<P> Following the adoption of the Government of India Act of 1858, the Governor - General as representing the Crown became known as the Viceroy . The designation' Viceroy', although it was most frequently used in ordinary parlance, had no statutory authority, and was never employed by Parliament . Although the Proclamation of 1858 announcing the assumption of the government of India by the Crown referred to Lord Canning as "first Viceroy and Governor - General", none of the Warrants appointing his successors referred to them as' Viceroys', and the title, which was frequently used in Warrants dealing with precedence and in public notifications, was basically one of ceremony used in connection with the state and social functions of the Sovereign's representative . The Governor - General continued to be the sole representative of the Crown, and the Government of India continued to be vested in the Governor - General - in - Council . </P> <P> From the year 1858 onwards, the appointments of Governor - General of India were made by British Crown at the advice of Secretary of State for India . The office of Governor - General continued to exist as a ceremonial post in each of the new dominions until they adopted republican constitutions in 1950 and 1956 respectively...</P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th> Name (Birth--Death) </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Term of office </Th> <Th> Notable events </Th> <Th> Appointer </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="6"> Governors of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal), 1773--1833 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Warren Hastings (1732 - 1818) </Td> <Td> 20 October 1773 </Td> <Td> 1 February 1785 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Regulating Act of 1773 </Li> <Li> Supreme Council Of Bengal </Li> <Li> Asiatic Society of Bengal </Li> <Li> Stopped Mughal pension to Shah Alam II </Li> <Li> Stopped Diarchy in Bengal </Li> <Li> New Sanskrit School by Jonathan Deccan </Li> <Li> Moved Treasury from Murshidabad to Calcutta </Li> <Li> Bengal Gazette - First Indian newspaper published </Li> <Li> First Anglo - Maratha War (1775--82) </Li> <Li> Second Anglo - Mysore war (1780--84) </Li> <Li> First Rohilla War of 1773--1774 </Li> <Li> Second Rohilla War 1779 </Li> <Li> Experimentation on land settlements . (1772 - five years settlement, changed to 1 year in 1776) </Li> <Li> English Translation of Bhagwat Gita </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> East India Company (1773--1858) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> John Macpherson (acting) (1745--1821) </Td> <Td> 1 February 1785 </Td> <Td> 12 September 1786 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Charles Cornwallis The Marquess Cornwallis (1738--1805) </Td> <Td> 12 September 1786 </Td> <Td> 28 October 1793 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Established lower courts and appellate courts </Li> <Li> Permanent Settlement in Bihar and Bengal in 1793 </Li> <Li> 3rd Mysore war </Li> <Li> Introduction of Cornwallis Code </Li> <Li> Introduction of Civil Services in India </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> John Shore (1751--1834) </Td> <Td> 28 October 1793 </Td> <Td> 18 March 1798 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Policy of Non-intervention </Li> <Li> Charter Act of 1793 </Li> <Li> Battle of Kharda between Nizam and Marathas (1795) </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Alured Clarke (acting) (1744--1832) </Td> <Td> 18 March 1793 </Td> <Td> 18 May 1798 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Richard Wellesley, Earl of Mornington (1760--1842) </Td> <Td> 18 May 1798 </Td> <Td> 30 July 1805 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Introduction of Subsidiary Alliance </Li> <Li> Fourth Anglo Mysore War 1799 </Li> <Li> Second Anglo - Maratha War (1803--05) </Li> <Li> Fort William College at Calcutta </Li> <Li> Formation of Madras Presidency in 1801 </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Marquess Cornwallis (1738--1805) </Td> <Td> 30 July 1805 </Td> <Td> 5 October 1805 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Sir George Barlow, Bt (acting) (1762--1847) </Td> <Td> 10 October 1805 </Td> <Td> 31 July 1807 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Sepoy mutiny at Vellore </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Lord Minto (1751--1814) </Td> <Td> 31 July 1807 </Td> <Td> 4 October 1813 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Charter Act of 1813 </Li> <Li> Treaty of Amritsar, 1809 with Ranjit Singh </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Francis Rawdon - Hastings, The Earl of Moira (1754--1826) </Td> <Td> 4 October 1813 </Td> <Td> 9 January 1823 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Ended the policy of Non-intervention </Li> <Li> Third Anglo - Maratha War (1816 - 1818) </Li> <Li> 1816, Treaty of Sagauli with Nepal </Li> <Li> Creation of Bombay Presidency in 1818 </Li> <Li> Establishment of Ryotwari System in Madras and </Li> <Li> Mahalwari System in Central India, Punjab And Western UP . </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> John Adam (acting) (1779--1825) </Td> <Td> 9 January 1823 </Td> <Td> 1 August 1823 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Licensing Regulations </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Lord Amherst (1773--1857) </Td> <Td> 1 August 1823 </Td> <Td> 13 March 1828 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> First Anglo - Burmese War (1824--26) </Li> <Li> Treaty of Yandabo, 1826 </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> William Butterworth Bayley (acting) (1782--1860) </Td> <Td> 13 March 1828 </Td> <Td> 4 July 1828 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="6"> Governors - General of India, 1833--1858 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Lord William Bentinck (1774--1839) </Td> <Td> 4 July 1828 </Td> <Td> 20 March 1835 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> First Governor General of India </Li> <Li> Bengal Sati Regulation, 1829 </Li> <Li> Charter Act, 1833 </Li> <Li> Saint Helena Act 1833 </Li> <Li> English Education Act 1835 </Li> <Li> Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> East India Company (1773--1858) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Charles Metcalfe, Bt (acting) (1785--1846) </Td> <Td> 20 March 1835 </Td> <Td> 4 March 1836 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Repealed 1823 Licensing Regulations </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Lord Auckland (1784--1849) </Td> <Td> 4 March 1836 </Td> <Td> 28 February 1842 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Lord