TIMELINE OF INDIAN HISTORY
Introduction
“A nation that forgets its past has no
future” – Winston Churchill
These immortal words aptly
encapsulates why nations MUST preserve its cultural heritage and traditions to
know the roots of its past to grow and shape its present and future.
These 10-pages, organized into bold
headers characterizing key time periods, charter the journey of our beloved
nation - Bharat-varsha, Hindustan, India – called by different names at
different points in our History – but weaving a common thread of love, pride
and passion in our hearts as we look back to the major events that shaped our
destiny to date and the future that beckons.
The source of information is Wikipedia
and other research publications from various sources. The names, place, date,
events can be easily searched on the internet to know, read and learn more.
Jai Hind !!
Ancient India: 10000 - 350 BC
Bhimbetaka Rock Shelters
at Raisen, Madhya Pradesh indicate semi-permanent settlements (Paleolithic Age)
since 9th Century BC with certain rock paintings dated 30,000 years
back; Indus Valley Civilization dated to 8000 BC (older than Egypt &
Mesopotamia), major cities include Harappa and Mohenjodaro that develop between
5500-3300 BC; Mathematician Baudhayana computes the value of ‘pi’, pythagros
theorem, square root of 2, etc (7000 BC) much before western discoveries later;
Climate change impacts Indus Valley Civilization by 2500 BC; Farming
settlements develop between 1800-1500 BC; Vedic Civilization flourishes with
"Rig-Veda" composed in the late Bronze & Iron Age (1400 BC); 16
Maha-Janapadas (Great States) form in northern India between 1000 - 600 BC,
these include Anga (Munger & Bhagalpur, Bihar), Asmaka (Paithan, Maharashtra),
Avanti (Ujjain, MP), Chedi (Bundelkhand, MP), Gandhara (Qandhar, Peshawar,
Rawalpindi), Kamboja (Poonch, Kashmir), Kasi (Varanasi, UP), Kosala (Faizabad,
Gonda, Bahraich in UP), Kuru (Thanesar, Delhi & Meerut), Matsya (Jaipur,
Alwar & Bharatpur in Rajasthan), Malla (Deoria, Basti & Gorakhpur, UP),
Magadha (Patna & Gaya, Bihar), Panchala (Bareilly & Kanauj, UP),
Surasena (Mathura, UP), Vrijji (Janakpur, Nepal), Vatsa (Allahabad & Mirzapur,
UP); Magadha is most powerful in 600-500 BC with Bimbisara and his son
Ajatashatru its most important Kings; Earliest known Indian Punch Mark Coins
(PMC) develops independent of Lydia (Greece) and China (8-6 Century BC); Development
of caste system; "Upanishads" composed (8-6 Century BC); Taxila
University established (600 BC) and survives till 500 AD, famous
students/teachers include Vishnu Gupta (Kautilya or Chanakya), Panini (Sanskrit
scholar), Jeevaka & Charaka (Ayurveda) and Vishnu Sharma (author of Panchtantra
stories); Prince Siddharta Gautama becomes the Buddha (500 BC); Prince Mahavira
founds Jainism (500 BC); Jataka tales written detailing previous lives (jati)
of Buddha as Bodhisattva (400 BC); First Buddhist Council held at Rajgir (400
BC).
Alexanders Invasion, Mauryan Empire
and Development of Castes: 326 BC - 200 AD
"Ramayana"
composed by Valmiki (300 BC); Alexander III (Alexander the Great) of Macedon (Greece)
invades Indus Valley (326 BC) at the invitation of King Ambhi of Taxila and
Gandhara, defeats King Purushottam (Parvataka, Puru or Porus) but returns his
kingdom impressed by his bravery; Chandragupta Maurya defeats Dhana Nanda of
the Nanda Dynasty and establishes the first Mega Empire in India (324 BC); Chandragupta
defeats Alexander’s general, Seleucus Nicator, marries his daughter and gifts
him 500 war elephants (305 BC); Chandragupta Maurya’s mentor Kautilya composes
“Arthshastra”; Chandragupta’s grandson, Ashoka the Great rules Mauryan Empire
(272 BC); The Kalinga War (262 BC) leaves 200,000 dead, Ashoka vows ‘Ahimsa’
and becomes Buddhist ; Construction begins of the Great Stupa at Sanchi to
house Buddha’s relics; Ashoka erects Pillars (250 BC) each of 40-50 ft high and
weighing 50 tons each, ‘Lion Pillar’ becomes frontrunner to Independent India’s
National Symbol and the ‘Dharma Chakra (wheel)’ finds central place in India’s National
Flag; Death of Ashoka (232); Mauryan General Pushyamitra Sunga assumes power
(185); Mauryan Empire fragments rapidly post death of Ashoka and many
republics, tribes and ancient city states declare independence – these include
Kaushambi, Vidisha, Ujjain, Eran, Erikaccha, Tripuri, Mahismati, Suktimati,
Kurara, Kurupurika, Madhyamika, Bhagila, Taxila etc; Satavahana Empire
established in Deccan, rulers follow matriarchal society with important rulers
being Gautimiputra Satakarni, Sri Pulumavi etc; foreign nomadic tribes invade
India with the Indo-Scythian (Sakas) Empire established (200 BC), important
rulers include Maues & Azes; Indian epic "Mahabharata" (incl ‘Bhagavada
Gita’) composed; Indo-Greek (Baktrian) Kingdom established (200 BC), important Greek
rulers include Demetrious, Eukratides, Apollodotus, Menander (Milinda),
Antialcidas, Antimachos etc with more than 45 Kings identified through source
