Important Dates

Important Dates
BC

2300–1750	Indus Valley Civilization.
From 1500	Coming of the Aryans.
1200–800	Expansion of the Aryans in the Ganga Valley.
600	Age of the 16 Mahajanapadas of northern India.
563–483	Buddha’s Life-span.
540–468	Mahavir’s Life-span.
362–321	Nanda dynasty.
327–326	Alexander’s invasion of India. It opened a land route between India and Europe.
322	Accession of Chandragupta Maurya.
305	Defeat of Seleucus at the hands of Chandragupta Maurya.
273–232	Ashoka’s reign.
261	Conquest of Kalinga.
145–101	Regin of Elara, the Chola king of Sri Lanka.
58	Beginning of Vikram era.

AD

78	Beginning of Saka era.
78-101	Kanishka’s reign.
319–320	Commencement of Gupta era.
380	Accession of Chandragupta II ‘Vikramaditya’
405–411	Visit of Chinese traveller Fahien.
415	Accession of Kumargupta I.
455	Accession of Skandagupta.
606–647	Harshavardhan’s reign.

Medieval Period

712	First invasion in Sindh by Arabs (Mohd. Bin Qasim).
836	Accession of King Bhoja of Kannauj.
985	Accession of Rajaraja, the Chola ruler.
998	Accession of Sultan Mahmud Ghazni.
1001	First invasion of India by Mahmud Ghazni who defeated Jaipal, ruler of Punjab.
1025	Destruction of Somnath Temple by Mahmud Ghazni.
1191	First battle of Tarain.
1192	Second battle of Tarain.
1206	Accession of Qutubuddin Aibak to the throne of Delhi.
1210	Death of Qutubuddin Aibak.
1221	Chengiz Khan invaded India (Mongol invasion).
1236	Accession of Razia Sultana to the throne of Delhi.
1240	Death of Razia Sultana.
1296	Accession of Alauddin Khilji.
1316	Death of Alauddin Khilji.
1325	Accession of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq.
1327	Transfer of capital from Delhi to Devagiri (Daulatabad) in Deccan by the Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq.
1336	Foundation of Vijaynagar empire in the South.
1351	Accession of Firoz Shah Tughlaq.
1398	Timur’s invasion of India.
1469	Birth of Guru Nanak.
1494	Accession of Babur in Farghana.
1497–98	First voyage of Vasco da Gama to India (discovery of sea route to India via the Cape of Good Hope)
1526	First Battle of Panipat; Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi; foundation of Mughal dynasty by Babur.
1527	Battle of Khanwa-Babur defeated Rana Sanga.
1530	Death of Babur and accession of Humayun.
1539	Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun in the battle of Chausa and became India’s emperor.
1555	Humayun recaptured the throne of Delhi.
1556	Second Battle of Panipat (Bairam Khan defeated Hemu).
1565	Battle of Talikota (Rakshasa-Tangadi).
1576	Battle of Haldighati-Rana Pratap was defeated by Akbar.
1582	Din-i-Ilahi founded by Akbar.
1600	English East India Company established.
1605	Death of Akbar and accession of Jahangir.
1606	Execution of Guru Arjun Dev, the 5th Guru of Sikhs.
1611	Jahangir marries Nurjahan.
1615	Sir Thomas Roe visits Jahangir.
1627	Birth of Shivaji and death of Jahangir.
1628	Shahjahan becomes emperor of India.
1631	Death of Mumtazmahal.
1634	The English permitted to trade in India (in Bengal).
1659	Accession of Aurangzeb, Shahjahan imprisoned.
1665	Shivaji imprisoned by Aurangzeb.
1666	Death of Shahjahan.
1675	Execution of Guru Teg Bahadur, the 9th Guru of Sikhs.
1680	Death of Shivaji.
1707	Death of Aurangzeb.
1708	Death of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Guru of Sikhs.
1739	Nadir Shah invades India.
1757	Battle of Plassey, establishment of British political rule in India at the hands of Lord Clive.
1761	Third battle of Panipat.

Modern

1764	Battle of Buxar.
1765	Clive was appointed Company’s Governor in India.
1767–69	First Angle-Mysore War.
1780	Birth of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
1780-84	Second Anglo-Mysore War.
1784	Pitt’s India Act.
1790-92	Third Anglo-Mysore War.
1793	The Permanent Settlement of Bengal.
1799	Fourth Anglo-Mysore War;Death of Tipu Sultan.
1802	Treaty of Bassein.
1809	Treaty of Amritsar.
1829	Practice of Sati prohibited.
1830	Raja Rammohan Roy visits England.
1833	Death of Raja Rammohan Roy at Bristol, England.
1839	Death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
1839–42	First Anglo-Afghan War.
1845–46	First Anglo-Sikh War.
1852	Second Anglo-Burmese War.
1853	First Railway line opened between Bombay and Thane and a Telegraph line in Calcutta.
1857	The Sepoy Mutiny or First War of Independence.
1861	Birth of Rabindranath Tagore.
1869	Birth of Mahatma Gandhi.
1885	Foundation of Indian National Congress.
1889	Birth of Jawaharlal Nehru.
1897	Birth of Subhash Chandra Bose.
1903	Tibet Expedition.
1905	Partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon.
1906	Foundation of Muslim League.
1911	Delhi Darbar, King George V and Queen visit India; Delhi becomes the capital of India.
1914	World War I begins.
1916	Lucknow Pact signed by Muslim League and Congress, Foundation of BHU, Home Rule League founded.
1918	World War I ends.
1919	Montague-Chelmsford Reforms introduced, Jallianwala Bagh massacre at Amritsar.
1920	Khilafat Movement launched, first meeting of All-India Trade Union Congress, Hunter Commission Report on Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Published First Non-cooperation movement launched by Gandhi.
1922	Violent incidents at Chaura Chauri Gandhi calls of Non-cooperation movement.
1925	Communist Party of India organised at Kanpur.
1927	Boycott of Simon Commission, Broadcasting started in India.
1928	Death of Lala Lajpat Rai, Nehru Report.
1929	Resolution of ‘Poorna Swaraj’ (complete independence) passed at Lahore Session of INC.
1930	Civil disobedience movement launched, Dandhi March by Mahatma Gandhi (April 6, 1930) First round table conference held in London.
1931	Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Civil Disobedience movement suspended Second round table conference held.
1932	MacDonald announces communal award (modified by Poona Pact, September 24).
1935	Government of India Act.
1937	Provincial Autonomy, Congress forms ministries.
1938	All India Kishan Sabha formed.
1939	World War II begins (September 3), Resignation of Congress Ministries in Provinces.
1941	Escape of Subhash Chandra Bose from India and death of Rabindranath Tagore.
1942	Arrival of Cripps Mission in India, Quit India movement launched (August 8).
1943–44	SC Bose forms Provisional Government of Free India and Indian National Army in Singapore; Bengal famine.
1945	Trial of Indian National Army at Red Fort, Shimla Conference; World War II ends.
1946	British Cabinet Mission visits India; Interim government formed at the Centre. The Muslim league decides on “Direct Action” for winning Pakistan.
1947	Division of India; India and Pakistan form separate independent dominions.