Important Events During the Reign of Governor General and Viceroy of India

Governor General:

1. Warren Hastings 1773 - 1775

• Abolition of Dual System of Robert Clive.
• Calcutta Made Capital of Bengal in 1772
• Reorganisation of Judicial System - Separation of Civil and Criminal Courts.
• Abolished the System of Dastaks, or Free passes regulated the Internal trade
• The Regulating Act of 1773
• The Rohila War of 1774
• The First Anglo-Maratha War 1775 - 82 ⟶ Treaty of Salabai in 1782 
• The Second Anglo-Mysore War 1780 - 84 ⟶ Treaty of Mangalore 
• Pitts India Act of 1784.
• Foundation of Asiatic Society of Bengal - 1784

2. Lord Cornwallis 1786 - 1793

• Third Anglo-Mysore War 1790 - 92 ⟶ Defeat of Tipu ⟶ Treaty of Srirangapattanam
• Sanskrit Vidyalaya at Benaras Established by Jonathan Duncan.

Reforms :

Administrative Reforms:

• Purification of the Civil Service by the employment of honest and capable public servants.
• Increase in the salaries of Employees and Officers.
• Separation of Commercial, Judicial and Revenue Services.
• Merit is the basis of ICS.

Revenue Reforms :

• Permanent Settlement of Bengal 1793 ⟶ John Shore + James Grant  

Judicial and Other Reforms (Europeanisation) :

• Sadar Diwani Adalat (Civil) and Sadar Nizamat Adalat (Criminal) in Calcutta under Governor General and his Council.
• Provincial Court in Calcutta, Dacca, Murshidabad and Patna under European Judges.
• District City Court under European Judge.
• Bottom of Judicial system - Indian Judge/Munsiff

3. Sir John Shore 1793 - 1798

• Charter Act of 1793
• Battle of Kharda between the Nizam and the Marathas.
• Policy of non intervention

4. Lord Wellesley 1798 - 1805

• Introduction of Subsidiary Alliance System in 1798. First Alliance with the Nizam of Hyderabad.
• Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799, Tippu was defeated and shot dead.
• Treaty of Basein (1802)
• Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803-1805)
• Took over the administration of Tanjore (1799), Surat (1800), and Carnatic (1801)

5. Sir George Barlow 1805 - 1807

• Vellore Mutiny (1806)

6. Lord Minto I 1807 - 1813

• Treaty of Amritsar with Maharaja Ranjit Singh 1809
• The Charter Act of 1813 

7. Lord Hastings 1813 - 1823

• Anglo Nepal War/ War against Gurkhas 1814 - 1816. Which led to the treaty of Segauli in 1816.
• Suppression of Pindaris (1817 -1818)
• Battle of Sitabaldi ⟶ Bhonsle vs British in 1817
• Third Maratha War (1817 - 1819), Dissolution of Maratha Confederacy.
• Creation of Bombay Presidency 1818.
• Establishment of Ryotwari System in 1820 and important persons behind this system are the then Governor of Madras Thomas Munroe and Alexander Reed.
• Establishment of Hindu college in 1817 in Calcutta

8. Lord Amherst 1823 - 1828

• First Burmese War (1824 - 1826) ⟶ Treaty of Yandaboo
• Capture of Bharatpur (1826)

9. Lord William Bentinck 1828 - 1835

• Annexation of Mysore and appointment of Mark Cubbon as commissioner in 1834.
• Annexation of Coorg (1834)
• Annexation of Cachar & Jaintia (1834) According to Treaty of Yandaboo.
• Treaty of Perpetual friendship and Indus Navigation Treaty with Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
• Charter Act of 1833.
• The Government Resolution in 1835 made English the official and Literary language of India.
• Establishment of Calcutta Medical College 

Administrative Reforms:

• Abolition of Provincial Courts of Appeal and Circuit set up by Cornwallis, appointment of commissioners of revenue and circuit.
• Introduction of Local Languages in the local courts and English in Higher Courts.

