Indian History

By Lamarquesita
  • 4000 BCE

    Phase of the Indus Valley Civilization begins.

    he civilization used an early form of the Indus signs, the so-called Indus script.
    Inhabitants of the Civilization developed new techniques in handicraft (carnelian products, seal carving) and metallurgy (copper, bronze, lead, and tin) had elaborate urban planning, baked brick houses, efficient drainage systems, water supply systems, and clusters of large non-residential buildings. Was the first civilization to use wheeled transport in form of bullock carts, and also used boats.
  • Period: 2900 BCE to 2334 BCE

    Mesopotamian wars of the Early Dynastic period.

  • 2600 BCE

    The cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro become large metropolises

    the civilization expands to over 2,500 cities and settlements across the whole of Pakistan, much of northern India, and large parts of Afghanistan,[21] covering a region of around one million square miles, which was larger than the land area of its contemporaries Egypt and Mesopotamia combined, and also had superior urban planning and sewage systems. The civilization uses the Indus script.
  • 2600 BCE

    End of the Early Dynastic II Period and the beginning of the Early Dynastic IIIa Period in Mesopotamia.

  • Period: 1500 BCE to 1000 BCE

    Early Vedic Period

  • 1300 BCE

    Cementery H culture comes to an end Iron Age India

  • 877 BCE

    Birth of Parsvanatha

    23rd Jain Tirthankara (Traditional date)
  • 700 BCE

    The Upanishads, a sacred text of Hinduism, are written.

  • 600 BCE

    Vedic period ends

  • 600 BCE

    Sixteen Maha Janapadas ("Great Realms" or "Great Kingdoms") emerge.

  • 599 BCE

    Mahavira of the 24th Tirthankara is born.

    This turns out to become the most famous wave of Jainism.
  • 563 BCE

    Siddhārtha Gautama, Buddha-to-be, is born.

    Siddhārtha Gautama, Buddha-to-be, is born in Lumbini into a leading royal family in the republic of the Shakyas, which is now part of Nepal.
  • Period: 563 BCE to 483 BCE

    Siddharta Gautama 'Buddha' of the Shakya polity in S. Nepal, founds Buddhism

  • 538 BCE

    Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Achaemenid Empire reached up to northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent.

    Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Achaemenid Empire reached up to northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent, today's Afghanistan, which later proved to be his nemesis and caused his death.
  • 527 BCE

    Nirvana of Mahavira

  • 483 BCE

    Proposed Mahaparinirvana date of Gautama Buddha at Kushinagar.

  • 350 BCE

    Panini, a resident of Gandhara, describes the grammar and morphology of Sanskrit in the text Ashtadhyayi.

    Panini's standardized Sanskrit is known as Classical Sanskrit.
  • 333 BCE

    Persian rule in the northwest ends.

    Persian rule in the northwest ends after Darius 3 is defeated by Alexander the Great, who establishes the Macedonian Empire after inheriting the Persian Achaemenid Empire.
  • 321 BCE

    Mauryan Empire is founded by Chandragupta Maurya in Magadha.

    Mauryan Empire is founded by Chandragupta Maurya in Magadha after he defeats the Nanda dynasty and Macedonian Seleucid Empire. Mauryan capital city is Pataliputra (Modern Patna in Bihar)
  • 305 BCE

    Chandragupta Maurya defeats Seleucus Nicator of the Seleucid Empire.

  • 304 BCE

    Seleucus gives up his territories in the subcontinent to Chandragupta.

    Seleucus gives up his territories in the subcontinent (Afghanistan/Baluchistan) to Chandragupta in exchange for 500 elephants. Seleucus offers his daughter in marriage to Chandragupta to seal their friendship.
  • 273 BCE

    Ashoka the Great regarded as the greatest ancient Indian emperor, grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, ascends as emperor of the Mauryan Empire.

  • 266 BCE

    Ashoka conquers and unifies most of South Asia, along with most of Afghanistan and Balochistan.

  • 265 BCE

    Kalinga War takes place between Ashoka and the kingdom of Kalinga.

    After conquering Kalinga, Ashoka reportedly regrets what he has done, leading him to adopt Buddhism, which then becomes the quasi-official state religion of the Mauryan Empire.
  • 261 BCE

    Conquest of Kalinga.

  • 260 BCE

    Ashoka inscribes the Edicts of Ashoka, written down using Brahmi script.

    The Edicts describe his Buddhist religious views and his commitment to the welfare of his subjects.
  • 232 BCE

    Ashoka dies and is succeeded by Kunala.

  • 230 BCE

    Simuka declares independence from Mauryan rule and establishes the Satavahana Empire.

  • Period: 200 BCE to 100

    Kuninda Kingdom is established.

    Tholkappiyam describes the grammar and morphology of Tamil; it is the oldest existing Tamil grammar
  • 184 BCE

    The Mauryan Empire, declines.

  • 65 BCE

    The Pandyan king sends ambassadors to the Greek and Roman lands.

  • 58 BCE

    Beginning of Vikram Era

  • 35

    Western Satraps formed.

  • 52

    St. Thomas arrives in Muziris.

    St. Thomas arrives in Muziris (modern-day North Paravur and Kodungalloor in Kerala State, India).
  • 68

    Establishment of the Kushan empire by Kujula Kadphises.

  • 78

    Gautamiputra Satkarni becomes Satavahana emperor and starts Shalivahana era calendar after defeating Scythian king Maues.

  • 100

    Sugar was first produced from sugarcane plants in northern India sometime after the first century.

  • 240

    Sri-Gupta starts the Gupta Empire in Magadha, with its capital in Pataliputra

  • 320

    Chandragupta I ascends the Gupta throne.

