Gajendra Singh Godara
Sep 13, 2025
20
mins read
The Viceroys of India (1858-1947) were the Crown’s highest representatives in India, governing on behalf of the British monarch during the British Raj. After the Revolt of 1857, the British government took direct control from the East India Company - introducing the title “Viceroy of India” through the Government of India Act 1858. Lord Canning became the first Viceroy of British India in 1858 (Also, Lord Canning was the last Governor-General of India serving years 1856-1858), and Lord Mountbatten was the last in 1947.
Each Viceroy’s tenure saw significant events and policies - from social reforms and economic policies to political upheavals - that shaped India’s path to independence.
This landmark legislation created two key administrative positions: the Secretary of State for India in London, supported by a 15-member advisory council, and the Viceroy of India. The first Viceroy of British India, Lord Canning (previously Governor-General), became the Crown's direct representative.
Lord William Bentinck became the first Governor-General of India in 1833 under the Charter Act of 1833, serving from 1833-1835. After 1858, the governor-general (now usually known as the viceroy) functioned as the chief administrator of India and as the sovereign's representative.
In the aftermath of the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny (First War of Independence), the British Parliament abolished the East India Company’s rule. The Government of India Act 1858 transferred governance of India to the British Crown, and with it, created the post of Viceroy of India to represent the Crown in India.
The previous title of Governor-General was subsumed; henceforth the Governor-General would concurrently hold the title of Viceroy, symbolizing that he was the monarch’s personal representative (or “vice-sovereign”) in India. This change marked the beginning of the British Raj, with Queen Victoria’s Proclamation of 1858 assuring Indians of non-interference in religious matters and equal treatment under the Crown.
Under Crown rule, the Viceroy wielded supreme executive authority in India, but was subordinate to the British Cabinet and Secretary of State for India in London. The Viceroys presided over important constitutional reforms (e.g. Indian Councils Acts, Government of India Acts), managed foreign relations with princely states and neighboring countries, and oversaw socio-economic policies in India. The period from 1858 to 1947 saw 20 British Viceroys of India.
Table of content
Image Credit : The Alamy
The table below presents the list of Viceroys of India from 1858 to 1947, with their tenure and major events or policies in each period:
List of Viceroys of India from 1858 to 1947 – Key Works & Events
Name of the Viceroy & Tenure | Notable Work, Reforms, & Events |
Lord Canning (1858–1862) | • Introduced the Indian Penal Code (1860), the Civil Procedure Code (1859), and the Criminal Procedure Code (1861), standardising law and order. • The Indian High Courts Act (1861) abolished the Supreme Courts and established High Courts at Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. • Abolished the Doctrine of Lapse, reassuring princely states. • The Indian Police Act (1861) laid the foundation of modern policing. • The Universities of Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras were formally established in 1857 (based on Wood’s Dispatch). |
Lord Elgin I (1862–1863) | • Faced the Wahabi Movement, a religious-political uprising suppressed by the British. |
Lord Lawrence (1864–1869) | • Established the Indian Forest Department and introduced a telegraph line linking India with Europe. • Followed a cautious policy of “Masterly Inactivity” towards Afghanistan. • Fought the Bhutan War (1864–65). • Enacted the Punjab and Oudh Tenancy Acts to regulate agrarian relations. |
Lord Mayo (1869–1872) | • Conducted India’s first all-India Census (1871). • Established the Statistical Survey of India. • Initiated financial decentralisation by dividing revenues between Centre and Provinces. • Only Viceroy to be assassinated in office (Port Blair, 1872). |
