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Contributor:Alok Vijay (on soc.culture.indian)
Note: With the interest in Indian history on this group, let me
post the Indian history as I know of ... It is mostly from the Hindustan
Year Book but there are some personal touches added in some places especially
PART V). Most of it was written way back in 1990 and posted on SCI. Sections
for 1991-94 are added today.
Part I - Year 3200 B.C. - 712 A.D.
Part II - Year 712 A.D. - 1605 A.D.
Part III - Year 1612 A.D. - 1858 A.D.
Part IV - Year 1858 A.D. - 1950 A.D.
Part V - Year 1950 A.D. - 1994 A.D.
(Source: Hindustan Year-Book)
(Indus civilization, Birth and Rise of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam, Invasions of Alexander and Hun)
B.C.
| 3200-2000 | The traditionally accepted date of the Indus Valley Civilization. The civilization flourished between 2350-1750. |
| 1200-1000 | Rigveda compiled |
| 1000-500 | Age of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata or the Bhagwad Gita. |
| 623-543 | Traditional years of birth and death of the Buddha (Sidhartha). Buddhism founded in India (Sanchi, Bihar) |
| 540-468 | Traditional years of birth and death of Mahavira (Founded Jainism) |
| 377 | Buddhist Council at Vaisali |
| 326 | Invasion of India by Alexander |
| 324 | Maurya Empire founded by Chandragupta |
| 273-232 | Reign of Asoka : Asoka spreads message of Buddhism to China and towards East. |
| 190 | Greek Kingdoms of N.W. India. |
| 187 | End of the Maurya dynasty |
| 187-75 | Rule of the Sungas |
| 58 | Beginning of Vikram Era. |
A.D. (Death of Jesus Christ)
| 64-225 | Kushan dynasty in N.W. India; South Indian Kingdoms of Cholas, Cheras and Pandavas. |
| 78 | Accession of Kanishka. Beginning of Saka Era. |
| 320-475 | Gupta dynasty; Ajanta Cave frescoes and Ellora Cave carvings |
| 335-376 | Reign of Samudra Gupta. |
| 376-414 | Reign of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya). |
| 405-11 | Fa-Hien from China travels India. |
| 454 | First Hun invasion. |
| 480-90 | Fall of Gupta Empire. |
| 606-647 | Reign of Harshavardhana. |
| 630-644 | Another Chinese Hiuen Tsang travels India. |
| 600-700 | Birth and Rise of Islam in the Middle East and Jerusalem area. Followers instructed to spread Islam around the world. |
| 712 | Arab conquest of Sind by Mohammed bin Qasim. |
(Period of Islamic invasions, North India enslaved by 1200 A.D., Entire India enslaved by 1526 A.D., Foundation of Sikhism, Defiance against Mughal rule by Rajput King Rana Pratap, East India Co. founded in India)
| 712 | Arab conquest of Sind by Mohammed bin Qasim. |
| 730 | Accession of Yasovarman of Kanyakubja |
| 735 | First Parsi settlement |
| 750-1202 | Palas & Senas of Bengal |
| 820 | Death of Sankaracharya |
| 800-900 | Kashmir's Hindu/Budhist culture destroyed. Temples buried. |
| 960-1200 | Chandellas of Bundelkhand |
| 1000-1026 | Islamic invasion of India by Mahmud of Ghazni. |
| 1050 | Buddhist missions to Tibet |
| 1191 | Invasion of Muhammad of Ghur |
| 1192 | Defeat and Death of Prithviraj, the last Rajput King of Delhi |
| 1206-1290 | Establishment of Muslim rule in North India; Reign of Slave Kings |
| 1221 | First Mongol invasion by Chengiz Khan. |
| 1228 | Conquest of Assam by the Ahoms. |
| 1230 | Vijaynagar Kingdom founded in the South. |
| 1290-1316 | Reign of the Khalifis at Delhi |
| 1320-1412 | Reigh of Tughlak Sultans of Delhi |
| 1347 | Bahmani Kingdom of Deccan founded in the South. |
| 1398 | Invasion of Timur. |
| 1436-1533 | Life of Sri Chatanya, Saint of Bengal. |
| 1451-1526 | Reign of Lodi Sultans of Delhi. |
| 1469-1545 | Birth and Hindu reformist teachings of Guru Nanak. Exiled by Slave Hindu King. Foundation of Sikhism. |
| 1494 | Foundation of Agra by Sikander Lodi. |
