Timeline of Indian History - Modern India (1707-1947)

• Key concept: Timeline of Indian History - Modern India (1707-1947) • Essential for UPSC CSE Prelims, State PSCs, SSC CGL & Railway exams. • Comprehensive analytical coverage and factual pointers provided below.

1707 to 1749

1707	Battle of Jajau, accession of Bahadur Shah I
1708	Death of Guru Gobind Singh
1712	Death of Bahadur Shah I, accession of Jahandar Shah
1713	Accession of  Farukh Siyar, murder of Jahandar Shah
1714	Hussain Ali becomes viceroy of the Deccan Treaty between Hussain Ali and the Marathas
1716	Execution of Banda Bahadur Surman Embassy to the Imperial Court
1717	Emperor Farukh Siyar’s farman to East India Co. Appointment of Murshid Quli Khan as governor of Bengal timeline of indian history
1719	Farukh Siyar put to death Accession and deposition of puppet emperors Accession of Muhammad Shah
1720	Fall of the Sayyid brothers
1724	Appointment of Saadat Khan as governor of Awadh Virtual independence of the Nizam in the Deccan, Appointment of Qamaruddinas wazir
1739	Nadir Shah took Delhi and sacked it Death of Shuja-ud-din, Sarfaraz, as governor of Bengal Capture of Bassein and Salsette by the Marathas
1740	Alivardi Khan became Nawab of Bengal
1742	Marathas invaded Bengal Dupleix as governor of Pondicherry
1744-48	1st Carnatic war (Anglo-French)
1745	War Rohillas in occupation of Rohilkhand
1746	Capture of Madras by La Bourdonnais
1747	Invasion by Ahmad Shah Abdali
1748	Death of Nizam Chinquilich Khan Death of Muhammad Shah, accession of Ahmad Shah
1749	Restoration of Madras to the English
1949-54	2nd Carnatic War

1750 to 1799

1750	Defeat and death of Nizam Nasir Jang, Muzaffar Jung became the Nizam timeline of Indian history
1751	Capture and defence of Arcot by Robert Clive Death of Muzaffar Jang, accession of Salabat Jang as Nizam Conclusion of treaty by Nawab Alivardi Khan with the Marathas by surrendering Cuttack timeline of indian history
1754	Recall of Dupleix, Godehu’s as governor and his treaty with the English. Accession of Alamgir Il
21 April 1756	Death of Alivardi Khan, accession of Siraj-ud-daula
20 June 1756	Capture of Calcutta by Siraj-ud-daula
2 Jan 1757	Recovery of Calcutta by the English
Jan 1757	Delhi and Mathura were sacked by Ahmad Shah Abdali Treaty of Alinagar between Siraj and the English
9 Feb 1757	The capture of Chandannagar by the English
23 June 1757	Battle of Plassey Mir Jafar installed as Nawab
2 July 1757	Capture and execution of Siraj-ud-daula
1748-63	3rd Carnatic War
1758	The arrival of Lally in India Occupation of the Panjab by the Marathas Masulipatnam captured by British Colonel Forde
1759	Battle of Bedara at Chinsurah between British & Dutch Prince Ali Gauhar’s futile invasion of Bihar Emperor Alamgir Il murdered by Ghazi-ud-din
22 Jan 1760	Battle of Wandiwash
1760	Battle of Udgir between the Marathas and the Nizam Installation of Mir Qasim as Nawab of Bengal Vansittart appointed governor in Bengal
14 Jan 1761	3rd battle of Panipat Surrender of Pondicherry to the English Accession of Ali Gauhar as Emperor Shah Alam Il Appointment of Shujauddaula as wazir Haider Ali king of Mysore
1763	Mir Qasim drove out of Bengal and Bihar
21 Oct 1764	Battle of Buxar
1765 12 Aug 1765	Death of Mir Jafar 2nd governorship of Clive in Bengal Treaty of Allahabad – Shah Alam II & Company Grant of the diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa
1766	Acquisition by the Company of the Northern Circars
1766-69	1st Mysore War
1767	Departure of Clive, Verelest as governor in Bengal
1769	The Great Bengal Famine
1772	Death of Peshwa Madhava Rao Accession and murder of Peshwa Narayan Rao
1773	Enactment of the Regulating Act Warren Hastings was appointed governor of Bengal Peshwaship of Raghunath Rao or Raghoba
1774	Accession of Narayan Rao as peshwa Rohilla War Establishment of Supreme Court in Calcutta
1775	Trial and execution of Nanda Kumar
1775-82	1st Anglo – Maratha War
1776	Treaty of Purandhar between Peshwa and British
1779	Convention of Wadgaon between Maratha and British
1780	Gwalior captured by General Popham
1780-84	2nd Anglo – Mysore War
1781	Deposition of Chait Singh – Ruler of Benares Amendment of the Regulating Act
1782	Affair of the Begums of Oudh Treaty of Salbai Death of Haider Ali
1783	Fox’s India Bill – abolition of the Court of Directors and the Court of Proprietors
1784	Treaty of Mangalore closed the 2nd Mysore War Pitt’s India Act
1786	Lord Cornwallis appointed governor general
1790-92	3rd Anglo – Mysore War Treaty of Seringapatnam
1792	Ranjit Singh became the leader of a Sikh misl
1793	Permanent Settlement of land revenue in Bengal Charter Act of 1793 Sir John Shore—governor general
1794	Death of Mahadji Sindhia – ruler of Gwalior
1795	Battle of Kharda between Nizam and Maratha Death of Ahalya Bai
1796	Death of Peshwa Madhav Rao Narayan Baji Rao Il became the last Peshwa
1797	Zaman Shah in the Punjab Death of Nawab Asaf-ud-daula of Awadh
1798	Lord Wellesley governor general Acceptance of Subsidiary Alliance by the Nizam
1798-99	4th Anglo – Mysore War
1799	Death of Tipu and fall of Seringapatnam Partition of Mysore and installation of the Hindu Raja’s family in Mysore Ranjit Singh appointed governor of Lahore by Zaman Shah Malcolm led English mission to Persia Baptist Mission established at Serampore by William Carey

