Governor-General of India
The Governor-General of India was the head of the British East India Company administration of India from 1773 to 1858, and then later the representative of the Queen in independent India from 1947 to 1950. The position was abolished in 1950 and replaced with the President of India.The office was first established in when the British Parliament passed the India Regulating Act. The Act changed to charter of the East India Company and represented the first step towards direct colonial government, the British Raj.
When India came under direct British control following the Mutiny in 1858, the Governor-General gained the additional title of Viceroy. While the viceregal title indicated the Governor-General's role as representative of the crown, the title of Governor-General continued to be used to indicate the Viceroy's administrative role as chief governor of India. When the monarch was actually present in India, as during George V's visit in 1911, the Viceroy was referred to as only the Governor-General.
When India gained independence in 1947, the older title was maintained, in imitation of its use in other Commonwealth monarchies such as Canada and Australia, to refer to the chief royal representative in India (Pakistan had its own Governor-General). In 1948 Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari (popularly known as Rajaji and C.R.) became the only native to ever hold the post. When the monarchy came to an end in India in 1950, the position was abolished and replaced by a President.
Governors-General of India, 1773-1947
Governors-General of India, 1947-1950