British Viceroys During British India

Following the events of the mutiny in the year 1857, the parliament of the British Raj ended up passing an act that led to the ruling of East India Company in India as well as the neighboring territories of the country. The passing of the act led to the British forces gaining control over the Indian government and the rule was provided to the British Crown. 

During the development, Lord Canning was proposed as India’s first Viceroy. Here, we are going to provide a list of British Viceroys during British India. We all know that there were many Viceroys during the entire reign of the British Forces. It is important for people to know more about them since it is an important part of our history. 

The Role of British Viceroys During British India  

By the time the 20th century came by, there were few changes that were brought in the country of India due to the Revolt of 1857. India was not just under the rule of the East India Company. The British Government was responsible for ruling the entire subcontinent. Even though the rule was in the hands of the government, it was just in theory. The main power was provided to the British viceroys during British India. The Secretary of State was also a major position under the rule of the British Government for sure. The position of the Viceroy packed a lot of power due to the developments after the Revolt of 1857. 

After the formation of the Indian Council Act in the year 1861, there was a lot of power provided to the Viceroy of the country and he had control over the Executive Council as well. Following the act, there was the formation of the Legislative and local councils as well. These councils had a few Indian officials but that was just for the paper. They weren’t really provided with much power when compared to the British officials. They were just some nominated bodies to fill up the position. Not to mention that they didn’t have even the basic authority and power regarding the important decisions that were to be taken. 

A Complete List of British Viceroys During British India 

Here is a list of British Viceroys during British India. 

Lord Canning

Some of the major incidents during the viceroyship of Lord Canning include: 

• Proclamation of Queen Victoria along with the India Act of 1858

• Beginning of White Mutiny

• The Indian Councils Act of 1861

• Formation of Indian Penal Code in 1860

• The formation of the Suppressed Wahabis movement

Lord John Lawrence (1864 - 69)

Some of the major incidents during his viceroyship were: 

• Beginning of Bhutan War (1865)

• The proper Establishment of High Courts at Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta in 1865

Lord Mayo (1869 - 72)

The major incidents during viceroyship of Lord Mayo include: 

• Formation of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce 

• Establishment of the Statistical Survey of India 

• Founding of the State railways

• In 1872, he was assassinated in Andaman.
  
  

Lord Lytton I (1876 - 80)

Major incidents during his viceroyship include:

• Royal Titles Act of 1876

• Title of Empress of India by Queen Victoria

• Arms Act of 1878

• Vernacular Press Act

• The Second Afghan War was fought between 1878 and 1880

• Appointing the first Famine Commission in 1878

Lord Ripon (1880 - 84)

Major incidents during the tenure of Lord Ripon were: 

• First Factory Act as well as the First census

• Establishment of Local Self Government in 1882

• Division of finances of centers in 1882

• Hunter commission on Education

• The controversy of Ilbert Bill 

Lord Dufferin (1884 - 88)

Some major incidents during viceroyship of Lord Dufferin include: 

• The Burmese War (1885-86)

• Founding of the Indian National Congress

Lord Lansdowne (1888 - 94)

Major happenings during that time were: 

• Establishment of the Factory Act of 1891

• The Division of Civil services happened into Imperial, Provincial and Subordinate

• Formation of the Indian Councils Act of 1892

• Durand Commission was appointed and the definition for the Durand Line between Afghanistan and Pakistan was provided

Lord Elgin II

Some major incidents during that time were: 

• The assassination of British done by Chapekar

Lord Curzon (1899 - 1905)

Major incidents during the time were: 

• Thomas Raleigh Commission

• Formation of the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904

• The Agriculture Research Institute was formed in Pusa, Bihar.

• Bengal Partition happened in 1905

Lord Minto II (1905 - 10)

Some major incidents during that time: 

• Swadeshi and Anti-Partition Movements 

• Split in Congress and Surat Session 

• Reforms related to Minto Morley 

• Formation of the Muslim League by Aga Khan, then Nawab of Dacca in the year 1906

Lord Hardinge II (1910 -16)

Important incidents during his tenure were: 

• Annulment of the Partition of Bengal 

• Transferring imperial Capital to Delhi 

• The Death of G.K. Gokhale in 1915

• The Founding of Hindu Mahasabha in 1915

Lord Chelmford (1916 - 21)

Major incidents during that time include:

• The return of Gandhiji 

• Leagues of Home Rule 

• Reunion of Congress in the year 1916 and Lucknow Session

• Lucknow pact established in the year 1916 due to B.G.Tilak

• August Declaration of Montague

• Creation of the Indian Liberal Federation done by S.N.Banerjee

• The massacre in Jallian Walla Bagh (13th April 1919)

• Formation of Khilafat movement (1919-20)

• Appointing Sir S.P.Sinha as the Lieutenant Governor of Bihar. He was the first Indian to have that position.

Lord Reading (1921 - 26)

Some important incidents of that time: 

• Chauri-Chaura incident ( 5th Feb 1922)

• The Formation of the Swaraj party was due to the efforts of C.R.Das Motilal Nehru in the year Dec 1922

• Creation of the Rastriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) due to the efforts from K.B.Hedgewar (1925)

• The Repeal of Rowlatt Act

• Different simultaneous examinations were held in England and India

• Start of the formation of officer’s cadre in the Indian Army.

Lord Irwin (1926 - 31)

Major incidents during his viceroyship were:

• Formation of Simon Commission and the following Boycott

• Harcourt Butler Indian States commission (1927)

• Formation of the Nehru report and the rejection of it in the Muslim League Hindu Mahasabha etc.

• Deepavali declaration

• Poorna Swaraj declaration

• Lahore session (1929)

• Beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement along with Dandi March

• The first formation of the Round Table Congress 

• Gandhi Irwin Pact

Lord Willingdon (1931 - 36)

Some important incidents happening at that time: 

• 2nd and 3rd Round Table Congress 

• Beginning of the Communal award in the year 1932 by Ramsay Mac Donald

• Poona pact that formed between Gandhiji and Ambedkar in the year 1932

• Formation of the Govt. of India Act 1935

Lord Linlithgow (1936 - 43)

Some of the important incidents that happened during that time were: 

• The Congress ministries were formed 

• Subhash Chandra Bose resigned from the post of President of the Congress 

• The Forward Block was formed 

• The August Offer was made by Lord Linlithgow and the Congress ended up rejecting it

• Establishment of the Deliverance Day done by the Muslim League 

• Cripps Mission came into existence 

• The Quit India Movement also began its first impact

Lord Wavell (1943 - 47)

Some of the main incidents that occurred during that time were: 

• The formation of the C.R Formula by C.Rajagopalachari

• Formation of the Wavell Plan

• Shimla Conference 

• Naval Mutiny in the year 1946

• INA Trials

• Formation of Cabinet Mission with Cripps, Lawrence, and Alexander 

• Creation of the Interim Government 

• Direct Action Day was launched 

Lord Mountbatten (1947)

He was known to be the last person who was appointed in the position of the Viceroy of India. This was due to the fact that India ended up gaining its independence in the same year, thus abolishing the rule of the British. Hence, there was no Viceroy position for the people after that. The major incidents during viceroyship of Lord Mountbatten include:

• The Partition of India and its independence in the year 1947

Conclusion 

As we all know, India got its independence in the year 1947. After that, the tradition of appointing a Viceroy was abolished. There was the formation of the constitution and the government in India.