Indian History

Comprehensive guide to Indian history, from ancient civilizations to modern independence.

Ancient India (1-40)

Indus Valley Civilization
Existed around 2500 BCE.
Main Cities
Harappa (Punjab) and Mohenjo-daro (Sindh).
Great Bath
Discovered in Mohenjo-daro.
Harappan Weights
Used weights based on the binary system.
Indus Script
Still undeciphered.
Aryan Arrival
Arrived in India around 1500 BCE.
Rigveda
Oldest known literary work in India.
Vedic Age
Divided into Early and Later Vedic Period.
Painted Grey Ware
Culture linked with Later Vedic period.
Mahajanapadas
16 mentioned in Buddhist texts (Anguttara Nikaya).
Magadha
Emerged as the strongest Mahajanapada.
Ajatashatru
Powerful ruler of Magadha.
Mahavira
24th Tirthankara, founded Jainism (6th century BCE).
Buddha's Enlightenment
Attained at Bodh Gaya.
First Buddhist Council
Held at Rajagriha.
Second Buddhist Council
Held at Vaishali.
Third Buddhist Council
By Ashoka at Pataliputra.
Fourth Buddhist Council
At Kashmir by Kanishka.
Mauryan Empire
Founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE.
Kalinga War
Ashoka fought in 261 BCE.
Ashoka's Conversion
Adopted Buddhism post Kalinga war.
Ashoka's Edicts
Inscribed in Brahmi and Kharosthi.
Megasthenes
Greek ambassador at Chandragupta's court.
Mauryan Administration
Highly centralized.
Arthashastra
Written by Kautilya (Chanakya).
Sunga Dynasty
Succeeded the Mauryas.
Kanva Dynasty
Succeeded the Sungas.
Satavahanas
Ruled the Deccan (Andhra region).
Junagarh Inscription
Issued by Rudradaman I.
Indo-Greek Coins
Introduced first gold coins in India.
Menander (Milinda)
Converted to Buddhism.
Kushanas
Ruled from Peshawar.
Saka Era
Started by Kanishka (78 CE).
Gandhara Art
Flourished under Kushanas.
Gupta Empire
Founded by Chandragupta I (320 CE).
Samudragupta
Called "Napoleon of India".
Chandragupta II
Known as Vikramaditya.
Fahien
Visited India during Gupta reign.
Gupta Period Art
Classical age of Indian art.
Aryabhata
Wrote Aryabhatiya during Gupta rule.

Medieval India (41-80)

Harshavardhana
Last great Hindu ruler of North India (606-647 CE).
Hiuen Tsang
Chinese traveler visited during Harsha's reign.
Nalanda University
Ancient center of learning, destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji.
Arab Invasion
Muhammad bin Qasim invaded Sindh in 712 CE.
Mahmud of Ghazni
Invaded India 17 times (1000-1027 CE).
Somnath Temple
Destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1025 CE.
Muhammad Ghori
Defeated Prithviraj Chauhan in 1192 CE.
First Battle of Tarain
Prithviraj Chauhan defeated Ghori in 1191 CE.
Second Battle of Tarain
Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan in 1192 CE.
Qutub-ud-din Aibak
First Sultan of Delhi (1206-1210 CE).
Qutub Minar
Started by Qutub-ud-din Aibak, completed by Iltutmish.
Iltutmish
Real founder of Delhi Sultanate (1211-1236 CE).
Razia Sultan
First and only woman ruler of Delhi Sultanate.
Balban
Established strong monarchy (1266-1287 CE).
Alauddin Khilji
Conquered Gujarat, Malwa, and Deccan (1296-1316 CE).
Market Reforms
Introduced by Alauddin Khilji.
Muhammad bin Tughlaq
Transferred capital to Daulatabad (1327 CE).
Token Currency
Introduced by Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Firoz Shah Tughlaq
Built canals and hospitals (1351-1388 CE).
Timur's Invasion
Invaded India in 1398 CE.
Sayyid Dynasty
Ruled Delhi from 1414-1451 CE.
Lodhi Dynasty
Last dynasty of Delhi Sultanate (1451-1526 CE).
First Battle of Panipat
Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi in 1526 CE.
Babur
Founded Mughal Empire in India (1526-1530 CE).
Humayun
Lost empire to Sher Shah Suri (1530-1540 CE).
Sher Shah Suri
Introduced Grand Trunk Road and new currency.
Akbar
Greatest Mughal emperor (1556-1605 CE).
Din-i-Ilahi
New religion founded by Akbar.
Nine Gems
Famous courtiers in Akbar's court.
Jahangir
Known for his justice (1605-1627 CE).
Shah Jahan
Built Taj Mahal (1628-1658 CE).
Aurangzeb
Last great Mughal emperor (1658-1707 CE).
Maratha Empire
Founded by Shivaji (1674-1680 CE).
Ashtapradhan
Council of eight ministers under Shivaji.
Vijayanagara Empire
Founded by Harihara and Bukka (1336 CE).
Krishnadevaraya
Greatest ruler of Vijayanagara Empire.
Bahmani Kingdom
Founded by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah (1347 CE).
Golconda Fort
Famous for its acoustics and architecture.
Bhakti Movement
Religious movement emphasizing devotion.
Sufi Movement
Islamic mystical movement in India.