| 1498 | Vasco da Gama (Portugese) discovered India by sea route & reached Calicut. |
| 1510 | Portugese invasions. Portugese captured Goa. |
| 1526 | First Battle of Panipat, Establishment of Mughal Empire by Babar. Empire include many Southern kingdoms. |
| 1539-45 | Reign of Sher Shah. |
| 1556-1605 | Second Battle of Panipat (1556), Reign of Akbar |
| 1556-1597 | Rajput King Rana Pratap defies Akbar and retains his Kingdom |
| 1597 | Death of Rana Pratap. |
| 1600 | East India Co. founded by Royal Charter. |
| 1605 | Death of Akbar |
(Moghul Decline, British arrive in India, Building of the Taj Mahal, Terror of Aurangzeb, Shivaji outsmarts Mughuls, Courageous Sikh resistance to Islamic terror and oppression, Nadir Shah sacked North West India, East India Co. takes over North East India, Reforms in Hindu practices, English introduced as medium of instruction in 1835, Indian Mutiny of 1857, India governed by British Crown in 1858)
| 1612 | 1st English factory set up at Surat. |
| 1627 | Birth of Shivaji |
| 1627-57 | Reign of Shah Jahan. |
| 1644 | Farman permitting the English to trade in Bengal. |
| 1658-1707 | Reign of Aurangzeb. |
| 1668 | 1st French factory set up at Surat. |
| 1675 | Sikh resistance to Moghuls intensifies. Execution of Guru Teg Bahdur, 9th Sikh Guru, by Aurangzeb. |
| 1680 | E.I. Company established trading center at Calcutta. |
| 1686-87 | Fall of the Kingdoms of Bijapur and Golconda. |
| 1698 | The E.I. Co. obtained Zamindari of three villages of Sutanati, Kalikata, and Gobindpur - nucleus of Calcutta. |
| 1707 | Death of Aurangzeb, the "terrorist" Mughul King. |
| 1734 | Nadir Shah sacked North India/Delhi. |
| 1757 | Battle of Plassey |
| 1761 | Third Battle of Paniput. |
| 1764 | Battle of Buxar. |
| 1765 | Grant of Dewani of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to E.I. Co. by Mughal Emperor Shah Alam. |
| 1772 | Warren Hastings appointed first Governal-General of British India. |
| 1775 | Execution of Nanda Kumar. |
| 1781 | First Newspaper, Hickey's Calcutta Gazette in India. |
| 1784 | Pitt's India Bill passed by the British Parliament. |
| 1786-90 | Reforms of Cornwallis. |
| 1790 | Third Mysore war. |
| 1792-1839 | Ranjit Singh succeeds his father as leader of a Sikh Misl. Had lavish life style and Harems, Hindu's eldest son raised as Sikh. Tenth Guru Govind Singh's teachings, Sikhs brave Islamic terror and oppression. |
| 1793 | Permanent settlement of Bengal. |
| 1799 | Death of Tipu Sultan. |
| 1828-35 | Lord Bentinck as Governor-General. |
| 1829 | Brahmo Samaj founded by Raja Rammohan Roy; Prohibition of Sati. |
| 1835 | Introduction of English as medium of instruction. |
| 1839 | Death of Ranjit Singh. |
| 1839-42 | Anglo-Afghan War. |
| 1854 | First postage stamp introduced. |
| 1856 | Annexation of Oudh by the British; Introduction of Hindu widow marriage. |
| 1857 | Indian Mutiny. Tantaya Tope, Jhansi Rani Lakshmi Bai bravely fight the British army but lose the 'freedom movement'. British reassert. |
| 1858 | Transfer of India from E.I. Co. to British Crown. |
(British Rule, Birth of Rabindranath Tagore, M.K. Gandhi, Arya Samaj Founded by Swami Dayanand Sarsawati, Birth of Subhas Chandra Bose, Swami Vivekanand travels to America, Indian National Congress founded, Muslim League founded, British reforms, Gandhi returns to India from South Africa, Gandhi's quest for freedom and non-cooperation movement, Jalianwalabagh massacre by British at Amritsar, Sikhs join the freedom struggle against British, World War I, Burma separated from India, Provincial autonomy granted, Congress ministries in most provinces, World war II, Bose's I.N.A. movement, Cripps mission, Quit India movement. India partitioned, Freedom at midnight, Kashmir attacked by Afghan/Pakistan, Gandhi's assasination, India becomes Republic)
