Governor General Of India Under the British Rule : Study Material

Introduction:-

Initially, the Governor General was under the East India Company and after few year it was under the British Rule. The East India Company was appointed the Governor General in Bengal and Robert Clive was the first Governor General of Bengal.

Robert Clive  (1757-60 and 1765-67 AD):-

Robert Clive imposed "Dual Rule System" in Bengal in which Taxes, Army Control and the matter of External Affair were the under of the East India Company directly, while the responsibility of governance was under the Nawab of Bengal. Robert Clive took in custody of Shah Alam Second through the second agreement of Allahabad (1765 AD).

Warren Hastings (1774-85 AD)

According to the "Regulating Act of 1773 AD", the Governor of Bengal was called the Governor General of all territorial of British Rule in India i.e The Governor of Bengal was also Called the Governor of both Bombay and Madras presidency . The tenure was the Governor General was 5 Years. Thus, Warren Hastings was the first Governor General of India under the East India Company. Warren Hastings was appointed as a clerk in the East India Company in 1750 AD and he was selected as the Governor General of India on his merit.

Warren Hastings transferred the State treasury to Kolkata from Murshidabad.  He inaugurated  faujdari and   Diwani Court in every District in 1772 AD. He inaugurated the first madrasah in Kolkata in 1781 AD for the better education of the Muslims.  Warren Hastings supported William Wilkins to translate in English of Gita. During his Period, Sir William Jones was inaugurated "The Asiatic Society of Bengal" in 1784 AD. James Augustus Hickey published the first News paper of India "The Bengal Gadget" in 1780 AD during the Period of Warren Hastings. The High Court of Kolkata was inaugurated in 1774 AD in the regime of Warren Hastings.

Lord Cornwallis (1786-1793 AD)

All the Powers of the District were storage in the hand of Collector in his time. He cancelled all the faujdari Court and appointed four visitor court in which three visitor court were for the Bengal and rest one for Bihar. He was inaugurated Cornwallis Code in 1793 AD,which was based on the divide of the power. He hiked in the salary of Police Officer and cut down the policing power of Zamindar in Ruler Area. He banned the personnel trade of the worker of the East India Company. He  inaugurated the Police Station in every District in which Sub Inspector was In Charge.  He implemented Permanent Settlement System in 1793 AD. The Concept of Permanent Settle was  the John Shor's Concept. Lord Cornwallis was called the father of Public Service in India.

Lord Wellesley (1798-1805 AD)

 He began the "Supporting Agreement Policy" for which many states of India were agreed to this agreement and  took signature on this Agreement. These states are - Haiderabad (1798 AD), Tanjore (1799 AD), Mysore (1799 AD), Peshwa (1801 AD) and Awadh (1801 AD). In his period, the Tipu Sultan was killed in the fourth English-Mysore War in 1799 AD. Lord Wellesley was inaugurated the "Fort William College" in Kolkata for the training of Public Service trainee .

Lord Hastings (1813 - 1823 AD)

The battle of English-Nepali was done in 1814-1816 AD, in which the King of Nepal "Amar Singh Thapar" was Surrendered. This was was finished in 1816 AD through the Agreement between English and Gorkha at March, 1816 AD. Lord Hastings almost  destroyed the Maratha's Power .  He imposed "The tenancy Act" in 1822 AD.

Lord William Bentinck (1828 -1835 AD)

Lord William Bentinck was the Governor of Madras in 1903 AD. The Governor of Bengal was became the Governor of India under the Charter Act in 1833. Thus Lord William Bentinck was the first Governor General of India. He abolished the Sati Pratha in 1829 AD with the help of Raja Ram mohan Rai. He was inaugurated " the medical College" in Kolkata in 1835 AD. He promoted English for the Channel of Education of the recommendation of Maikale.

Charles Mietkauf (1835-1836 AD)

He was called Saviour of Indian press because he removed the control the British Rule over the Indian Press.

Lord Auckland (1836-1842 AD)

He repaired the Grand trunk Road from Kolkata to Delhi in 1839 AD.

Lord Edinbaro (1842-1844 AD)

He abolished serfdom under the Act -V of 1843 AD.

Lord Dalhousie (1848-1856 AD)

 During his Period, Second English-Sikh War (1848-49) and Punjab was merged with British Rule (1849 AD) .  He sent the famous "Kohinoor Diamond"  to Maharani Victoria. This diamond was the legacy of the regime of Sikh. He merged Lower Burma and pegu with British rule in 1852 AD. Lord Dalhousie captured Sikkim in 1850 AD. The Inam Commission was  inaugurated by Lord Dalhousie in 1852 AD. Lord Dalhousie implemented "the theory of Doctrine of Lapse".  According to this Policy,  many  states of India  were necessitated to merge with British Rule and these states were:- Satara (1848 AD), Sambalpur (1849 AD), Udepur (1852 AD), Jaitpur (1849 AD), Jhansi (1853 AD) etc. He transferred the Headquarter of "Topkhana" from Kolkata to Meerut and inaugurated Army Headquarter in Shimla. Lord Dalhousie was also called the father of Railway in India because the first train in India was ran  from Bombay to Thane ( 34 Km) at 16 April 1853 during his Period. He declared to Shimla as Summer Season Capital.

Lord Canning (1856-1862 AD)

He was the last Governor General of India under the East India Company and the first Viceroy of India under the British Emperor. The Great revolution of 1857 AD was happend in this period and that is called the important phenomena in this period. Lord Canning passed the Indian High Court Act in 1856 AD. According to this Act, the High Court had Inaugurated in Bombay, Kolkata and Madras. The Widow Re-marriage act 1856 AD was passed in his period. He abolished the theory of the Doctrine of Lapse.