1800 to 1825

1800	Death of Nana Fadnavis
1801	Carnatic annexed to the British empire
1802	Battle of Poona between rival Maratha clans Treaty of Bassein between British and Baji Rao II
1803-05	2nd Anglo – Maratha War
1805	Recall of Lord Wellesley 2nd term of Lord Cornwallis as governor-general George Barlow as governor-general
1806	Vellore Mutiny
1807	Lord Minto I became governor-general
1808	British missions under Malcolm to Persia British mission to Kabul under Elphinstone
1809	Treaty of Amritsar between the English and Ranjit Singh
1813	Charter Act – end of companies' monopoly over trade Lord Hastings as governor-general
1814-16	War with Nepal Treaty of Sagauli – established the boundary line of Nepal
1817-18	Pindari war 3rd Anglo – Maratha War Abolition of Peshwaship 1st cotton mill in India, Fort Gloster, Howrah
1819	Protective alliances with the states of Rajputana
1820	Thomas Munro as governor of Madras
1823	Lord Amherst governor general
1824	Barrackpore Mutiny
1824-26	1st Burmese War Treaty of Yandabo Annexation of Assam, Arakan and Tennasserim

1826 to 1849

1826	Fall of Bharatpur
1828	Lord William Bentinck as governor-general
1829	Akbar II, Mughal Emperor of Delhi Bengal Sati Regulation Act, 1829
1829-37	Suppression of Thuggee by Sleeman
1830	Annexation of Cachar Raja Ramohan Roy visited England Mysore rebellion Thuggee and Dacoity Department
1831	Assumption of Mysore administration by the English Journey of Alexander Burnes up the Indus Meeting at Rupar – Ranjit Singh and William Bentinck Death of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
1832	Annexation of Jaintia
1833	Charter Act 1833 East India Company's monopoly on China trade ends Tea Committee to assess the potential of Assam tea
1834	Annexation of Coorg Institution of law member in Supreme Council with Lord Macaulay as the first incumbent
1835	Foundation of Calcutta Medical College
2 Feb 1835	English Education Act 1835 – Macaulay’s Minute English replace Persian – the official language of India
20 Mar 1835	Charles Metcalfe as governor-general
24 Mar 1835	Abolition of Press restrictions Assam Rifles, was founded in India Lease of the Darjeeling by British from the Kingdom of Sikkim
1836	Lord Auckland as governor-general
1837-38	Famine in North India
1838	Tripartite treaty – English with Shah Shuja and Ranjit Singh
1839	New treaty forced on the Amirs of Sind Death of Ranjit Singh Cyclone hits port city of Coringa Andhra Pradesh, 300,000 people die
1839-42	1st Afghan War 1st Opium War in China
1840	1st tea gardens in at Chittagong
1842	Lord Ellenborough became governor-general Oriental Bank Corporation established in Bombay
1843	War with the Amirs of Sind Annexation of Sind, Battle of Maharajpur between British and Maratha forces in Gwalior Suppression of slavery
1844	Lord Hardinge became governor-general
1845-46	1st Sikh War Treaty of Lahore
1846	Kashmir is ceded to the British East India Company The Koh-i-Noor diamond is surrendered to Queen Victoria
1848	Lord Dalhousie became governor-general Revolt of Mulraj in Punjab The doctrine of Lapse policy started by the British Annexation of Satara
1848-49	2nd Sikh War Annexation of Punjab