  • 335

    Samudragupta ascends the Gupta throne and expands the empire.

  • 345

    Kadamba Kingdom established by Mayurasharma, Banavasi as its capital and they were the first kingdom to use Kannada in administration.

  • 375

    Vakataka Empire in the Deccan

  • 380

    Chandragupta II, Samudragupta's son becomes the Gupta Emperor.

  • 413

    Kumaragupta I, Adopted the title of Mahendraditya.

  • 467

    Invasions by the Huna.

  • 554

    Collapse of Gupta Empire after the death of Vishnugupta.

  • Period: 571 to 630

    Pallavas became a major power during the reign of Mahendravarman I

  • 606

    Harshavardhana crowned Monarch.

  • 637

    Badami Chalukya power at its peak. Pulakeshin II pushes north up to the Narmada and defeats the invading Harshavardhana of Kanauj

  • 711

    Arab commander of the Umayyad Caliphate, Muhammad Bin Qasim defeats Raja Dahir, king of Sindh Region in modern-day Pakistan

  • 736

    Delhi is re-established by Bilan Deo Tomar also known as Anangpal Tomar

  • 738

    Confederacy of Indian kings consisting of Nagabhata I of Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty and Bappa Rawal, ruler of Mewar defeat Arab Umayyad Caliphate invasion attempts.

  • 739

    Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin of the Chalukyas of Navasarika kingdom defeats an invasion attempt by the Arab Umayyad Caliphate

  • 753

    Establishment of Rashtrakuta Kingdom of Manyakhet by Dantidurga by defeating Chalukyas of Badami

  • 753

    aindhava naval fleet defeats Arab naval fleet sent by the Arab governor of Sindh.

  • 776

    Saindhava naval fleet under Agguka I defeats second Arab naval expedition.

  • 788

    Birth of Adi Shankaracharya

  • 814

    Nripatunga Amoghavarsha I becomes Rashtrakuta emperor.

  • 814

    Kannada literature flourishes.

  • Period: 836 to 910

    Gurjara-Pratihara

  • 985

    Rajaraja Chola ascends to the throne of Chola empire. He expands the empire to Sri Lanka and to the north to include Kalinga kingdom

  • 1000

    Invasion of Mahmud of Ghazni

  • 1014

    Rajendra Chola I became the king of Chola empire after his father Rajaraja Chola.

    During his reign, he extended the influences of the already vast Chola empire up to the banks of the river Ganges in the north and across the ocean. Rajendra's territories extended coastal Burma, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Maldives, conquered the kings of Srivijaya (Sumatra, Java and Malay Peninsula in South East Asia) and Pegu islands with his fleet of ships.
  • Apr 26, 1017

    Sri Ramanujacharya is born at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.

  • 1021

    Mahmud Ghazni defeats Tarnochalpal and annexes Punjab

  • Apr 30, 1025

    Last invasion of Mahmud Ghazni, sacked and destroyed temple of Somnath

  • Apr 30, 1030

    Alberuni arrives in India; death of Mahmud of Ghazni

  • Jun 15, 1033

    Suhaldev, king of Shravasti defeats and kills Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud, nephew of Mahmud of Ghazni.

  • 1058

    Sumra Dynasty ends the Arab domination and establishes its own rule over Sindh.

  • 1120

    Kalyani Chalukyas power at its peak. Vikramaditya VI ushers in Vikrama Chalukya era.

  • Period: 1134 to 1196

    Life of Basaveshwara, philosopher and social reformer.

  • 1157

    The Kalachuris of Kalyani under Bijjala II capture Kalyani

  • 1175

    Muhammad of Ghor invades India.

  • 1178

    Forces of the Chaulukya king Mularaja II led by his regent mother Naikidevi defeat Ghurid invaders led by Muhammad of Ghor who escapes back to Ghazni, in the Battle of Kasahrada.

  • 1191

    First Battle of Tarain between Mohammed Ghori and Prithviraj III. Ghori is defeated by Prithivi Raj Chauhan III.

  • 1192

    Second Battle of Tarain fought between Muhammed Ghori and Prithviraj Chauhan III. Prithviraj Chauhan III is defeated by Mohammed Ghori.

  • 1194

    Battle of Chandawar fought between Muhammad of Ghor and Jaichand of Kannauj. Ghori defeated Jayachandra and killed him.

  • 1206

    Raja Prithu defeats Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji, destroying his army of 12,000 with only about 100 survivors.

  • Mar 15, 1206

    Khukhrain kill Muhammad Ghori during a raid on his camp on the Jhelum River

  • Jun 12, 1206

    Qutb-ud-din Aibak establishes slave Dynasty later to be known as Delhi Sultanate

  • 1210

    Shams ud-Din Iltutmish;was the third ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, belonging to the Mamluk dynasty (Slave Dynasty). He introduced IQTA (Tax, revenue) system.

  • Period: 1211 to 1215

    Anangabhima Deva III of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in present-day Odisha defeats invasions by Ghiyāth ad-Dīn ʿIwaz Khalji the ruler of Bengal.

  • 1221

    Genghis Khan invades Punjab in pursuit of the fleeing Khwarezm Shah Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu and defeats him in the Battle of the Indus.

  • 1226

    Raja Prithu repulses invading forces of Ghiyas ud din Balban the ninth sultan of the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi, in present-day Assam.

  • 1236

    Narasingha Deva I ruler of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in present-day Odisha launches attacks against the Turko-Afghan rulers of Mamluk dynasty in Bengal

    Narasingha Deva I ruler of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in present-day Odisha launches attacks against the Turko-Afghan rulers of Mamluk dynasty in Bengal that had captured Bihar and Bengal and not only repulses their attacks, but pushes them as far back as Padma River in current-day Bangladesh.
  • Nov 10, 1236

    Rule of Razia Sultana – Daughter of Iltutmish.