| 1858-1947 | Transfer of India from E.I. Co. to British Crown in 1857. Period of growth of technology and socio-religious reforms but accompanied with arrogant racism and suppression of native Indian people's rights, Hard labor and widespread economic exploitation. |
| 1861 | Birth of Rabindranath Tagore |
| 1869 | Birth of Mahatama (Mohandas Karamchand) Gandhi (2nd October). |
| 1874 | Great Famine of Bengal |
| 1875 | Arya Samaj founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati. |
| 1885 | Indian National Congress founded in Bombay. |
| 1892 | Swami Vivekanand travels to America to attend First World Religious Conference. Enlightens attendies about Hinduism. |
| 1897 | Birth of Subhash Chandra Bose (23rd Jan). |
| 1905 | Partition of Bengal. Anti-Partition Movement begins. |
| 1906 | Foundation of the Muslim League |
| 1907 | Congress split between extremists and moderates. |
| 1909 | Morley-Minto Reforms. |
| 1911 | Partition of Bengal revoked. First inland airmail flight. |
| 1913 | Nobel Prize for Rabindranath Tagore. |
| 1914 | Gandhi returns to India from South Africa; Beginning of World War I |
| 1918 | Montague-Chelmsford Reforms; Jalianwalabagh massacre at Amritsar by British (13 April); Sikhs join Indian freedom struggle; Third Afghan war. World War I ends. |
| 1920-22 | Non-cooperation Movement; Khilafat Movement. |
| 1930 | Civil Disobedience Movement started by Congress |
| 1931 | 1st Round Table Conference and Gandhi-Irwin pact. |
| 1932 | Second Civil Disobedience Movement. |
| 1935 | Government of India Act passed. |
| 1937 | Inauguration of Provincial Autonomy; Congress Ministries in most provinces; Burma separated from India (1st April). |
| 1939 | Second World War begins, Resignation of Congress Ministries in 9 provinces. |
| 1941 | Subhash Chandra Bose escapes from India to organize the I.N.A. Movement. |
| 1942 | Cripps' Mission; 'Quit India' Movement started by Gandhi. 1943 - Bengal Famines. |
| 1946 | Cabinet Mission's plan; Interim Government with J.L. Nehru as Prime Minister and widespread communal riots. |
| 1947 | Partition of India; India becomes independent (15 August); Home Minister Vallabh Bhai Patel consolidates Indian states. Jawahar Lal Nehru is the first Prime Minister. Kashmir attacked by Afghans/Pakistan. Raja Hari Singh signs Kashmir documents to make it a part of India. |
| 1948 | Mahatama Gandhi contends India owed Pakistan 55 million rupees. Volunteers to travel to Pakistan to seek reconciliation but is assasinated by Nathuram Godse (Jan 30). UN resolutions on Kashmir. |
| 1949 | India's new constitution passed into law (26 Nov) |
| 1950 | India becomes a Republic (26 Jan). Kashmir given special status. Indian History (Part V) (Source: Hindustan Year Book, Personal Recollections) |
(Independent India, Democracy and Elections, Economic Development- Five Year Plans, Indo-China war of 1962, Indo-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971, India's scientific & technological achievements, Jai Prakash Narain movement, Emergency Period of 1975-77, Growth of Indian opposition parties, Assam Unrest, Punjab/Sikh Unrest, Assasination of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi Leads, Indo Sri-Lanka Accord, Indias High Technology Ventures, Rise in Corruption, Decline of Rajiv Gandhi, India develops an alternative governing coalition, Kashmir Unrest, V.P. Singh, Rajiv Gandhi Assasinated, Rao leads)
| 1950 | India becomes a Democratic, Socialistic Republic with its own Constitution (Jan 26). |
| 1951 | First Five-Year Plan launched. |
| 1952 | First General Election |
| 1953 | Mt. Everest conquered for the first time by Tenzing & Hillary. |
