HISTORICAL EVENTS

B.C
2500-1800 Indus valley civilization.
599

Birth of Mahavir; Nirvana in 523. B.C.

563

Birth of Gautam Buddha; Nirvana in 483 B.C.

327-26

Alexander's invasion of India and the opening of land route between India and Europe.

269-232

Ashoka's reign.

261

Battle of Kalinga.

57

Beginning of Vikrama era.

30

Satvahana dynasty in Deooan. Pandyan empire in for south.

326

Alexander defeated Poras in the Battle of Hydaspas

261

Ashoka defeated Kalinga in the Kalinga War

A.D
78

Beginning of Saka era.

320

Beginning of Gupta era.

360

Samudragupta conquers the whole of N. India and much of the Deccan.

380-413

Rule of Chandragupta Vikramaditya, age of Kalidasa, renewal of induism.

606-647

Rule of Harshavardhana.

629-645

Hieun Tsang's visit in India.

622

Beginning of Hijra era.

712

Arab invasion of Sind by Mohd. bin Qasim.

1001-27

Repeated attacks of Mehmud Ghazni.

1025

Sacking of Somnath temple by Mehmud.

1191

First battle of Tarain in which Prithviraj Chauhan defeated Mohd. Ghori.

1192

Second battle of Tarain in which Mohd. Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan.

1206

Qutubuddin Aibak founded the Ilbari/Slave dynasty.

1290

Jalaluddin Firuz Khilji established Khilji dynasty.

1290

Marco Polo visited India.

1320

Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq founded the Tughlaq dynasty.

1333

Ibn Batuta arrived in India.

1336

Harihara and Bukka founded the Vijaynagar empire.

1347

Bahmani kingdom founded.

1398

Timur invades India.

1451

Lodi dynasty comes in power in Delhi Sultanate.

1469

Birth of Guru Nanak Dev.

1498

Vasco da Gama lands at Calicut.

1510

Portuguese capture Goa-Albuquerque Governor.

1526

First Battle of Panipat in which Babar defeated Ibrahim Lodhi and established the
Mughal dynasty.

1556

Second battle of Panipat in which Akbar defeated Hemu.

1565

Battle of Talikota in which Vijaynagar empire is defeated.

1571

Foundation of Fatehpur Sikri by Akbar.

1576

Battle of Haldighati in which Akbar defeated Maharana Pratap.

1582

Akbar started Din-i-llahi.

1600

English East India Company established.

1604

Compilation of Adi Granth.

1605

Death of Akbar.

1611

The English built a factory at Masulipatnam.

1627

Birth of Shivaji

1631

Death of Shah Jahan's wife Mumtaz Mahal. The building of Taj Mahal.

1658

Aurangzeb became Emperor of Delhi.

1666

Birth of Guru Gobind Singh.

1699

Guru Gobind Singh creates 'Khalsa'.

1707

Death of Aurangzeb, fall of Mughal empire begins.

1739

Nadir Shah invaded India; the peacock throne and the Kohinoor Diamond taken away
from India.

1757

Battle of Plassey in which the English defeated Siraj-ud- daula, Nawab of Bengal.

1760

Battle of Wandiwash, end of French power in India,

1761

Third Battle of Panipat in which Ahmed Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas.

1764

Battle of Buxar in which the English defeated the triple alliance of Nawab Mir Qasim of
Bengal, Nawab Shuja-ud-daula of Awadh and Mughal emperor Shah Alam.

1793

Permanent settlement in Bengal.

1799

Fourth Anglo Mysore War, death of Tipu Sultan, Ranjit Singh occupied Lahore and made
it his capital.

1817-19

Marathas finally crushed.

1828

Lord William Bentick becomes Governor General; Era of social reforms; Prohibition of
Sati (1829), Suppression of thugs (1830).

1835

Introduction of English as medium of instruction.

A.D
1853

First Indian railway from Bombay to Thane.

1857-58 First war of Indian Independence.

1858

British crown takes over the Indian Government; End of East India Company's
rule.

1861

Birth of Rabindra Nath Tagore.

1869

Birth of M.K. Gandhi.

1885

Formation of Indian National Congress.

1905

Partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon.

1906

Formation of All India Muslim League.

1909

Minto-Morley Reforms.

1911

Delhi durbar held, partition of Bengal cancelled, capital shifted from Calcutta
to Delhi.