  • 1238

    Sri Madhwacharya born in Pajaka near Udupi, Karnataka

  • Oct 14, 1240

    Murder of Razia Sultan by Turkish nobles.(Chalisa)

  • Period: 1246 to 1266

    Rule of Nasiruddin Mahmud with support of Balban (Wazir and powerful member of Chalisa). Chalisa- a council of 40 members

  • 1250

    The Konark Sun Temple is completed, built by Narasingha Deva I.

  • Period: 1266 to 1286

    Rule of Balban; Chalisa wiped out.

  • 1267

    The Mahanubhava philosophy established by Chakradhar Swami.

  • 1275

    Birth of saint Dnyaneshwar.

  • 1290

    Murder of Muiz ud din Qaiqabad by Jalaluddin Firuz Khalji, an army commander.

  • Period: 1290 to 1296

    Jalal-ud-din Khilji. Founder of Khiliji Dynasty

  • 1309

    Alauddin Khalji sends Malik Kafur to South.

    Malik Kafur Lays siege on the Kakatiya Capital Warangal and Extracts Tribute. The diamond Kohinoor was among the loot collected.
  • 1310

    Ala-ud-din Khilji's army under Malik Kafur occupies Devagiri ending the Seuna Yadava Kingdom

  • 1311

    Malik Kafur attacks the Hoyasalas. In the aftermath of the destruction Hoyasalas abandon the old capital Halebidu. He later attacks Madurai.

    The attacks on Warangal, Halebidu and Madurai is accompanied by wide scale killing, destruction of temples and repatriation of wealth back to Delhi.
  • 1323

    Ulugh Khan (Muhammad bin Tughluq) defeats Prataparudra II ending the Kakatiya dynasty

  • 1334

    Musunuri Kapaya Nayaka with assistance from the Hoysala ruler Veera Ballala III leads a rebellion against the Tughluq rule of Delhi Sultanate, driving it out of Warangal region in present-day Telangana.

  • 1336

    Vijayanagara Empire established by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I

  • 1340

    Birth of great mathematician Madhava of Sangamagrama.

  • 1343

    Veera Ballala III was killed at the Battle of Madurai.

  • 1347

    Governor Hasan Gangu revolts against Muhammad bin Tughluq founding the Bahmani Sultanate

  • 1351

    Samma Dynasty assumes rule over Sindh

  • 1370

    Bukka, the Vijayanagara ruler and his son Kumara Kamapna capture the entire Tamil speaking parts.

  • 1398

    Timur plunders Lahore

  • 1398

    Shri Guru Ravidas Ji was born in 1398 in Varanasi.

    He was an Indian mystic poet-sant of the Bhakti movement during the 15th to 16th century CE. Venerated as a guru in the region of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, the devotional songs of Ravidas have had a lasting impact upon the bhakti movement.
  • 1401

    Dilawar Khan establishes the Malwa Sultanate in present-day northern India

  • 1407

    Zafar Khan: governor of Gujarat, declares himself as Sultan Muzaffar Shah founding the Gujarat Sultanate/Muzaffarid dynasty

  • 1414

    Khizr Khan, deputized by Timur to be the governor of Multan takes over Delhi founding the Sayyid dynasty

  • 1424

    Deva Raya II succeeded his father Veera Vijaya Bukka Raya as monarch of the Vijayanagara Empire

  • 1437

    Rana Kumbha of Mewar and Rao Ranmal Rathore of Marwar defeat and take prisoner Mahmud Khalji, Sultan of the Malwa Sultanate in the Battle of Sarangpur

  • Sep 26, 1449

    Sankardev, founder of Ekasarana Dharma was born in Nagaon, Assam.

  • Apr 19, 1451

    Bahlul Khan Lodhi ascends the throne of the Delhi sultanate starting the Lodhi dynasty

  • Apr 15, 1469

    Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism is born

  • Feb 14, 1483

    Birth of Babur in Andijan, Fergana Valley in Central Asia

  • 1485

    Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya drives out Praudha Raya ending the Sangama Dynasty

  • 1486

    Advent of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism and leader of the world's first civil disobedience movement, in Navadwip, West Bengal

  • 1490

    Ahmadnagar declares independence, followed by Bijapur and Berar in the same year thus breaking up the Bahmani Sultanate.

  • Period: May 20, 1498 to 1499

    Vasco de Gama's first voyage from Europe to India and back

  • 1503

    Kingdom of Cochin is taken over by the Portuguese creating the first European settlement in India.

  • Feb 3, 1508

    he Christian-Islamic power struggle in Europe and the Middle East. Spills over into the Indian Ocean as Battle of Chaul during the Portuguese-Mamluk War

  • Feb 3, 1509

    Battle of Diu marks the beginning of the dominance of the Europeans in the Asian naval theater.

  • Period: May 20, 1510 to

    Portuguese India

  • 1518

    Kingdom of Mewar under Rana Sanga defeats Lodi Empire under Ibrahim Lodi in the Battle of Khatoli, gains control over north eastern Rajasthan.

  • 1519

    Kingdom of Mewar under Rana Sanga defeats the Malwa Sultanate and the Gujarat Sultanate in the Battle of Gagron, obtains control of Malwa.

  • 1519

    The Kingdom of Mewar under Rana Sanga again defeats Lodi Empire under Ibrahim Lodi in the Battle of Dholpur, extends control up to Agra.

  • 1520

    Vijayanagar Empire under Krishnadevaraya defeats the Sultanate of Bijapur in the Battle of Raichur.