of coins only; Ajanta caves (30 no.) built by Satavahana Dynasty depicting
Jataka tales (100 BC); Vikrami Samvat (V.S.) era established by King
Vikramaditya (of Vikram and Baitaal stories fame) of Ujjain following victory
over Sakas (56 BC); Kalidasa, a nav-ratna (nine gems) at Vikramaditya’s court,
composes classical plays ‘Shakuntalam’ and ‘Meghduta’; Indo-Parthian (Persian) kingdoms
established by Gondophares (20 BC); Kushan Kingdom established by the Chinese Ku-shuang
(or Gui-shuang) of the Yueh-chi nomadic tribe fleeing the Mongolian Xiang-nu or
the Huns (30 AD), important Kushan rulers include Kujula Kadphises, Wima
Kadphises, Kanishka the Great, Vashiska, Huvishka, Vasudeva; Kushans introduce
first gold and portrait coins in India imitating the Indo-Greeks rulers,
patronize the Gandhara and Mathura school of art; Western Kshatraps also gain
foothold in India in first Century AD, fight with Satavahanas for supremacy in
Deccan; "Laws of Manu" define four main Hindu castes (Brahmin ie
priest, Shatriya ie king/warrior, Vaishya ie trader, Shudra ie menial labourer
or untouchable); Saka (or Shalivahana) era begins from AD 78 to commemorate
victory of Satavahanas over the Sakas.
Gupta Empire and Fragmentation: 300
- 750 AD
Gupta Empire established
(320 AD) - "Golden Age" of Indian history begins under Gupta kings,
main rulers include Samudragupta (Dharmaditya), Chandragupta (Vikramaditya),
Kumaragupta (Mahendraditya), Skandagupta (Karmaditya); revival of Hinduism under
Gupta kings with Asvamedha yagna and other rituals followed by the Kings; Indian
decimal numbering system takes its modern shape under Guptas (later these are
spread to Europe by Arabs and known as Hindu-Arabic numerals); The Gupta Kings
introduce the first ‘Indianized’ gold coins of India bearing effigy of the King,
sometimes Queen and Hindu deities; Pallava Dynasty established in South India
(Tamil Nadu, Andhra); Chandragupta II conquers Gujarat, destroys the Sakas and
gains title ‘Sakahari’; Kumaragupta erects an Iron pillar, 23.8 ft high, 16
inch diameter, visible at the Qutub Minar complex (New Delhi) that withstands
test of time/corrosion; The game of Chaturanga (chess) develops during Gupta
period; Gupta Empire declines (500 AD) and India fragments with invasion of the Huns; Aryabhata composes ‘aryabhatiya’
- text on maths and astronomy (499 AD), his works on astronomy and mathematics
is extensively translated by later Arabs and spread to Europe ; Nalanda University
established in Bihar; Chalukyan kingdom founded in Central India; Thanesar
Kingdom founded by Harsha Vardhana in north India and Nepal; Banabhatta
composes biography ‘Harsacarita’ and novel ‘Kadambri’; Famous chinese pilgrims
Fa-Hien (400 AD) and Hieun-Tsang (630 AD) visit India; Ellora caves built (34
no – 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu & 5 Jain); Chalukyas defeat Harsha Vardhana at
Battle of Malwa; Pratihara Dynasty forms in northern India and Palas in East
India (Bengal); Chittorgarh, the largest fort in India, built by Maurya rulers (700
AD), gains fame under Bappa Rawal, Sisodia Gehlot Rajput; First Arab-Muslim
invasion of India at Sindh under Mohd Bin Qassim (712)
Chola Empire and Medieval India:
750 - 1200 AD
Sri Adi Shankara spreads
the Vedanta philosophy (800); Rashtrakuta Dynasty controls south and central
India, expands northward; Chola Empire breaks off from Pallavas; Pratihara
Empire at its height; Chola conquers all of South India; Raja Raja Chola builds
India’s largest ‘Brihadeshvara Temple’ at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu (1010); Mahmud
of Ghazni invades India and conquers much of Punjab; Chandela Rajputs build the
world famous temples at Khajuraho in Central India (950-1150); Mahmud of Ghazni
sacks Gurjara-Pratihara capital Kannauj (1018), invades Somnath temple (Somnath
is the first amongst the 12 Jyotirlinga’s dedicated to Shiva) (1024); Pala
Empire peaks under King Mahipala who is defeated by Rajendra Chola (1024); Raja
Bhoja of Malwa and King Bhima of Gujarat rebuild Somnath temple after Mahmud
Ghazni’s invasion (1026-1042); Cholas expand into Southeast Asia; World famous
Dilwara temples (Adinath temple) built in marble at Mount Abu, Rajasthan
(1031); Chalukya Empire breaks into three kingdoms (Badami, Kalyani, Vengi);
Anantavarman Choda Ganga constructs the Jagannath temple at Puri (1100); King
Suryavarman II builds the world’s largest Hindu temple complex at Angkor Wat in
Cambodia (1130); Mohd Ghori defeated by Solanki Rajputs in Gujarat (1178), by Prithviraj
Chauhan (1191), defeats and kills Chauhan in the Battle of Tarian (1192); Construction
commences on Qutub Minar in Delhi by Mohd Ghori’s slave general, Qutb-ud-din
Aibak (1193) and is finished by his son-in-law, Iltutmish; Nalanda University
sacked by Qutub-ud-din’s military general, Baktiar Khilji (1193), the library burns
for more than 3 months and immense knowledge source is lost.
