Indian History

1857 The sepoy Mutiny or First War of Independence

1861 Birth of Rabindranath Tagore
1869 Birth of Mahatma Gandhi
1885 Foundation of Indian National Congress
1889 Birth of Jawaharlal Nehru
1897 Birth of Subhash Chandra Bose
1904 Tibet Expedition
1905 First partition of Bengal under Lord Curzon
1906 Foundation of Muslim League
1911 Delhi Darbar;King and Queen visit India;Delhi becomes the capital of India
1916 World War 1 begins
1916 Lucknow Pact signed by Muslim League and Congress
1918 World War 1 ends
1919 Montague-Chelmsfor Reforms introduced,Jallianwala Bagh massacreat Amritsar
1920 Khilafar Movement launched
1927 Boycott of Simon Commission,broadcasting started in India
1928 Death of lal Lajpat Rai ( Sher-e-Punjab)
1929 Lord Orwaom’s Pact, resolution of complete independence passed at Lahore
Congress
1930 Civil Disobedience Movement launched;Dandi March by Mahatma Gandhi(April 6,
1970 )
1931 Gandhi-Irwin Pact
1935 Government of India Act enacted
1937 Provincial Autonomy,Congress forms ministers
1939 World War II begins (September i )
1941 Death of Rabindranath Tagore, escape of Subhash Chandra Bose from India
1942 Arrival of Cripps Mission in India, ‘Quit India’ movement launched (Aug.8)
1943-44 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose forms provincial Azad Hindu Hukumat and
Indian National Army, Bengal famine
1945 Trial of Indian National Army at Red Fort;Shimla Conference World War II ends
1946 British Cabinet Mission visits India; Interim Government formed at the Centre,
1947 Division of India; India and Pakistan form separate independent dominions
1948 Mahatma Gandhi assassinated (Jan.30); integration of princely states.
1949 Cease-fire in Kashmir,indian Constitution signed and adopted(Nov.26)
1950 India becomes a Sovereign Democratic Republic (Jan.26)and Constitution of India
comes into force
1951 First Five-year Plan.First Asian Games held in Delhi
1952 First General Elections of the Lok Sabha
1953 Conquest of  Mt.Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary
1956 Second Five-Year Plan launched
1957 Second General Elkections;decimal coinage introduced,
Liberation of Goa.
1962 Third General Elections in India; Chinese attack on India (Dec 20 )
1963 Nagaland becomes the 16th indian State
1964 Death of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
1965 Pakistan attacks India
1966 Tashkent Pact;Death of Lal Bahadur Shastri; Mrs. Indira Gandhi elected Prime
Minister of India.
1967 Fourth General Elections;Dr Zakir Hussain elected the third president of India
1969 V.V.Giri elected President of India, Nationalisation of the leading banks by
Presidential ordinance.
1970 Meghalaya designated as autonomous state.
1971 Himachal Pradesh becomes a State;Indo-Pak War, Bangladesh is born
1972 Shimla agreement;Death of C.Rajagopalachari
1973 Mysore State renamed Karnataka
1974 India explodes a nuclear device; Fakhuruddin Ali Ahmed elected as fifth President
Sikkim becomes on associate State of India
1975 India launches ‘Aryabhata’; Sikkim becomes 22nd State of the Indian Union; State
of Emergency is declared
1976 India and China establish diplomatic relations
1977 Sixth General Elections; Janata Party gets majority in Lok Sabha; Neelam Sanjiva
Reddy elected sixth President of India
1979 Morarji Desai resigns as Prime Minister,Charan Singh becomes Prime
Minister;Charan Singh resigns ( Aug 20 ) Sixth Lok Sabha dissolved
1980 Seventh General Elections;Congress I comes to power;Mrs Indira Gandhi sworn in
as Prime Minister; Sanjay Gandhi dies in an air crash, India Launches SLV-3 into space
carrying Rohini Satellite
1982 Longest bridge in Asia opened ( March 2 ); Acharya J.B. Kripalani dies ( March 19)
INSAT.1A launched; Giani Zail Singh elected President of India (July 15) Over 500
persons killed in Gujarat Cyclone ( Nov.5); Acharua Vinobha dies (Nov 15) IX Asian
Games inaugurated (Nov 19)
1983 CHOGM held in New Delhi
1984 Operation Blue Star in Punjab; Rakesh Sharma goes into space; Mrs. Indira Gandhi
assassinated; Rajiv Gandhi becomes PM
1985 Rajiv-Longowal accord signed; Sant H.S. Longowal killed elections in Punjab;
Assam accord; VII Five-Year Plan launched 1986 Mizoram accord.
1987 R.Venkataraman elected President; Shankar Dayal Sharma elected Vice-President
of India, Bofors gun and Fairfax controversies
1989 Ram Shilanyas Puja at Ayodhyat; India’s first IRBM ‘ Agni’ successfully launched