Lord Northbrook (1872–1876) | • Oversaw the removal of the Gaikwad of Baroda (1875). • Witnessed the Prince of Wales’s visit (1875). • Dealt with the Bihar famine and the Kuka Movement in Punjab (1872). |
Lord Lytton (1876–1880) | • Organised the grand Delhi Durbar of 1877, declaring Queen Victoria as Empress of India. • Faced the Great Famine (1876–78), which killed millions; set up the Famine Commission (1878) under Richard Strachey. • Introduced the Arms Act (1878), restricting Indian access to weapons. • Passed the Vernacular Press Act (1878) to curb Indian-language newspapers. • Through the Statutory Civil Service (1879), reserved 1/6th posts for Indians but reduced the ICS age from 21 to 19. |
Lord Ripon (1880–1884) | • Known as the “Father of Local Self-Government” for the Local Self-Govt Resolution (1882). • Repealed the repressive Vernacular Press Act (1882). • Introduced the First Factory Act (1881), restricting child labour. • Implemented a Famine Code for relief operations. • Set up the Hunter Commission (1882) on education. • Restored the ICS age to 21 years. • Faced the Ilbert Bill controversy (1883) when Europeans opposed Indian judges trying European cases. |
Lord Dufferin (1884–1888) | • Witnessed the formation of the Indian National Congress (1885). • Annexed Upper Burma (1886) after the Third Burmese War. • Dealt with the Panjdeh Incident (1885), an Anglo-Russian dispute over Afghan territory. |
Lord Lansdowne (1888–1894) | • Enacted the Indian Councils Act (1892), increasing Indian representation in legislative councils. • Passed the Second Factory Act (1891) to regulate working conditions of women and children. • Commissioned the Durand Line (1893), defining the Indo-Afghan boundary. |
Lord Elgin II (1894–1899) | • His tenure was overshadowed by the Great Famine (1896–97) and plague outbreaks, causing widespread distress. |
Lord Curzon (1899–1905) | • Partitioned Bengal (1905), sparking the Swadeshi Movement. • Strengthened the Archaeological Survey of India and heritage preservation (Ancient Monuments Act, 1904). • Passed the Co-operative Credit Societies Act (1904). • Established the Agriculture Research Institute at Pusa. • Appointed the Police Commission (1902) which recommended the CID. • Formed the Raleigh Commission (1902) → Indian Universities Act (1904). |
Lord Minto II (1905–1910) | • Enacted the Morley–Minto Reforms (1909), introducing separate electorates for Muslims. • Witnessed the Swadeshi Movement against Bengal’s partition. • Saw the formation of the Muslim League (1906). • Oversaw the Surat Split of Indian National Congress (1907). |
Lord Hardinge II (1910–1916) | • Annulled the Partition of Bengal (1911). • Shifted India’s capital from Calcutta to Delhi (1911). • Organised the Delhi Durbar (1911) for King George V’s coronation. • Survived a revolutionary bomb attack (1912). |
Lord Chelmsford (1916–1921) | • Enacted the Government of India Act (1919), introducing diarchy in provinces. • Passed the Rowlatt Act (1919), which allowed detention without trial → sparked protests. • Oversaw the Jallianwala Bagh massacre (1919) under General Dyer. • Witnessed the formation of the Women’s University (1916). • Appointed the Saddler Commission (1917) for education reforms. |
Lord Reading (1921–1926) | • Oversaw the Prince of Wales’s visit (1921) amid Non-Cooperation protests. • Dealt with the Moplah Rebellion (1921) in Kerala. • Initiated ICS exams simultaneously in India and London (1923). • Repealed restrictions from earlier repressive laws. |
Lord Irwin (1926–1931) | • Faced the Simon Commission boycott (1928). • Dealt with the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) and Salt March. • Signed the Gandhi–Irwin Pact (1931) to enable Congress participation in talks. • Hosted the First Round Table Conference (1930). |
Lord Willingdon (1931–1936) | • Oversaw the Government of India Act (1935), providing provincial autonomy. • Witnessed the Second Round Table Conference (1931) attended by Gandhi. • Dealt with the Communal Award (1932) → led to the Poona Pact (1932) between Gandhi and Ambedkar. • Held the Third Round Table Conference (1932) without Congress. |
