Who among the following was the first Governor General of India ?

Lord William Bentinck was the first Governor-General of India. While the Regulating Act of 1773 created the office of Governor-General of Bengal, held first by Warren Hastings [c1][c2], it was the Charter Act of 1833 that redesignated the post as the Governor-General of India [c1][t2]. This act granted the office 'superintendence, direction and control' over the entire civil and military government of British India [t5]. Lord William Bentinck, who had been serving as the Governor-General of Bengal since 1828, became the first to hold this unified title for all of British India under the new legislative framework [t1][t9]. Other options like Robert Clive served as the Governor of Bengal [t2], and Sir Charles Metcalfe served only as an acting Governor-General in 1835 [t10]. Lord Amherst held the earlier title of Governor-General of Bengal from 1823 to 1828.

Sources

1. [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 17: Effects of British Rule > 17.1Establishment of British Raj > p. 265
2. [2] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 1: Historical Background > The features of this Act were as follows: > p. 1
3. [3] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lord-William-Bentinck
4. [4] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-T-Metcalfe