| Born: | 6 December 1732, Churchill, United Kingdom |
| Died: | 22 August 1818, Daylesford, United Kingdom |
| Offices: | Governor General of British India from 1773 to 1785 |
Warren Hastings – Brief Introduction
- Warren Hastings (1732 – 1818) became the first Governor of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal) in 1772 and the first Governor-General of Bengal in 1774 till he resigned in 1785.
- He started his career as a writer (clerk) in the East India Company at Calcutta in 1750.
- In 1758, he became the British resident at Murshidabad, the capital of Bengal, after Mir Jafar was installed as the Nawab after the Battle of Plassey.
- During his term, the First Anglo-Maratha war and the second Anglo-Mysore war were fought.
- The Regulating Act of 1773 was passed during his term.
- He supported Sir William Jones in the formation of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1785.
Important Works
- Regulating Act 1773
- Pitts Act 1784
- Rohilla War 1774
- 1st Maratha war 1775-82 and Treaty of Salbai 1782
- 2nd Mysore War 1780-84 & Treaty of Mangalore
- Abolished dual system of admin
- Divided Bengal in districts and appointed collectors & revenue officials
- Diwani & Faujdari Adalat
- Asiatic Society of Bengal 1784
- Wrote introduction to 1st English translation of Gita by Charles Wilkins.
- Deprived Jamindars of judicial power & records mandatory.
FAQs
Why was Warren Hastings important?
The English statesman Warren Hastings (1732-1818) was the first governor-general of British India. He established the system of civil administration that was the basis of Anglo-Indian security and prosperity.