1849	Bethune School for girls started in Calcutta Annexation of Jaitpur and Sambalpur Great Indian Peninsula Railway was incorporated

1850 to 1857

1850 Nov 1850	Penal annexation of a part of Sikkim 1st experimental electric telegraph line Calcutta and Diamond Harbour
1851	1st freight train is operated in Roorkee
1852	2nd Burmese War and annexation of Pegu Death of ex-Peshwa Baji Rao II and stoppage of his pension
16 April 1853	1st railway in India from Bombay to Thane, 35 km Laying of telegraph line from Calcutta to Agra Annexation of Nagpur & Jhansi Cession of Berar by the Nizam Charter Act 1853 Entrance into I.C.S. through open to competition
7 July 1854	2nd cotton mill – Bombay Spinning and Weaving Company by Cowasjee Nanabhoy Davar
15 Aug 1854	Education Dispatch of Charles Wood – Wood’s despatch 1st all India stamp issued Calcutta Survey 1st passenger train – Howrah to Hooghly
1855	British annexed Thanjavur Maratha kingdom
1855-57	Santhal rebellion
1856 26 July 1856	Annexation of Oudh Measured height of ‘Peak XV’ – Mount Everest The Indian Universities Act Religious Disabilities Act Lord Canning as Governor General Hindu Widow’s Remarriage Act End of Crimean War General Service Order Persian War 2nd Opium War (1856-60) Introduction of the Enfield rifle
1857	Foundation of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras Universities
1857 – 58	Sepoy Mutiny
29 Mar 1857	Revolt of Mangal Pandey at Barrackpore
10 May	Revolt began at Meerut
11 May	Revolt began in Delhi
20 Sept 1857	British forces recapture Delhi
Jan-Mar 1858	Trial of Emperor Bahadur Shah
June 1858	The last rebels surrender in Gwalior
July 1858	Proclamation of peace by Lord Canning

1858 to 1875

2 Aug 1858	Government of India Act 1858
1 Nov 1858	Darbar was held at Allahabad Queen’s Proclamation – assumed the govt. of India Lord Canning was appointed as 1st Viceroy
1859	Withdrawal of Doctrine of Lapse Execution of Tatya Tope
1859-60	Indigo revolt in Bengal
1860	Enactment of Indian Penal Code
1861	Indian Councils Act High Courts Act Civil Service Act Famine in N.W. India Enactment of the Code of Criminal Procedure Delhi Department of Police is founded
1862	Lord Elgin I as Governor-General
2 July 1862	Establishment of Calcutta High Courts Supreme & Sadar Courts merged into high courts
1863	1st to join Indian Civil Service – Satyendranath Tagore
1864	John Lawrence as Governor-General Shimla was declared the summer capital Bhutan War Indian Forest Service was set up
1865	Orissa famine Opening of telegraphic communication with Europe Indian Forest Acts – British claims over forests in India
1867	Fiscal year April–March
1868	Opening of railway from Ambala to Delhi Bank of Bombay established Tata Group is founded by Jamsetji Tata
1869 2 Oct 1869	Lord Mayo became Viceroy Birth of Gandhiji
1870	Infanticide is banned in India 1st submarine telegraph cable from UK to Bombay
1871	Criminal Tribes Act – hereditary criminals
1872	Murder of Lord Mayo by Sher Ali Afridi in A&N Islands Lord Northbrook appointed viceroy
1873	Famine in Bihar
1874	Agra Canal opens
1875 31 Oct 1975	Deposition of Malhar Rao Gaekwad Birth of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Visit of Edward, Prince of Wales