Lord Lytton (1876 - 80 AD)

  He was a famous Novelist, Essay Writer and  Author. He was also known as Ivan Meredith in the field of Literature. The terrible drought was came in entire India Including Bombay, Madras, Hyderabad, Punjab and Middle India in his Period. Lytton inaugurated the Drought Commission in the Chairmanship of Richard stechi. Lord Litton trenched the Vernacular Press Act  in 1878 AD for which Indian New papers were precluded. But the periyar News Paper supported the vernacular Press Act 1878. In this period, the age of the civil service exam was declined from 21 Year to 19 year.

Lord Ripon (1880-84 AD)

Lord Ripon abolished the Vernacular Act in 1882 AD. He increased the age for the selection in Civil Service from 19 year to 21 Year. The first regular Census was held in 1881 AD in this Period while the first census in India was held in 1872 AD. The first factory Act was passed by Lord Ripon in 1881 AD.

Lord Dufferin (1884-88 AD)

The establishment of Indian National Congress  was held in Mumbai at 28 December 1885 AD in the Chairmanship of A.O. Hume and this was the most important phenomena in his period.


Lord Karjan (1899 - 1905 AD)

Lord Karjan inaugurated the Irrigation Commission in 1901 AD in the Chairmanship of Sir Colin Scott Moncrieff, Police Commission in 1902 AD in the Chairmanship of Sir Andrew Fraser and University Commission in the Chairmanship of Sir Thomas Raile.    He passed the Indian University Act in 1904 AD. He also formation a Drought Commission in the chairmanship of Sir Antony Macdonnell. He also inaugurated the Indian Geological Department in 1904 AD.  The erection of Victoria Memorial Hall of Kolkata was done in this period. The Separation of  Bengal (1905 AD) was the main work by him during his period.

Lord Minto 2 (1905-1910 AD)

Aga Khan and  Salim Khan established the  Muslim League in Dhaka in 1906 AD in his period. In his period, the Separation of Indian National Congress in the  Session of Surat in 1907 AD.

Lord Harding 2 (1910-15 AD)

The British Emperor " George Pancham" was came to India and  a glorious Darbar was planned in Delhi for the welcome of the British Emperor at 12 December, 1911 AD. The Separation of Bengal was cancelled and announced that the capital of India will be Delhi instead of Kolkata at this Occasion. Hence, Delhi became the Capital of India in 1912 AD. The bomb thrown on Lord Harding in Delhi at 23 December 1912 AD. The First World War was began at 28 july 1914 in this period.

Lord Chelmsford (1916- 1921 AD)

The integration of Indian National Congress was held in the Session of Lucknow in 1916 AD in his period. He inaugurated the Woman University in Puna in 1916 AD.    Roulette Act (1919 AD was sickled in his period. The massacre of Jallianwala Bagh was held on 13 April 1919 in his Period and the result of that massacre Gandhiji began Non Cooperation movement .

Lord Reading (1921-1926 AD)

The Chauri Chaura massacre was held on 05 February 1922 in his period. This massacre was happend in Gorakhpur District of Uttar Pradesh. In the result of this massacre, Gandhiji left the Non Cooperation Movement. M.N. Roy established the Indian Communist Party in 1921.

Lord Irwin (1926-1931 AD)

The Simon Commission  was arrived Mumbai at 03 February 1928 in his Period. The Gandhiji started the Civil disobedient movement at 12 March  1930 for the purpose the oppose of the Simon Commission. The first round table Summit was held on 12 November 1930. Indian National Congress was not participated in this Summit.  The Gandhi-Irwin pact was done on 05 March 1931 and Gandhiji dissolved the Civil disobedient movement.

Lord Wellington (1931-1936 AD)

The Second round table Summit was held in London at September 1931 in his period. Gandhiji was participated in this summit as a Indian National Congress delegate but this summit was not success.  Gandhiji started again Civil disobedient movement at 03 January 1932 for the cause of  the failure of this summit. The Third Round Table Summit was held in London at November-December 1932 in which Congress was not participated. The Indian Government Act was pass in 1935 AD in the period of Lord Wellington.

Lord Linlithgow (1936 -1943 AD)

The Second World War was began on 01 September, 1939 AD in his period. Subhash Chandra Bose established a new party Forward Block at 1 May 1939 AD. Muslim League wanted to Pakistan in Lahore Session of Muslim League in 1940 AD. The British brought August Proposal Act at 08 August 1940 AD. The Cripps Mission came to India in 1942 AD. The Indian National Congress started the "Quite India Movement" at 09 August 1942 AD.

Lord Veval (1944 -1947 AD)

The important Simla Agreement was done on 1945 AD in his period. The Cabinet Mission came to India in 1946 AD. Stafford cripps,  Pathik lawrance and A.B. Alexander were the member of the Cabinet mission. The British Prime Minister Lord Clement Attlee announced that India will have got independence around June 1948 AD. Lord Clement Attlee was related to Labour party of Britain.

Lord Mountbatten (1947-1948 AD)

The period of Lord Mountbatten was March 1947 AD to June 1948 AD. The British Prime Minister Lord Clement Attlee was present the Indian Independence Bill in British Parliament on 4 July 1947 AD and British Parliament passed the bill at 18 July 1947 AD. According to this bill,  India will divide in two independent Country as India and Pakistan. Thus India got it independence on 15 August, 1947 AD and Lord Mountbatten was the first Governor General of Independent India. While C. Rajagopalachari was the first and last  Indian Governor General of India after independence.


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