from Orissa (May 22); Trishul Missile test fised (June 5); Second successful launch of
Prithvi (Sept 27); Rajiv Government loses poll  and resigns (Nov.29); Jawahar Rozgar
Yojna launched (Nov.29);National front leader V.P. Singh sworn in as seventh PM, New
cabinet sworn in (Dec.2), Ninth Lok Sabha constituted
1990 Last of IPKF return home (March 25); Indian Airlines A-320 Airbus Crash (Feb.
14); Janata Dal splits; BJP withdraws support to the Government;Advani takes out Rath
Yatra and is arrested, Mandal Report  implemented announced by V.P. Singh Violence
in Ayodhya due to Ram Janam Bhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute
1991 Gulf War breaks out (Jan. 17); Rajiv Gandhi assassinated (May 21); X Lok Sabha
constituted (June 20); P. V. Narasimha Rao becomes Prime Minister
1992 India establishes full diplomatic ties with Israel (Jan. 29); Bharat Ratna and Oscar
winner Satyajit Ray dies (April 23); S.D.Sharma elected President (July 25); INS Shakti-
first indigeneously built submarine was launched on Feb. 7
1993 Ordinance to acquire 67.33 acres in Ayodhya (Jan 7); Massive security falls in BJP
rally; Wave of bombing leaves 300 dead in Bombay; Insat-2B becomes fully operational;
Earthquake in Maharashtra
1994 Government monopoly over civil aviation ends; Storm over GATT treaty;Plague
outbreak; Sushmita Sen-Miss Universe; Aishwarya Rai-Miss World
1995 Mayawati First Dalit Chief Minister of UP; BJP comes to power in Maharashtra and
Gujarat, Janata Dal in Karnataka and Congress in Orissa; Indian National Congress (T)
formed; President’s Rule in UP after fall of Mayawati; INSAT 2C and IRSI-C launched
1996 Hawala takes toll of several Union Ministers ans opposition leaders; PSLV D3
launched on March 21 with IRSP-3 ushering new era in India space programme;
Eleventh Lok Sabha Elections held on April 127-BJP emerges as the single largest party
1997 On August 15, India celebrated its 50th year of Independence
1998 Death of Mother Teressa; Atal Behari Vajpayee becomes Indian Prime Minister;
India explodes its second nuclear device (Pokhran II)
1999 India Airlines plane IC-814 hijacked by terrorists and taken to Kandahar,
Afghanistan, on Dec 24, 1999. Three militants released by Indian govt.for the freedom of
hostages kept as passengers. In June 1999, Flt. Lt. K. Nachiketa, the captured Indian
pilot, released by Pakistan after eight days of captivity. ‘Operation Vijay’ launched by
Indian Army to flush out Pakistani infiltrators inside LoC in the Kargil sector of J&K,
India wins battle.
2000  US President Bill Clinton visits India during March 2000. Three new states
Chhatisgarh, Uttaranchal and Jharkhand created.India’s population crossed one billion
mark.
2001 ‘Agra Summit’ between India and Pakistan in July 2001; Worst natural calamity of
India: Gujarat Earthquake in Jan 2001; ‘Tehelka.Com’ screened video tapes which
opened the murky world of arms deal and its kickbacks to Indian Army officials,
ministers and politicians in March 2001; VI th census of India (since Independence)
concluded in March 2001. Enron bids farewall to Indian energy sector in August 2001;
GSLV
launched successfully in April 2001 and PSLC-C3 launch conducted in October 2001.
2002  71-year old missile scientist, Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, is elected
President of India; One of the most harrific communal roits in recent history, the Godhra
Incident, happens on Feb 27, 2002 in Gujarat;National Water Policy announced in April,
which aims at integrating water resources develpment and management for optimal and
sustainable utilisation.
2003  Formation of Strategic Forces Command (SFO) and the Nuclear Command
Authority (NCA) by India; Air Marshal Teja Mohan Asthana named first commander in
chief of the SFC; Advanced multi purpose satellite, INSAT-3A is successfully launched
into space from Kourou of French Guyana; CBI forms an Economic Intelligence Wing to
tackle white-collar crime in June; India’s adnaced communication satellite INSAT-3E is
launched by an European rocket from the spaceport of Kourou of French Guyana in
December
2004 NDA government ousted by the Congress and its allies in the General Election;
Congress  President Ms Sonia Gandhi opts against becoming Prime Minister of India
despite being in a strong position; Congress and its allies forms government at the centre
under the Prime Ministership of Dr. Manmohan Singh.
 Period Description
ANCIENT
 