1876 to 1899

1876	Lord Lytton I became viceroy Royal Titles Act Occupation of Quetta Outbreak of famine in the Deccan
1 Jan 1877	2nd Delhi Durbar Queen Victoria proclaimed empress of India
1878  – 80	2nd Afghan War
1878	Vernacular Press Act
1880	Lord Ripon as viceroy
1881	Rendition of Mysore 1st Factory Act 1st General Census
1882	Repeal of Vernacular Press Act Hunter Education Commission
1883	Beginning of local self-government in India Ilbert Bill – allow Indian judges to try Europeans
1884	Lord Dufferin as viceroy
1885	3rd Burmese War
25 Dec 1885	1st meeting of the Indian National Congress Bengal Local Self-Government Act
1886	Annexation of Upper Burma Restoration of Gwalior fort
1888	Lord Lansdowne became viceroy 1st ever temple for the untouchables in Aruvippuram, Kerala
1891	2nd Factory Act Age of Consent Act Anglo-Manipur War
1892	Indian Councils Act
1893	Durand Line – Boundary between British India and Afghanistan Vivekananda in the U.S.A. – World’s Parliament of Religions
1894	Lord Elgin Il as Viceroy Punjab National Bank was founded by Lala Lajpat Rai
1896	Plague epidemic in Bombay  No-tax campaign in Maharashtra by Bal Gangadhar Tilak Famine started in Bundelkhand
1897	Famine Commission Battle of Saragarhi Formation of Indian Education Service
1897-98	Frontier War – Tirah campaign – between British and Afghan
1898	1st volume of the Linguistic Survey of India is published in Calcutta
1899	Lord Curzon became Viceroy

1900 to 1910

1900	Land Alienation Act India’s first participation in the Summer Olympics
1901	Death of Queen Victoria and accession of King Edward VIl North West Frontier Province created
1902	United Provinces of Agra and Oudh is established
1903 – 04	Tibetan expedition – Younghusband mission
1904	Ancient Monuments Preservation Act Indian Universities Act Co-operative Society Act
19 July 1905 16 Oct 1905	Partition of Bengal announced Partition took place Lord Mito II became Viceroy Morely – Secretary of State for India Swadeshi and boycott movement Indian Railway Board founded
1906 30 Dec 1906	Officially adapting of Indian Standard Time Foundation of the Muslim League INC President Dadabhai Naoroji declared ‘Swaraj’
1907 26 Dec 1907	Anglo-Russian Convention Surat split Newspapers Act Tata steel started manufacturing Ani Besant – president of Thiosafical society
12 Mar 1908	Tinnevely riot
May 1908 29 April	Trial of Alipore bomb case (1908-09) Muzaffarpur Conspiracy – Khudiran & P. Chaki
1909	Nasik conspiracy Indian Councils Act (Morley-Minto Reforms) 1st Indian to Viceroy’s Executive Council – S.P Sinha
1910	Lord Hardinge as Viceroy Sri Aurobindo began his spiritual pursuits