1914

World War I started.

1918

End of World War I.

1919

Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Montague- Chelmsford reforms.

1920

Non-cooperation Movement launched,

1921

Moplah rebellian in Malabar; visit of Prince of Wales.

1922

Chauri-Chaura incidence.

1923

Swaraj party formed.

1927

Simon Commission appointed.

1928

Visit of Simon Commission to India, death of Lala Lajpat Rai.

1929

Congress demanded'Poorna Swaraj'in Lahore session.

1930

January 26 celebrated as Independence Day throughout India, Dandi Salt

Satyagraha, First Round Table conference.

1931

Gandhi-lrvin Pact, Second Round Table Conference.

1932

Suppression of Congress Movement, Third Round Table Conference,

Communal Award, Poona Pact.

1935

Government of India Act.

1937

Inauguration of Provincial Autonomy. Congress ministries formed in 8 out of

11 provinces.

1939

Resignation of Congress ministries, beginning of World War II.

1942

Cripps Mission Plan, Quit India Movement, Formation of Indian National

Army by S.C. Bose.

1945

Simla conference held and the failure of Wavell Plan, INA trials at Red Fort,
Delhi.

1946

Cabinet Mission Plan, Formation of Interim Government, Direct Action

Resolution by Muslim League.

1947

Mountbatten Plan of June 3 in which partition of India resolution is

proposed, India divided, Pakistan created, both achieve independence,
Jawarhar Lai Nehru becomes the I Prime Minister of India.

1948

Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi (Jan. 30).

1950

India became republic (Jan. 26).

1951

First Five Year Plan implemented.

1952

First General Elections held.

1953

Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary conquer Mt. Everest (May 29).

1954

Panchsheel agreement between India and China.

1956

Life insurance nationalized, State Reorganising Act comes into force.

1957

Second General Elections.

1958

Metric system of weights and measures introduced.

1959

Dalai Lama exiled; enters India.

1961

Liberation of Goa.

1962

Chinese attack on India. (Oct 20).

1964

Jawaharlal Nehru dies; Lai Bahadur Shastri becomes PM.

1965

Indo-Pak war.

1966

Tashkent Agreement reached, Death of Lai Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi

became PM.

1967

Dr. Zakir Hussain elected President.

1968

Hargovind Khurana shares the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology.

1969

Death of. President Zakir Hussain (May 3). V. V. Giri elected President,
Nationalization of 14 leading banks, Split in Indian National Congress.

1970

Former Indian ruler's privy purses abolished. Dr. C. V. Raman died (Nov. 2).

1971

Indo-Pak War over Bangladesh.

1972

Shimla Agreement signed.

1973

Manekshaw named India's first Field Marshal

1974

Nuclear explosion at Pokhran (May 18).

1975

Indian satellite 'Aryabhatta' launched, National emergency declared.

1976

The four Indian News agencies merged into a single News Agency known as
'Samachar', life of Lok Sabha extended by an year.

1977

Defeat of Mrs. Indira Gandhi in the election, Morarji Desai takes over as PM,
emergency withdrawn.

1978

India launches world's biggest adult literacy plan (Oct. 2).

1979

Charan Singh became PM., Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace Prize.

1980

Indira Gandhi returns to power at centre, India launches first satellite using
its own satellite launching vehicle (July. 18).

1981

India launched APPLE, Khalistan activists hijack Indian Airlines Boeing 737 to
Lahore.

1982

Zail Singh sworn in as President, the 21-member Indian scientific expedition

headed by Dr. S. Z. Qasim lands on Antarctica (Jan. 9), INSAT1 A launched,
Ninth Asian Games held in New Delhi.

1983

The 7th Non Aligned Summit in New Delhi, Kalpakkam Atomic Energy plant
goes critical (July 2), INSAT-1 B launched (Aug. 30), Richard Attenborough's
"Gandhi" wins 8 oscars.

1984

Rakesh Sharma becomes India's first spaceman (Apr. 5), Bachendri Pal
become the first Indian woman to scale Mt. Everest (May 23), Operation
Blue Star, Assassination of Indira Gandhi (Oct 31), Rajiv Gandhi becomes PM,
Bhopal Gas tragedy (Dec. 3).

1985

Anti-defection Bill passed (Jan. 3), Azharuddin hits 3 centuries in 3 tests.