EMPIRES
ca. 2500-1600 B.C. Indus Valley culture.
ca. 1500-500 B.C. Migrations of Aryan-speaking tribes; the Vedic Age.
ca. 1000 B.C. Settlement of Bengal by Dravidian-speaking peoples.
Life of Siddartha Gautama--the Buddha; founding of
ca. 563-ca. 483 B.C.
Buddhism.
Mauryan Empire; reign of Ashoka (269-232 B.C.); spread of
ca. 326-184 B.C.
Buddhism.
ca. 180 B.C.-A.D.
Shaka dynasties in Indus Valley.
150
ca. A.D. 320-550 Gupta Empire; classical age in North India.
606-47 North Indian empire of Harsha.
Arab invaders conquer Sindh, establish Islamic presence in
711
India.
750-1150 Pala Dynasty.
1150-1202 Sena Dynasty.
GROWTH OF
 
ISLAM
Mahmud of Ghazni raids Indian subcontinent from
997-1027
Afghanistan.
1202 Turkish conquerors defeat Sena Dynasty and overrun Bengal.
1206-1398 Delhi Sultanate.
1398 Timur sacks Delhi.
1414-50 Sayyid Dynasty; renewal of Delhi Sultanate.
1451-1526 Lodi Dynasty.
THE MUGHAL
 
PERIOD
Babur lays foundation of Mughal Empire; wins First Battle of
1526
Panipat.
Akbar expands and reforms the empire; Mughals win Second
1556-1605
Battle of Panipat.
Reign of Jahangir; in 1612 East India Company opens first
1605-27
trading post (factory).
1628-58 Reign of Shah Jahan.
1658-1707 Reign of Aurangzeb, last great Mughal ruler.
1707-1858 Lesser emperors; decline of the Mughal Empire.
BRITISH PERIOD  
 Battle of Plassey--British victory over Mughal forces in Bengal;
1757
British rule in India begins.
1835 Institution of British education and other reform measures.
Revolt of Indian sepoys (soldiers) against East India
1857-58
Company.
East India Company dissolved; rule of India under the British
1858 crown--the British Raj--begins with Government of India Act;
formal end of Mughal Empire.
1885 Indian National Congress (Congress) formed.
Partition of Bengal into separate provinces of Eastern Bengal
1905
and Assam, West Bengal.
1906 All-India Muslim League (Muslim League) founded.
1909 Morley-Minto Reforms; separate electorates for Muslims.
Partition of Bengal annulled; new province of Bihar and Orissa
1912 formed; plans to move capital from Calcutta to Delhi
announced.
Congress-League Scheme of Reforms (often referred to as
1916
Lucknow Pact) signed.
1919 Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms; Government of India Act.
1935 Government of India Act of 1935.
Muslim League adopts Lahore Resolution; "Two Nations"
1940 theory articulated by Muslim League leader Mohammad Ali
Jinnah and others.
August 16, 1946 "Direct Action Day" of Muslim League.
INDEPENDENT
 
INDIA
Partition of British India; India achieves independence and
incorporates West Bengal and Assam; Jawaharlal Nehru
becomes prime minister of India. Pakistan is created and
August 15, 1947
incorporates East Bengal (the East Wing, or East Pakistan)
and territory in the northwest (the West Wing, or West
Pakistan); Jinnah becomes governor general of Pakistan.
August 15, 1947- Jawaharlal Nehru serves as prime minister and leader of
May 27, 1964 Congress-controlled government.
October 22, 1947- Undeclared war with Pakistan; ends with United Nations-
January 1, 1949 arranged ceasefire.
January 30, 1948 Mahatma Gandhi assassinated in New Delhi.
October 20-
Border war with China.
November 21, 1962
June 9, 1964-January Lal Bhadur Shastri serves as prime minister of Congress-led
11, 1966 government.
August 5-September
Second war with Pakistan.
23, 1965
January 24, 1966- Indira Gandhi serves as prime minister for first time, head of
March 24, 1977 government initially led by Congress, later Congress (R).
December 3-16, Third war with Pakistan; Bangladesh becomes independent
1971 following Indian invasion of East Pakistan.
June 25, 1975-
State of Emergency proclaimed by Indira Gandhi.
January 18, 1977
March 24, 1977-July Morarji Desai serves as prime minister as head of a multiparty
28, 1979 front, Janata Party, India's first non-Congress government.
July 28, 1979- Chaudhury Charan Singh serves as prime minister as head of
January 14, 1980 a Janata-led coalition government.
January 14, 1980- Indira Ganhdi serves as prime minister for second time, head
October 31, 1984 of Congress (I) government.
October 31, 1984 Indira Gandhi assassinated in New Delhi.
October 31, 1984- Rajiv Gandhi serves as prime minister of Congress (I)-led
December 2, 1989 government.
December 2, 1989- Vishwanath Pratap Singh serves as prime minister of National
November 7, 1990 Front-led coalition government.
November 10, 1990- Chandra Shekhar serves as prime minister, heading
June 20, 1991 Samajwadi Janata Party government.
May 21, 1991 Rajiv Gandhi assassinated near Madras.
June 20, 1991-May P.V. Narasimha Rao serves as prime minister of Congress (I)-
15, 1996 led government.
Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, destroyed by Hindu
December 6, 1992
activists.
Communal violence in wake of Babri Masjid destruction
January-March 1993 wracks Indian cities, especially Bombay, which suffered from
a series of bomb blasts in March.
Unpopular Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act
May 1995
of 1985 allowed to lapse
April 27-May 7, General elections for Lok Sabha oust Congress (I)
1996 government of P.V. Narasimha Rao.
Minority Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by
May 15-28, 1996 Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee resigns after thirteen
days.
Haradanahalli (H.D.) Deve Gowda, head of thirteen-party
June 1, 1996
United Front, sworn in as India's eleventh prime minister.