THE VICEROYS OF BRITISH INDIA

 1.  Lord Caning [ 1858 - 1862 ]

• The Bristish Governor General during the first war of independence.

• First viceroy of British India appointed after the Queen Victoria's proclamation of 1858.

• Indian High court Act (1861) passed during the time of the Governor General.

• The Universities of Kolkata, Bombay and Madras were established during the period of Lord Canning (1857).

• The viceroy who withdrew Doctrine of Lapse.

• Adopted 'Tenency Act' in 1859.

• The viceroy during the ''Indigo Revolt'' in Bihar.

• Income tax introduced by Lord Canning.

• White mutiny ( 1859) took place during the period of Canning.

• Portfolio system was introduced.

• First budget in India was presented during the period of Canning ( 1860) by James Wilson.

2. Lord Elgin I  [ 1862 - 1863 ] 

• Amalgamation of the supreme Court and Sadr courts into High Courts took place during the period of Lord Elgin

• Three High Courts at Culcutta, Bombay and Madras came into force during Elgin's period.

• 'Ambala Campaign' in the north west frontier occured to suppress a tribal insurrection.

•  He successfully suppressed Wahabis.

3     Lord John Lawrence [1864 - 1869]

• Rightly called "the saviour of the Punjab".

• Established a large number of canals, railways and public works.

• Orissa famine of 1866 was during the period of Sir john Lawrence.

• Telegraph communication was opened with Europe during the period of  Sir john Lawrence.

• Viceroy of India at the time of Bhutan war 1864-65.

• Submarine telegraphy system started in 1865 between India and Europe via Persian Gulf.

• Sir john Lawrence passed the Punjab and Oudh Tenency Act in 1868.

•  Lawrence said " There's no substance in it communism will collapse like a house of cards, and I shall live to see it''.

• Indian Forest department was established during the tenure of Lawrence.

4.     Lord Mayo [1869 - 1872 ]

• The viceroy started statistical survey of India.

• The first census in India Conducted during the period of Lord Mayo (1871-72)

• Murdered in India.

• Mayo was assassinated at Port Blair (Andaman)

• The Prisoner Sher Ali who murdered Lord Mayo

• Sales department in India was started

• Decentralisation  of  finance in India was started

• Railway started in public sector

• 'Kuka' movement was active during mayo's period

• A new department of agriculture was started.

5.     Lord North Brook [ 1872 - 1876 ]

6.     Lord Lytton [ 1876 - 1880 ]

• Known as Viceroy of Reverse Charecter.

• Passed Royal Titles Act of 1876.

• Known by the Pen name Owen Meredith.

• Passed Vernacular Press Act.

• Organised Delhi Durbar in Delhi (1877).

• Queen Victoria accepted the title Kaiser-e-Hind at royal durbar in Delhi (1877) during the period of Lord Lytton.

• Reduced the age limit for competing civil service examination from 21 to 19 years.

• The famous book 'Lucile' was written by Lord Lytton.

• Second Anglo-Afgan war was during the period of Lytton.

• Introduced separate civil service exam for Indians.

7.     Lord Ripon [ 1880 - 1884 ]

• The First factory Act was passed in 1881 to improve the condition of labour.

• Passed Local Self Government Act of 1882.

• Father of Local Self Government in India.

• Vernacular Press Act was withdrawn by Ripon in 1882.

• agricultural department was organised.

• The viceroy during the time of Ilbert Bill Controversy.

• Hunter Commission (education commission) was appointed by Ripon.

• Started regular census in India (1881).

• Aimed at prohibiting Child labour.

• known as "Popular Viceroy".

8.     Lord Dufferin [ 1884 - 1888 ]

• Viceroy during the Third Anglo Burmese war.

• Organised a Public Service Commission first time in India.

• Lord Dufferin Called the Congress as a 'Microscopic Minority'.

• The Viceroy during the formation of INC.

9.     Lord Lansdowne [ 1888 - 1894 ]

• Categorization of Civil Services into imperial, provincial and subordinate services.

• Durand commission  to demacrate the boundary of India  and Afganistan was appointed.

10.   Lord Elgin II [ 1894 - 1899 ]

11.   Lord Curzon [ 1899 - 1905 ]

• Partioned Bengal (1905).

• Indian Coinage and Paper Currency Act was passed

• Indian Universities Act was passed.

• The famine commission was appointed (Anthony Macdonnel).

• Appointed a police commission under Sir Andrew Frazer to enquire into the police administration of every province.

• Ancient Monuments Preservation Act 1904 was passed to repair, restore and protect the historical monuments.

• The first Viceroy who visited Travancore.

• The Archeological survey of India was organised (1904).

• Known as Aurangazeb of British India.

12.   Lord Minto II [ 1905 - 1910 ]

• The Viceroy passed Indian Council Act of 1909.