1986

The first wholly Indian test-tube baby bom at KEM Hospital, Bombay (Aug.
7).

1987

Sunil Gavaskar becomes the first batsman to score 10,000 runs in tests (Mar.
7), Goa becomes the 25th state of India (May 30).

1988

India's first remote sensing satellite IRS 1 -A launched from Russia (Mar. 17),
INSAT 1-C launched from French Guyana (July 22).

1989

Successful test of Agni (May 22), laying of the foundation stone for the Ram
Janmabhoomi temple of Ayodhya (Nov 10). V.P. Singh becomes the PM.

1990

Successful launching of INSAT 1-D (June 12), Mandal Commission

recommendation implemented (Aug. 7), V.P. Singh tenders resignation (Nov.
7), S. Chandrashekhar becomes PM. (Nov. 10).

1991

Rajiv Gandhi killed in a bomb blast (May 21), P. V. Narsimha Rao became PM.
(June 21), Earthquake in Uttarkashi region (Oct. 20), Satyajit Ray got special
Oscar award. (Dec.16).

1992

Prithvi test fired (May 5), INSAT-2 A launched (July 10), Dr. Shanker Dayal
Sharma became President (July 25), the domes of Babri Masjid demolished

(Dec 6).
1993

Panchayati Raj Act effective (Apr. 24), INSAT-2 B launched from French
Guyana (July 23), Earthquake in Latur region (Sept. 30).

1994

First heart transplant in the country (Aug. 3), PSLV D-2 launched (Oct. 15).

1995

Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh assassinated (Agu. 31), INSAT-2 C

launched (Dec. 7)

1996

A.B. Vajpayee became PM. (May 16), H.D. Deve Gowda became PM. (June
1), India-Bangladesh sign Ganga Water Pact (Dec. 12)

1997

I. K. Gujral became PM. (Apr. 21), K. R. Narayanan sworn in as President (July

25), Mother Teresa passes away (Sept. 5), Arundhati Roy wins Booker Prize
(Oct. 14), I. K. Gujral resigns as PM. (Nov. 28)

1998

Konkan railway commissioned (Jan. 26), A. B. Vajpayee became PM. (Mar.

19), India conducted total 5 nuclear tests (May 11 and May 13), Severe
cyclone in Gujarat (June 9), Amartya Sen won the Noble Prize in Economics
(Oct. 14)

1999

P.M. Vajpayee arrived in Pakistan by Delhi-Lahore bus (Feb. 20), India

successfully launched its first commercial telecom satellite INSAT-2 E from
Kourou (Apr. 3), Intense fighting in Kargil (June-July), Devastating cyclone in
Orissa and A. P. (Oct.)

2000

U. S. President Bill Clinton visited India (Mar.) INSAT-3 B launched from

Kourou (Mar. 22), Successful test firing of 'Dhanush', the naval version of
'Prithvi' missile (Apr. 11), Karnam Malleshwari wins a bronze at Olympics,
Chattisgarh formed (Nov. 1), Uttaranchal formed (Nov. 9), Jharkhand formed
(Nov. 15)

2001

The pilotless target aircraft 'Lakshya' inducted into the Indian Air Force (Jan.
5), Severe earthquake in Gujarat (Ja. 26), the newly-constructed Ennore port
dedicated to the nation (Feb. 1), India successfully launches GSLV D-1 from
Sriharikota (Apr. 18), Indo-Pak summit at Agra (July 15-16), Lok Pal Bill
introduced in Lok Sabha (Aug. 14), Attack on WTC, New York shakes the
world (Sept. 11), Lok Sabha passes the bill on "Right to Education till 14"
(Nov. 30), Terrorist attack on Indian Parliament (Dec. 13)

2002

INSAT-3 C launched on Ariane rocket from Kourou in French Guyana (Jan.

