List of Governor-Generals (1773 - 1858) and Viceroys (1858 - 1948) of India

The Governor-General of India was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom and after Indian independence in 1947, the representative of the Indian head of state.

The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-general of the Presidency of Fort William.

Governor of Bengal (1758-1773)

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.

Robert Clive was the first "governor" (Not Governor General) of Bengal, and established dual government in Bengal from 1765 to 1772.

Name	Took office	Left office	Notable Events
Robert Clive	1758	1760
Henry Vansittart	1760	1765
Robert Clive	1765	1767	Dual government in Bengal
Harry Verelst	1767	1769
John Cartier	1769	1773

Governor-General of Bengal (1773-1833)

The Regulating Act of 1773 created the office with the title of Governor-General of Presidency of Fort William, or Governor-General of Bengal to be appointed by the Court of Directors of the East India Company (EIC).

Warren Hastings was the first Governor-General of Bengal with tenure of office from 1772-1785.

Name	Took Office	Left Office	Notable Events
Warren Hastings	1773	1785	Foundation of the system of Civil Administration. Polity of Security cell. Asiatic Society (1784) was founded during his time Policy of "Ring Fence" Abolished "Dual Government" Prosecuted for impeachment 3rd Anglo-Maratha War Pitt's India Act
Sir John Macpherson (acting)	1785	1786
Lord Cornwallis	1786	1793	Established Judicial Organization in India created "Civil Services" in India his grave is situated in "Ghazipur (Uttar Pradesh)" third "Anglo-Mysore" war Permanent Settlement
Sir John Shore	1793	1798
Sir Alured Clarke (acting)	1798	1798
Lord Wellesley	1798	1805	Subsidiary alliance Fourth Anglo-Mysore war
Marquess Cornwallis	1805	1805
Sir George Barlow, Bt (acting)	1805	1807
The Lord Minto	1807	1813	Separate Electorate
Marquess of Hastings	1813	1823
John Adam (acting)	1823	1823
The Lord Amherst	1823	1828
William Butterworth Bayley(acting)	1828	1828
Lord William Bentinck	1828	1833	Abolished "Sati System" in "1829" Social Reforms

Governor-General of India (1833-1858)

The Charter Act of 1833 re-designated the office with the title of Governor-General of India.

Lord William Bentinck was first to be designated as the Governor general of India in 1833.

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari was the last Governor-General of India.

Name	Took Office	Left Office	Notable Events
Lord William Bentinck	1833	1835
Sir Charles Metcalfe, Bt (acting)	1835	1836
Lord Auckland	1836	1842
Lord Ellenborough	1842	1844	Abolished Slavery in 1843 Brishers conquered "Sindh" in 1843
William Wilberforce Bird (acting)	1844	1844
Sir Henry Hardinge	1844	1848
Lord Dalhousie	1848	1856	Doctrine of lapse Public Work Department (1845-55) The first passenger train ran in India in the year 1853 from Bombay (Bori Bunder) to Thane during the reign of Lord Dalhousie.
Lord Canning	1856	1858	Widow Remarriage Act (1856)

Viceroys of India (1858-1947)

Following the adoption of the Government of India Act of 1858, the Governor-General as representing the Crown became known as the Viceroy. Lord Canning was the first Viceroy and Lord Louis Mountbatten was the last Viceroy.

The Government of India Act 1858 created the office of Secretary of State (British MP) for India in 1858 to oversee the affairs of India, which was advised by a new Council of India with 15 members (based in London). Lord Stanley was the first Secretary of State for India.

The Council of India was later abolished by Government of India Act 1935.

Name	Took Office	Left Office	Notable Events
Lord Canning	1858	1862	Widow Remarriage Act (1856) Read out queen's manifesto in Allahabad on "Nov 1, 1858"
The Earl of Elgin	1862	1863
Robert Napier (acting)	1863	1863
William Denison(acting)	1863	1864
John Lawrence	1864	1869	Masterly Inactivity
Lord Mayo	1869	1872	First Census Murdered by convicted prisoner
Sir John Strachey(acting)	1872	1872
Lord Napier(acting)	1872	1872
Lord Northbrook	1872	1876
Lord Lytton	1876	1880	Vernacular Press Act
Lord Ripon	1880	1884	Local Self Government Ilbert Bill
Lord Dufferin	1884	1888	Congress established in 1885
Lord Lansdowne	1888	1894
Lord Elgin	1894	1899
Lord Curzon	1899	1905	Longest Tenure Partition of Bengal Archeological Survey of India
Lord Minto	1905	1910
Lord Hardinge	1910	1916	Capital transferred from "Kolkata" to "Delhi"
Lord Chelmsford	1916	1921
Lord Reading	1921	1926	Only Jews viceroy of India
Lord Irwin	1926	1931
Lord Willingdon	1931	1936
Lord Linlithgow	1936	1943
Lord Wavell	1943	1947
Lord Mountbatten	1947	1947

Governors-General of the Dominion of India (1947-1950)

Name	Took Office	Left Office	Notable Events
Lord Louis Mountbatten	1947	1948	First Governor-General of Independent India
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari	1948	1950	Last Governor-General of India, before the office was permanently abolished in 1950