Lord Linlithgow (1936–1944) | • Longest-serving Viceroy of India. • Implemented the Government of India Act, 1935 – elections in 1937 brought Congress to power in provinces. • Witnessed Subhas Chandra Bose’s Forward Bloc (1939). • Declared India’s entry into World War II (1939) without consultation. • Offered the August Offer (1940) promising Dominion status post-war. • Hosted the failed Cripps Mission (1942). • Crushed the Quit India Movement (1942). |
Lord Wavell (1944–1947) | • Proposed the Wavell Plan (1945) at Shimla Conference to resolve communal issues. • Saw the C.R. Formula (1944) for Congress–League cooperation. • Oversaw the INA Trials (1945–46) and Royal Indian Navy Mutiny (1946). • Handled Direct Action Day (1946), leading to communal riots. • Supported the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946). • Saw Attlee’s Declaration (1947) announcing British withdrawal by June 1948. • Promoted the Sergeant Plan of Education (1944) for universal literacy. |
Lord Mountbatten (1947–1948) | • Served as the last Viceroy of British India (Feb 1947 – Aug 1947) and later the first Governor-General of independent India (Aug 1947 – June 1948) • Announced the Mountbatten Plan (3 June 1947) outlining Partition. • Oversaw passage of the Indian Independence Act (1947) creating India and Pakistan. • Stayed on till June 1948 to stabilise independent India’s transition. |
In a few cases, interim (acting) Viceroys served briefly (e.g. Sir Napier, Sir Denison in 1860s, etc.) when a Viceroy died or was en route. The list above focuses on substantive Viceroys and their key contributions or events in India. Many Governor-General of India before 1858 (like Lord Dalhousie, Lord Hastings, etc.) had significant roles too, but the title “Viceroy” is strictly used post-1858.
The tenures of various Viceroys collectively tell the story of how British colonial policies evolved and how Indians responded, ultimately leading to independence in 1947.
Administrative Reforms
Early Phase (Canning, Lawrence)
Consolidation after 1857; ensured princely states’ loyalty (end of Doctrine of Lapse).
Introduction of consultative councils for Indian participation (though symbolic).
Incremental Reforms
Indian Councils Acts (1861, 1892): Small representation, Indians allowed to discuss budgets (no voting rights).
Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1919): Introduced dyarchy in provinces first real attempt at power-sharing.
Government of India Act (1935): Expanded provincial autonomy; elections of 1937 gave Congress provincial power.
Reality Check
All reforms were too little, too late.
Each concession (1909, 1919, 1935) was a reaction to Indian pressure movements (Swadeshi agitation, WWI contribution, Home Rule agitation).
Social and Economic Policies
Positive Efforts (Limited Scope)
Education reforms: Hunter Commission (Ripon), Saddler Commission (Chelmsford).
Infrastructure growth: Railways, canals, telegraphs under several Viceroys.
Financial measures: Mayo’s financial decentralisation; Curzon’s tariff support for Indian industry.
Exploitative Policies
High revenue demands; oppressive laws on indigo and salt.
Neglect during famines (Lytton, 1876-78); millions died.
Drain of wealth theory (Dadabhai Naoroji) highlighted British extraction.
Repressive Laws
Vernacular Press Act (Lytton) - silenced local press.
Rowlatt Act (Chelmsford) - detention without trial.
Impact
Instead of pacifying Indians, such measures united them across regions and classes against colonial oppression.
Divide and Rule & Communal Policies
Deliberate Divisions
Curzon’s Partition of Bengal (1905): tried to split Hindus & Muslims regionally.
Minto II’s Separate Electorates (1909): institutionalised communal politics.
Later Developments
Communal Award (1932) by British PM, implemented under Willingdon → deepened Hindu-Muslim-Dalit divides.
Linlithgow & Wavell dealt with an increasingly communalised polity (Muslim League’s Pakistan demand, Direct Action Day 1946).
Impact
Communal politics sowed under Viceroys directly contributed to Partition in 1947.
Nationalist Movements and Repression
Chelmsford (1916-1921):
Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh massacre (1919) → major turning point.