| 1954 | French Settlements in India merged to India; Doctrine of Panch Shila (Five principles of non-interference) accepted basis for Indo-Chinese relations. US supports Pakistan while USSR supports India on issues like Kashmir. |
| 1956 | Indian States reorganized on linguistic basis; 2nd Five-Year Plan launched. |
| 1957 | Second General Elections held. |
| 1958 | Metric System of weights and measures introduced. |
| 1960 | Bombay and Sourashtra regions converted into Maharashtra and Gujarat. |
| 1961 | Portugese surrender. Goa again becomes part of India. |
| 1962 | Communist China attacked India (Oct.); Third General Elections. |
| 1963 | Rocket centre of Thumba launched its first rocket. |
| 1964 | Jawahar Lal Nehru dies of heart attack (May 27), Lal Bahadur Shastri becomes Prime Minister (June 9). |
| 1965 | Mt. Everest conquered by Indians (May 20); Indo-Pak undeclared war (August 5 - September 22). India wins territories of Pakistan. Reaches very close to Lahore. Pakistan wins some parts of Kashmir. |
| 1966 | USSR mediates the talk between India and Pakistan. POWs and territories won to be returned to each other. Indian army viewed it as an unjust settlement. Lal Bahadur Shastri signs such accord and dies (Jan 11) suddenly in Tashkent, USSR after signing the accord. His death remained a mystery - Whether it was heart attack or an act of murder. Indians decide to negotiate on their own in future. |
| 1966 | Indira Gandhi becomes Prime Minister (24 Jan). Punjab unrest starts. Punjab partitioned again into Punjabi speaking Punjab and Hindi speaking Haryana. |
| 1967 | Fourth General Election held. |
| 1968 | Congress Party splits - Mrs Indira Gandhi expelled from the Congress. 1970 - Creation of Meghalaya State. |
| 1971 | Himachal pradesh becomes a State (2nd April): Mid-term Lok Sabha Elections (March), Nixon-Indira Gandhi meetings in US do not go well. Indira Gandhi pushes for and Indo-Soviet Friendship treaty (Aug 9) is signed; Indo-Pak war takes place (Dec 3-16). Bangladesh created. |
| 1972 | Fifth General Election; New States of Tripura and Manipur formed. Mutually negotiated Simla agreement signed between India and Pakistan to resolve differences between them without use of force. |
| 1973 | Indian dacoit gangs surrender under Jai Prakash Narayan's efforts. JP starts movement for social equality. It slowly becomes a movement for greater socialism. Change of priorities from Science & Technology to more socialistic values is suggested. |
| 1974 | Indira Gandhi continues to push Science & Technology. India conducts underground nuclear explosion (May 18). Seen as deterrent to China. |
| 1975 | Sikkim becomes a State of India (April); First Indian satellite launched; Sanjay Gandhi pushes a very aggressive and ambitious family planning program. Excesses are committed with the villagers. Jai Prakash Narayan movement for Socialism gains momentum. State of Emergency declared. |
| 1977-78 | Dissolution of Lok Sabha and the nation goes to the polls. The Congress party led by Indira Gandhi is rejected by the people. Janata government gains power. Morarji Desai becomes PM. President F.A. Ahmed dies. Indira Gandhi is harassed and almost put into jail. |
| 1979 | PM Morarji Desai resigns in face of no-confidence motion (July 15). Chaudhary Charan Singh became the PM on July 28 but resigned on August 20. President Sanjiva Reddy dissolves the Lok Sabha (Aug 22). |
| 1980 | Seventh Lok Sabha Poll is held. Mrs. Indira Gandhi wins handily and returns as PM once again (Jan 14). |
| 1981 | Rohini Satellite launched from Sriharikota (May 31). First Telecomm. satellite APPLE put into orbit by European Space Agency. |
