Governor Generals of India

Lord William Bentinck (1828 – 1835):

• Carried out the social reforms like Prohibition of Sati (1829) and elimination of thugs (1830).


• Made English the Medium of higher education in the country (After the recommendations of Macaulay).


• Suppressed female infanticide and child sacrifice.


• Charter Act of 1833 was passed; made him the first Governor General of India. Before him, the designation was Governor General of Bengal.

Sir Charles Metcalfe (1835 – 1836): Abolished all restrictions on vernacular press (called Liberator of the Press).

Lord Auckland (1836 – 1842): The most important event of his reign was the First Afghan War, which proved to be a disaster for the English.

Lord Ellenborough (1842 – 1844)

Lord Hardinge I (1844 – 1848)

Lord Dalhousie (1848 – 1856):

• Opened the first Indian Railway in 1853 (from Bombay to Thane).


• Laid out the telegraph lines in 1853 (First was from Calcutta to Agra).


• Introduced the Doctrine of Lapse and captured Satara (1848), Jaipur and Sambhalpur (1849), Udaipur (1852), Jhansi (1853) and Nagpur (1854).


• Established the postal system on the modern lines through the length and breadth of the country, which made communication easier.


• Started the Public Works Department. Many bridges were constructed and the work on Grand Trunk Road was started. The harbors of Karachi, Bombay and Calcutta were also developed.


• Made Shimla the summer capital.


• Started Engineering College at Roorkee.


• Encouraged science, forestry, commerce, mineralogy and industry.


• In 1854, “Wood’s Dispatch’ was passed, which provided for the properly articulated system of education from the primary school to the university.


• Due to Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s efforts, remarriage of widows was legalized by Widow Remarriage Act, 1856).