Ellenborough (1790--1871) </Td> <Td> 28 February 1842 </Td> <Td> June 1844 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> William Wilberforce Bird (acting) (1784--1857) </Td> <Td> June 1844 </Td> <Td> 23 July 1844 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Henry Hardinge (1785--1856) </Td> <Td> 23 July 1844 </Td> <Td> 12 January 1848 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> The First Anglo - Sikh War (1845--46) </Li> <Li> The Second Anglo - Sikh War (1848--49) </Li> <Li> Treaty of Lahore </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Earl of Dalhousie (1812--1860) </Td> <Td> 12 January 1848 </Td> <Td> 28 February 1856 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Doctrine of Lapse </Li> <Li> Charles Wood Despatch </Li> <Li> Second Anglo - Burmese War (1852) </Li> <Li> First Railway line connecting Bombay and Thane </Li> <Li> First telegraph Line was laid between Diamond Harbour to Calcutta . </Li> <Li> Post Office Act, 1854 </Li> <Li> Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856 </Li> <Li> Established Public Works Department </Li> <Li> Engineering College was established at Roorkee </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="6"> Governors - General and Viceroys of India, 1858--1947 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Viscount Canning (1812--1862) </Td> <Td> 28 February 1856 </Td> <Td> 21 March 1862 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> University of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras were set up in 1858 </Li> <Li> The revolt of 1857 </Li> <Li> The Government of India Act, 1858 </Li> <Li> Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856 </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> Victoria (1837--1901) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Earl of Elgin (1811--1863) </Td> <Td> 21 March 1862 </Td> <Td> 20 November 1863 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Robert Napier (acting) (1810--1890) </Td> <Td> 21 November 1863 </Td> <Td> 2 December 1863 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> William Denison (acting) (1804--1871) </Td> <Td> 2 December 1863 </Td> <Td> 12 January 1864 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Sir John Lawrence, Bt (1811--1879) </Td> <Td> 12 January 1864 </Td> <Td> 12 January 1869 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Bhutan War </Li> <Li> Establishment of Shimla as India's summer capital in 1863 </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Earl of Mayo (1822--1872) </Td> <Td> 12 January 1869 </Td> <Td> 8 February 1872 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Assassinated by a Pathan Sher Ali Afridi </Li> </Ul> <P> Started the Census . </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Sir John Strachey (acting) (1823--1907) </Td> <Td> 9 February 1872 </Td> <Td> 23 February 1872 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Lord Napier (acting) (1819--1898) </Td> <Td> 24 February 1872 </Td> <Td> 3 May 1872 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Lord Northbrook (1826--1904) </Td> <Td> 3 May 1872 </Td> <Td> 12 April 1876 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Lord Lytton (1831--1891) </Td> <Td> 12 April 1876 </Td> <Td> 8 June 1880 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Vernacular Press Act </Li> <Li> Second Anglo - Afghan War </Li> <Li> The Indians Act (1878) </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Marquess of Ripon (1827--1909) </Td> <Td> 8 June 1880 </Td> <Td> 13 December 1884 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> First Factory Act (1881) </Li> <Li> Repeal of the Vernacular Press Act (1882) </Li> <Li> Ilbert Bill </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Earl of Dufferin (1826--1902) </Td> <Td> 13 December 1884 </Td> <Td> 10 December 1888 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Formation of Indian National Congress </Li> <Li> Third Anglo - Burmese War </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Marquess of Lansdowne (1845--1927) </Td> <Td> 10 December 1888 </Td> <Td> 11 October 1894 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Earl of Elgin (1849--1917) </Td> <Td> 11 October 1894 </Td> <Td> 6 January 1899 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Lord Curzon of Kedleston (1859--1925) </Td> <Td> 6 January 1899 </Td> <Td> 18 November 1905 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Partition of Bengal (1905) </Li> <Li> Second Delhi Darbar (1903) </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Earl of Minto (1845--1914) </Td> <Td> 18 November 1905 </Td> <Td> 23 November 1911 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Edward VII (1901--1910) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Lord Hardinge of Penshurst (1858--1944) </Td> <Td> 23 November 1911 </Td> <Td> 4 April 1916 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> George V (1910--1936) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Lord Chelmsford (1868--1933) </Td> <Td> 4 April 1916 </Td> <Td> 2 April 1921 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Earl of Reading (1860--1935) </Td> <Td> 2 April 1921 </Td> <Td> 3 April 1926 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Lord Irwin (1881--1959) </Td> <Td> 3 April 1926 </Td> <Td> 18 April 1931 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Earl of Willingdon (1866--1941) </Td> <Td> 18 April 1931 </Td> <Td> 18 April 1936 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Marquess of Linlithgow (1887--1952) </Td> <Td> 18 April 1936 </Td> <Td> 1 October 1943 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Edward VIII (1936) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Viscount Wavell (1883--1950) </Td> <Td> 1 October 1943 </Td> <Td> 21 February 1947 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> George VI (1936--1952) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Viscount Mountbatten of Burma (1900--1979) </Td> <Td> 21 February 1947 </Td> <Td> 15 August 1947 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="6"> Governors - General of the Dominion of India, 1947--1950 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Viscount Mountbatten of Burma (1900--1979) </Td> <Td> 15 August 1947 </Td> <Td> 21 June 1948 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> George VI (1936--1952) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> C. Rajagopalachari (1878--1972) </Td> <Td> 21 June 1948 </Td> <Td> 26 January 1950 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th> Name (Birth--Death) </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Term of office </Th> <Th> Notable events </Th> <Th> Appointer </Th> </Tr>

Who was the last governor general of india before independence