| 1982-84 | Sikh unrest starts. It becomes violent. Khalistan demands are made. Sant Bhindranwale directs a violent Sikh movement from the Golden Temple Complex. Indira Gandhi orders Army assault to capture Bhindranwale and crush the violent movement (June). Bhindranwale dies in the assault. Sikhs take revenge by assasinating Indira Gandhi in Ocotober. North India/Delhi witnesses widespread Hindu-Sikh riots. Almost 3000 of Sikhs are killed in revenge. Sikhs claim killings were organized and premeditated by Congress officials. Rajiv Gandhi is sworn as PM. Rajiv Gandhi seeks people's mandate and wons handily in the December polls (Eighth Lok Sabha). Rajiv pushes Science & Technology, visions of taking India into 21st century. |
| 1985-88 | Assam agreement is signed with students. Assam life returns normal. Punjab problem continues. Sikhs remain emotionally alienated. Thousands are killed in Sikh terrorist violence in Punjab. Rajiv Gandhi pushes for economic development. High tech industries prop up. Consumerism and prices rise in India. Indian software industry becomes highly successful. Public corruption increases. Relations with US, Pakistan and China are improved. Relations with Sri Lanka and Nepal deteriorate. Indian peace keeping force is sent to Sri Lanka under Indo-Sri Lanka agreement to weed out extremists and bring peace to the strife torn island nation. It is met with mixed success. Tamil minority rights are gained but LTTE resists IKPF.India helps Maldives fight a government overthrow attempt. |
| 1989 | Rajiv Gandhi comes under strong fire from VP singh and others for mishandling Bofors case. He is also cited as ineffective to solve the Punjab problem despite a strong people's mandate in 1984 polls. He is deemed inexperienced and adventuristic. Ninth Lok Sabha elections are held and Rajiv Gandhi's congress party is rejected for power. Janata Dal, Bhartiya Janata Party and Communist Parties forge a ruling alliance. VP Singh, once defense and finance minster in Rajiv Gandhi's govt. becomes the Prime Minister. He makes attempt to sooth Sikh emotions by travelling to Golden Temple and meeting Sikh religious leaders. Kashmir militancy meanwhile rises. |
| 1990 | Kashmir unrest grows. External hand of Pakistan is seen. Indo-Pak relations take a steep fall. Kashmir is put under Governor's rule. Army is kept on the alert. Ayodhya temple issue flares up. VP Singh pulls out Mandal report and orders additional 27% reservations for Backward Castes (BC). Student unrest. |
| 1991 | VP Singh loses no confidence motion due to Ayodhya and Reservation Issues. BJP splits from coalition. Chandrashekar becomes PM with support from Rajiv Gandhi's Congress party. Devi Lal is the deputy PM. Devi Lal and Rajiv Gandhi don't get along. Rajiv Gandhi is harassed in Bofors case. Rajiv Gandhi withdraws support and govt. falls. New elections ordered by the President R. Venkataraman. Rajiv Gandhi is once again popular and is favorite to win election. Rajiv assasinated in Tamilnadu by LTTE suicide bomber. Rao is chosen as successor. Narsimha Rao leads congress party and nation. BJP gains as a party and becomes major opposition. |
| 1992-94 | India almost defaults on foreign loans. Precarious foreign exchange situation. Manmohan Singh lauches widespread economic reforms. India rebounds economically. VHP leads Ayodhya temple issue. Babri site is destroyed and makeshift Ram temple is built on the disputed site. VHP is banned. RAA and BJP also banned but later restored. BJP governments in four northern states dismissed. State elections one year later has mixed results for BJP. Congress gains majority. Janata Dal splits. BJP continues as major opposition party. Foreign companies invest in India in large numbers. Stock exchange and major buildings in Bombay are rocked with Bomb explosions. Pakistani hand seen in violence in Bombay. Kashmir situation worsens. Punjab violence is controlled. |
REFERENCES
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