List of Governors General of India
The Governors General of India (or, from 1858 to 1947, officially the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, commonly shortened to Viceroy of India) was originally the head of the British administration in India and, later, after Indian independence in 1947, the representative of the Indian head of state.
It is very important topic for all competitive examinations. We are providing the list of all the Governors General of India during British period. SSC, UPSC usually asks questions on this topic. So you must read all.
List of Governors General of India
| Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Appointer | |
| Warren Hastings (1732-1818) |
20 October 1773 |
1 February 1785 |
East India Company (1773–1858) |
| John Macpherson (acting) (1745–1821) |
1 February 1785 |
12 September 1786 |
|
| Charles Cornwallis The Marquess Cornwallis (1738–1805) |
12 September 1786 |
28 October 1793 |
|
| John Shore (1751–1834) |
28 October 1793 |
18 March 1798 |
|
| Alured Clarke (acting) (1744–1832) |
18 March 1798 |
18 May 1798 |
|
| Richard Wellesley, Earl of Mornington (1760–1842) |
18 May 1798 |
30 July 1805 |
|
| The Marquess Cornwallis (1738–1805) |
30 July 1805 |
5 October 1805 |
|
| Sir George Barlow, Bt (acting) (1762–1847) |
10 October 1805 |
31 July 1807 |
|
| The Lord Minto (1751–1814) |
31 July 1807 |
4 October 1813 |
|
| Francis Rawdon-Hastings, The Earl of Moira [nb 4] (1754–1826) |
4 October 1813 |
9 January 1823 |
|
| John Adam (acting) (1779–1825) |
9 January 1823 |
1 August 1823 |
|
| The Lord Amherst (1773–1857) |
1 August 1823 |
13 March 1828 |
|
| William Butterworth Bayley (acting) (1782–1860) |
13 March 1828 |
4 July 1828 |
|
| Lord William Bentinck (1774–1839) |
4 July 1828 |
20 March 1835 |
East India Company(1773–1858) |
| Charles Metcalfe, Bt (acting) (1785–1846) |
20 March 1835 |
4 March 1836 |
|
| The Lord Auckland (1784–1849) |
4 March 1836 |
28 February 1842 |
|
| The Lord Ellenborough (1790–1871) |
28 February 1842 |
June 1844 |
|
| William Wilberforce Bird (acting) (1784–1857) |
June 1844 |
23 July 1844 |
|
| Henry Hardinge (1785–1856) |
23 July 1844 |
12 January 1848 |
|
| The Earl of Dalhousie (1812–1860) |
12 January 1848 |
28 February 1856 |
|
| The Viscount Canning (1812–1862) |
28 February 1856 |
21 March 1862 |
Victoria
(1837–1901) |
| The Earl of Elgin (1811–1863) |
21 March 1862 |
20 November 1863 |
|
| Robert Napier (acting) (1810–1890) |
21 November 1863 |
2 December 1863 |
|
| William Denison (acting) (1804–1871) |
2 December 1863 |
12 January 1864 |
|
| Sir John Lawrence, Bt (1811–1879) |
12 January 1864 |
12 January 1869 |
|
| The Earl of Mayo (1822–1872) |
12 January 1869 |
8 February 1872 |
|
| Sir John Strachey (acting) (1823–1907) |
9 February 1872 |
23 February 1872 |
|
| The Lord Napier (acting) (1819–1898) |
24 February 1872 |
3 May 1872 |
|
| The Lord Northbrook (1826–1904) |
3 May 1872 |
12 April 1876 |
|
| The Lord Lytton (1831–1891) |
12 April 1876 |
8 June 1880 |
|
| The Marquess of Ripon (1827–1909) |
8 June 1880 |
13 December 1884 |
|
| The Earl of Dufferin (1826–1902) |
13 December 1884 |
10 December 1888 |
|
| The Marquess of Lansdowne (1845–1927) |
10 December 1888 |
11 October 1894 |
|
| The Earl of Elgin (1849–1917) |
11 October 1894 |
6 January 1899 |
|
| The Lord Curzon of Kedleston (1859–1925) |
6 January 1899 |
18 November 1905 |
|
| The Earl of Minto (1845–1914) |
18 November 1905 |
23 November 1910 |
Edward VII
(1901–1910) |
| The Lord Hardinge of Penshurst (1858–1944) |
23 November 1910 |
4 April 1916 |
George V
(1910–1936) |
| The Lord Chelmsford (1868–1933) |
4 April 1916 |
2 April 1921 |
|
| The Earl of Reading (1860–1935) |
2 April 1921 |
3 April 1926 |
|
| The Lord Irwin (1881–1959) |
3 April 1926 |
18 April 1931 |
|
| The Earl of Willingdon (1866–1941) |
18 April 1931 |
18 April 1936 |
|
| The Marquess of Linlithgow (1887–1952) |
18 April 1936 |
1 October 1943 |
Edward VIII
(1936) |
| The Viscount Wavell (1883–1950) |
1 October 1943 |
21 February 1947 |
George VI
(1936–1952) |
| The Viscount Mountbatten of Burma (1900–1979) |
21 February 1947 |
15 August 1947 |
|
| The Viscount Mountbatten of Burma (1900–1979) |
15 August 1947 |
21 June 1948 |
George VI
(1936–1952) |
| C. Rajagopalachari (1878–1972) |
21 June 1948 |
26 January 1950 |
|
Facts about Governors General of India
- The term “Governor general of India” was abolished when India became democratic on 26 Jan 1950. Lord Mount Batten was the last British Governor general of India and C Rajagopalachari became the first Indian governor general of Independent India.
- First governor general of India : Hastings.
- Last governor general of India : Dalhoiuse.
- First viceroy of India : Cannings.
- Last viceroy of India : Moutbatten.
- India don’t have a Governor General Now. When India became a democratic Republic in Jan 26 1950, the position of Governor General has been replaced by the President of India