  • 1522

    Portuguese land on the Coromandel Coast

  • Apr 21, 1526

    Sultan Ibrahim Lodi dies.

    Sultan Ibrahim Lodi, of the Delhi Sultanate, angers local nobles, who respond by inviting Babur, the Mughal ruler of Kabul, to invade Delhi and Agra. The local population, plus the possession of artillery, assists Babur in killing the Sultan (whose soldiers desert him) at the Battle of Panipat.
  • Mar 28, 1530

    Babur completes his Baburnama.

    Babur completes his Baburnama, reflecting on society, politics, economics, history, geography, nature, flora and fauna, which to this day is a standard textbook in 25 countries. Babur dies, and is succeeded by his son Humayun.
  • 1532

    Ahoms under king Suhungmung defeat Turbak Khan of the Bengal Sultanate in Battle of Hatbor.

  • 1539

    Battle of Chausa fought between Humayun and Sher Shah Suri in which Humayun defeated.

  • 1539

    Guru Angad Dev becomes second guru of Sikhs.

  • 1540

    Death of Shri Guru Ravidas

  • May 9, 1540

    Birth of Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar ( son of Maharana Udai Singh II )

  • Sep 18, 1540

    Battle of Kannauj fought between Humayun and Sher Shah Suri

    Humayun was completely defeated. Humayun lost the Mughal empire to Afghans (Suri Dynasty), and passed 12 years in exile.
  • Oct 15, 1542

    Birth of Akbar at Umerkot.

  • May 22, 1545

    Death of Sher Shah Suri and succeeded by Islam Shah Suri.

  • Mar 26, 1552

    Guru Amar Das becomes third Guru of Sikhs.

  • Nov 22, 1554

    Death of Islam Shah Suri.

  • May 22, 1555

    Humayun regained the throne of Delhi from the hands of weak successors of Sher Shah.

  • 1556

    Humayun converts from Sunni Islam to Shia Islam, to gain the alliance of the Shah of Persia. Humayun dies, and is succeeded by his son Akbar.

  • Nov 5, 1556

    Hindu king Hemu establishes 'Hindu Raj' in North India and bestowed with title of "Vikramaditya"

  • Nov 5, 1556

    Second Battle of Panipat fought between Hemu and Akbar's forces in which Hemu is killed.

  • Jan 26, 1565

    Battle of Talikota results in the rout of Vijayanagara empire.

  • 1568

    Paradesi Synagogue, the first Jewish synagogue in India constructed by the Paradesi Jews.

  • 1572

    Akbar annexes Gujarat.

    Also shifts the Mughal capital to Fatehpur Sikri where a new township and citadel containing buildings of a unique all-India character—inspired by the architecture of Bengal, Gujarat, Malwa, Kashmir as well as the Timurid world—is born.
  • Sep 1, 1574

    Guru Ram Das becomes fourth Guru of Sikhs. Akbar annexes Bengal.

  • Jan 9, 1581

    Guru Arjan Dev becomes fifth Guru of Sikhs.

  • 1582

    Maharana Pratap defeats Mughal Forces of Akbar in Battle of Dewair in present-day Rajasthan

  • Akbar annexes Kashmir.

  • East India company is formed in England. Gets exclusive trading rights with India.

  • Akbar dies, and is succeeded by his son Jahangir.

  • Guru Hargobind becomes sixth guru of Sikhs.

  • Period: to

    East India Company

  • Period: to

    British India

  • Birth of Shivaji.

  • Jahangir announces "Chain of Justice" outside his palace that anyone can ring the bell and get a personal hearing with the emperor. Jahangir dies, and is succeeded by his son Shah Jahan.

  • Rani Karnavati of the Garhwal Kingdom repels and defeats invasion attempt by Mughal army of Shah Jahan.

  • Rani Karnavati of the Garhwal Kingdom repels and defeats invasion attempt by Mughal army of Shah Jahan.

  • Shivaji takes oath of Independence at Raireshwar.

  • Guru Har Rai becomes seventh guru of Sikhs

  • Shah Jahan completes Taj Mahal, Jama Masjid, and Red Fort.

    Imperial treasuries drained by architectural and military overexpenditures.

  • Shah Jahan put under house arrest, and is succeeded by his son Aurangzeb.

  • Shivaji's ill-equipped and small Maratha army defeat numerically much larger Adilshahi troops at the Battle of Pratapgarh marking the first victory of the Maratha Empire.

    Shivaji personally kills Adilshahi commander Afzal Khan (general).

  • Maratha army of 600 defeats a much larger army of the Bijapur Sultanate of 10,000 in the Battle of Pavan Khind, near the city of Kolhapur.

  • Guru Har Krishan becomes eight guru of Sikhs.

  • Guru Tegh Bahadur becomes ninth Guru of Sikhs.

  • Treaty of Purandar (or पुरंदर चा तह) was signed between Shivaji and the Rajput ruler Jai Singh I.

  • Ahom kingdom defeats the Mughal Empire in the Battle of Saraighat, takes back control of Guwahati

  • Maratha forces under Prataprao Gujar defeat a Mughal army twice its size in the Battle of Salher

  • Forces led by Shivaji defeat Aurangzeb's troops, and establishes Maratha Empire. Shivaji is crowned Chhatrapati.

  • Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhs is executed in Delhi by the order of Aurangzeb for his support for the Kashmiri Hindus to practice their religion.Guru Gobind Singh becomes tenth Guru of Sikhs.

  • Shivaji dies of fever at Raigad.

  • Sambhaji becomes 2nd Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire

  • Aurangzeb invades the Deccan

  • Ahom kingdom defeats the Mughal Empire in the Battle of Itakhuli, takes back control of Kamrup region

  • Sambhaji dies.

