From 1690, a governor represented the British East India Company in Bengal, which had been granted the right to establish a trading post by the Nawabs of Bengal.
Contents
- Presidents
- Governors 17581774 Gov Gen of bengal 17741833 Gov Gen of India 183358
- Lieutenant Governors 18541912
- Independence post 1947
- References
Robert Clive : Governor of Bengal during 1757–60 and again during 1765–67 and established Dual Government in Bengal from 1765 to 1772. (True founder of British Political dominion in India). Vanisttart (1760–65) : The Battle of Buxar (1764). Cartier (1769–72) : Bengal Famine (1770)
Presidents
Under the leadership of Robert Clive, British troops and their local allies defeated the nawab on 23 June 1757 at the Battle of Plassey. The nawab was assassinated in Murshidabad, and the British installed their own replacement. Clive became governor.
Governors (1758–1774), Gov Gen of bengal (1774–1833), Gov Gen of India (1833–58)
Under the Charter Act 1853 the Governor General of India was relieved of his concurrent duties as Governor of Bengal and empowered to appoint a lieutenant-governor from 1854.
Lieutenant-Governors, 1854–1912
In 1911, the British reunited east and west Bengal to form a single province under a governor.
Independence, post 1947
In 1947, the British Raj came to an end, and the new countries of India and Pakistan were created. Bengal was partitioned into two in anticipation of this in 1946, and following independence West Bengal joined India, and East Bengal joined Pakistan.
For a continuation of governors of West Bengal, please see List of Governors of West Bengal, and for East Bengal, please see East Bengal.