I. Governors of Bengal (1757-1772) 🏞️

• Robert Clive (1757-1760 & 1765-1767):
  • 1757: Led EIC to victory in the Battle of Plassey. 💥
  • 1765: Introduced Dual Government in Bengal (Company had Diwani rights, Nawab had Nizamat rights). 💰
  • 1765: Signed Treaty of Allahabad with Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II and Nawab of Awadh. 📜
  • Known for corruption and accumulation of wealth.
• Henry Vansittart (1760-1764):
  • 1764: His period saw the Battle of Buxar. ⚔️
• John Cartier (1769-1772):
  • 1770: Presided over the Great Bengal Famine. 💀

II. Governor-Generals of Bengal (Under Regulating Act 1773) 🏛️

• Warren Hastings (1772-1785):
  • 1773: Became the First Governor-General of Bengal under the Regulating Act. 👑
  • 1772: Abolished Dual Government.
  • 1774: Establishment of Supreme Court at Calcutta. ⚖️
  • 1775-1782: First Anglo-Maratha War (Treaty of Salbai). 🤝
  • 1780-1784: Second Anglo-Mysore War. 🐅
  • Involved in Chait Singh affair, Begums of Awadh, and Rohilla War.
  • Impeachment proceedings initiated against him in Britain.
• Lord Cornwallis (1786-1793):
  • “Father of Indian Civil Service”. 🧑‍💻
  • 1793: Introduced Permanent Settlement of land revenue in Bengal. 🌾
  • 1793: Introduced Cornwallis Code (separation of powers: revenue, justice, police).
  • 1790-1792: Third Anglo-Mysore War (Treaty of Seringapatam). 📜
• Sir John Shore (1793-1798):
  • Followed a policy of non-intervention.
• Lord Wellesley (1798-1805):
  • 1798: Introduced Subsidiary Alliance System. 🤝
  • 1799: Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (Death of Tipu Sultan, annexation of Mysore). ⚔️
  • 1803-1805: Second Anglo-Maratha War.
  • Established Fort William College in Calcutta (1800) for training civil servants. 🎓
• Lord George Barlow (1805-1807):
  • 1806: Vellore Mutiny occurred during his tenure. ⚔️
• Lord Minto I (1807-1813):
  • 1809: Treaty of Amritsar with Ranjit Singh. 🤝
  • 1813: Charter Act of 1813 (Ended EIC’s trade monopoly, except tea and China trade). 🚢
• Lord Hastings (1813-1823):
  • 1814-1816: Anglo-Nepalese War (Treaty of Sagauli). ⛰️
  • 1817-1818: Pindari War.
  • 1817-1818: Third Anglo-Maratha War (Dismantled Maratha Empire, Peshwa-ship abolished). 🔚
  • Introduction of Ryotwari and Mahalwari systems in some areas. 🌾

III. Governor-Generals of India (Under Charter Act 1833) 🇮🇳

• Lord William Bentinck (1828-1835):
  • 1833: Became the First Governor-General of India under the Charter Act of 1833. 👑
  • 1829: Abolished Sati (with Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s efforts). 🔥🚫
  • Suppressed Thugs (criminal gangs).
  • 1835: English was made the official language of government and medium of instruction (Macaulay’s Minute). 📚
  • Abolished provincial courts of appeal and circuit.
• Sir Charles Metcalfe (1835-1836):
  • “Liberator of the Indian Press” (removed restrictions on press). 📰
• Lord Auckland (1836-1842):
  • 1839-1842: First Anglo-Afghan War. 🇦🇫
• Lord Ellenborough (1842-1844):
  • 1843: Annexation of Sindh. 🏜️
• Lord Hardinge I (1844-1848):
  • 1845-1846: First Anglo-Sikh War. ⚔️
• Lord Dalhousie (1848-1856):
  • 1848-1849: Second Anglo-Sikh War (Annexation of Punjab). 🦁
  • “Father of Indian Telegraph” (1853), “Father of Indian Railways” (1853). 🚂 telegraph
  • 1854: Introduced Doctrine of Lapse (annexed Satara, Sambalpur, Nagpur, Jhansi, etc.). 👑🚫
  • 1854: Wood’s Despatch on Education. 🎓
  • 1856: Annexation of Awadh on grounds of misgovernance. 💔
  • Introduced competitive examinations for ICS.
  • Passed Hindu Widow Remarriage Act (1856). 👰‍♀️
• Lord Canning (1856-1858):
  • 1857: Presided over the Revolt of 1857. 💥
  • 1857: Establishment of Universities in Calcutta, Bombay, Madras. 🏫

