Name the Viceroy of India who formally inaugurated New Delhi as the new capital of British India in the year 1931, replacing Calcutta (Kolkata) as the imperial capital.

Introduction / Context:
This question combines political history with the history of India’s capital cities. The British originally ruled India from Calcutta (Kolkata), but in the early 20th century they decided to shift the capital to Delhi. The formal inauguration of New Delhi as the capital took place in 1931 under a particular Viceroy. Knowing which Viceroy presided over this important ceremony is a useful factual detail for modern Indian history and general knowledge.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• New Delhi was officially inaugurated as the capital of British India in 1931.
• The question asks for the name of the Viceroy at that time.
• The options are Lord Wellesley, Lord Curzon, Lord Cornwallis and Lord Irwin.
• We assume knowledge of key Viceroys and their time periods.

Concept / Approach:
The decision to shift the capital from Calcutta to Delhi was announced in 1911 during the Delhi Durbar under King George V, with Lord Hardinge as Viceroy. However, the actual construction of New Delhi took about two decades. The new capital, designed by architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, was formally inaugurated in 1931, during the tenure of Lord Irwin as Viceroy (1926–1931). Wellesley and Cornwallis belonged to much earlier periods, and Curzon's viceroyalty ended in 1905, well before the inauguration of New Delhi. Therefore, Lord Irwin is the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the capital of British India shifted from Calcutta to Delhi around the early 20th century. Step 2: Note that the announcement of the shift was made in 1911, but the new city of New Delhi was formally inaugurated only in 1931. Step 3: Recognise that Lord Irwin served as Viceroy from 1926 to 1931, covering the year of inauguration. Step 4: Lord Curzon was Viceroy earlier (1899–1905), and Lord Wellesley and Lord Cornwallis served in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, far before New Delhi was built. Step 5: Therefore, the Viceroy who inaugurated New Delhi as the capital in 1931 was Lord Irwin.

Verification / Alternative check:
Historical accounts of the planning and construction of New Delhi mention that the city was inaugurated in 1931 and that Lord Irwin presided over the ceremony as Viceroy. They also discuss his association with other events, such as the Gandhi–Irwin Pact in 1931. By contrast, Curzon is remembered for the partition of Bengal and educational reforms at the turn of the century, and Wellesley and Cornwallis are associated with earlier wars and administrative reforms under the East India Company. This chronological evidence confirms Irwin's role.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Lord Wellesley: Governor General in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, known for expansionist wars, long before the capital shift.
Lord Curzon: Viceroy at the turn of the 20th century, famous for the 1905 partition of Bengal, but he left office years before New Delhi was ready.
Lord Cornwallis: Associated with the Permanent Settlement and earlier Company rule, not with the 20th century inauguration of New Delhi.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the 1911 Delhi Durbar, where the capital shift was announced, with the 1931 inauguration when New Delhi was actually ready. Because Curzon is a very famous Viceroy, some candidates also wrongly pick his name for many capital or administrative questions. To avoid such confusion, it is useful to remember: announcement of capital shift in 1911 under Lord Hardinge; formal inauguration of New Delhi in 1931 under Lord Irwin.

Final Answer:
The Viceroy who inaugurated New Delhi as the new capital of India in 1931 was Lord Irwin.