Muslim Rule in India: 1200 - 1500
AD
Following death of Mohd
Ghori, Delhi Sultanate founded by Qutb-ud-din Aibak (1206); Razia Sultan,
Qutub-ud-din’s daughter, becomes the first and only woman ruler of Delhi
Sultanate (1236-40); Balban, slave of Qutub-ud-din Aibak, usurps power in Delhi
(1266); Chola Dynasty falls; Khilji Dynasty under Jalal-ud-din Firoz Khilji takes
over Delhi Sultanate (1290); Ala-ud-din Khilji murders his uncle Firoz Khilji
and becomes greatest ruler of the Khilji Dynasty (1296); Battle of Jalandhar -
Khilji general Zafar Khan defeats Mongols (1297), prisoners are brought to
Delhi and those embracing Islam are resettled in area known today as Mongolpuri;
Ala-ud-din Khilji sieges Chittor, first Jauhar (‘mass self-immolation’) in
Chittor as Rani Padmini and all Rajput women jump into burning pyres while the
Rajput men wearing ‘kesariya bana’ (saffron dress) march out for battle to
death (‘Saka’) (1303); Ala-ud-din’s general Malik Kafur sacks Meenakshi temple
in Madurai, Tamil Nadu (1310); Qutub al-din Mubarak Khilji, son of Alauddin
Khilji, assumes lofty titles as the next imam/prophet; Ghazi Malik, general under
the Khiljis, murders the last Sultan and establishes the Tughlaq Dynasty
adopting the title Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq (1321); Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya
curses the Delhi Sultan with his saying ‘Hunuz Dilli Dur Asth’ (meaning ‘abhi
Delhi dur hai’ ie Delhi is as yet far) that proves true as Mohd bin Tughluq
murders his father and ascends the Delhi throne (1326); Mohd bin Tughlaq proves
to be an eccentric ruler renowned for crazy reforms viz shifting capital from
Delhi to Daulatabad and back, introduction of token currency (copper with same
value as gold/silver, hindi idiom ‘din dugani raat chaugani unnati’ originates
as people start minting forged ‘gani’ (lowest unit of denomination) coins
during daytime and doubling it at night time); Arab Ibn Batuta arrives at Mohd
bin Tughluq’s court (1332), spends 10 years as Qazi, ambassador to China etc; Vijayanagara
Empire founded at Hampi in southern India by Harihara I (Hakka) and his brother
Bukka Raya I (1336) by throwing off the yoke of Delhi Sultan Mohd Bin Tughlaq,
visitors are over-awed with the grandeur of Vijayanagara and the hindi idiom
‘hakka-bakka’ (astounded) originates - important ruler was Krishana Deva Raya
with his famous poet Tenali Raman, one of the ‘asta-diggajas’ (eight giants) ; The
first Islamic Bahmani Kingdom founded in southern India at Gulbarga (Karnataka)
by Hassan Gangu who assumes the title of Alauddin Bahman Shah (1347); Marco
Polo visits India (1288); Timur (Tamerlane) sacks Delhi (1398); Bahmani Kingdom
fragments into 5 independent states – Bijapur, Bidar, Berar, Golconda and
Ahmednagar; Vasco da Gama lands in Calicut, Kerala (1498); Sikhism founded by
Guru Nanak Dev (1499).
