The List of Governor General of India

The Governor General was one of India’s highest officials under British colonial rule. The British monarchy ruled India through the Governor General. Their duties included implementing British policies, maintaining peace, and handling international relations. The Governor General was a key figure in colonial India’s political and social development. Let’s see the list of the governor-general of India.

When did the Post of the Governor General Start in India?

The Government of India was made official by the Regulating Act, passed by the British Parliament in 1773. Warren Hastings was named the country’s first Governor-General, which started the official British rule over India. Many influential people held this position before India got its independence in 1947.

Historical Background of East India Company

East India Company strengthened British rule over India.  Trading gave the company territories and administrative powers. To centralize government, the Governor General was created. The East India Company gained power after the Rebellion of 1857 when the British Crown directly ruled India and empowered the Governor General. The Governor General became a symbol of British authority until colonial rule ended.

About Governor Generals of India

The Governor-General and Viceroy of India posts are older than the Governor of Bengal’s. After initially arriving in India, the East India Company governed Bengal through the Bengal Governor. That same year, in 1764, Robert Clive became the first Governor of Bengal. The Governor of Bengal, who had previously served in comparable capacities in Madras and Bombay, was promoted to Governor-General of Bengal after the Regulating Act of 1773 came into effect.

In 1773, they chose Warren Hastings to hold the position of Governor-General of Bengal, making him the first person to do so. The passing of the Regulating Act of 1833 subsequently changed the position of Governor-General of Bengal to Governor-General of India. This role experienced yet another change with the passage of the Government of India Act in 1858, transforming it into the Viceroy of India.

The First Governor-General of British India

1. Lord William Bentinck (1828-1835)

Lord William Bentinck was British India’s first Governor-General from 1828 to 1835. He implemented many reforms to modernize India and improve the British East India Company. The following is a summary of Lord William Bentinck’s most important works and contributions:

2. Social Reforms

Bentinck is best known for his modern social reforms. He was instrumental in ending Sati, in which widows were legally required to burn themselves on their husband’s pyre. Bentinck’s government criminalized Sati in 1829. This was a significant step toward Indian women’s equality. This action was a giant leap forward in securing equal rights for women in India.

3. Educational Reforms

Bentinck was an educator who actively worked to spread Western methods of learning throughout India. His advocacy for educational reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and his work to establish English as the language of instruction in schools and universities were pivotal. His policies laid the foundation for a modern educational system in India.

4. Economic Policies

Bentinck conducted several economic reforms to streamline the East India Company’s tax system and reduce administrative corruption. He established the Ryotwari system in Madras to directly connect farmers to the government for tax collection, eliminating exploitative intermediaries.

5. Administrative Reforms

Bentinck reformed the administration to improve leadership and transparency. British administrative staff was cut to save money and reduce corruption. He made the judicial system more user-friendly for citizens.

6. Military Reforms

Bentinck reorganized the British Indian Army by reducing British soldiers and increasing Indian soldiers. This change aimed to cut military spending without reducing strength. While quelling the 1824 Barrackpore Mutiny, he demonstrated his military leadership.

As British India’s first Governor General, Lord William Bentinck made several reforms to modernize the country’s government and administration. His contributions to social reform, education, economics, administration, and military leadership in India shaped those fields.

Also Read

What Was the Rowlatt Act: Understanding Its Significance and Impact

List of Governor General of Bengal 

After Lord Canning, the position of “Governor General of Bengal” was renamed “Viceroy of India and Governor General of India” in 1858. Keep reading if you want specifics on any of the governors above generals. List of governor-general of India (Bengal).

Year	Name	Significant Reforms and Events
1773 – 1785	Warren Hastings	– Introduced the Regulating Act of 1773 – Established the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William – Initiated several wars, including the First Rohilla War and the Second Anglo-Mysore war – Founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal – Implemented various administrative reforms, including the abolition of the Dual System in Bengal
1785–1786	John Macpherson (Acting)	– Served as an interim Governor General
1786–1793	The Earl Cornwallis	– Introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bihar and Bengal – Established lower and appellate courts – Introduced the Cornwallis Code and Civil Services in India
1793–1798	John Shore	– Implemented the Policy of Non-intervention – Engaged in the Second Rohilla War and the Battle of Kharda
1798–1805	Richard Wellesley	– Introduced the Subsidiary alliance; – Engaged in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War and the Second Anglo-Maratha War – Established Fort William College in Calcutta

