Final answer:
Following the Sepoy Rebellion of 1857, the British East India Company's rule was terminated and India came under direct British crown rule. Queen Victoria was later proclaimed Empress of India in 1876, marking the formal beginning of the British Raj.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ruler of India in 1857 cannot be narrowly pinpointed due to the transitionary phase of governance during that period. However, it was after the suppression of the Sepoy Rebellion of 1857 that dramatic changes occurred. The rule by the East India Company was ended following the uprising, and the British crown took direct control over India. India was restructured under the British Raj, with the British Parliament disbanding the East India Company. In 1858, with India under direct British rule, local rulers were left with nominal control, although they became subservient to Britain. Meanwhile, Queen Victoria was officially proclaimed Empress of India in 1876, solidifying her role as the figurehead of British governance in India.
It is important to note that during the Sepoy Rebellion, the last Mughal emperor, who had not been actively involved in the revolt, was sent into exile following the British victory. This marked the end of Mughal influence and the formal onset of British direct rule over the subcontinent, which persisted until Indian independence in 1947. This period became known as the British Raj, a term derived from the Sanskrit word 'raj', meaning 'rule'.