  • Period: to

    Danish India

  • Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Guru of Sikhs creates Khalsa, the saint-soldier at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab.

  • Rajaram I dies

  • Death of Aurangzeb the mughal monarch.

  • Guru Granth Sahib becomes Guru of Sikhs.

  • Sikh army under Banda Singh Bahadur defeats Mughal Empire in the Battle of Chappar Chiri and establishes Sikh rule from Lahore to Delhi.

  • Bajirao I appointed by Shahu Maharaj as Peshwa (prime minister) who would later expand the Maratha empire to cover most of present-day India.

  • Attingal Outbreak takes place

  • Period: to

    Madras cyclone occurs

  • Maratha Empire under Bajirao defeats Mughal Empire, in response for an appeal for help from Chhatrasal, ruler of Bundelkhand in the Battle of Malwa

  • Marathas under Bajirao I defeat the Mughal Empire in the Battle of Delhi

  • Marathas defeat a combined army of the Mughal Empire, Nizam of Hyderabad, Nawab of Awadh and Nawabs of Bhopal in the Battle of Bhopal

  • Period: to

    Marathas under Bajirao I defeat the Portuguese in the Battle of Vasai, Portuguese army and administration pulled out of Baçaim (Vasai).

  • Raghoji I Bhonsle of the Maratha Empire defeats and kills Dost Ali Khan the Mughal Nawab of Arcot in the Battle of Damalcherry

  • Black Hole of Calcutta infamous incident where soldiers of East India Company were held hostage in tortuous conditions, later served as a precedent for the Battle of Plassey

  • Maratha Empire defeats Durrani Empire, in the Battle of Narela.

  • British East India Company defeats the Nawab of Bengal in the Battle of Plassey, marking the beginning of British conquests in India.

  • Maratha Empire defeats Rohilla Afghans in the Battle of Delhi, captures Delhi.

  • Third Carnatic War

  • Maratha Empire led by Raghunathrao and Mahadaji Shinde defeats Durrani Empire in the Battle of Attock, captures Attock.

  • Maratha Empire led by Raghunathrao, Malhar Rao Holkar and Tukoji Rao Holkar defeats Durrani Empire in the Battle of Peshawar, captures Peshawar.

  • Period: to

    French India Maratha Empire supported by Sikh Sukerchakia Misl defeats Durrani Empire in the Battle of Lahore

  • Marathas comprehensively defeat the Nizam.

  • Maratha Empire reaches its zenith.

  • Battle at Wandewash, British troops beat French

  • The Marathas are routed in the Third Battle of Panipat by the Afghans

    The Marathas are routed in the Third Battle of Panipat by the Afghans led by Ahmad Shah Durrani, an ethnic Pashtun, also known as Ahmad Shah Abdali. The battle is considered one of the largest battles fought in the 18th century.

  • Vadda Ghalughara, the massacre of 30,000 Sikhs, mostly non-combatants, by the army of Ahmad Shah Durrani

  • Battle of Buxar (British victory against allied Mughal, Bengal and Oudh forces)

  • Period: to

    Princely states

  • First Anglo-Mysore War begins, in which Hyder Ali of Mysore defeats the armies of the British East India Company.

  • Great Bengal famine, estimated to have caused the deaths of about 10 million people.

    Great Bengal famine of 1770, estimated to have caused the deaths of about 10 million people. Warren Hastings's 1772 report estimated that a third of the population in the affected region starved to death. The famine is attributed to failed monsoon and exploitative policies of the East India Company

  • Marathas led by Mahadaji Shinde defeat Rohilla Afghans and re-capture Delhi and parts of North India, thus reasserting their supremacy in north India.

  • Ram Mohan Roy Born

  • Narayanrao Peshwa is murdered by his uncle Raghunathrao's wife in front of Raghunathrao. Regulating Act of 1773 Warren Hastings appointed as first Governor-General of Bengal

  • Chief Justice of the Maratha Empire, Ram Shastri passes death sentence against the ruling Peshwa Raghunathrao for murdering his nephew.

  • First Anglo-Maratha War

  • Maratha sardar Mahadji Shinde routs the East India Company army at the Battle of Wadgaon. War ends with the restoration of status quo as per Treaty of Salbai.

  • Second Anglo-Mysore War begins.

  • Maratha Empire defeats forces of the British East India Company in the Battle of Bhorghat.

  • Second Anglo-Mysore War ends with the Treaty of Mangalore.

  • District collectors in Bengal were made responsible for settling the revenue and collecting it.

  • Third Anglo-Mysore War begins.

  • The Marathas under Holkar and General de Boigne defeat the Rajputs of Jaipur and Mughals at the Battle of Patan.

    The Marathas under Holkar and General de Boigne defeat the Rajputs of Jaipur and Mughals at the Battle of Patan, where 3000+ Rajput cavalry is killed and the entire Mughal unit vanquished. The defeat crushes Rajput hope of independence from external influence

  • Third Anglo-Mysore War ends.

  • Birth of Rani Rashmoni, one of the pioneers of the Bengali Renaissance.

  • Maratha Empire defeats the Nizam of Hyderabad in the Battle of Kharda, Nizam ceded territory.

  • Death of Ahilyabai Holkar

  • Ching-Thang Khomba moves Manipur's capital to Kangla

  • Fourth Anglo-Mysore War begins.

  • Fourth Anglo-Mysore War ends with the death of Tipu Sultan, the victory of the East India Company, and the restoration of their ally, the Wodeyar dynasty of Mysore.

