[History] Important Dates in Indian History

Before Christ [B.C.]

• 2800-2000: Harappan Culture
• From 1500: Coming of Aryans
• 1200-800 and later: Expansion of Aryans in Ganga Valley
• 600: Age of the 16 Mahajanapadas of Northern India
• 563-483: Gautama Buddha
• 540-468: Mahvira
• 542-493: Bimbisara rules Magadha
• 493-461: Ajatshatru rules Magadha
• 413-362: Shishunaga Dynasty
• 362-321: Nanda Dynasty
• 327-326: Alexander's Invasion
• 321: Chandragupta Maurya establishes the Mauryan Empire
• 315: Visit of Megasthenes to India
• 268-232: Ashok's reign
• 185: Fall of the Mauryan Empire
• 1st Century: Bactrian rule in the north-west
• 1st Century: Rise of the Satavahans
• 58: Beginning of the Vikram Era
• 1st Century: Shakas in the Western India
• 1st Century: Sangam period in the South

Anno Domini [A.D.]

• 78: Kanishka's accession and the beginning of the Shaka Era
• 3rd Century: Decline of the Kushanas
• 3rd Century: Decline of Kushanas
• 319-320: Accession of Chandragupta I and Establishment of the Gupta Dynasty
• 335-375: Samudragupta
• 375-415: Chandragupta II
• 405-411: Visit of Fa-Hien
• 450: The first Huna attack on the Gupta Empire
• 560-903: The Pallavas establish their Kingdom
• 543-755: The rise of Chalukyas of Vatapi
• 606-647: Reign of Harshavardhana
• 630-643: Hieun Tsang in India
• 609-642: Reign of Pulakesin II, the Chalukya King
• 622: Beginning of the Hijri era
• 712: Arab Conquest of Sind
• 750: Pala dyanasty founded by Gopala in eastern India
• 753: Rise of the Rashtrakuta Empire
• 800: Shankaracharya
• 840: Rise of the Pratiharas under Bhoja
• 907: Parantaka I establishes Chola power in South India
• 973-1192: Foundation of the Kingdom of the later Chalukya is laid
• 985-1014: Reign of Rajaraja Chola
• 1014-1044: Reign of Rajendra Chola
• 1000-1027: Invasions of Mahmud of Ghazni
• 1030: Alberuni in India, Death of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni
• 1191: 1st battle of Tarain
• 1192: 2nd battle of Tarain, Defeat of Pritviraj III by Muhammad Gauri
• 1206: Death of Muhammad Gauri
• 1206: Qutab-ud-din Aibak founds the Slave dynastry
• 1210: Death of Qutab-ud-din Aibak
• 1210: Accession of Iltumish
• 1236: Death of Iltumish and accession of Raziya
• 1265-1285: Reign of Balban
• 1288-1295: Marco Polo visits South India
• 1290: Khilji Dynasty founded
• 1296-1316: Reign of Ala-ud-din Khilji
• 1302-1311: Malik Kafur's campaign in South India
• 1320: Tughlaq dynasty founded
• 1325-1351: Reign of Muhmmad-bin-Tuglaq, Ibn Batuta in India
• 1336: Foundation of the Vijayanagar kingdom is laid
• 1347: Foundation of the Bahmani kingdom is laid
• 1351-1388: Reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq
• 1398: Timur's invasion
• 1414-1451: Reign of the Sayyid dynasty
• 1451-1526: Reign of Lodi dynasty
• 1440-1518: Kabir
• 1469-1539: Nanak
• 1482-1518: Dissolution of the Bahmani, Emergence of five new kingdoms- Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar, Bidar and Berar
• 1498: Arrival of Vasco-de-Gama in India
• 1509-1530: Reign of Krishnadevraya
• 1526: 1st battle of Panipat; Babar defeats Ibrahim Lodi, Mughal empire founded in India
• 1527: Battle of Khanwa, Babar defeates Rana Sanga
• 1530: Death of Babar and accession of Humayun
• 1539: Sher Shah defeats Humayun at Chausa
• 1545: Death of Sher Shah
• 1556: Death of Humayun and accession of Akbar
• 1556: 2nd battle of Panipat; Akbar defeats Hemu
• 1565: Battle of Talikota
• 1568-1595: Akbar captures Chittor, Ranthambhor, Gujarat, Bengal, Kashmir, Sind, Orissa, Central India and Qandh
• 1600: Queen Elizabeth grants Charter of the company of merchants in London to trade with the east; East India Company established
• 1605: Death of Akbar and accession of Jahangir
• 1616: Sir Thomas Roe received by Jahangir
• 1627: Death of Jahangir
• 1627: Birth of Shivaji
• 1628: Shahjahan proclaimed Emperor
• 1630: Annexation of Ahmednagar
• 1658: Accession of Aurangzeb
• 1674: Shivaji assumes royal title
• 1680: Death of Shivaji
• 1686: Annexation of Golconda
• 1707: Death of Aurangzeb
• 1707-1712: Reign of Bahadur Shah
• 1717: Farrukhsiyar grants firman to the English Company exempting their trade in Bengal from payment of duties in return for lumpsum payment of Rs 300 per annum
• 1739: Nadir Shah occupies Delhi
• 1744-1748: 1st Anglo-French Carnatic War
• 1748-1754: 2nd Anglo-French Carnatic War
• 1757-1763: 3rd Anglo-French Carnatic War
• 1747-1761: Invasion of Ahmed Shah Abdali
• 1757: Battle of Plassey in which the British defeated Siraj-ud-daula, Nawab of Bengal and established control over the rice Provinces of Bihar, Bengal and Orissa
• 1760: Battle of Wandiwash; French are decisively defeated by the British and the French dream of an empire in India comes to an end
• 1761: 3rd battle of Panipat- Ahmed Shah Abdali defeats the Marathas
• 1764-1765: Battle of Buxar in which British defeated the triple alliance of Nawab Mir Qasim of Bengal, Nawab Shuja-ud-daula of Awadh and Mughal emperor Shahjahan; Introduction of dual system of Government in Bengal
