In modern Indian history, who was serving as the Viceroy of India when the Simon Commission visited India in 1928?

Introduction / Context:
The Simon Commission is an important episode in the history of the Indian national movement. It was a statutory commission sent by the British government to review the working of the Government of India Act 1919 and to suggest further constitutional reforms. The question tests whether you can correctly connect this famous commission with the Viceroy of India who was in office when it visited India in 1928, a useful factual detail for modern Indian history and competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The commission referred to is the Simon Commission.
• It visited India in the year 1928.
• The post in question is the Viceroy of India.
• Several well known Viceroys are listed as options: Lord Chelmsford, Lord Reading, Lord Irwin and Lord Wellington.
• We assume the standard chronology of British Viceroys in India as taught in history books.

Concept / Approach:
To answer this, you need to recall the sequence of Viceroys in the 1910s and 1920s and match the dates of their tenure with the date of the Simon Commission's visit. Lord Chelmsford was associated with the Government of India Act 1919 and the events around the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy. Lord Reading held office in the early 1920s. Lord Irwin was Viceroy during the late 1920s and early 1930s and is associated with the Simon Commission protests and the later Gandhi Irwin Pact. By correctly placing these Viceroys in time, you can identify who was in office in 1928.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Simon Commission arrived in India in 1928. Step 2: Note that Lord Chelmsford served as Viceroy roughly from 1916 to 1921, earlier than the Commission. Step 3: Lord Reading served as Viceroy after Chelmsford, approximately from 1921 to 1926. Step 4: Lord Irwin took charge after Lord Reading and served from about 1926 to 1931, covering the year 1928. Step 5: Lord Wellington was not the Viceroy associated with the Simon Commission in 1928. Step 6: Therefore, the Viceroy when the Simon Commission visited India was Lord Irwin.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard lists of British Viceroys confirm the timeline: Chelmsford (1916–1921), Reading (1921–1926), Irwin (1926–1931). The Simon Commission is always dated to 1927–28, with its actual visit and the famous slogan “Simon, go back” occurring in 1928. Since Irwin was in office from 1926, he was the Viceroy during the Commission's visit. Cross checking multiple modern Indian history references will show the same association between Lord Irwin and the Simon Commission protests.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Lord Chelmsford: His tenure ended in 1921, well before the Simon Commission was appointed or visited India, so he could not have been the Viceroy in 1928.
Lord Reading: He left office in 1926, two years before the Commission arrived in India.
Lord Wellington: He is not recorded in standard lists as the Viceroy connected with the Simon Commission in 1928.

Common Pitfalls:
Many students mix up the Viceroys around this period because several major events occurred close together: the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the Montagu Chelmsford reforms, the Non Cooperation Movement, the Simon Commission agitation and the Civil Disobedience Movement. Another common error is to guess Lord Chelmsford or Lord Reading simply because their names feel more familiar. Keeping a mental timeline that clearly places Irwin in the late 1920s and early 1930s helps avoid such confusion.

Final Answer:
The Viceroy of India when the Simon Commission visited in 1928 was Lord Irwin.