Mughal Empire and British East
India Co.: 1500 – 1770 AD
First
Battle of Panipat (1526) - Babur and Mughals defeat Delhi Sultan Ibrahim Lodi; Babur
defeats Rana Sanga at Khanwa (1527); Turkic Mughal Empire rules north and
central India; Humayun ousted by Afghan Farid Khan (Sher Shah Suri) 1540; Sher
Shah introduces standard weight silver Rupiya that later becomes the Rupee,
builds the Grand Trunk road; Sher Shah dies in a gunpowder explosion invading
Kalinjar Fort (Banda, UP) of Chandela Rajputs (1545); Humayun regains control
of Delhi (1555) but dies within the year from a fall while descending staircase
of his library; Akbar the Great ascends to throne aged 14 years under tutelage
of uncle Bairam Khan, fights and wins second battle of Panipat against the
Hindu king Hemu Vikramaditya (1556); Vijayanagara Empire destroyed by the
combined Muslim armies of Bijapur, Bidar, Berar, Golconda and Ahmedanagar (1565);
Akbar introduces copper coin called ‘dam’ surviving to this day in hindi/urdu
language as basic price of an item; Akbar wins Chittor fort (1568) after much bloodshed
and killing of innocent civilians, Chittor is abandoned forever; Akbar builds
new city near Agra – Fatehpur Sikri – in honour of Sufi saint Salim Chisti,
whose name is also given to his son Prince Salim or Sheikhu Baba (later Emperor
Jahangir) (1569); Akbar defeats Maharana Pratap at Battle of Haldighati (1576);
Tulsidas completes composition of ‘Ramcharitamanas’, sends a copy to Raja Todar
Mal, finance minister of Akbar (1577); Akbar’s court includes Nav-ratnas (nine
gems) consisting of 5 Muslims (Abul Fazl – chronicler, Faizi – poet and Abul
Fazl’s brother, Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanana – poet and son of Bairam Khan,
Akbar’s regent on accession, Fakir Aziao Din – mystic and advisor, Abdul Momin
or Mullah Do Piaza – advisor) and 4 Hindu’s (Ramtanu Pandey or Tansen - singer,
Maheshdas Bhat or Raja Birbal – court jester, Raja Todar Mal – finance minister
and Raja Man Singh – army general); Akbar establishes new religion
‘Din-e-Elahi’ in 30th year of his reign (1592), issue’s coins denoted
in Ilahi Era; British East India Co. founded in London by Royal Charter issued
by Queen Elizabeth I (31 Dec 1600); Prince Salim (later Emperor Jahangir)
murders Akbar’s close aide Abu’l Fazal and revolts (1602); Death of Akbar, Jahangir
ascends Mughal throne (1605), agrees to provide Surat as a trading outpost to
the British East India Company; Guru Arjan Dev is the first Sikh guru to be
martyred under Jahangir’s orders (1606), Sikh’s become saint soldiers
thereafter; Jahangir orders ‘Chain of Justice’ (60 bells) outside Agra fort for
anyone to ring and seek justice; Treasurer of Jahangir, Sheikh Farid, founds
the city of Faridabad near Delhi (1607); Jahangir marries Mehr-un-Nisaa (Nur
Jahan), widow of his Bengal Governor Sher Afghan Quli Khan (1611), Jahangir’s
son Prince Khurram (Shah Jahan) marries Arjumand Banu Begum (Mumtaz Mahal)
1612; Jahangir orders his son Prince Khurram to battle in Deccan and honours
him with the title ‘Shah Jahan’ for his bravery (1617); Jahangir mints the
world’s largest surviving gold coin of 1,000 Mohur (12 Kg), his numismatic
innovations also includes portrait coins featuring him and Akbar, and ‘zodiac’
coins; Jahangir’s favorite queen, Nur Jahan rules in the last 5 years of
Jahangir’s reign as the king is addicted to wine and opium; Jahangir dies and Shah
Jahan is crowned Mughal Emperor (1627); Shah Jahan renames Agra to Akbarabad in
honour of his grandfather Akbar (1628); Shah Jahan orders the construction of
the ‘peacock throne’ completed in 7 years and inaugurated in 1635, costs twice
as much (Rs 1 crore) as the Taj Mahal built later; Mumtaz Mahal dies in
Burhanpur (MP) giving birth to 14th child Gauhara Begum (1631); Shah Jahan
fights with the Portuguese at Port Hoogly in Bengal (1631); Construction starts
to build Taj Mahal to honour Nur Jahan, takes 22 years to build; Shah Jahan deposed
by son Aurangzeb (1658); Aurangzeb introduces Jizyah tax on Hindus and destroys
many Hindu temples including Somnath, Kashi Visvanath (Banaras), Mathura etc; Maratha
chief Shivaji fights Aurangzeb till his death (1680); Guru Govind Singh, the 10th
and last Guru, establishes the Khalsa (1699), baptizes men as ‘Singh’ and women
as ‘Kaur’ and decrees ‘Guru Granth Sahib’ as the everlasting Guru for all Sikhs
till eternity; Aurangzeb dies (1707); Sayyid Brothers play Mughal kingmakers in
1719 when one after the other, 4 rulers are placed on the Mughal throne with
first 3 being killed/murdered in quick succession – Farruksiyar, Rafi-ud-Darjat
and Rafi-ud-Daula – ascension of Mohammad Shah ‘Rangeela’ brings stability; Nadir
Shah of Persia (Iran) sacks Delhi during the reign of Muhammad Shah, stays in
Delhi for 53 days and carts away the famous Peacock Throne and Koh-i-noor (186
carats) and Darya-i-noor diamond (182 carats) (1739); Shah Alam-II begins reign
as the Mughal Emperor in 1759; Robert Clive defeats the Nawab of Bengal,
Siraj-ud-Daulah at Battle of Plassey, British East India Co. begins political
control of India (1757); Ahmad Shah Durrani (Abdali) (Afghanistan) defeats
Marathas at third battle of Panipat (1761); Battle of Buxar (1764) further
consolidates British power in India with defeat of Nawab of Awadh, Nawab of
Bengal and Shah Alam II; Bengal Famine kills 10 million people (1770); First
post office opens in Calcutta (1774).