• The system of election for the first time  introduced in India under Indian Councils Act of  1909.

13.   Lord Hardinge II [ 1910 - 1916 ]

• Repealed the Partition of Bengal.

• Shifted India's capital from Calcutta to Delhi (1911).

• Rash Bihari Bose tried to kill Hardinge II.

• King George V and Queen mary visited India during the period of Hardinge.

• Seperated Bihar and Odisha from Bengal.

• Defence of India Act in 1915.

• Home rule movement was launched by Annie Besant during the period of Hardinge.

• Mahatma Gandhi came back to India from South Africa in 1915 during the period of Hardinge.

14.   Lord Chelmsford [ 1916 - 1921 ]

• The Viceroy at the time of Jallian walabagh massacre.

• Appointed Hunter Commission to investigate Jallian walabagh massacre.

• The Govt. of India Act 1919 ( Montegu-Chelmsford Reforms) was passed during Chelmsford period.

• Passed Roulat Act in 1919.

• Appointed Saddler Commission in 1917 to envisage new educational policy.

• Sir SP Sinha was appointed as the Governor of Bengal during Chelmsford's period.

•  Non Co operation movement was started during Chelmsford's period.

• A women's university was founded at Poona in 1916 during Chelmsford's period.

• Khilafat movement was stared  during Chelmsford's period.

• Banaras Hindu University (1916) was started during the tenure of Chelmsford.

• Mohamedan Anglo Oriental College was established by Sayed Ahmed Khan  during Chelmsford's period.

15.   Lord Reading [ 1921 - 1926 ]

• The only Jewish Viceroy of British India.

• Abolished Devadasi System.

• Seperated Railway budget from General budget.

• Rowlat Act was withdrawn by Reading.

• The Viceroy at the time of Chauri Chaura incident.

• Hilton Young Commission was appointed by reading.

• Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned for the first time during the period of Reading.

• Swaraj Party was formed during the period of Reading.

• Communist party was founded in 1921 by M.N Roy during the period of Reading.

• Kakory Train Robbery on August 9, 1925 was during the period of Reading.

16.   Lord Irvin [ 1926 - 1931 ]

• Viceroy during the arrival of Simon Commission.

• Viceroy during the first Round table Conference.

• Popularly known as CHRISTIAN VICEROY.

• Viceroy at the time of the declaration of Poorna Swaraj.

•  The pact signed by Gandhiji and Irwin is popularly known as Gandhi Irwin Pact (1931).

• 23rd March 1931, Bhagat Sing, Sukhdev and rajGuru were hanged during the period of Irwin.

• Adopted Sarada Law in 1929.

• Dandi March was conducted during the period of Irwin.

• Martydorm of Jatin Das after 64 days hunger strike during Irwin's period.

• Civil disobedient movement was started (1930) during the period of Irwin.

• Irwin witnessed Gandhiji's 'fast unto Death' in  Yervada Jail'.

17.   Lord Willingdon [ 1931 - 1936 ]

The viceroy during the time of second and third Round Table Conferences.

• Poona Pact was signed during the period of Lord Willingdon.

• The viceroy during the time of Govt. of India Act of 1935.

• Witnessed the formation of All India Kisan Sabha.

• Burma was separated from India during the period of Lord Willingdon.

18.   Lord Linlithgo [ 1936 - 1943 ]

• Viceroy during the arrival of Cripps Mission.

• Viceroy during the time of Quit India Movement.

• Issued August Offer (1940)

• Divide and Quit Slogan was raised by Muslim Leage during during the period of Lord Linlithgo.

• Lahore Resolution, demanding separate state for muslims during the period of Linlithgo.

• The second world war was started during the period of Linlithgo.

• The Govt. of India Act, 1935 enforced in the provinces during the period of f Linlithgg

19.     Lord Wavell [ 1943 - 1947 ]

• The Royal Indian Navy Mutiny (1946) held during the period of Wavell.

• Viceroy during the arrival of Cabinet Mission (1946).

• Viceroy during the formation of Interim Govt.

• Election to the constituent assembly was held during the period of Wavell.

• Simla Conference under the leadership of Wavell held in in the year 1945.

• The Governor General offered the famous Wavell Plan.

• The second world war ended during the period of Wavell.

• Constituent assembly was formed during the period of Wavell (1946).

• Viceroy at the time of Muslim leag's Direct Action Day (1946 August 16).

20.   Lord Mount Batten [ 1947 March 13 - 1947 August 14 ]

• The first governor general of independent India.

• Viceroy at the time of partition of India.

• The last viceroy of British India.

• Mountbatten Plan decided to divide India in to two.

• Murdered in Ireland (1979).

• Indian independent act was passed by the British parliament on July 18, 1947 by which India became Independent on August 15, 1947 during the period of Lord Mount Batten.