No	Name	Term Start	Term End	Events
1	Warren Hastings	1772	1785	First Governor General; established judicial and revenue systems; Rohilla War; Second Anglo-Mysore War.
2	Sir John Macpherson (Acting)	1785	1786	Short term: continuation of policies from Hastings’ tenure.
3	Earl Cornwallis	1786	1793	Introduced Permanent Settlement in Bengal; Third Anglo-Mysore War; Cornwallis Code.
4	Sir John Shore	1793	1798	Policy of non-intervention; Charter Act of 1793.
5	Sir Alured Clarke (Acting)	1798	1798	Concise term; acted in the interim period.
6	Marquess Wellesley	1798	1805	Introduced Subsidiary Alliance; Fourth Anglo-Mysore War; Second Anglo-Maratha War.
7	Sir George Barlow (Acting)	1805	1805	Short term: faced the Vellore Mutiny.
8	Lord Minto	1807	1813	The Charter Act of 1813 encouraged education and social reform.
9	Earl Moira (Marquess of Hastings)	1813	1823	Ended the Gurkha War, Third Anglo-Maratha War; Ryotwari system introduced in Madras.
10	Lord Amherst	1823	1828	First Anglo-Burmese War; captured Bharatpur.
11	Lord William Bentinck	1828	1835	Abolished Sati; introduced English education; suppressed Thuggee.
12	Sir Charles Metcalfe (Acting)	1835	1836	Acted as Governor General during an interregnum; Press Act of 1835, which removed restrictions on the press.
13	Lord Auckland	1836	1842	First Anglo-Afghan War; disastrous retreat from Kabul.
14	Lord Ellenborough	1842	1844	Ended the First Anglo-Afghan War; Annexation of Sindh.
15	Sir Henry Hardinge	1844	1848	First Anglo-Sikh War; Treaty of Lahore.
16	Lord Dalhousie	1848	1856	Second Anglo-Sikh War; Annexation of Punjab; Doctrine of Lapse; Introduction of Railways and Telegraphs in India.
17	Lord Canning	1856	1858	Last Governor General of Bengal: During his tenure, the title was changed to Viceroy and Governor-General of India.

List of Governor Generals of India

Here is a detailed list of the governor general of India. Let us take a look at the table –

Governor General	Term of Office	Events
Warren Hastings	1773 – 1785	Regulating Act of 1773 First Rohilla War (1773–1774) Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William (1774) was established Formation of Supreme Council of Bengal (1774) First Anglo-Maratha War (1775–1782) Founded Calcutta Madrasa (Aliah University) (1780) James Augustus Hicky’s Bengal Gazette (the first Indian newspaper published (1780) Asiatic Society of Bengal (1784) Pitt’s India Act (1784) Creation of collector post
The Earl Cornwallis	1786 – 1793	Established lower courts and appellate courts Third Anglo-Mysore War (1790–1792) Sanskrit Vidyalaya at Benaras (now Varanasi) was established by Johnathan Duncan (then Governor of Bombay) (1791) Permanent Settlement in Bihar and Bengal (1793) Introduction of Cornwallis Code (1793) Introduction of Civil Services in India
John Shore	1793 – 1798	Policy of Non-intervention Charter Act of 1793 Second Rohilla War 1794 Battle of Kharda between Nizam and Marathas (1795)
Richard Wellesley	1798 – 1805	Introduction of Subsidiary Alliance (1798) Fourth Anglo Mysore War 1799 Censorship Act, 1799 Took over the administration of Tanjore (1799), Surat (1800) and Carnatica (1801) Fort William College at Calcutta (1800) The Subsidiary Treaty of Bassein (1802)[5] and the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805)[6] Raj Bhavan at Calcutta was established (1803)
George Barlow	1805 – 1807	Sepoy mutiny at Vellore (1806) (prelude to the Indian Rebellion of 1857) Bank of Calcutta (1806) established (later Imperial Bank of India, now State Bank of India)
Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, Lord Minto	1807 – 1813	Treaty of Amritsar (1809) with Ranjit Singh Charter Act of 1813
Francis Rawdon-Hastings	1813 – 1823	Ended the policy of Non-intervention Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–1816) ended with the signing of the Treaty of Sugauli (1816)[7] Third Anglo-Maratha War (1816–1818) and the abolition of Peshwaship Hindu College (now Presidency University) at Calcutta (1817) Creation of Bombay Presidency (1818) Establishment of Ryotwari System in Madras Presidency (1820) by the governor Thomas Munro, 1st Baronet Establishment of the Mahalwari System in Northern India by Holt Mackenzie (1822) Bengal Tenancy Act was passed (1822) General Committee
William Amherst	1823 – 1828	Barrackpore mutiny of 1824 Establishment of Sanskrit College at Calcutta (1824) First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826) (East India Company defeats Burmese King Bagyidaw and annexes Assam, Manipur, Arakan and Tenasserim) Treaty of Yandabo, 1826 (East India Company humiliates and extracts 1 million Pounds from the Burmese King Bagyidaw)
Lord William Bentinck	1774 – 1839	First Governor General of India Bengal Sati Regulation, 1829 Suppression of Thuggee (1829–1835) Kol Rebellion (1831) Barasat Uprising (1831), led by Titumir Annexation of Mysore (1831), Coorg (1834), and central Cachar (1834) Charter Act 1833 (administrative reforms as well as formalizing the nondiscrimination in employment of Indians by religion) English Education Act of 1835 and the introduction of English as a medium of instruction Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata (1835) Ram Mohan Roy established Brahmo Samaj
Charles Metcalfe	1835 – 1836	Repealed 1823 Licensing Regulations Known as Liberator of India Press Establishment of Calcutta Public Library (1836) (currently known as National Library of India)
George Eden	1836 – 1842	Tripartite Treaty (1838) between British, Shah Shuja and Maharaja Ranjit Singh against Dost Muhammad Khan The First Bengali daily newspaper, Sambad Prabhakar, was published (1839) Tattwabodhini Sabha was formed by Debendranath Tagore (1839) Bank of Bombay (1840) established (later Imperial Bank of India, now State Bank of India)
Lord Ellenborough	1842 – 1844	Gwalior War (1843) (British defeat Marathas) Bank of Madras (1843) was established (later Imperial Bank of India, now State Bank of India) Indian Slavery Act, 1843
Henry Hardinge	1844 – 1848	The First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846) (British Empire defeats the Sikh Empire and confiscates a significant portion of its territory) Treaty of Lahore (1846) (British confiscated Kashmir from the Sikhs and sold it to Raja of Jammu for 75 lakh rupees) Treaty of Bhairowal (1846)
James Broun-Ramsay	1848 – 1856	Doctrine of Lapse (1848) Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848–1849) (The British defeated the Sikh Empire and annexed Punjab) Bethune Collegiate School (1849) (also known as Calcutta Female School) was established by John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune Religious Disabilities Act, 1850
Charles Canning	1856 – 1858	Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act, 1856 (drafted by James Broun-Ramsay, Earl of Dalhousie) Indian Rebellion of 1857 The University of Calcutta, the University of Bombay, and the University of Madras were set up (1857).