British Raj in India: 1799 - 1946
British defeat and kill
Tipu Sultan of Mysore (1799); Sikh Empire founded in Punjab; First bank
established in India – Bank of Calcutta (1806) renamed Bank of Bengal in 1809; British
outlaw Sati (1829); James Princep deciphers the Brahmi script and unlocks the
Ashokan rock edicts (1837); British overpower the Sikhs after Ranjit Singh’s
death (1846); Lord Dalhousie introduces the ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ policy for
annexing Indian Princely States for misgovernance or no male heir (1848); Railways
introduced in India (1853); Bal Gangadhar Tilak is born (1856); Mangal Pandey
fires the first shot in Meerut declaring Indian Mutiny (10 May 1857), residency
seized in Lucknow; University of Calcutta established (1857); Rani Laxmibhai of
Jhansi killed in Gwalior battling the British (1858); British overthrow the last
Mughal emperor (Bahadur Shah Zafar) and exile him to Burma (1858); India comes
under direct control of the British Government (1858); Trams begin operations
in Calcutta (1873); British East India Company dissolved (1874); Sir Syed Ahmed
Khan establishes a school (madrasa) for Indian
Muslims (1875) that later becomes the Aligarh Muslim University in 1920;
Queen Victoria named Empress of India (1876); Bankim Chandra Chattopadyaya
composes the novel ‘Anandmath’ which includes the poem ‘Vande Mataram’ that
becomes the national cry for freedom
(1882); Indian National Congress formed (1885); Narendra Nath Datta (Swami
Vivekananda’s) speech beginning ‘Sisters and Brothers of America’ brings
standing ovation and raises profile of India and awareness of Hinduism in USA
(1893); Fist imported automobile runs on Indian roads (1898); Edward VII named
Emperor of India following death of Queen Victoria (1901), Lord Curzon
organizes a grand Delhi Darbar in honour of Edward VII coronation(1903); Urdu
poet Mohd Iqbal composes ‘Saare Jahan Se Achcha’ (1904); Lord Curzon announces
Partition of Bengal along hindu muslim religious lines (1905); All India Muslim
League founded in Dacca (1906); 18 year old Khudiram Bose hanged in Muzaffarpur
for throwing a bomb at British Magistrate (1908); George V and Queen Mary become
the first British reigning monarch to visit India and attend the Delhi Durbar
in 1911, announce shifting of capital from Calcutta to Delhi; Edwin Lutyens and
Herbert Baker commissioned in 1912 to build a new imperial capital in New Delhi
(Lutyen’s Delhi), works include Viceroys House (Rastrapati Bhawan), Parliament
House (Sansad Bhawan), Central Secretariat (North and South Block), Hyderabad
House, Bikaner House, Baroda House, Patiala House, Bungalows, etc; Jana Gana
Mana, India’s future National Anthem, sung for first time at Congress session
in Calcutta (1911); Bengal reunites in 1911; Rabindranath Tagore becomes first non-European to win Nobel Literature
Prize (1913); Origin of Bollywood - First silent movie ‘Raja Harishchandra’
made in India by Dadasaheb Phalke (1913); First World War begins (1914-18); Banaras
Hindu University established by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya (1916); Annie Besant
launches Home Rule League with Lokmanya Tilak demanding self-rule for India
(1916); General Dyer orders the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre in Amritsar (13 Apr
1919); Congress launches ‘Non Cooperation Movement’ (1920); Bal Gangadhar Tilak
who gave the fiery slogan ‘Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it’ dies
(1920); Ramanujan, the great Indian mathematician, dies at age 32 (1920); Mohandas
Gandhi leads anti-British Civil Disobedience Movement (1922); Sarojini Naidu
‘The Nightingale of India’ becomes the first woman President of Indian National
Congress (1925); Sri Aurobindo Ashram established in Pondicherry (1926); Lala
Lajpat Rai dies in a lathi-charge during a peaceful street protest against the ‘Simon
Commission’(1928); Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev and Chandrsekhar Azad avenge
Lala’s death by shooting ASP John Saunders (instead of SP James Scott) (1928); Gandhi's
Dandi (salt protest) and March to the Sea (1930); Gandhi introduces ‘Swaraj’
Flag to Congress session with spinning charkha in centre (1931); Chandrasekhar
Azad shoots himself fighting the British police at Alfred Park, Allahabad
(1931); Bhagat Singh, Rajguru & Sukhdev hanged by the British at Lahore
jail (1931); All India War Memorial (India Gate) inaugurated by Lord Irwin in
New Delhi (1931); Indian Air Force established (1932); JRD Tata forms Tata
Airlines, forerunner to Air India, flies first postal mail from Karachi to
Bombay (1932); Reserve Bank of India established (1935); All India Radio
established (1936); Indian hockey team under Dhyan Chand defeat Germany 8-1 in
the Berlin Olympics finals, Hitler leaves the stadium midway (15 Aug 1936); Second
World War starts (1939); Muslim League leader Mohd Ali Jinnah demands a separate
homeland ‘Pak-i-stan’ (Land of the pure) for Muslims (1940); Congress launches "Quit
India" movement (1942-43); Birla establishes Hindustan Motors, frontrunner
to the ‘Ambassador’ car modeled on British Oxford Morris (1942); Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose forms the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) to fight the
British (1943); Major Abid Hasan Safrani, a lieutenant of Netaji, coins the
slogan ‘Jai Hindustan Ki’ the shortened version of which ‘Jai Hind’ becomes the
battle cry of Azad Hind Fauj; Netaji dies in an aircrash in Taipei in mysterious
circumstances, conspiracy theories abound (1945); World War II ends with USA
dropping atomic bombs in Japan - Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945); India joins the
United Nations (UN) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) (1945); Western India
Products Ltd (Wipro) established by Mohd Hashem Premji (1945), becomes a
leading IT powerhouse under son Azim Premji later; A hoard of 2,150 gold coins of
the Gupta Kings discovered by cowherds in Bayana, Bharatpur State, of which
1,821 are preserved and help unlock the ‘Golden Period of Indian History’
(1946).
