At a time when empires in Europe were crumbling before the might of Napoleon which one of the following Governors- General kept the British flag flying high in India ?

The phrase refers to the Napoleonic era when British power in India was consolidated despite upheavals in Europe. Richard (Lord) Wellesley, Governor‑General from 1798–1805, pursued an aggressive forward policy of territorial aggrandisement and used the subsidiary alliance to bring Indian states under British influence, ensuring British supremacy in the subcontinent [1]. He arrived in 1798 at a time when Britain was locked in a life‑and‑death struggle with France and deliberately expanded British control across India, undertaking large‑scale annexations and assumption of states into Company administration [3]. This sustained expansion and strategic diplomacy are why Lord Wellesley is credited with “keeping the British flag flying high” in India during the Napoleonic crises.

Sources

1. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 5: Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India > Subsidiary Alliance > p. 120
2. [2] Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 4: The British Conquest of India > Expansion under Lord Wellesley (1798-1805) > p. 75
3. [3] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 17: Effects of British Rule > 17.3 Subsidiary Alliance and Doctrine of Lapse > p. 267