  • Polygar War

  • Death of Nana Fadnavis

  • Maharaja Ranjit Singh establishes Khalsa rule of Punjab from Lahore. Khalsa army liberates Kashmiri Pundits and invades Afghanistan the Khyber Pass.

  • The Second Anglo-Maratha War begins.

  • The Second Anglo-Maratha War ends.

  • Vellore Mutiny

  • Hari Singh Nalwa, commander of the Sikh Khalsa Army of the Sikh Empire defeats the Durrani Empire in the Battle of Kasur, the first in a series of battles.

  • The East India Company signs the first Treaty of Amritsar with Ranjit Singh.

  • The death of Yashwantrao Holkar

  • "Atmiya Sabha" is established by Raja Ram Mohan Roy.

  • Establishment of Hindu College (Presidency College, now Presidency University, Kolkata)

  • The Third Anglo-Maratha War begins.

  • The Third Anglo-Maratha War ends with the defeat of Bajirao II and the end of the Maratha Empire, leaving the East India Company with control of almost the whole of India.

  • Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar is born

  • Period: to

    Anglo–Burmese Wars

  • Dayananda Saraswati is born

  • Period: to

    British rule in Burma

  • Jyotirao Phule is born

  • Rani of Jhansi Laxmi bai was born

  • Kol uprising

  • Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa is born

  • Hari Singh Nalwa, commander of the Sikh Khalsa Army defeats the Durrani Empire in the Battle of Jamrud and extends the frontier of Sikh Empire to beyond the Indus River right up to the mouth of the Khyber Pass.

  • First Anglo-Afghan War

  • Period: to

    First Anglo-Sikh Wars

  • Vasudev Balwant Phadke is born

  • The Post Service started.

  • The first railway is established between Bombay and Thane.

  • Rani Rashmoni builds the Dakshineswar Kali Temple.

  • Santhal rebellion

  • Bal Gangadhar Tilak is born

  • Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act

  • Narayana Guru is born

  • Last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was deposed by British East India Company and India transferred to British Crown.

  • India's first three universities, the University of Mumbai, the University of Madras and the University of Calcutta, are established.

  • British victory in Indian Rebellion of 1857.

  • Rani of Jhansi, Rani Lakshmibai died

  • Period: to

    British Raj

  • Bipin Chandra Pal is born

  • Death of Tatya Tope

  • Rabindranath Tagore is born.

  • The high courts of Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay are established.

  • Swami Vivekanand is born

  • Lala Lajpat Rai is born

  • "Prarthana Samaj" established earlier known as "Atmiya Sabha", "Tahzeeb-ul-Akhlaq" was started

  • Thakkar Bapa is born

  • Mahatma Gandhi is born

  • Jyotirao Phule establishes the "Satyashodhak Samaj" society.

  • Deccan Riots

  • "Arya Samaj" is established.

  • Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born

  • The first Delhi Durbar

  • Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati die

  • The Indian National Congress is established

  • Jawaharlal Nehru is born

  • Khudiram Bose is born

  • Anglo-Manipur War.

  • B. R. Ambedkar is born

  • jiddu krishnamurti is born

  • The first fingerprint bureau of India is established in Calcutta.

  • Subhas Chandra Bose is born

  • Ram Prasad Bismil is born

  • Chapekar brothers assassinate W.C.Rand.

  • Anushilan Samiti, revolutionary association formed.

  • Delhi Durbar Second Time.

  • British Expedition to Tibet

  • University Act

  • Bharat Sevak Samaj founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

  • Partition of Bengal

  • Jugantar formed.

  • Muslim League formed in Dacca.

  • Surat Split

  • Alipore bomb case

  • Morley-Minto Reforms

  • Cancellation of Partition of Bengal

  • Delhi Durbar Third Time

  • The British government moves the capital from Calcutta to Delhi.

  • Delhi conspiracy case

  • Gadar Party formed.

  • Rabindranath Tagore won Nobel Prize in Literature

  • Hindu–German Conspiracy

  • Ghadar conspiracy

  • Provisional Government of India formed in Kabul.

  • Mahatma Gandhi returns to India.

  • Lucknow Pact

  • Champaran Satyagraha

  • Justice Party (India) is founded

  • Kheda Satyagraha

  • Jallianwala Bagh massacre

  • Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms

  • Rowlatt Act is passed

  • Non-cooperation movement Khilafat Movement

  • Chauri Chaura incident

  • The Hindustan Socialist Republican Association is formed.

  • Kakori conspiracy

  • Simon Commission

  • Mahad Satyagraha

  • Bardoli Satyagraha

  • Central Assembly bombed by Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt. Purna Swaraj resolution.

  • Salt Satyagraha, the civil disobedience movement, begins with the Dandi march.

  • The first Round Table Conferences (India)

  • Gandhi–Irwin Pact

  • The second Round Table Conferences (India)

  • Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev martyred

  • The third Round Table Conferences (India)

  • Communal Award

  • Poona Pact

  • Government of India Act

  • Indian provincial elections

  • The All India Forward Bloc established by Subhas Chandra Bose

  • Lahore Resolution

  • Cripps' mission

  • The Indian National Army is established by Subhas Chandra Bose.

  • Quit India movement

  • Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind, the Provisional Government of Free India is formed by Netaji.

  • Subhas Chandra Bose calls Mahatma Gandhi the Father of the Nation.

  • Wavell Plan, Simla Conference

  • Subhas Chandra Bose death in plane crash at Taiwan.

  • Royal Indian Navy Mutiny

  • Cabinet Mission

  • Noakhali riots

    Noakhali riots in which Muslim mobs kill over 5,000 Hindus, hundreds of Hindu women raped and thousands of Hindu men and women forcibly converted to Islam.