Also Read :-

List of Chief Justice of India (1950-2023)

List of Vice President of India from 1950 to 2023

Republic Day and Independence Day Day : Path to Freedom

Difference Between the Governor General and the Viceroy of India

Many use “Governor General” and “Viceroy” interchangeably when discussing British India’s colonial administration. However, they each refer to a unique time and person in India’s history of leadership. The table below summarizes the main distinctions between the two roles.

Aspect	Governor General of India Viceroy of India	Viceroy of India
Period	1773–1858	1858–1947
Authority	Represented the British East India Company	Represented the British Crown
Appointment	Appointed by the Court of Directors of the Company	Appointed by the British Monarch on the advice of PM
Responsibilities	Primarily, administrative and economic governance	Political governance, diplomacy, and military
Significant Reforms	Charter Acts, Regulation Acts	Indian Councils Acts, Government of India Acts
Control Over	British territories in India	All of India, including princely states
Relation with Native States	Limited direct control; more of a collaborator	Direct diplomatic relations and control
Historical Context	Period of Company Rule	Period of British Raj
Notable Figures	Warren Hastings, Lord William Bentinck,	Lord Canning, Lord Mountbatten

Governor General of India

Regulating Act of 1773 established the Governor General position and British rule in India. The Governor General maintained British rule in India for the British East India Company. The job focused on administrative and economic governance to maximize company profits. The Governor General administered British territories in India but had little contact with princely states.

Viceroy of India

The Viceroy title was created in 1858 when the British Crown took India from the East India Company after the Rebellion of 1857. The British monarch’s Viceroy of India handled political, diplomatic, and military matters. The Viceroy ruled India, including princely states, and shaped neighbor relations. British Raj reforms included law and government. The Viceroy of India represented the British Crown and oversaw political, diplomatic, and military affairs, while the Governor General of India represented the British East India Company and handled administrative and economic matters. The British administration of India changed from Company rule to direct Crown control with the Governor General-Viceroy transition.

Conclusion

After passing the Government of India Act of 1858, people referred to the Governor-General, representing the Crown, as the Viceroy. Even though people frequently used the term “viceroy” in everyday speech, Parliament never used it due to its lack of statutory authority. The British Crown continued to appoint the Governor-Generals of India on the recommendation of the Secretary of State, maintaining the Governor-General as the exclusive representative of the Crown. This gave rise to the Government of India. Both India and Pakistan retained the office of Governor-General as a ceremonial post until they passed their republican constitutions in 1950 and 1956, respectively. This article shows the list of Governor General of India.