IV. Viceroys of India (Under Government of India Act 1858) 👑

• Lord Canning (1858-1862):
  • 1858: Became the First Viceroy of India after the Revolt, under the Government of India Act. 👑
  • 1858: Queen’s Proclamation. 📜
  • 1861: Indian Councils Act (introduced representative institutions). 🏛️
  • 1861: Indian Civil Service Act.
  • 1861: Indian High Courts Act. ⚖️
  • Introduced Portfolio System.
• Lord Elgin I (1862-1863):
  • Suppressed Wahabi Movement.
• Lord John Lawrence (1864-1869):
  • “Savior of Punjab” during the Revolt.
  • Introduced “Masterly Inactivity” foreign policy towards Afghanistan. 😴
• Lord Mayo (1869-1872):
  • 1872: First (non-synchronous) Census of India. 📊
  • Established Department of Agriculture and Commerce.
  • Established Mayo College at Ajmer for Indian princes.
  • First Viceroy to be assassinated (by a Pathan convict in Andaman). 🔪
• Lord Northbrook (1872-1876):
  • Resigned over Afghanistan policy.
• Lord Lytton (1876-1880):
  • 1876-1878: Great Famine in South India. 💀
  • 1877: Delhi Durbar (Queen Victoria proclaimed Empress of India). 👑
  • 1878: Vernacular Press Act (gagging the press). 📰🚫
  • 1878: Arms Act. 🔫
  • 1878-1880: Second Anglo-Afghan War.
• Lord Ripon (1880-1884):
  • “Father of Local Self-Government in India”. 🏘️
  • 1881: Repealed Vernacular Press Act.
  • 1881: First synchronous Census of India. 📊
  • 1882: Hunter Commission (education reforms).
  • 1883: Ilbert Bill Controversy (allowed Indian judges to try Europeans). 🧑‍⚖️
• Lord Dufferin (1884-1888):
  • 1885: Formation of the Indian National Congress (INC). 🇮🇳🤝
  • 1885-1886: Third Anglo-Burmese War (annexation of Upper Burma). 🇲🇲
• Lord Lansdowne (1888-1894):
  • 1892: Indian Councils Act of 1892 (introduced indirect elections).
  • 1893: Durand Line established (Afghanistan-British India boundary).
• Lord Elgin II (1894-1899):
  • Said, “India was conquered by the sword, and by the sword it shall be held.” 🗡️
• Lord Curzon (1899-1905):
  • “Most unpopular Viceroy” for his administrative measures. 😠
  • 1905: Partition of Bengal (major catalyst for nationalism). 💔
  • 1904: Ancient Monuments Preservation Act. 🗿
  • 1904: Indian Universities Act. 🎓
  • Police Reforms, Army Reforms.
  • Set up Department of Commerce & Industry.
• Lord Minto II (1905-1910):
  • 1906: Formation of Muslim League. ☪️
  • 1907: Surat Split in INC. 💥
  • 1909: Minto-Morley Reforms (Indian Councils Act 1909 – introduced separate electorates). 🗳️
• Lord Hardinge II (1910-1916):
  • 1911: Annulment of Partition of Bengal. 🥳
  • 1911: Transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi. 🏛️
  • 1914: Outbreak of World War I. 🌎
• Lord Chelmsford (1916-1921):
  • 1916: Lucknow Pact (Congress & Muslim League reunited). 🤝
  • 1917: August Declaration (Montagu’s statement of British policy).
  • 1919: Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (Government of India Act 1919 – introduced Diarchy). 📑
  • 1919: Rowlatt Act (Black Act). 📜
  • 1919: Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. 🩸
  • 1920-1922: Non-Cooperation Movement. 🚫
• Lord Reading (1921-1926):
  • 1922: Chauri Chaura incident, suspension of Non-Cooperation Movement. 🔥
  • 1921: Moplah Rebellion (Malabar). ⚔️
  • Repealed Rowlatt Act.
• Lord Irwin (1926-1931):
  • 1928: Simon Commission arrives (boycotted). 🚫
  • 1929: Lahore Session (Purna Swaraj Resolution). 🇮🇳
  • 1930: Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha). 🧂🚶‍♀️
  • 1930-1932: Civil Disobedience Movement. ✊
  • 1931: Gandhi-Irwin Pact. 🤝
• Lord Willingdon (1931-1936):
  • Second & Third Round Table Conferences.
  • Communal Award (1932).
  • 1932: Poona Pact.
  • 1935: Government of India Act 1935 (Provincial Autonomy). 📑
• Lord Linlithgow (1936-1943):
  • 1939: Outbreak of World War II. 🌎
  • 1940: August Offer.
  • 1942: Cripps Mission.
  • 1942: Quit India Movement (“Do or Die” call). 🇮🇳➡️
  • 1943: Bengal Famine. 💀
• Lord Wavell (1943-1947):
  • 1945: Wavell Plan and Simla Conference.
  • 1946: Cabinet Mission Plan. 🗺️
  • 1946: Direct Action Day. 🔪
  • Formation of Interim Government.
• Lord Mountbatten (March 1947 – August 1947):
  • 1947: Last Viceroy of British India. 👑
  • 1947: Announced the Mountbatten Plan for transfer of power and partition. 💔
  • 1947: Passed Indian Independence Act 1947. 📜
• Lord Mountbatten (August 1947 – June 1948):
  • First Governor-General of independent India. 🇮🇳
• C. Rajagopalachari (June 1948 – January 1950):
  • First and Last Indian Governor-General of India.