Who was the first and also the last Indian to serve as Governor-General of independent India (a post often loosely referred to as viceroy in common usage)?

Introduction / Context:
After India's independence in 1947, the country initially remained a Dominion within the British Commonwealth and retained the office of Governor-General as the representative of the Crown. This office is sometimes loosely and incorrectly called 'viceroy' in casual speech. The question asks who was the first and also the last Indian to occupy this post in independent India.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The time period is after 15 August 1947.
• The post is Governor-General of India under the Dominion status, not the pre-independence viceroy.
• The options include both British and Indian leaders.
• We must identify the Indian who served as Governor-General and was the only Indian to do so.

Concept / Approach:
Lord Mountbatten was the last British Viceroy of India and then the first Governor-General of independent India. However, he was British, not Indian. After him, one Indian statesman served as Governor-General until the office was abolished and replaced by the post of President when India became a republic in 1950. That Indian statesman was C. Rajagopalachari (often called Rajaji).

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. On 15 August 1947, Lord Mountbatten became the first Governor-General of independent India; he was British.2. When Mountbatten left in 1948, C. Rajagopalachari was appointed as Governor-General, becoming the first Indian to hold this post.3. India adopted its Constitution and became a republic on 26 January 1950, at which point the office of Governor-General was abolished and replaced by the President.4. Rajagopalachari was therefore also the last Governor-General of India and the only Indian ever to hold this position in the Dominion period.5. Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai were important freedom fighters but never served as Governor-General.6. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of independent India, not the Governor-General.

Verification / Alternative check:
Political histories of independent India consistently record that Lord Mountbatten served as Governor-General from 1947 to 1948, followed by C. Rajagopalachari from 1948 to 1950. After that, Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the first President of the Republic, and the office of Governor-General ceased to exist. No other Indian ever held the Governor-Generalship, confirming that Rajagopalachari was both the first and last Indian in that role.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Lord Mountbatten: The first Governor-General of independent India but British, not Indian.
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak: A prominent nationalist leader of an earlier era; he died in 1920, long before independence.
• Lala Lajpat Rai: Another early nationalist who died in 1928 and never held the post.
• Jawaharlal Nehru: Served as Prime Minister, not as Governor-General.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates confuse the titles of viceroy, Governor-General, and Prime Minister, or assume that any famous freedom fighter must have held the highest constitutional posts. Others mistakenly think that Mountbatten, as the first Governor-General of independent India, fits the question, forgetting the specific requirement that the person be Indian. The key is to distinguish between the British viceroys and the single Indian Governor-General, C. Rajagopalachari.

Final Answer:
The first and also the last Indian to serve as Governor-General of independent India was C. Rajagopalachari.