Reading (1921-1926):
Dealt with Non-Cooperation withdrawal & rise of revolutionary organisations (e.g., HRA, 1924).
Irwin (1926-1931):
Faced Civil Disobedience & Salt March.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact showed a conciliatory approach.
Willingdon (1931-1936):
Harsh repression; jailed Gandhi, Nehru; Poona Pact after Communal Award.
Linlithgow (1936-1944):
WWII without Indian consultation; Quit India Movement crushed brutally.
Wavell (1944-1947):
Cabinet Mission; Direct Action Day violence.
Mountbatten (1947):
Accepted British could not govern; advanced withdrawal → Partition & Independence.
Paradox:
Harsh repression often fuelled stronger movements.
Curzon’s arrogance or Chelmsford’s repression created waves of unity.
UPSC angle: The action-reaction cycle of colonial policy vs. nationalist response is a key analytical theme.
Positive Legacies
Centralised administrative structure.
Indian Civil Services, railways, postal system, legal codes.
Institutions like RBI, ASI, and universities have colonial-era roots.
Negative Legacies
Partition & communal mistrust.
Economic underdevelopment, famines, drain of wealth.
Bureaucratic aloofness and authoritarian administrative style.
Irony of Unity
A nation forged in resistance against foreign rule.
The struggle against Viceroys gave birth to pan-Indian nationalism.
Q. Who was the first Viceroy of British India?
A. The first Viceroy of India was Lord Canning (1858-1862), appointed after the Government of India Act 1858 ended the East India Company’s rule.
Q. Who was the last Viceroy of India and what did he do?
A. Lord Louis Mountbatten was the last Viceroy (1947). He oversaw the Partition and independence of India and Pakistan in 1947 and became India's first Governor-General of Independent India.
Q. Which Viceroy partitioned Bengal and why was it significant?
A. Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal in 1905, ostensibly for administrative ease. It ignited the Swadeshi Movement as Indians protested the divide-and-rule policy.
Q. Under which Viceroy was the Indian National Congress founded?
A. The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 during the tenure of Lord Dufferin, marking the birth of organized nationalist politics in India.
The Viceroys of India were more than mere figures on a timeline - they were the architects and arbitrators of British colonial rule, leaving a profound impact on India’s trajectory. From Lord Canning’s cautious reforms post-1857 to Lord Mountbatten’s hurried final act of Partition, each Viceroy’s decisions influenced the socio-political fabric of the subcontinent. For UPSC aspirants, mastering this topic is crucial not only to tackle history questions but also to develop a nuanced understanding of how colonial policies sowed the seeds of the freedom struggle.
Suggested Blogs
Important UPSC Essay Topics for Mains 2025 & How to Prepare Content for it?
How to Begin Your UPSC Preparation : The Ultimate Guide For Beginners
UPSC Previous Year Question Papers with Answers PDF - Prelims & Mains (2014-2024)
40 Most Important Supreme Court Judgements of India : Landmark Judgements UPSC
External Linking Suggestions
UPSC Official Website – Syllabus & Notification: https://upsc.gov.in/
Press Information Bureau – Government Announcements: https://pib.gov.in/
NCERT Official Website – Standard Books for UPSC: https://ncert.nic.in
UPSC Notification 2025 was released on 22nd January 2025.
UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2025 and Unofficial Prelims Answer Key 2025 are available now.
UPSC Calendar 2026 is released on 15th May, 2025.
The UPSC Vacancy 2025 were released 1129, out of which 979 were for UPSC CSE and remaining 150 are for UPSC IFoS.
UPSC Mains 2025 will be conducted on 22nd August 2025.
UPSC Prelims 2026 will be conducted on 24th May, 2026 & UPSC Mains 2026 will be conducted on 21st August 2026.
The UPSC Selection Process is of 3 stages-Prelims, Mains and Interview.
UPSC Result 2024 is released with latest UPSC Marksheet 2024. Check Now!
UPSC Toppers List 2024 is released now. Shakti Dubey is UPSC AIR 1 2024 Topper.