Partition of India and
Independence: 1947 - 1977
Independence and the
Partition of India, between 0.5 to 1 Mn people die and 15 Mn made refugees; Jawaharlal
Nehru gives a historic ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech at the stroke of midnight on
14 Aug 1947; Union of India comes into existence on 15 Aug 1947 with this day
celebrated as India’s Independence Day; At the time of Independence, there are
565 princely states most of which (except Kashmir, Hyderabad, Manipur &
Tripura) join India under Sardar Vallabhai Patel and VP Menon; India adopts National
Flag as Gandhi’s ‘Swaraj’ Flag replacing spinning charkha with Ashoka’s dharma
chakra in center (1947); Jawaharlal Nehru becomes Independent India’s first PM;
‘Operation Polo’ under Indian Army integrates Hyderabad to India (1948), the
last Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan was the richest man in the world at that time
with wealth equivalent to USD 225 Bn and featured in Time Magazine in early
1940s; Mohandas Gandhi assassinated by Hindu right wing activist Nathuram Godse
(30 Jan 1948); First Indo-Pak War (1948); India becomes a Republic, adopts the
world’s longest written Constitution (drafted by BR Ambedkar), Supreme Court
established (1950); Iron Man of India Sardar Vallabhai Patel dies (1950); India
establishes Planning Commission (1951); First Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT) established in Kharagpur, W. Bengal (1951); First Asian Games held in New
Delhi (1951); Bhabha Atomic Research Center established (1954); French
territories in South India (Pondicherry etc) comes under Indian control (1954);
All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) opens in New Delhi (1956); Doordarshan
established (1959); Uprising in Tibet, India grants political asylum to Dalai
Lama (1951); Raj Kapoor’s film ‘Awaara’ gains immense popularity in India and
abroad (1951); ‘Mughal-e-azam’ starring Dilip Kumar and Madhubala becomes the
costliest film produced (1951); National Museum opens in New Delhi (1960); Indian
Army defeat Portuguese and integrate Goa into India (1961); India, under
Jawaharlal Nehru, and several other world leaders, conceive and establishes the
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) at Belgrade (1961); First Indian Institute of Management
(IIM) established in Calcutta followed by Ahmedabad (1961); INS Vikrant becomes
the first Aircraft Carrier to be commissioned by Indian Navy (1961); India loses
border war with China (1962); Lata Mangeskar sings ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo’ on
Republic Day, Nehru is moved to tears (1963); Prime Minister Nehru dies (1964);
Second Indo-Pak War (1965); Indian PM Lal Bahadur Shastri coins the slogan ‘Jai
Jawan Jai Kisan’ (1965); Indira Gandhi becomes Prime Minister (1966); Dhirubhai
Ambani establishes Reliance Industries (1966); Zakir Hussain becomes the first
Muslim President of India (1967); Third Indo-Pak War and creation of Bangladesh
(1971); Free Bangladesh adopts ‘Amar Shona Bangla’, composed by Rabindranath
Tagore, as its National Anthem; Meghalaya is carved out of Assam (1972); First
Indian nuclear test (Pokran, 1974); Sikkim joins India as the 22nd
State (1975); G.P. Sippy produced film ‘Sholay’ releases on 15 Aug 1975,
becomes Bollywood best known film; India launches its first satellite
‘Aryabhatta’ (1975); Indira Gandhi declares Emergency (1975); Congress loses
elections (1977).
