition of Bengal in 1905.
(2) Swadeshi movement launched.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Minto
Period1905 - 1910
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

Indian Council Act, 1909 or the Morley-Minto Reforms was passed.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Hardinge
Period1910 - 1916
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1)King George V of England attended Delhi Durbar in 1911.
(2) Capital of India shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911.
(3) Home Rule Movement was launched by Annie Besant.
(4)Mahatma Gandhi came back to India from South Africa in 1915.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Chelmsford
Period1916 - 1921
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) The Government of India Act, 1919 (Montague - Chelmsford reforms) was passed.
(2) Rowlatt Act, 1919 was passed
(3)Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy.
(4) Khilafat Movement.
(5) Non-Cooperation movement.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Reading
Period1921 - 1926
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) Rowlatt Act was repealed.
(2) Swaraj Party was formed.
(3) Chauri Chaura incident.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Irwin
Period1926 - 1931
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) Simon Commission visited India in 1928.
(2) Dandi March was launched.
(3) Civil Disobedience Movement was launched in 1930.
(4) Gandhi - Irwin Pact was signed.
(5) First Round Table Conference.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Willingdon
Period1931 - 1936
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) Second and Third Round Table Conference in 1931.
(2) Communal award started by British PM Ramsay Macdonald.
(3) Poona Pact was signed.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Linlithgow
Period1936 - 1944
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) Government of India Act, 1935 enforced in the provinces.
(2) Cripps Mission visited India in 1942.
(3) Quit India movement.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Wavell
Period1944 - 1947
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) Cabinet Mission Plan.
(2) Shimla conference between Indian National Congress and Muslim League.


Governor General / ViceroyLord Mountbatten
PeriodMar 1947 - Aug 1947
Important Achievements/Contributions/Events

(1) Last Viceroy of British India and first Governor General of free India.
(2) Partition of India.
(3) Succeeded by C. Rajagopalachari, the first and the last Indian Governor General of free India.



Objective Questions on Governor Generals and Viceroys of British India frequently asked in SSC, CDS, NDA, PSC, Railways and other competitive examinations-
1. Who was the first Governor General of British India?
(a) Lord Wavell
(b) Lord Dufferin
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) Warren Hastings

2. Name the Governor General of British India who introduced English education in India?
(a) Lord William Bentinck
(b) Lord Chelmsford
(c) Sir Charles Metcaffe
(d) Lord Wellesley

3. Name the Governor General of British India who introduced the infamous 'Doctrine of Lapse'?
(a) Lord Lansdowne
(b) Lord Rippon
(c) Lord Cornwallis
(d) Lord Dalhousie

4. Who was the first Viceroy of British India?
(a) Lord Dalhousie
(b) Lord Wavell
(c) Lord Canning
(d) Lord Cornwallis

5. Who was the Governor General of British India during the launch of Civil Disobedience Movement?
(a) Lord Irwin
(b) Lord Wavell
(c) Sir Charles Metcaffe
(d) Lord Lansdowne

6. Which Governor General of British India introduced Telegraph and Postal system in India?
(a) Lord Hardinge
(b) Lord Dalhousie
(c) Lord Chelmsford
(d) Lord Wellesley

7. Who was the Governor General of British India during the partition of Bengal in 1905?
(a) Lord Canning
(b) Lord Reading
(c) Lord Curzon
(d) Lord Chelmsford

8. Who was the Governor General of British India when Indian National Congress was formed?
(a) Lord Lansdowne
(b) Lord Dufferin
(c) Lord Curzon
(d) Lord Irwin

9. Name the Governor General of British India who abolished Sati?
(a) Lord William Bentinck
(b) Lord Dalhousie
(c) Lord Canning
(d) Lord Hardinge

10. Name the Governor General of British India who introduced the policy of Subsidiary Alliance to keep the Indian ruler in control?
(a) Lord Wellesley
(b) Lord Canning
(c) Lord Chelmsford
(d) Lord Dalhousie

11. Who was the last British Viceroy of India?
(a) Lord Willingdon
(b) Lord Linlithgow
(c) Lord Wavell
(d) Lord Mountbatten

12. Who was the Governor General of British India when Government of India Act, 1935 was enforced?
(a) Lord Linlithgow
(b) Lord Willingdon
(c) Lord Wavell
(d) Lord Irwin

13. Name the Governor General of British India who defeated Tipu Sultan in Third Anglo - Mysore War?
(a) Lord Wellesley
(b) Lord Minto I
(c) Lord Cornwallis
(d) Lord William Bentinck

14. Name the Governor General of British India who introduced Permanent Settlement of Bengal?
(a) Lord Dalhousie
(b) Lord William Bentinck
(c) Lord Wellesley
(d) Lord Cornwallis

15. Name the Governor General of British India who is known as Maker of Modern India?
(a) Lord Dalhousie
(b) Lord William Bentinck
(c) Lord Chelmsford
(d) Lord Linlithgow

16. Name the Governor General of British India who abolished all restrictions on vernacular press and was also known as Liberator of the Press?
(a) Lord Wellesley
(b) Lord Dufferin
(c) Sir Charles Metcaffe
(d) Lord Linlithgow

17. Who was the the Governor General of British India during mutiny of 1857?
(a) Lord William Bentinck
(b) Lord Canning
(c) Lord Irwin
(d) Lord Wavell

18. Name the Governor General of British India who is known as Father of Local Self Government in India?
(a) Lord Ripon
(b) Lord Dalhousie
(c) Lord Willingdon
(d) Lord William Bentinck

19. Who was the Governor General of British India when Rowlatt Act was passed in 1919?
(a) Lord Linlithgow
(b) Lord Reading
(c) Lord Canning
(d) Lord Chelmsford

20. Who was the Governor General of British India when Simon Commission visited India in 1928?
(a) Lord Reading
(b) Lord Linlithgow
(c) Lord Irwin
(d) Lord Mountbatten


Answers - 1(d), 2(a), 3(d), 4(c), 5(a), 6(b), 7(c), 8(b), 9(a), 10(a), 11(d), 12(a), 13(c), 14(d), 15(a), 16(c), 17(b), 18(a), 19(d) and 20(c).