  • Direct Action Day/Great Calcutta Killings

  • Indian Independence Act 1947 by British Raj

  • Freedom from British Raj.

  • Hundreds of thousands die in widespread communal bloodshed after partition

  • Partition of India and Pakistan becomes an independent state

  • War with Pakistan over disputed territory of Kashmir.

  • Telangana and other princely states are integrated into Indian union.

  • Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated by Nathuram Godse.

  • India became a republic.

  • Reconstruction of the Somnath temple under the orders of the Home Minister of India Vallabhbhai Patel.

  • Period: to

    Congress Party wins first general elections under leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru

  • Nationalisation of the Indian insurance sector. Establishment of LIC.

  • B. R. Ambedkar converted to Buddhism along with 600,000 followers.

  • B. R. Ambedkar died.

  • War over disputed territory of Kashmir with China.

  • India seizes Diu, Daman and Goa from Portuguese India.

  • Death of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

  • Second war with Pakistan over Kashmir.

  • Nehru's daughter Indira Gandhi becomes prime minister.

  • Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri's mysterious death in Thashkant.

  • Nationalisation of 14 major private Banks.

  • Third war with Pakistan over creation of Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan.

  • Twenty-year treaty of friendship signed with Soviet Union.

  • India Smiling Buddha first nuclear device in underground test.

  • Indira Gandhi declares a state of emergency after being found guilty of electoral malpractice.

    Nearly 1,000 political opponents imprisoned and programme of compulsory birth control introduced.

  • Indira Gandhi's Congress Party loses general elections. Janata Party comes to power. The Communist party of India comes into power in West Bengal.

  • The Janata Party splits. Chaudhary Charan Singh becomes Prime Minister.

  • Indira Gandhi returns to power heading the Congress party splinter group, Congress (Indira).

  • N. T. Rama Rao NTR's nine-month-old Telugu Desam assumes power in AP becoming a challenger post Loknayak Jayprakash Narayan against Indira Gandhi.

  • India won World Cup for the first time, in one day international Cricket led by Kapil Dev.

  • Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards; her son, Rajiv, takes over. Many Sikhs were killed due to the assassination of Indira Gandhi. see 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

  • roops storm Golden Temple, the Sikhs' most holy shrine, after Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale seeks refuge inside. There are a movement to flush out Sikh separatism and calls for secularism, called Operation Blue Star. "Anti-Sikh Riots 1984".

  • India deploys troops for peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict.

  • SEBI was established by The Government of India on 12 April 1988 and given statutory powers in 1992 with SEBI Act 1992 being passed by the Indian Parliament.

  • Falling public support leads to a Congress defeat in general election.

  • The National Front (India), headed by V. P. Singh and led by Janata Dal, is formed and storms into power with outside support from BJP and CPI.

  • Muslim separatist groups begin campaign of violence against Hindus in Kashmir resulting in Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus.

  • Rajiv Gandhi is assassinated by a suicide bomber sympathetic to Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers.

  • An economic reform programme is begun by Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.

  • Babri Mosque in Ayodhya is demolished, triggering widespread Hindu-Muslim violence.

  • Odisha liquor deaths incident.

    Over 200 people die in Cuttack in Odisha, after drinking illegally brewed liquor

  • July West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu made the first call from Kolkata to inaugurate the cellular services in India.

  • Congress suffers its worst electoral defeat ever as BJP emerges as the largest single party.

  • The Amarnath Yatra tragedy in which at least 194 pilgrims are reported to have frozen to death in northern Kashmir after being stranded by violent rain and snow storms.

  • BJP forms coalition government under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

  • India and Pakistan carry out nuclear tests, leading to widespread international condemnation.

  • Vajpayee makes a historic bus trip to Pakistan to meet Premier Nawaz Sharif and to sign bilateral Lahore peace declaration.

  • Indian Army launches operations to evict Pakistani forces occupying Indian positions on the icy heights in Kargil district, known as the Kargil War.

  • The Cyclone devastates eastern state of Odisha, leaving at least 10,000 dead.

  • US President Bill Clinton makes a groundbreaking visit to improve ties.

  • India marks the birth of its billionth citizen.

  • The states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh & Uttranchal (Uttrakhand) were created

  • Vajpayee meets Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in the first summit between the two neighbours in more than two years.

    The meeting ends without a breakthrough or even a joint statement because of differences over Kashmir.

  • Vajpayee's BJP party declines his offer to resign over a number of political scandals and the apparent failure of his talks with Pakistani President Musharraf.

  • US lifts sanctions which it imposed against India and Pakistan after they staged nuclear tests in 1998.

    The move is seen as a reward for their support for the US-led anti-terror campaign.

  • India and Pakistan fire at each other's military posts in the heaviest firing along the dividing line of control in Kashmir for almost a year.

  • Pakistani forces shelled the village of Arnia about three km (two miles) from the border in the early hours of Monday 6 June, killing five and wounding at least two dozen civilians.

  • Suicide squad attacks parliament in New Delhi, killing several police. The five gunmen die in the assault.

  • India imposes sanctions against Pakistan

    To force it to take action against two Kashmir militant groups blamed for the suicide attack on parliament. Pakistan retaliates with similar sanctions, and bans the groups in January.

  • India, Pakistan mass troops on common border amid mounting fears of a looming war.

  • The 7.7 Mw  Gujarat earthquake shakes Western India with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), leaving 13,805–20,023 dead and about 166,800 injured.

  • War of words between Indian and Pakistani leaders intensifies. Actual war seems imminent.

  • India successfully test-fires a nuclear-capable ballistic missile – the Agni – off its eastern coast.

