Lord Dalhousie 1848-1856

Shifted the headquarters of Bengal Artillery from Calcutta to Meerut
Simla was made the permanent headquarters of the army & summer capital
Formation of Gurkha regiments took place in his reign
Youngest Governor General of India (36 Years), & also known as

Father of Indian Telegraph

Father of Indian Railways

Father of Indian Postal system

Father of Indian Engineering Services

Maker of modern India

Followed Policy of Annexation viz.

Annexed Burma via. Second Burmese War

Annexed Avadh > Offended Muslims & Indian Soldiers (Mostly from Avadh)

Doctrine of Lapse

Annexed Punjab (2^nd Anglo Sikh War)

Doctrine of Lapse

This policy was based on difference in principle b/w right to inherit property & right to govern.
Alliance King without heir cannot adopt an heir for kingdom.
Lapsed Satara, Jaitpur and Sambhalpur, Udaipur, Nagpur, Jhansi, & Awadh in given order
Annexed states were monitored by chief commissioners with introduction of centralized control called non-regulation system for modern centralized states

Reforms & Developments

Telegraph	In 1852, Under superintendence of O’Shaughnessy 4000 miles of lines were laid down Connected Calcutta, Peshawar, Bombay & Madras telegraphically Proved to be a boon for Britishers in revolt of 1857
Railway	Started “guarantee system” by which the railway companies were guaranteed a minimum interest of five percent on their investment Government retained the right of buying the railway Mainly for Defense, Commercial & Administrative reasons 1^st railway line – Bombay to Thane 1853 2^nd Calcutta to Raniganj coal fields 1854 3^rd Madras to Arakkonam 1856
Postal System	Laid down foundation of Modern postal system in 1854 with introduction of postal stamps → Postal system started in 1837)
IES	Created separate public work departments Allotted more funds for cutting canals & roads Upper Gangatic panel was cut in 1854 Many bridges were constructed Hence laid foundation of Indian engineering services
Social & Educational	Passed widow Remarriage Act (1856) Recommended the setting up of universities in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras In 1853, competitive examination for the Indian Civil Services began – Written exam started in 1854 in India Educational reforms of Sir Charles wood (1854) are considered intellectual charted of India which provided an outline for Primary, Secondary & Collegiate levels of education.

Woods Dispatch, 1854

In 1854, Charles Wood prepared a dispatch on an educational system for India.
Considered as “Magna Carta of English Education in India”
This document was the 1^st comprehensive plan for the spread of education in India.

Asked the Government to assume responsibility for education of the masses, thus repudiating the ‘downward filtration theory’, at least on paper.

Systematised the hierarchy from vernacular primary schools in villages at bottom, followed by Anglo-Vernacular High Schools and an affiliated college at the district level, and affiliating universities in the presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.

Recommended English as the medium of instruction for higher studies and vernaculars at school level.

Laid stress on female and vocational education, and on teachers training.

Laid down that the education imparted in government institutions should be secular.

Recommended a system of grants-in-aid to encourage private enterprise.

Charter Act 1853

Further addition of 6 members to GG council making it a body for legislative purposes.
6 members were CJI + sitting judge of SC + 4 representatives from NWFP, Bombay, Madras, Bengal > Addition of local presidencies representation in central legislative council)
Indian civil services became the open competition & Macalay was made chairman of Indian civil services committee.

⚔️ Expansionist Policies (Doctrine of Lapse)

Introduced Doctrine of Lapse:
- Indian princely states without a natural heir were annexed by the British.
- Notable annexations:
  - Satara (1848)
  - Jhansi (1853)
  - Nagpur (1854)
  - Awadh (1856) (on grounds of maladministration)
Annexation of Punjab (1849) after the Second Anglo-Sikh War

🛡️ Administrative Reforms

Introduced centralized governance and civil services reforms
Established the Public Works Department (PWD)
Reorganized postal, telegraph, and police services
Started first Railway line (1853) between Bombay and Thane

🚢 Infrastructure Development

Boosted railways, roads, telegraphs, and postal networks
Started Grand Trunk Road extension
Established telegraph lines connecting major cities

🎓 Educational Reforms

Implemented Woods Despatch (1854):
- Laid foundation of modern education system
- Promoted English as medium of instruction
- Established universities in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras (1857)

Supported suppression of Sati, female infanticide, and Thuggee
Legalized remarriage of Hindu widows (1856) through the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act

📜 Significance

His policies sowed the seeds of resentment among Indians, which later contributed to the Revolt of 1857
Known for modernization with imperial intentions

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