The Indian National Congress was founded during the Viceroyalty of

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded in December 1885 during the viceroyalty of Lord Dufferin, who served as the Viceroy of India from 1884 to 1888. The first session was held in Bombay and was attended by 72 delegates, with Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee serving as the first president. Lord Dufferin initially supported the formation of the INC, viewing it as a 'safety valve' to channel political discontent through peaceful means. However, he later became critical of the organization, famously describing it as representing only a 'microscopic minority' of the Indian population. Other viceroys mentioned, such as Lord Lytton (1876–1880) and Lord Ripon (1880–1884), preceded the establishment of the Congress, while Lord Mayo served much earlier from 1869 to 1872.