• 1767-1769: 1st Anglo-Mysore War
• 1770: The great famine of Bengal
• 1772: End of dual government in Bengal, Company starts direct administration of Bengal, Warren Hastings assumes office as Governor
• 1773: The Regulating Act
• 1775-1782: 1st Anglo-Maratha War
• 1780-1784: 2nd Anglo-Mysore War
• 1784: Pitt's India Act
• 1790: 3rd Anglo-Mysore War
• 1793: Permanent settlement introduced in Bengal
• 1798-1805: Wellesley is Governor General of Bengal
• 1799: 4th Anglo-Mysore War, death of Tipu Sultan, Ranjit Singh captures Lahore and makes it his capitala
• 1803-1805: 2nd Anglo-Maratha War
• 1813: Charter Act
• 1814-1816: Anglo-Nepal War
• 1817-1818: 3rd Anglo-Maratha War, Marathas decisively defeated
• 1829: Prohibition of Sati
• 1833: Renewal of the Company's charter and abolition of its trading rigths
• 1839: Death of Ranjit Singh, New treaty forced on the Amirs of Sind
• 1843: British annex Sind
• 1845-1846: 2nd Anglo-Sikh War and annexation of Punjab
• 1853: First Railway line in India from Bombay to Thane is opened, First telegraph line from Calcutta to Agra, Renewal of Company's Charter
• 1854: Charles Wood's despatch on Indian Education
• 1857: First war of Indian Independence, Outbreak of a vast revolt, Establishment of Universities at Bombay, Calcutta and Madras
• 1858: British Government takes over administration of India from the East India Company, Queen Victoria's proclaimation, End of East India Company Rule
• 1861: The Indian Councils Act, Enactment of the Indian Civil Services and Criminal Code, Birth of Ravinder Nath Tagore
• 1865: Telegraphic communication with Europe opens
• 1869: Opening of Suez Canal, Birth of M.K.Gandhi
• 1876-1877: Delhi Durbar, The Queen of England proclaimed Empress of India
• 1883: Ilbert Bill
• 1885: The Indian National Congress is founded
• 1892: Indian Councils Act passed
• 1905: Partition of Bengal announced
• 1906: Muslim League formed at Dacca
• 1909: Morley-Minto Reforms
• 1911: King George V visits India, A durbar held at Delhi, The Capital of India is shifted form Calcutta to Delhi, Partition of Bengal is annulled
• 1914: Outbreak of World War I
• 1916: Foundation of the Banaras Hindu University is laid, Home Rule League founded, The Indian National Congress and Muslim League sign Lucknow Pact
• April, 1917: Gandhi launches Champaran campaign in Bihar to focus attention on grievances of Indigo-planters, Montague's announcement regarding introduction of responsible Government in India
• 1918: End of World War I, Trade Union Movement begins in India, All India Depressed Classes League formed
• 6 April, 1919: Call for all-India hartal against Rowlatt Act
• 9 April, 1919: Deportation of Dr Satyapal and Dr Kitchlew, Trouble begins at Amritsar
• 13 April, 1919: Jalianwala Bagh Tragedy at Amritsar, Government of India Act, 1919 passed
• 1920: First meeting of the All-India Trade Union Congress, Foundation of Aligarh Muslim University laid, Hunter Commission Report on Jalianwala Bagh Massacre published, First Non-cooperation movement launched by Gandhi
• Feb, 1922: Violent incidents at Chauri Chaura, Gandhi calls of Non-cooperation movement
• 1925: Communist Party of India organised at Kanpur
• 1927: Appointment of Simon Commission
• 1928: Nehru Report
• 1929: Congress adopts the goal of complete independence for India
• 14 Feb, 1930: Congress passes Civil Disobedience Movement resolution
• 12 March, 1930: Gandhi begins Dandi March to manufacture illegal salt, First Round Table Conference held in London
• 1931: Gandhi Irwin Pact, Civil disobedience movement suspended, Second Round Table Conference held
• 1932: R MacDonald announces communal award (modified by the Poona pact, September 24)
• 1935: Government of India Act, 1935 passed
• 1937: Congress ministries formed in provinces
• 1938: All-India Kisan Sabha formed
• 1939: Subhash Chadra Bose resigns as the President of the Congress, 2nd World War begins, Resignation of Congress Ministries in provinces
• 1940: Muslim League adopts the Pakistan resolution, Congress starts Individual Civil Disobedience Movement
• 1941: Death of Rabindranath Tagore
• Feb, 1942: Japanese bombardment of Rangoon, Singapore falls
• March-April, 1942: Cripps mission visits India
• Aug-Sept, 1942: Quit India Movement launched
• 1945: Shimla Conference held, Failure of Wavell Plan, INA trials at Red Fort
• 1946: Cabinet Mission Plan visits India, Direct Action Resolution by Muslim League
• March-June, 1946: Elections for the Constituent Assembly held
• July, 1946: Jawaharlal Nehru heads Interim Government
• 9 Dec, 1946: Constituent Assembly meets at Delhi
• 20 Feb, 1947: British Prime Minister Attlee announces Britain's decision to transfer power to Indian before June, 1948
• 3 June, 1947: Lord Mountbatten announces transfer of power in August, 1947
• July, 1947: Indian Independence Act passed by British Parliament, India is to be partitioned
• 15 Aug, 1947: India becomes free