24), ISRO successfully tries the indegenious cryogenic engine (Feb. 5), POTO
passed in the joint session of the Parliament (Mar. 26), LCA test flown

successfully (June 6), Cabinet clears 26% FDI in print media (June 25), Dr. A.
P. J. Abdul Kalam elected the President of India (July 18), Bhairon Singh
Shekhawat sworn in as Vice-President of India (Aug. 19), India launches
METSAT by using PSLV-C4 (Sept. 12), Draft of the Tenth Five-Year Plan
approved by the Planning Commission (Oct. 5), BSNL launches mobile phone
service (Oct. 15), Vajpayee and Putin sign Delhi declaration (Dec. 4), Kelkar
submitted modified report on tax reforms (Dec. 28)
2003

Kalpana Chawla killed in space shuttle Columbia burnup (Feb. 1); Large
reserves of oil & gas discovered in Barmer district of Rajasthan (Feb. 4); US
launched attack on Iraq (Mar. 20); INSAT-3A launched from Kourou (Apr. 10);
Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) renamed 'Tejas' (May 4); GSLVD-2
launched from Sriharikota (May 8); First instance of power failure in modern
USA (Aug. 15-16); Mars comes closest to Earth (Aug. 27); Govt. approves the
purchase of Advanced Jet Trainers, Hawk, from Britain (Sept. 3); INSAT-3E
launched from Kourou (Sept. 20); Pope John Paul-ll beautifies Mother Teresa
(Oct. 19); First Afro-Asian Games held in Hyderabad (Oct. 24-Nov. 1); India &
Pakistan agree to a formal cease-fire along the LOG (Nov. 25); 97th, 98th,
99th & 100th Constitutional Amendment Bills passed (Dec. 18-23)

2004

Sensex crosses the magical figure of 6000 (Jan. 2); India signs agreement
with Russia for obtaining Admiral Gorshkov (Jan. 20); Delhi High Court clears
Rajiv Gandhi from the Bofors deal (Feb. 4); 200 killed in Madrid train blast
(Mar. 11); Nobel Medals of Rabindra Nath Tagore gets stolen from
Shantiniketan (Mar. 25); NDA conducts election before time, but loses
unexpectedly, UPA government comes in power, Dr. Manmohan Singh
sworn-in as the new PM (May 22); 87 children killed in a fire in school in
Kumbhkonam, Tamil Nadu (July 17); Olympics return to their homeland
Athens, Rajyavardhan Rathode wins a silver for India (Aug. 13-29); Hamid
Karzai wins the Presidential vote in Afghanistan (Oct. 14); Sandalwood King
Veerappan is dead (Oct. 18); George W. Bush re-elected (Nov. 3); Kanchi
Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati arrested on murder charges (Nov. 11);
Yasser Arafat is dead (Nov. 11); Parliament dismissses POTA (Dec. 9);
Tsunami causes havoc in South and South East Asia killing more than a lakh
(Dec. 26)

News Papers/ Journals

Founder/Editors

Bengal Gazette (India's first news paper, 1780)

J. K. Hikki

Amrit Bazar Patrika

Shishir Kr. Ghosh & Motilal Ghosh

Keshri

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Maharatta

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Sudharak

G. K. Gokhle

Vande Mataram

Aurobindo Ghosh

Native Opinion

V. N. Mandalik

Kavivachan Sudha

Bhartendu Harishchandra

Rast Goftar (First News Paper in Gujrati)

Dadabhai Naoroji

New India

Bipin Chandra Pal

Statesman

Robert Knight

Hindu

Vir Raghavacharya & G. S. Aiyar

Sandhya

B. B. Upadhyaya

Vichar Lahiri

Krishna Shastri Chiplunkar

Hindu Patriot

Girish Chandra Ghosh

Som Prakash

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

Yugantar

Bhupendra Nath Datta & Barindra Kumar Ghosh

Bombay Chronicle

Firoze Shah Mehta

Hindustan

Madan Mohan Malviya

Mooknayak

B. R. Ambedkar

Comrade

Mohammed Ali

Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq

Sir Syyed Ahmed Khan

Al-Hilal

Abul Kalam Azad

Al-Balagh

Abul Kalam Azad

Independent

Motilal Nehru

Punjabi

Lala Lajpat Rai

New India

Annie Besant

Commonweal

Annie Besant

Pratap

Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi

Essays in Indian Economics

Mahadev Govind Ranade

Samvad Kaumudi (Bengali)

Ram Mohan Roy

Mirat-ul-Akhbar (First Persian News Paper)

Ram Mohan Roy

Indian Mirror

Devendra Nath Tagore

Nav Jeevan

M. K. Gandhi

Young India

M. K. Gandhi

Harijan

M. K. Gandhi

Prabudha Bharat

Swami Vivekananda

Udbodhana

Swami Vivekananda

Indian Socialist

Shyamji Krishna Verma

Talwar (in Berlin)

