Warren Hastings (1772–1785)
- Brought Dual Government of Bengal to an end by Regulating Act, 1773.
- Divided Bengal into districts and appointed collectors and other revenue officials.
- Started Diwani and Faujdari Adalats at the district level and Sadar Diwani and Nizamat Adalats (appellate courts) at Calcutta. He also redefined Hindu and Muslim laws.
- Regulating Act of 1773 was passed to provide centralized administration of the East India Company.
- Act of 1781 was enacted through which the powers of jurisdiction between the Governor-general-in-council and Supreme Court at Calcutta, were divided.
- Pitt’s India Act of 1784 was passed to correct defects of Regulating Act of 1773. This act resulted in dual control of British possessions in India.
- Rohilla War of 1774: Where Warren Hasting helped the nawab of Oudh (Ayodhya) defeat the Rohillas by lending a brigade of the East India Company’s troops.
- First Maratha War in 1775-82 and Treaty of Salbai in 1782: Between EIC and Sawai Madhav Rao/Nana Phadnis and treaty gave the British possession of Salsette and pensioned off Raghunath Rao.
- Second Mysore War in 1780-84 & the Treaty of Mangalore, 1784: both parties agreed to return the captured territories and prisoners to each other.
- Foundation of Asiatic Society of Bengal (founded in 1784, by Sir William Jones, to encourage Oriental studies. As its founder, Jones delivered the first of a famous series of discourses.
- Wrote introduction to first English translation of ‘Gita’ by Charles Wilkins.
- When Warren Hastings went back to England in 1785, Edmund Burke accused him of being personally responsible for the misgovernment of Bengal. This led to an impeachment trial in the House of Lords that lasted 7 years.
Lord Cornwallis (1786–93)
- He was the first person to codify laws in 1793. This code separated revenue administration from administration of justice.
- Cornwallis Code (1793) incorporated several judicial reforms, and separation of revenue administration and civil jurisdiction.
- Created the post of the district judge.
- Called ‘the father of civil service in India.’
- Europeanisation of administrative machinery.
- Introduced Police Reforms to Indian administration wherein, each district was divided into 400 sq. miles and placed under a police superintendent assisted by constables.
- Introduced Permanent Settlement in Bengal (1793): Landlords or Zamindars were recognised as the owners of the land. They were given hereditary rights of succession of the lands under them. The Zamindars could sell or transfer the land as they wished. The fixed amount was 10/11th portion of the revenue for the government and 1/11th was for the Zamindar.
- Third Mysore War (1790-92) & Treaty of Seringapatam, 1792 (as per the treaty, Tipu had to cede half of his kingdom to the English including the areas of Malabar, Dindigul, Coorg and Baramahal).
Sir John Shore (1793–98)
- Introduced the 1st Charter Act of 1793.
Lord Wellesley (1798–1805)
- Introduction of Subsidiary Alliance System (1798); (under this Indian ruler entering a Subsidiary Alliance with the British had to dissolve his armed forces and accept British forces in his territory. He also had to pay for the British army’s maintenance. If he failed to make the payment, a portion of his territory would be taken away and ceded to the British. In return, the British would protect the Indian state against any foreign attack or internal revolt), first alliance with Nizam of Hyderabad.
- Fourth Mysore War, 1799: Tipu’s territories were divided between the British and the Nizam of Hyderabad. The core area around Seringapatam and Mysore was restored to the Wodeyar dynasty who had been ruling Mysore before Hyder Ali became the de-facto ruler. Mysore entered a Subsidiary Alliance with the British and a British resident was placed at the Mysore Court).
- Second Maratha War, 1803-05, All the Maratha forces were defeated by the British in these battles and separate treaties were signed.
- Treaty of Bassein, 1802: Between Baji Rao II, the Maratha Peshwa of Poona (now Pune) in India, and the British. It was a decisive step in the breakup of the Maratha confederacy. The pact led directly to the East India Company’s annexation of the peshwa’s territories in western India in 1818).
- Madras Presidency was formed during his tenure.
Lord Minto-I (1807–1813)
- Concluded Treaty of Amritsar with Ranjit Singh (1809).
- The Charter Act of 1813 was passed.
Lord Hastings (1813–1823)
- Adopted the policy of intervention and war.
- Participated in Anglo-Nepalese War (1813–23) and the 3rd Anglo-Maratha War (1817–18).
- Forced humiliating treaties on Peshwa and Scindia after Third Maratha War.
- Introduced Ryotwari settlement in Madras with Thomas Munro.
- Known for suppression of Pindaris.