1911 to 1919

Feb 1911	1st official air mail flight – Allahabad to Naini
11 Dec 1911	Coronation of George V in New Delhi
12 Dec	Delhi Durbar
12 Dec	Partition of Bengal nullified
12 Dec	Transfer of capital to Delhi announced
27 Dec 1911	Jana Gana Mana – free India’s National Anthem
22 Mar 1912	State of Bihar and Orissa formed out of Bengal
23 Dec 1912	Bomb at Hardinge – Delhi conspiracy case Introduced registration of motor vehicles
15 July 1913	Ghadar Party was founded in Astoria, Oregon Nobel Prize for Rabindranath Tagore Raja Harishchandra – 1st full-length Indian film
4 April 1914	Komagata Maru incident – 4 April to 27 Sept
28 July 1914	1st World War, Declaration of War
26 Sept 1914	Landing of Indian troops in France McMahon Line – Simla Accord
9 Jan 1915	Gandhiji returns to India from South Africa
Feb 1915	Ghadar Mutiny
19 Mar 1915	Defence of India Act
1916	Lord Chelmsford as Viceroy
April 1916	Sadler University Commission
Sept 1916	Home Rule League – Tilak – Belgaum
Sept 1916	Home Rule League – Annie Besant – Madras
Dec 1916	Foundation of the Women’s University at Poona Lucknow Pact – Congress & Muslim League
1917	INC demands self-government for India
April 1917	Champaran Satyagraha
20 Aug 1917	August Declaration, in the British House of Commons
1918	Indians declared eligible for King’s Commission
11 Nov 1918	Indian National Liberal Federation Publication of Montague Chelmsford Report Kheda Satyagraha – 1st Non-Cooperation End of first world war
10 Mar 1919	Rowlatt Act or Black Act
6 April	Rowlatt Satyagraha
9 April	Saifuddin Kitchlew & Dr. Satyapal arrested
13 April 1919	Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in Amritsar, Punjab
14 Oct	Hunter Commission
23 Dec 1919	Government of India Act, 1919

1920 to 1929

July 1920	House of Commons adopts Hunter report
1 Aug 1920	The Khilafat Movement
31 Aug 1920	Death of Bal Gangadhar Tilak Non-cooperation Movement – Nagpur session Lord Sinha – Governor of Bihar and Orissa
1921	Permanent Advisory Council of Princes
July 1921	Moplah or Malabar rebellion
23 Dec	Visit of Edward, Prince of Wales Lord Reading became viceroy Rabindranath founded Visva-Bharati
4 Feb 1922	Chauri Chaura incident
10 Mar 1922	Withdrawal of Non-cooperation Movement
11 Mar	Gandhiji is arrested in Bombay for sedition Peshawar Conspiracy
9 Jan 1923	Foundation of Swaraj Party Certification of Salt Tax Decision to Indianise regiments of Indian army
9 Sept 1924	Kohat riots
4 Dec 1924	Gateway of India in Bombay Vaikom Satyagraha in Kerala
Feb 1925	1st electric train in Bombay
June 1925	Pink’s War in North West Frontier
9 Aug 1925	Death of C R Das Kakori conspiracy – HRA Formation of the Inter-University Board Lord Lytton II became viceroy Dyarchy suspended in Bengal
1926	Lord Irwin as Viceroy Devaluation of the rupee
Nov 1927	Appointment of Simon Commission
3 Feb 1928	Simon Commission reached in Bombay – Hartal
May 1928	Hockey Gold Medal – Amsterdam Olympics
10 Aug 1928	Nehru Report – Lucknow conference of all parties
30 Oct 1928	Simon Commission in Lahore
17 Nov 1928	Lala Lajpat Rai died in a protest Board of Control for Cricket in India is formed
Aug 1929	Meerut Conspiracy Case – (1929-33)
31 Oct 1929	Deepavali Declaration – Irwin
19 Dec	Lahore Session and ‘Poone Swaraj‘ Resolution
31 Dec 1929	Indian flag hoisted by Nehru – Ravi river