Birendra Nath Chattopadhyaye

Free Hinduatan

Tarak Nath Das

Hindustan Times

K. M. Pannikar

Kranti

Mirajkar, Joglekar, Ghate

The Indian National Congress:

Formed in 1885 by A.O.Hume, an Englishman and a retired civil servant.
First session in Bombay under W.C.Banerjee in 1885 (72 delegates attended it).
In the first two decades (1885 1905), quite moderate in its approach and confided in British justice
and generosity.
But the repressive measures of the British gave rise to extremists within Congress like Bipin Chandra
Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai (Lal, Bal, Pal).
Partition of Bengal:
By Lord Curzon on Oct 16, 1905, through a royal Proclamation, reducing the old province of Bengal in
size by creating East Bengal and Assam out of rest of Bengal.
The objective was to set up a communal gulf between Hindus and Muslims.
A mighty upsurge swept the country against the partition. National movement found real expression
in the movement against the partition of Bengal in 1905.
Swadeshi Movement (1905):
Lal, Bal, Pal, and Aurobindo Ghosh played the important role.
INC took the Swadeshi call first at the Banaras Session, 1905 presided over by G.K.Gokhale.
Bonfires of foreign goods were conducted at various places.
Formation of Muslim League (1906):
Setup in 1906 under the leadership of Aga Khan, Nawab Salimullah of Dhaka and Nawab Mohsin-ulMulk.

It was a loyalist, communal and conservative political organization which supported the partition of
Bengal, opposed the Swadeshi movement, demanded special safeguards to its community and a
separate electorate for Muslims.
Demand for Swaraj:
In Dec 1906 at Calcutta, the INC under Dadabhai Naoroji adopted 'Swaraj' (Self-govt) as the goal of
Indian people.
Surat Session of Indian National Congress (1907):
The INC split into two groups The extremists and The moderates, at the Surat session in 1907.
Extremists were led by Bal, Pal, Lal while the moderates by G.K.Gokhale.
Indian Councils Act or Minto Morley Reforms (1909):
Besides other constitutional measures, it envisaged a separate electorate for Muslims.
Aimed at dividing the nationalist ranks and at rallying the Moderates and the Muslims to the
Government's side.
Ghadar Party (1913):
Formed by Lala Hardayal, Taraknath Das and Sohan Singh Bhakna.
HQ was at San Francisco.
Home Rule Movement (1916):
Started by B.G.Tilak(April, 1916) at Poona and Annie Besant and S.Subramania Iyer at Adyar, near
Madras (Sept, 1916).
Objective: Self government for India in the British Empire.
Tilak linked up the question of Swaraj with the demand for the formation of Linguistic States and
education in vernacular language. He gave the slogan: Swaraj is my birth right and I will have it.
Lucknow Pact (1916):
Happened following a war between Britain and Turkey leading to anti-British feelings among
Muslims.
Both INC and Muslim League concluded this (Congress accepted the separate electorates and both
jointly demanded for a representative government and dominion status for the country).

August Declaration (1917):

After the Lucknow Pact, a British policy was announced which aimed at "increasing association of
Indians in every branch of the administration for progressive realization of responsible government
in India as an integral part of the British empire". This came to be called the August Declaration.
Rowlatt Act (March 18, 1919):
This gave unbridled powers to the govt. to arrest and imprison suspects without trial for two years
maximum. This law enabled the Government to suspend the right of Habeas Corpus, which had been
the foundation of civil liberties in Britain.
Caused a wave of anger in all sections. It was the first country-wide agitation by Gandhiji and marked
the foundation of the Non Cooperation Movement.
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (April 13, 1919):
People were agitated over the arrest of Dr. Kitchlu and Dr. Satyapal on April 10, 1919.
General O' Dyer fires at people who assembled in the Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar.
As a result hundreds of men, women and children were killed and thousands injured.
Rabindranath Tagore returned his Knighthood in protest. Sir Shankaran Nair resigned from Viceroy's
Executive Council after this.
Hunter Commission was appointed to enquire into it.
On March 13, 1940, Sardar Udham Singh killed O'Dyer when the later was addressing a meeting in
Caxton Hall, London.
Khilafat Movement (1920):
Muslims were agitated by the treatment done with Turkey by the British in the treaty that followed
the First World War.
Two brothers, Mohd.Ali and Shaukat Ali started this movement.
Non-cooperation Movement (1920):
It was the first mass-based political movement under Gandhiji.
Congress passed the resolution in its Calcutta session in Sept 1920.
Chauri Chaura Incident (1922):