The Turbulent Late 20th Century:
1977 - 1999
Geeta and Sanjay Chopra
murder case rocks Delhi and India (1978), culprits Ranga & Billa hanged
later in 1982; Assam agitation against illegal migrants begins (1979); Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu (Mother
Teresa), born an Albanian but Indian citizen, wins Nobel Peace Prize (1979); Indira
Gandhi returns to power (1980); Sanjay Gandhi dies in air crash (1980); Phoolan
Devi ‘The Bandit Queen’ avenges her rape by upper caste men by massacring 22
upper caste villagers in Behmai (1981); Maruti Udyog founded to build peoples
car (1981); Infosys Technology established by Narayanamurthy (1981); Asian
Games held in New Delhi with dancing elephant ‘Appu’ as mascot (1982); Colour
TV launched in India (1982); Trade Union leader Datta Samant leads massive
textile strike in Bombay (1982); Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachhan suffers
near fatal accident on the sets of film ‘Coolie’ following a punch to the
stomach by co-star Puneet Issar, is hospitalized for 2 months (1982); India
wins Prudential Cricket World Cup in England under captain Kapil Dev with ‘Kapils
Devils’ beating the mighty West Indies team (1983); Indian troops launch
‘Operation Bluestar’ to flush out militants from the Golden Temple (1984);
Union Carbide gas leak at Bhopal kills thousands (1984); India’s first soap
opera and TV drama series launched titled ‘Hum Log’(1984); Wing Cmdr Rakesh
Sharma becomes first Indian cosmonaut in space (1984), responds “Saare Jahan Se
Accha” when asked by PM Indira Gandhi on how India looks from space; Indira
Gandhi assassinated by Sikh bodyguards (1984), riots break out in Delhi,
Haryana, Kanpur etc; Canada based Sikh terrorist group Babbar Khalsa blows up
Air India flight 182 (Kanishka) over Ireland killing 329 people (1985), as
revenge for Sikh victims of 1984 riots; Assam agitation ends (1985); Subhas
Ghising leads violent agitation for a separate Gorkhaland in Darjeeling (1986);
Flight purser Neerja Bhanot becomes youngest person to receive Ashok Chakra
posthumously for helping save lives during hijacking of PanAm flight to Karachi
(1986), commemorative stamp is issued by Indian Govt and Bollywood makes a
biopic in 2016 starring Sonam Kapoor; Indian troops intervene in Sri Lankan
civil war (1987); Demand begins in Assam for a separate homeland for the Bodos
- Bodoland (1987); Ramanand Sagar’s TV serial ‘Ramayana’ launched, becomes the
world’s most viewed mythological serial (1987); India withdraws from Sri
Lanka (1989); Muslim separatist groups begin
campaign of violence in Kashmir (1990); Rajiv Gandhi assassinated by Tamil Tiger suicide bomber (1991); Economic reforms begins
under PM P.V. Narasimha Rao (1991); India test fires the home grown ‘Agni’
missile (1991); Hindu zealots destroy Babri Masjid mosque in Ayodhya triggering
bloody riots (1992), retaliatory bomb blasts in Mumbai kills many (1993); Sushmita
Sen is first Indian to win Miss Universe, Aishwarya Rai wins Miss World (1994);
Indian National Congress loses elections to BJP (1996); Saudi airliner crashes
midair with Kazakh airlines near New Delhi killing 349 people (1996); Mother
Teresa dies in Calcutta (1997); BJP govt conducts second nuclear explosion
(1998); Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee travels by bus to Pakistan to sign Lahore peace declaration with Pak PM Nawaz
Sharif (1999); Renewed Indo-Pak fighting in Kargil, Kashmir (May 1999), Barkha Dutt of NDTV gains prominence for her
fearless frontline coverage of the Kargil war.