  • Inter-religious bloodshed breaks out

    Inter-religious bloodshed breaks out after 59 Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya are killed in a train fire in Godhra, Gujarat. More than 1,000 people, die in subsequent riots. (Police and officials blamed the fire on a Muslim mob; a 2005 government investigation said it was an accident, though later court and SIT report held Muslim mob responsible.)

  • Pakistan test-fires three medium-range surface-to-surface Ghauri missiles, which are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

  • UK, US urge their citizens to leave India and Pakistan, while maintaining diplomatic offensive to avert war. July Retired scientist and architect of India's missile programme A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is elected president.

  • At least 50 people are killed in two simultaneous bomb blasts in Bombay.

  • India matches Pakistan's declaration of a Kashmir ceasefire. December India, Pakistan agree to resume direct air links and to allow overflights.

  • Groundbreaking meeting is held between government and moderate Kashmir separatists.

  • Surprise victory for Congress Party in general elections. Manmohan Singh is sworn in as prime minister.

  • India, along with Brazil, Germany and Japan, launches an application for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

  • India begins to withdraw some of its troops from Kashmir.

  • Thousands are killed when tsunami, caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake off the Indonesian coast, devastate coastal communities in the south and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

  • July More than 1,000 people are killed in floods and landslides caused by monsoon rains in Mumbai (Bombay) and Maharashtra region.

  • The 7.6 Mw  Kashmir earthquake strikes with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), leaving 86,000–87,351 people dead, 69,000–75,266 injured, and 2.8 million homeless.

  • India's largest-ever rural jobs scheme is launched, aimed at lifting around 60 million families out of poverty.

  • US and India sign a nuclear agreement during a visit by US President George W. Bush. The US gives India access to civilian nuclear technology while India agrees to greater scrutiny for its nuclear programme.

  • India and Pakistan sign an agreement aimed at reducing the risk of accidental nuclear war.

  • Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh state kill more than 50 policemen in a dawn attack.

  • India's first commercial space rocket is launched, carrying an Italian satellite.

  • Government announces its strongest economic growth figures for 20 years – 9.4% in the year to March.

  • At least nine people are killed in a bomb explosion at the main mosque in Hyderabad. Several others are killed in subsequent rioting.

  • Pratibha Patil becomes first woman to be elected president of India.

  • India says the number of its people with HIV or AIDS is about half of earlier official tallies. Health ministry figures put the total at between 2 million and 3.1 million cases, compared with previous estimates of more than 5 million.

  • 68 passengers, most of them Pakistanis, are killed by bomb blasts and a blaze on a train travelling from New Delhi to the Pakistani city of Lahore.

  • Series of explosions kills 49 in Ahmedabad, in Gujarat state. The little-known terrorist group Indian Mujahideen claims responsibility.

  • Following approval by the US Congress, President George W. Bush signs into law a nuclear deal with India, which ends a three-decade ban on US nuclear trade with Delhi.

  • India successfully launches its first mission to the moon, the unmanned lunar probe Chandrayaan-1.

  • The 2008 Mumbai attacks (often called the 26/11 attacks) kill 174 people, including 9 of the 10 terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic terrorist organisation based in Pakistan. India decides not to attack Pakistan in retaliation.

  • India announces "pause" in peace process with Pakistan. Indian cricket team cancels planned tour of Pakistan.

  • ndia and Russia sign deals worth $700 million, according to which Moscow will supply Uranium to Delhi.

  • Resounding general election victory gives governing Congress-led alliance of PM Manmohan Singh an enhanced position in parliament, only 11 seats short of an absolute majority.

  • Delhi court decriminalizes gay sex

  • 16 people are killed in a bomb explosion at German Bakery in the city of Pune, Maharashtra.

  • India wins cricket world cup after 28 years under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

  • After 34 years of Left Front Government, Trinamool Congress and Congress alliance come to power in West Bengal.

  • Pranab Mukherjee, the former Finance Minister is elected as the 13th president of India.

  • Indian helicopter bribery scandal comes to light.

  • Terror attacks in Hyderabad in Dilsukhnagar area.

  • Mars Orbiter Mission, is successfully launched into Mars orbit by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

  • Narendra Modi elected as prime minister of India, Congress was routed in the general elections.

  • Telangana, The state of Telangana was officially formed on 2 June 2014.

  • Terror Attacks on Pathankot Air Base

  • India becomes a member of Missile Technology Control Regime.

  • India signs a billion-dollar defence deal with France to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets.

  • India launches its first space laboratory Astrosat in its biggest project since its Mars orbiter mission in 2014.

  • In a surprise announcement, the government withdraws high denomination notes from circulation causing chaotic scenes at banks across the country as customers try to exchange old notes.

  • The Goods and Services Tax (GST) launched, the biggest tax reform in history of India.

  • A convoy of vehicles carrying Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on the Jammu Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber in the Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

  • The 2019 Balakot airstrike was conducted by India, when Indian warplanes crossed the de facto border in the disputed region of Kashmir, and dropped bombs in the vicinity of the town of Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan.

  • The 2019 Balakot strike from Indian side was given a reply named "Swift Retort".

    After a dog fight between Pakistani and Indian Fighter Pilots. Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by the Pakistani side. However acting to the pressure of various global leaders and bound by the Vienna Convention . Pakistan was Forced to release the Indian Pilot with all due respect.

  • The state of Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two separate union territories known as Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh by Scrapping Article 370 of Indian constitution.

  • The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 was passed by the Parliament of India on 11 December 2019.

    It amended the Citizenship Act of 1955 by providing a path to Indian citizenship for members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhiist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian religious minorities, who had fled persecution from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan before December 2014.

  • The first COVID-19 case of the country was reported in Kerala's Thrissur district.