A mob of people at Chauri Chaura (near Gorakhpur) clashed with police and burnt 22 policemen on
February 5, 1922.
This compelled Gandhiji to withdraw the Non Cooperation movement on Feb.12, 1922.
Simon Commission (1927):
Constituted under John Simon, to review the political situation in India and to introduce further
reforms and extension of parliamentary democracy.
Indian leaders opposed the commission, as there were no Indians in it.
The Government used brutal repression and police attacks to break the popular opposition. At
Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai was severely beaten in a lathi-charge. He succumbed to his injuries on Oct.30,
1928.
Lahore Session (1929):
On Dec.19, 1929 under the President ship of J.L.Nehru, the INC, at its Lahore Session, declared
Poorna Swaraj (Complete independence) as its ultimate goal.
On Dec.31, 1929, the newly adopted tri-colour flag was unfurled and an.26, 1930 was fixed as the
First Independence Day, was to be celebrated every year.
Revolutionary Activities:
The first political murder of a European was committed in 1897 at Poona by the Chapekar brothers,
Damodar and Balkishan. Their target was Mr.Rand, President of the Plague Commission, but
Lt.Ayerst was accidentally shot.
In 1907, Madam Bhikaiji Cama, a Parsi revolutionary unfurled the flag of India at Stuttgart Congress
(of Second international).
In 1908, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla chaki threw a bomb on the carriage of kingford, the unpopular
judge of Muzaffapur. Khudiram, Kanhaiyalal Dutt and Satyendranath Bose were hanged. (Alipur
Case).
In 1909, M L Dhingra shot dead Col.William Curzon Whyllie, the political advisor of "India Office" in
London.
In 1912, Rasbihari Bose and Sachindra Nath Sanyal threw a bomb and Lord Hardinge at Delhi. (Delhi
Conspiracy Case).
In Oct, 1924, a meeting of revolutionaries from all parts of India was called at Kanpur. They setup

Hindustan Socialist Republic Association/Army (HSRA).

They carried out a dacoity on the Kakori bound train on the Saharanpur-Lucknow railway line on
Aug. 9, 1925.
Bhagat Singh, with his colleagues, shot dead Saunders (Asst. S.P. of Lahore, who ordered lathi charge
on Lala Lajpat Rai) on Dec.17, 1928.
Then Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw a bomb in the Central Assembly on Apr 8, 1929.
Thus, he, Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged on March. 23,1931 at Lahore Jall (Lahore Conspiracy
Case) and their bodies cremated at Hussainiwala near Ferozepur.
In 1929 only Jatin Das died in Lahore jail after 63 days fast to protest against horrible conditions in
jail.
Surya Sen, a revolutionary of Bengal, formed the Indian Republic Army in Bengal. In 1930, he
masterminded the raid on Chittagong armoury. He was hanged in 1933.
In 1931, Chandrashekhar Azad shot himself at Alfred Park in Allahabad.
Dandi March (1930):
Also called the Salt Satyagraha.
Along with 78 followers, Gandhiji started his march from Sabarmati Ashram on March 12, 1930 for
the small village Dandhi to break the salt law.
He reached the seashore on Apr.6, 1930.
He picked a handful of salt and inaugurated the Civil Disobedience Movement.
First Round Table conference (1930):
It was the first conference arranged between the British and Indians as equals. It was held on
Nov.12, 1930 in London to discuss Simon commission.
Boycotted by INC, Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha, Liberals and some others were there.
Gandhi Irwin Pact (1931):
Moderate Statesman, Sapru, Jaikar and Srinivas Shastri initiated efforts to break the ice between
Gandhiji and the government.
The two (government represented by Irwin and INC by Gandhiji) signed a pact on March 5, 1931.

