Charles Hardinge was a British diplomat and statesman who served as Viceroy and Governor-General of India from 1910 to 1916.⁣
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His tenure was a memorable one, and included the visit of King George V, and the Delhi Durbar of 1911, as well as the move of the capital from Calcutta to New Delhi, in 1911.⁣
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He was sympathetic towards the Indians and wished to win their goodwill.

The important event during his tenure were:⁣

  • Delhi Durbar of 1911, ⁣
  • Annulment of the partition of Bengal, 1911⁣
  • Transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi, 1911⁣
  • Delhi Conspiracy Case, 1912⁣
  • Foundation of Ghadar Party, 1913⁣
  • Outbreak of the First World War, 1914 ⁣
  • Komagatamaru incident, 1914⁣
  • Foundation of Indian Independence League at Berlin, 1914⁣
  • Departure of Mahatma Gandhi to South Africa, 1915 ⁣
  • Foundation of Benaras Hindu University, 1915⁣
  • Formation of the Home Rule League by Tilak, 1916 ⁣

Although Hardinge was the target of assassination attempts by Indian nationalists, his tenure included an improvement of relations between the British administration and the nationalists, as a consequence of the implementation of the Morley-Minto reforms of 1909; and of Hardinge’s own admiration for Mohandas Gandhi and criticism of the South African government’s anti-Indian immigration policies.⁣