Social Reforms:

• Abolition of Sati on 4th December 1829.
• Suppression of thugee in 1830 by Sir William Sleeman.
• Prohibited female infanticide.
• Introduction of English Education ⟶ Lord Macaulay (1835)

Revenue Reforms:

• Introduction of Mahalwari System in 1833 ⟶ Halt Mcanzee

10. Lord Metcalfe 1835 - 1836

• New Press Law removing restrictions on the press in India. ⟶ Known as Liberator of Press in India.
• Establishment of Calcutta Public Library in 1836.

11. Lord Auckland 1836 - 1842

• First Afghan War (1838 - 42)
• Death of Ranjit Singh (1839)

12. Lord Ellenborough 1842 - 1844

• Annexation of Sindh in 1846
• Indian Slavery Act, 1843

13. Lord Hardinge 1844 -1848

• First Anglo-Sikh war (1845-46) ⟶ Treaty of Lahore
• Abolition of Female Infanticide and Human Sacrifice

14. Lord Dalhousie 1848 - 1856

• Second Anglo-Sikh war (1849) ⟶ Annexation of Punjab.
• Second Burmese war (1852) ⟶ Annexation of Lower Burma, Pegu.
• Introduction of Doctrine of Lapse and Annexation of Satara (1848), Jaitpur & Sambhalpur (1849), Udaipur (1852), Jhansi (1853), Nagpur (1854), ⟶ Awadh on the basis of Misgovernance (1856).

Reforms:

• Railway Minute of 1853, and Laying down the first railway line connecting Bombay and Thane in 1853.
• Introduction of Telegraph - 4000 miles of telegraph lines were laid connecting the cities like - Calcutta, Peshawar, Bombay and Madras.
• Postal Reforms  by Post office Act 1854
• Woods Educational Dispatch of 1854 and opening of Anglo-Vernacular Schools and Government Colleges.
• Establishment of Separate Public Works Department and Opening of Ganges Canal in 1854.
• Widow Remarriage Act 1856.

15 Lord Canning 1856 - 1858

• Establishment of three universities at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay in 1857.
• Hindu Women remarriage Act 1856
• Revolt of 1857

Note: Post Adoption of Government of India Act 1858, The Governor General of India Representing the Crown was made Viceroy and Lord Canning became the first viceroy of British India 

Viceroys:

1. Lord Canning 1858 - 1862

• Abolition of East India Company and Transfer control to the crown by the Government of India Act, 1858.
• White Mutiny by the Europeans troops in 1859.
• Indian Councils Act on 1861.
• Establishment of Archaeological Survey of India in 1861

2. Lord Elgin I 1862 -1863

• Wahabi Movement Suppressed

3. Lord John Lawrence 1864 - 1869

• Bhutan War (1865)
• Establishment of High Courts at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay (1865)
• Establishment of Allahabad High Court (1866)
• Famine Commission was Constituted in 1867 Under Henry Campbell due to Orissa famine in 1866 

4. Lord Mayo 1869 - 1872

• Started the census in India in 1872.
• Opening of the Rajkot College in Kathiawar and the Mayo College at Ajmer for political training of Indian Princes.
• Establishment of Statistical Survey of India 1872
• Establishment of Department of Agriculture and Commerce.
• Introduction of State Railways.
• Started Financial Decentralisation 

5. Lord Northbrook 1872 - 1876

• Mohammadan Aglo-Oriental College founded by Sir, Sayed Ahmed Khan in 1875
• Visit of Prince of Wales in 1875
• Kuka Movement in Punjab

6. Lord Lytton 1876 - 1880

• Famine Policy : Famine of 1876 -78 affecting Madras, Bombay, Mysore Hyderabad and Parts of Central India and Punjab; Appointment of Famine Commission under the Presidency of Richard Starchey (1878).
• The Royal Titles Act, 1876, Queen Victoria Assuming the title of Kaiser E Hnd or Queen Empress of India.
• First Delhi Durbar in 1877 
• Introduction of Uniform Salt Tax throughout British India.
• The Vernacular Press Act 1878
• The Arms Act 1878
• Second Afghan War (1878 - 1880) ⟶ Treaty of Gandamark between Yakub Khan and Lytton.
• Reduced the maximum age of appearing Civil services from 21 to 19