1930 to 1940

26 Jan 1930	INC declares day for Poorna Swaraj
12 Mar 1930	Dandi / Salt March started
5 April	Civil Disobedience Movement started at Dandi
18 April 1930	Chittagong armory raid by ‎Surya Sen
23 April	Qissa Khwani Bazaar massacre
30 April	Vedaranyam Salt satyagraha in South India
May 1930	Report of Simon Commission
Oct 1930	Rebellion in Burma
8 Dec 1930	1st Round Table Conference Battle of Writers’ Building
5 Mar 1931	Irwin – Gandhi Pact
23 Mar 1931	Bhagat Singh, Rajguru & Sukhdev were hanged
7 Sept 1931	2nd Round Table Conference Lord Wellington as Viceroy Chakra was adopted in the centre of the flag by INC
May 1932	Riots between Hindus and Muslims in Bombay
16 Aug 1932	Communal Award – Ramsay MacDonald
20 Sept 1932	Gandhiji begins a hunger strike in Poona prison
23 Sept 1932	Pahartali European Club attack – P. Waddedar
24 Sept 1932	Poona Pact – B. R. Ambedkar and Gandhi Foundation of Indian Military Academy
17 Nov 1932	3rd Round Table Conference
28 Jan 1933	Pakistan Declaration published Joint Select Committee on Indian Constitution Gandhi transfers charge of Congress to Nehru
7 April 1934	Civil Disobedience Movement called off
July 1934	Communist Party of India is declared unlawful Factories Act Royal Indian Navy created
1 April 1935	Reserve Bank of India is founded
2 Aug 1935	Government of India Act
1936	Lord Linlithgow became Viceroy Temple Entry Proclamation
Feb 1937	Final results of the elections were declared
1 April 1937	Provincial autonomy begins Formation of Congress Ministries in 6 provinces Burma and Aden are separated from India New Viceroy’s speech is boycotted by Congress Federal court started
29 April 1939	S. C. Bose resigns as president of Congress
1 Sept 1939	2nd World War (1939-45)
17 Oct	Congress demand a definition of war aims
Nov 1939	Viceroy announced – Dominion Status after the war
22 Dec 1939	Resignation by Provincial Congress Ministries Day of Deliverance by Muslim League
24 Mar 1940	Pakistan Resolution – Fazlul Haq – Muslim League
8 Aug 1940	August Offer by Linlithgow’s

1941 to 1947

16 Jan 1941	Great escape – Netaji went over land to Germany
8 Mar 1942	Japanese army enters Rangoon
22 Mar 1942	Cripps Mission
8 Aug 1942	Quit India resolution – Bombay session of AICC
9 Aug	Indian leaders & Gandhi was arrested
Aug 1942	Ballia parallel govt. in UP – Chittu Pandey
Aug 1942	Indian National Army formed – Mohan Singh
Dec	Jatiya Sarkar in Tamluk, WB (1942-44)
1943	Bengal famine
23 Mar 1943	Pakistan day observed
25 Aug	Wavell became governor-general
21 Oct	Netaji became supreme of INA
5 Dec	Prati Sarkar at Satara, MH (1943-45, longest)
30 Dec 1943	Netaji formed Govt. of Free India in Singapore Japanese attacked the Port of Kolkata Netaji sets up the Indian govt. at Port Blair. Netaji hoisted the Tricolor flag at Port Blair.
8 Mar 1944	Battle of Imphal – British vs. Japan & INA
Mar 1944	Rajagopalchari Formula
14 April 1944	INA hoisted the Tricolour flag at Moirang.
12 Jan 1945	Desai liaquat pact
25 June 1945	Simla Conference – Wavell Plan
15 Aug	Japan surrendered
2 Sept	End of World War II
Nov 1945	INA trials began at the Red Fort
Dec 1945	General elections in India Congress largest party 59 seats of the 102
Jan 1946	Royal Air Force Mutiny
18 Feb 1946	Royal Indian Navy Mutiny
23 Mar	Cabinet Mission in India
2 April	Cabinet Mission in Delhi
16 Aug 1946	Direct Action Day by Muslim League
20 Aug	Communal riots in Dhaka
2 Sept 1946	Formation of the Interim Govt.
26 Oct	Muslim League joined the Interim Govt.
9 Dec 1946	1st session of the Constituent Assembly
20 Feb 1947	Atlee announced the freedom of India
21 Feb	Mountbatten became governor-general
15 Mac	Communal riots in the Panjab
17 May	Tripura is officially ceded to India
3 June 1947	Mountbatten Plan – Partition of India
18 July	Royal assent on Independence of India Act
15 Aug 1947	India obtains Independence from the British Jawaharlal Nehru becomes 1st Indian Prime Minister