India
in the 21st Century: 2000 – 2016 and ongoing………
India welcomes its 1
billionth citizen (2000); US President Bill Clinton visits India (2000); Indian
IT professionals led by IIT graduates blaze a success trail in USA (2000); Madhya
Pradesh is partitioned into Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh into Uttaranchal
(2000); Gujarat earthquakes kill 30,000+; India launches first large orbital
satellites (2001); Attack on Indian Parliament by Pak terrorists led by Afzal
Guru (2001); Sectarian violence kills 59 Hindu pilgrims and then 1,000+ Muslims
in Godhra, Gujarat (2002), retaliatory bomb blasts in Bombay (2003); India and
Pakistan declare Kashmir ceasefire (2003); India launces bid for permanent UN
Security Council membership (2004); Mahmohan Singh becomes PM of India (2004);
Thousands of Indians die in Southeast Asian tsunami
(2004); India signs Nuclear Deal during US
President George Bush visit (2006); Famous painter M.F. Husain charged with
hurting religious sentiments after painting hindu gods and goddesses in the
nude (2006); Pratibha Patil becomes India's first female president (2007); Uttaranchal
changes its name to Uttarakhand (2007); India launches first unmanned
‘Chandrayaan’ mission to the Moon (2008); Mumbai terrorist attack by Pak
radicals (2008); Abinav Singh Bindra becomes first Indian to win an individual
Olympic Gold Medal in shooting at Beijing (2008); India rocked by double murder
case of teenager Arushi & servant Hemraj, parents blamed (2008); Congress wins
general assembly elections (2009); Songwriter and composer A.R. Rehman wins
Oscar for ‘Jai Ho’ song in film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ (2009); India adopts a new
symbol for its currency (Rupee) designed
by D. Udaya Kumar, an IIT
Bombay student (2010); Commonwealth Games held in Delhi (2010); India under MS
Dhoni wins Cricket World Cup in Mumbai defeating Sri Lanka in Finals (2011);
Shady telecoms deal (2G scam) rocks India (2011); Vaults of Padmanabhaswamy
temple in Trivandrum, Kerala opened on orders of Supreme Court, reveal $20bn
treasure trove (2011); Anna Hazare goes on fast in Delhi for 12 days demanding
anti-graft legislation (Jan Lokpal Bill) to fight state corruption (2011),
Sachin Tendulkar scores his 100th Century at the Asia Cup at Mirpur,
Bangladesh (India however lose the match) and becomes the first man ever to
score a century of centuries (51 Test, 49 ODI) in cricket (2012) ; Captain
Laxmi Sehgal (INA/Azad Hind Fauj and a close associate of Netaji Subhas Chandra
Bose) dies (2012); Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray dies (2012); Arvind Kejriwal
floats his Aam Admi Party (AAP) (2012); brutal ‘Nirbhaya’ gangrape shocks
Delhi, India and the world (2012); Religious guru Asaram Bapu arrested in sex
scandal (2013); Arrest of Devyani Khobragade, India’s Dpt Consul General in New
York, creates major diplomatic row (2013); Sachin Tendulkar retires after
playing his 200th test match (2013); Afzal Guru, mastermind of
attack on Indian Parliament in 2001, hanged (2013); Uttarakhand & Kedarnath
devasted by floods (2013); Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) launched
successfully by ISRO (2013), enters Mars orbit in 2014; Narendra Modi (NaMo)
wave leads BJP to sweep Elections winning absolute majority for first time in
30 years (May 2014); Supreme Court recognizes Transgender (Hijras) as the ‘third
gender’ (2014); Andhra Pradesh is split with a new 29th state of
India, Telangana, born with Hyderabad as joint capital for fist 10 years
(2014); India wins Hockey gold at Asian Games; Mary Kom wins boxing gold
(2014); Nobel Peace Prize awarded jointly to Indian Kailash Satyarthi and
Pakistan’s teenager girl Malala Yousafzai (2014); Death of Sunanda Pushkar,
wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, raises suspicion of poisoning (2014); US
President Barack Obama visits India as Republic Day Chief Guest (2015); AAP
sweeps Delhi elections winning 67/70 seats (2015); Amravati declared new
capital city for Andhra Pradesh (2015); Hardik Patel begins agitation in
Gujarat for Patidar as OBC (Other Backward Castes) category (2015);
Ex-servicemen begin nationwide protest for OROP (One Rank One Pension) scheme
(2015); Saina Nehwal (badminton) and Sania Mirza (tennis) create history by
achieving World No. 1 rank in their sports (2015); UN declares 21 June as First International Yoga
Day (2015); Yakub Menon, accused in 1993 Bombay blasts, hanged (2015); Indian
Army conducts cross border anti-terror attack in Myanmar in response to killing
of 14 servicemen in Manipur (2015); India evacuates 4,640 citizens and 960
nationals from 41 other countries from civil strife in Yemen (the event
inspired Bollywood film ‘Airlift’ starring Akshay Kumar) (2015); Bharat Ratna
awarded to Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Late Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya (2015);
ex-President APJ Abdul Kalam dies (2015); Dadri riots and mob lynching rocks
India, many return awards and honours in protest, Aamir Khan faces backlash for
his comments on intolerance (2015); Gunmen storm airbase at Pathankot (2016); JNU
leader Kanhaiya Kumar arrested for sedition for organizing protest against
Afzal Guru hanging in 2013 (2016); Hizbul commander, Burhan Wani’s killing
paralyses Kashmir (2016); PV Sindhu (badminton) and Sakshi Malik (wrestling)
win silver and bronze medals at Rio Olympics (2016); Goods and Services Tax
bill (GST) passed in Parliament (2016); 17 soldiers die in early morning attack
at Uri, India launches ‘surgical strikes’ across the LOC (2016); Corporate
Governance turmoil at Tata Sons with Cyrus Mistry sacked (2016); Arnab Goswami,
anchor of Times Now TV Channel, announces resignation (2016) and launch of his
own ‘Republic TV’ in 2017; PM Modi’s sudden announcement on 8 Nov 2016 to
demonetize Rs 500 & Rs 1,000 bank notes causes political uproar, massive
disruption to money supply and long ques at banks and ATMs, new Rs 500 & Rs
2,000 notes launched (2016); Supreme Court orders national anthem to be played
in all cinema theatres (2016); Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha dies
(2016); Barkha Dutt, anchor of NDTV India’s TV shows ‘We the people’ and ‘The
Buck Stops Here’, announces resignation in Jan 2017.