7. Lord Rippon 1880 - 1884

• First Factory Act (1881)
• Negotiable Instruments Act 1881
• Repeal of Vernacular Press Act (1882)
• Continuation of Financial Decentralisation.
• Introduction of Local Self Government (1882)

Reforms:

• Appointment of Education Commission under the chairmanship of Sir William Hunter.           
• Emphasis on Primary and Secondary Education.
• Secondary Education Should have 2 divisions
•  Literary : Leading upto University.
• Vocational : For commercial careers.

• Ilbert Bill Controversy (1883-84)
• Rendition of Mysore (1881)
• Increased the age of appearing  for Civil Service exam from 18 to 21

8. Lord Dufferin 1884 - 1888

• Establishment of Indian National Congress (1885)
• Third Anglo- Burmese War (1885 - 86)
• In 1886, Burma was made province of India, with Rangoon as its capital.

9. Lord Landsowne 1888 - 1894

• Factory Act 1891
• Categorisation of Civil Services into imperial, provincial and subordinate.
• Indian Councils Act 1892.
• Durand Commission to define the line between India and Afghanistan (now between Pakistan and Afghanistan)

10. Elgin II 1894 - 1899

• Spread of Bubonic Plague in Bombay (1896)
• Assassination of Two British Officials by Chapekar brothers (1897)
• Establishment of Ramakrishna Mission by Swami Vivekananda in 1897 at Belur Math.

11. Lord Curzon 1899 - 1905

• Appointment of Universities Commission (1902) and Passing of Indian Universities Act (1904).
• Which brought all the Universities of India under the control of Government.
• Appointment of Police commission in 1902 under Sir Andrew Frazer.
• Set up training schools for both the officers and the constables and Introduced Provincial police service.
• Remodeling Army by Lord Kitchener.
• Calcutta Corporation Act 1899.
• Ancient Monument preservation Act 1904.
• Official Secrets Act 1904 to curb freedom of press.
• Partition of Bengal (1905)
• Younghusband's Mission to Tibet (1904)
• Second Delhi Durbar in 1903.

12. Lord Minto II 1905 - 1910

• Popularisation of antipartition and Swadesi Movements.
• Split in the Congress in the Surat Session of 1907, presided by Rash Behari Ghosh.
• Establishment of Muslim League by Aga Khan in 1906
• Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909/ Indian Councils Act of 1909.
• Foundation of Jugantar Revolutionary Group in 1906.

13. Lord Hardinge II 1910- 1916

• Creation of Bengal presidency in 1911.
• Annulment of Partition of Bengal, and transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi (1911).
• Establishment of Hindu Mahasabha (1915) by Madanmohan Malaviya.
• Coronation Durbar of King George V held in Delhi 1911 (3rd Delhi Durbar)
• Komagata Maru Incident 1914.
• Return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa in 1915
• Foundation of Banaras Hindu University (1916).

14. Lord Chelmsford 1916 - 1921.

• Formation of Home Rule Leagues by Annie Besant and Tilak (1916)
• Lucknow Session of Congress (1916), Merger of Extremists and Moderates groups ⟶ President A. C. Majumdar.
• Lucknow pact between Congress and Muslim League 1916.
• Foundation of Sabaramati Ashram in 1916 after gandhi's return.
• Launch of

1. Champaran satyagraha (1916) ⟶  First CDM

2. Ahmedabad Satyagraha (1916) ⟶  First Hunger Strike

3. Kheda Satyagraha (1917) ⟶ First NCM

• Montagu's August declaration (1917)
• Montagu- Chelmsford Reform or Government of India Act 1919.
• The Rowlat Act (1919)
• Jalianwalabagh Massacre (1919)
• Launch of Non Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Movement,
• Foundation of University in Poona in 1916.
• Appointment of Saddlers Commission (1917) for reforms in eduction.
• Death of Tilak (August 1st, 1920)
• Appointment of S. P. Sinha as Governor of Bihar. 