Modern India (81-120)

Battle of Plassey
Robert Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah in 1757 CE.
Battle of Buxar
British defeated combined forces in 1764 CE.
Dual Government
Introduced by Robert Clive in Bengal.
Permanent Settlement
Introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793 CE.
Ryotwari System
Introduced by Thomas Munro in Madras.
Mahalwari System
Introduced in North-Western Provinces.
First Anglo-Maratha War
Fought between 1775-1782 CE.
Second Anglo-Maratha War
Fought between 1803-1805 CE.
Third Anglo-Maratha War
Fought between 1817-1818 CE.
First Anglo-Sikh War
Fought between 1845-1846 CE.
Second Anglo-Sikh War
Fought between 1848-1849 CE.
Doctrine of Lapse
Introduced by Lord Dalhousie.
First War of Independence
Started in 1857 CE at Meerut.
Queen's Proclamation
Issued in 1858 CE after the revolt.
Indian National Congress
Founded in 1885 CE by A.O. Hume.
Partition of Bengal
Announced by Lord Curzon in 1905 CE.
Swadeshi Movement
Started after partition of Bengal.
Muslim League
Founded in 1906 CE at Dhaka.
Morley-Minto Reforms
Introduced in 1909 CE.
Home Rule Movement
Started by Annie Besant and Tilak in 1916 CE.
Lucknow Pact
Signed between Congress and Muslim League in 1916 CE.
Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
Introduced in 1919 CE.
Rowlatt Act
Passed in 1919 CE.
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
Occurred on April 13, 1919 CE.
Non-Cooperation Movement
Started by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920 CE.
Chauri Chaura Incident
Occurred on February 5, 1922 CE.
Simon Commission
Arrived in India in 1928 CE.
Nehru Report
Submitted in 1928 CE.
Civil Disobedience Movement
Started with Dandi March in 1930 CE.
First Round Table Conference
Held in London in 1930 CE.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact
Signed in 1931 CE.
Second Round Table Conference
Held in London in 1931 CE.
Third Round Table Conference
Held in London in 1932 CE.
Poona Pact
Signed between Gandhi and Ambedkar in 1932 CE.
Government of India Act
Passed in 1935 CE.
Quit India Movement
Started on August 8, 1942 CE.
Cabinet Mission
Arrived in India in 1946 CE.
Mountbatten Plan
Announced on June 3, 1947 CE.
Indian Independence Act
Passed on July 18, 1947 CE.
Partition of India
Occurred on August 15, 1947 CE.
First Governor General
Lord Mountbatten (1947-1948 CE).
First Indian Governor General
C. Rajagopalachari (1948-1950 CE).

Freedom Fighters (121-160)

Mahatma Gandhi
Father of the Nation, led non-violent movements.
Jawaharlal Nehru
First Prime Minister of India, known as Chacha Nehru.
Subhas Chandra Bose
Founded INA, known as Netaji.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Iron Man of India, unified princely states.
Bhagat Singh
Revolutionary socialist, executed at 23.
Chandrashekhar Azad
Revolutionary leader, never captured alive.
Lala Lajpat Rai
Known as Punjab Kesari, died after police lathi charge.
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Known as Lokmanya, "Swaraj is my birthright".
Bipin Chandra Pal
Part of Lal-Bal-Pal trio, extremist leader.
Dadabhai Naoroji
First Indian MP in British Parliament, Grand Old Man of India.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Political guru of Mahatma Gandhi.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
First Education Minister of India.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad
First President of India.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
Architect of Indian Constitution.
Sarojini Naidu
Nightingale of India, first woman governor.
Aruna Asaf Ali
Heroine of Quit India Movement.
Rani Lakshmibai
Queen of Jhansi, fought in 1857 revolt.
Begum Hazrat Mahal
Led revolt in Awadh during 1857.
Tantia Tope
Led guerrilla warfare in 1857 revolt.
Nana Saheb
Led revolt in Kanpur during 1857.
Kunwar Singh
Led revolt in Bihar during 1857.
Ashfaqulla Khan
Revolutionary, executed in Kakori conspiracy.
Ram Prasad Bismil
Revolutionary, executed in Kakori conspiracy.
Khudiram Bose
Youngest revolutionary, executed at 18.
Prafulla Chaki
Revolutionary, committed suicide to avoid capture.
Madan Lal Dhingra
Assassinated Curzon Wyllie in London.
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
Revolutionary, wrote 'First War of Independence'.
Surya Sen
Led Chittagong Armory Raid.
Rash Behari Bose
Founded Indian Independence League in Japan.
Chittaranjan Das
Known as Deshbandhu, founded Swaraj Party.
Motilal Nehru
Founded Swaraj Party with C.R. Das.
Annie Besant
Started Home Rule Movement, first woman Congress president.
Kasturba Gandhi
Wife of Mahatma Gandhi, active in freedom movement.
Kamala Nehru
Wife of Jawaharlal Nehru, active in freedom movement.
Sucheta Kriplani
First woman Chief Minister of India.
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
First woman president of UN General Assembly.
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Known as Frontier Gandhi.
Alluri Sitarama Raju
Led Rampa Rebellion in Andhra Pradesh.
Birsa Munda
Led tribal movement in Jharkhand.
Sidhu and Kanhu
Led Santhal Rebellion in 1855.