Who were the British Governor-General and Viceroy that served in India for the longest tenure?

Answer: Lord Linlithgow.

Lord Linlithgow was the British Governor-General and Viceroy who served in India for the longest tenure. He held his position from 1936 to 1944. This makes his position the longest among all of the British Governors-General and Viceroy of India. In this article, you will get to learn more about the British Governor-General and Viceroy that served in India for the longest. You will also get to compare his tenure with other notable governors-general and viceroys of India.

Lord Linlithgow’s Tenure

Lord Linlithgow or Victor Alexander John Hope became the Viceroy and Governor-General of India in 1936.. He worked till 1944. This means he has served for a total of 8 years. His tenure marked significant events in Indian history. Some of the events that took place during this tenure are:

1. World War 2– He made the decision to involve India in the Second World War without consulting any Indian leaders. This led to widespread protests.
2. Quit India Movement- Quit India Movement (1942) was launched by the Indian National Congress during its tenure. The demand was to end British rule in India.
3. Lahore Resolution- The Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution in 1940. They demanded a separate state for Muslims. This eventually led to the creation of Pakistan.
4. Government of India Act 1935- This act provided provincial autonomy. For the first time, Indians were given partial control over their governance.

Comparison with Other Notable Governors-General and Viceroys

The British Governor-General and Viceroy that served in India for the longest is  Lord Linlithgow. Here is a comparison of his tenure with the tenure of other notable governors general and viceroys

Name	Tenure	Years Served	Notable Events
Lord Linlithgow	1936–1944	8	WWII, Quit India, Lahore Resolution
Lord Dalhousie	1848–1856	8	Doctrine of Lapse, Railways introduced
Lord Irwin	1926–1931	5	Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Civil Disobedience Movement
Warren Hastings	1772–1785 (Bengal only)	13	Regulating Act, Judicial Reforms

Note:  Warren Hastings served as Governor-General of Bengal. He was not the governor general of the whole of India. The title of Viceroy was introduced later.

Key Takeaways:

Now you know that the British Governor-General and Viceroy that served in India for the longest is  Lord Linlithgow. Here are some key takeaways for students who preparing their answer:

1. Lord Linlithgow served for 8 years (1936 to 1944) as the British Governor-General and Viceroy of India.
2. During his tenure, global events like World War 2 and India’s freedom struggle took effect.

Understanding the actors of different viceroys helps to gain a deeper understanding of the changes that shaped India. Therefore, if you are asked, “Who were the British Governor-General and Viceroy that served in India for the longest tenure?”-the answer is Lord Linlithgow!

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