15. Lord Reading 1921 - 1926

• Chauri-Chaura Incident (Feb 5, 1922) and the subsequent withdrawal of Non Cooperaion Movement.
• Moplah Rebellion in Kerala (1921).
• Repeal of Rowlatt Act of 1919.
• Criminal Law Amendment Act and the abolition of Cotton Excise.
• Establishment of Swaraj Party by C. R. Das and Motilal Nehru. (1922)
• Kakori Train Robbery (1925).
• Appointment of Lee Commission (1923) on Public Service reforms.
• Decision to hold simultaneous examinations for the ICS both in Delhi and London with effect from 1923.
• Railway Budget was separated from General Budget since 1924.
• Foundation of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh by K. B. Hedgewar in 1925.

16. Lord Irwin 1926 - 1931

• Visit of Simon Commission to India (1928) and the boycott of the commission by the Indians.
• An All party conference held at lucknow in 1928 for the suggestion of (future) constitution of India, the report of which is called Nehru Report.
• Appointment of Hercourt Buttler Indian States Commission in 1927.
• Murder of Saunders, the Assistant Superintendent of Police of Lahore.
• Bombing in Central Legislative Assembly of Delhi on 8th April 1929 by Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt.
• Lahore Conspiracy Case and Death of Jatin Das after prolonged Hunger Strike (1929).
• Meerut Conspiracy Case 1929
• Lahore Session of Congress 1929 ⟶ President: J. L. Nehru ⟶Purna Swaraj Resolution
• Deepawali Declaration of Lord Irwin on 31st Otober 1929 (to grant dominion status to India in due course)
• Appointment of Hartog Committee (1929) to survey the growth of education in British India.
• Dandi March (March 12, 1930) by Gandhi to Launch Civil Disobedience Movement.
• First Round Table Conference (1930) ⟶ Boycott of RTC by Indian National Congress
• Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931)
• Suspension of Civil Disobedience Movement.
• Execution of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar.

17. Lord WIllingdon 1931 - 1936

• Second Round Table Conference (1931) and failure of the conference led to the resumption of Civil Disobedience movement.
• Announcement of communal award by Ramsay Mcdonald (1932).
• "Fast unto Death" by Gandhi against Communal award in Yerwada Jail, Broken after Poona Pact between Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar (1932).
• Third Round Table Conference (1932).
• Launch Of Individual Civil Disobedience in 1933.
• Establishment of Congress Socialist Party by Jayaprakash Narayan (1934).
• Reserve Bank of India established by passing The Reserve Bank of India Act 1934.
• The Government of India Act 1935.
• Establishment of All India Kisan Sabha by Acharya Narendra Dev (1936).
• Burma Separated from India in 1935.

18. Lord Linlithgow 1936 - 1944

• First General Elections (1936-37); Congress attained absolute majority.
• Resignation of Congress Ministries after the outbreak of Second World War (1939).
• Subhashchandra Bose elected as the president of Haripura Congress Session.
• Resignation of Bose in 1939 (Tripuri Crisis) and Formation of the Forward Block (1939).
• Lahore Resolution (1940) by the Muslim League demand for separate state for Muslims.
• 'August Offer' (1940) ⟶ It received criticism by Congress and Endorsement by Muslim League.
• Escape of Subhashchandra Bose by India and Organisation of the Indian National Army (1941)
• Cripps Mission (1942)
• Quit India Movement (1942).

19. Lord Wavell 1944 - 1947

• C Rajagopalachari's CR Formula (1944).
• Wavell Plan and Shimla Conference (1945)
• End of the Second World War 1945
• Cabinet Mission Plan (1946)
• Observation of "Direct Action Day" (1946) by Muslim League.
• Election to the Constituent Assembly, Formation of Interim Government by the Congress (September 1946).
• Announcement of End of British rule by Clement Attlee on February 20 1947.

20. Lord Mountbatten 1947 - 1948

• June Third Plan (1947)
• Appointment of Radcliffe Commission (1947)
• Indian Independence Act was passed on 18 July 1947.
• India's Independence 15 August 1947.