List of governors of Bengal Presidency


From 1760, a governor represented the British East India Company in which had been granted the right to establish a trading post by the Nawabs of Bengal. Robert Clive was the second governor of Bengal, and established dual government in Bengal from 1765 to 1772.
Below is a list of the governors of Bengal during the British Raj:

Presidents, 1680–1758


NameTook officeLeft office
William Hedges16801683
John Beard16831684
William Gyfford16841685
Job Charnock16851693
Francis Ellis16931693
Charles Eyre16931698
John Beard16981695
Charles Eyre16991700
Edward Littleton17051705
'Ruled by a council'17051710
Anthony Weltden17101711
John Russell17111713
Robert Hedges17131718
Samuel Flake17181723
John Deane17231726
Henry Frankland17261728
Edward Stephenson17281728
John Deane17281732
John Stackhouse17321739
Thomas Broddyll17391746
John Forster17461748
William Barwell17481749
Adam Dawson17491752
William Fytche17521752
Roger Drake17521756

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.

List of Governors-General Governors (1758–1947)

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, 1854–1947,Governors of Bengal Province, 1912–1947

Post-independence">List of governors of West Bengal#Governors">Post-independence (1947 onwards)

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 1947, and following independence West Bengal joined India, and East Bengal joined Pakistan only to became independent later in 1971 as Bangladesh.
For a continuation of governors of West Bengal, see list of Governors of West Bengal, and for East Bengal, see East Bengal, East Pakistan, and finally, list of Presidents of Bangladesh.