Governor-Generals of Bengal (1774–1833)

Warren Hastings (1772–1785) : Brought the Dual Governmnet of Bengal to an end by the Regulating Act, 1773. Became Governor-General in 1774 through the Regulating Act, 1773; Wrote introduction to the first English translation of the ‘Gita’ by Charles Wilkins; Founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal with William Jones in 1784.

• Revenue Reforms : Auctioned the right to collect land revenue to the highest bidder; Divided Bengal into districts and appointed collectors and other revenue officials.
• Judicial Reforms : Started Diwani and Faujdari adalats at the district level and Sadar diwani and Nizamat adalats (appellate courts) at Calcutta; Redefined Hindu and Muslim laws. Wars : Rohilla War (1774); 1st Anglo-Maratha War (1776-82): 2nd Anglo-Mysore War (1780-84). Note: Sir John Macpherson was made the acting Governor General from 1785 to 1786. Lord Cornwallis (1786–93) : First person to codify laws in 1793. The code separated the revenue administration from the administration of justice; Created post of district judge; Introduced permanent Settlement in Bengal (1793); Cornwallis is  called ‘the father of civil service in India’.
• Police Reforms: Each district was divided into 400 sq. miles and placed under a police superintendent assisted by constables.
• Wars : 3rd Anglo-Mysore War (defeat of Tipu and the Treaty of Serinagpatanam, 1792). Sir John Shore (1793–98) : Introduced the 1st Charter Act (1793)
• Wars : Battle of Kharda between Nizam and the Marathas (1795). Lord Wellesley (1798–1805) : Started Subsidiary Alliance system to achieve British paramountcy in India. Madras Presidency was formed during his tenure.
• Wars : 4th Anglo-Mysore War (1799)-defeat and the death of Tipu Sultan; 2nd Anglo-Maratha War (1803-05)-defeat of the Scindia, the Bhonsle and the Holkar; Treaty of Bassein (1802). George Barlow (1805–1807) : Vellore Mutiny (1806). Lord Minto I (1807-1813) : Concluded Treaty of Amritsar with  Ranjit Singh (1809); Charter Act of 1813 was passed.Lord Hastings (1813–1823) : Adopted the policy of intervention and war.
• Wars : Anglo-Nepalese War (1813-23); 3rd Anglo-Maratha War (1817-18). Hastings forced humiliating treaties on Peshwa and the Scindia; Introduced the Ryotwari settlement in Madras by Thomas Munro, the Governor. Lord Amherst (1823–28) : Wars: Ist Burmese War (1824-26). Acquisition of territories in Malay Penisula; Capture of Bharatpur (1826).
• Lord W. Bentick (1828–33) : Most liberal and enlightened Governor-General of India; Regarded as’ the Father of Modern Western Education in India’; Abolished Sati and other cruel rites (1829); Annexation of Mysore (1831). Concluded a treaty of perpetual friendship with Ranjit Singh (1831); Passed the Charter Act of 1833, which provided that no Indian subject of Company was to be debarred from holding an  office on account of his religion, place of birth, descent and colour. On recommendation of Macaulay Committee made English the medium of higher education in India.