Governors-General & Viceroys
Governors-General & Viceroys — Hastings · Cornwallis · Wellesley · Bentinck · Dalhousie · Canning · Lytton · Ripon · Curzon · Minto · Hardinge · Chelmsford · Reading · Irwin · Willingdon · Linlithgow · Wavell · Mountbatten
7 min read · Updated 2026-05-25
What are the Governors-General and Viceroys?
The Governors-General and Viceroys were the heads of British administration in India: Governors-General of Bengal from 1773, of India from 1833, and Viceroys representing the Crown from 1858 to 1947. Cornwallis made the Permanent Settlement in 1793, Wellesley the Subsidiary Alliance in 1798, Bentinck abolished sati in 1829, Canning was the first Viceroy, and Mountbatten the last.
The story
It is 22 October 1948. C Rajagopalachari ("Rajaji") — last living Indian member of the Mahatma's inner circle — is sworn in as first and only Indian Governor-General of independent India at Government House, Delhi. Behind him stretches a 174-year line of 30+ Governors-General and Viceroys, from Warren Hastings (1772) to Lord Mountbatten (1947-48).
Each one is associated with a particular reform, war, famine, or scandal — and UPSC tests them ruthlessly. Memorising the sequence in order with their headline associations is non-negotiable Prelims preparation.
Why this matters for UPSC
For UPSC:
- Prelims: Sequence of GGs + Viceroys with their key actions; reforms-and-revolts matrix; first-and-last labels.
- Mains GS-I: Lord Cornwallis (PS), Lord Wellesley (Subsidiary Alliance), Lord Dalhousie (Doctrine of Lapse + annexations), Lord Curzon (Bengal Partition), Lord Linlithgow (WWII + Quit India), Mountbatten (Partition).
- Interview: Curzon's legacy + Dalhousie's controversy + Ripon's local government reforms.