Viceroys of British India and Important Events during their Tenure
In SSC, Banking, LIC, Railways, and other competitive exams, the General Awareness section plays an important role nowadays since it is a very scoring section. In this article, we will cover one of the topics of this section i.e “Viceroys of British India and Important events during their tenure”. Read it carefully and upgrade your score in upcoming exams.
List of Viceroys and Important Events in their Rule:
Viceroy | Tenure | Important event |
Lord Canning | 1858-1862 | The doctrine of lapse got abolished “White Mutiny” by European troops in 1859 Indian Councils Act of 1861 |
Lord Elgin | 1862 – 1863 | Wahabi Movement |
Lord Lawrence | 1864 – 1869 | Establishment of High court in Calcutta, Madras and Bombay Anglo-Bhutan war |
Lord Mayo | 1869 – 1872 | Financial Decentralization between centre and state introduced for the first time First Census in 1872 Mayo College was set up He was the only Governor-General who was killed in India. Establishment of Statistical Survey of India Introduction of state railways |
Lord Northbrook | 1872 – 1876 | Universal Marriage Act was introduced in 1872The maximum Inter-caste Marriages allowed Kuka Movement in Punjab Visit of Prince of Wales in 1875 |
Lord Lytton | 1876 – 1880 |
Vernacular Press Act, 1878 Arms Act, 1878 Delhi Darbar organized and Proclamation of Queen Victoria “The Empress of India” Abolished tax on cotton for British traders Maximum age to take up the civil services exam lowered from 21 to 19 |
Lord Ripon | 1880 – 1884 | Most liberal viceroy Repealed the Arms act and Vernacular press act Set up Local self-governments – Panchayats and Municipal Boards due to which he was known as the Father of Self Government 2 new universities opened – Punjab University 1884, Allahabad University 1887 Ilbert Bill controversy Appointment of Hunter Commission (Education) |
Lord Dufferin | 1884 – 1888 | Third Anglo-‐Burmese war (1885-‐1886) Indian National Congress got established in 1885 |
Lord Lansdowne | 1888 – 1894 | Indian Councils Act, 1892 (Indirect election was introduced for the first time)The Factory Act, 1891 Durand Commission was set up |
Lord Elgin II | 1894 – 1899 | First British Officer who was killed by Chapekar (Ramkrishna & Damodar) Brothers. This was the first political murder. |
Lord Curzon | 1899 – 1905 | Indian Universities act – to control Indian Universities Raleigh Commission Partition of Bengal(1905) Curzon-Kitchener controversy Ancient Monument Preservation Act(1904) Calcutta Corporation Act |
Lord Minto II | 1905 – 1910 | Morley – Minto reforms(1909) Muslim league was formed by Aga Khan(1906)The communal communal conflict of Congress(1907)surat. |
Lord Hardinge II |
1910 – 1916 |
Bengal Presidency was created Transfer of Capital from Calcutta to Delhi Hindu Mahasabha was established by Madan Mohan Malaviya Delhi Darbar of King George V(1911) |
Lord Chelmsford | 1916 – 1921 | Home Rule League Movements(1916) Lucknow Pact between Congress and Muslim League(1916) Rowlatt Act was passed(1919) Jallianwala Bagh Massacre(1919) Montague – Chelmsford reforms was passed(1919) Death of B.G.Tilak |
Lord Reading | 1921 – 1926 | Swaraj Party was formed by C.R.Das and Motilal Nehru(1922) Chauri – Chaura incident took place(1922) Moplah rebellion in Kerala(1921) Rowlatt Act of 1919 and Press Act of 1910 got repealed |
Lord Irwin | 1926 – 1931 | Launch of civil disobedience movement and Dandi march First round table conference Appointment of Butler Committee for Indian States(1927) |
Lord Willingdon | 1931 – 1936 |
Second & Third Round Table Conference Individual Civil Disobedience(1933) Government of India Act of 1935 Formation of All India Kisan Sabha Poona pact was signed Communal award was started |
Lord Linlithgow | 1936 – 1943 | First general elections(1936-37) August offer(1940) Cripps Mission Quit India movement |
Lord Wavell | 1943 – 1947 | CR Formula 1944 Launch of Direct Action day Wavell Plan & Simla conference World War II ended |
Lord Mountbatten | 21 February 1947 – 15 August 1947 | June 3rd Plan Appointment of Radcliffe commission for partition of Bengal and Punjab Last Viceroy and First Governor-General of free India |
Contact Us