In this the INC called off the civil disobedience movement and agreed to join the second round table
conference.
The government on its part released the political prisoners and conceded the right to make salt for
consumption for villages along the coast.
Second Round Table Conference (1931):
Gandhiji represented the INC and went to London to meet British P.M. Ramsay Macdonald.
However, the session was soon deadlocked on the minorities issue and this time separate
electorates was demanded not only by Muslims but also by Depressed Classes, Indian Christians and
Anglo Indians.
The Communal Award (Aug 16,1932):
Announced by Ramsay McDonald. It showed divide and rule policy of the British.
Envisaged representation of Muslims, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo Indians, women and even
Backward classes.
Gandhiji, who was in Yeravada jail at that time, started a fast unto death against it.
Poona Pact (September 25, 1932):
After the announcement of communal award and subsequent fast of Gandhiji, mass meeting took
place almost everywhere.
Political leaders like Madan Mohan Malviya, B.R.Ambedkar and M.C.Rajah became active.
Eventually Poona pact was reached and Gandhiji broke his fact on the sixth day (Sept 25, 1932).
In this, the idea of separate electorate for the depressed classes was abandoned, but seats reserved
to them in the provincial legislature were increased.
Third Round Table Conference (1932):
Proved fruitless as most of the national leaders were in prison. The discussions led to the passing of
the Government of India Act, 1935.
Demand For Pakistan:
In 1930, Iqbal suggested that the Frontier Province, Baluchistan, Sindh and Kashmir be made the
Muslim State within the federation.

Chaudhary Rehmat Ali gave the term Pakistan in 1923.

Mohd. Ali Jinnah of Bombay gave it practicality.
Muslim League first passed the proposal of separate Pakistan in its Lahore session in 1940.
The Cripps Mission 1942:
In Dec. 1941, Japan entered the World War II and advanced towards Indian borders. By March 7,
1942, Rangoon fell and Japan occupied the entire S E Asia.
The British govt. with a view to getting co-operation from Indians sent Sir Stafford Cripps, leader of
the House of Commons to settle terms with the Indian leaders.
He offered a draft which proposed dominion status to be granted after the war.
Rejected by the Congress as it didn't want to rely upon future promises.
Gandhiji termed it as a post dated cheque in a crashing bank.
The Revolt of 1942 & The Quit India Movement:
Called the Vardha Proposal and Leaderless Revolt.
The resolution was passed on Aug.8, 1942, at Bombay. Gandhiji gave the slogan 'Do or Die'.
On Aug 9, the Congress was banned and its important leaders were arrested.
The arrests provoked indignation among the masses and, there being no program of action, the
movement became spontaneous and violent. Violence spread throughout the country.
The movement was however crushed.
The Indian National Army:
Founded by Rasbehari Bose with Captain Mohan Singh.
S.C.Bose secretly escaped from India in Jain 1941, and reached Berlin. In July 1943, he joined the INA
at Singapore. There, Rasbehari Bose handed over the leadership to him.
The soldiers were mostly raised from Indian soldiers of the British army who had been taken
prisoners by the Japanese after they conquered asia.
Two INA head quarters were Rangoon and Singapore (formed in Singapore).
INA had three fighting brigades named after Gandhiji, Azad and Nehru. Rani Jhansi Brigade was an

exclusive women force.

The Cabinet Mission Plan (1946):
The struggle for freedom entered a decisive phase in the year 1945-46. The new Labour Party
PM.Lord Attlee, made a declaration on March 15, 1946, that British Cabinet Mission (comprising of
Lord Pethick Lawrence as Chairman, Sir Stafford Cripps and A.V.Alexander) will visit India.
The mission held talks with the INC and ML to bring about acceptance of their proposals.
On May 16, 1946, the mission put towards its proposals. It rejected the demand for separate
Pakistan and instead a federal union consisting of British India and the Princely States was
suggested.
Both Congress and Muslims League accepted it.
Formation of Interim Government (Sept 2, 1946):
Based on Cabinet Mission Plan, an interim government consisting of Congress nominees was formed
on Sept.2, 1946. J.L.Nehru was its Vice-President and the Governor-General remained as its
President.
Jinnah's Direct Action Resolution (Aug 16, 1946):
Jinnah was alarmed at the results of the elections because the Muslim League was in danger of being
totally eclipsed in the constituent assembly.
Therefore, Muslim League withdrew its acceptance of the Cabinet Mission Plan on July 29, 1946.
It passed a 'Direct action' resolution, which condemned both the British Government and the
Congress (Aug 16, 1946). It resulted in heavy communal riots.
Jinnah celebrated Pakistan Day on Mar 27, 1947.
Formation of Constituent Assembly (Dec 9, 1946):
The Constituent assembly met on Dec 9, 1946 and Dr.Rajendra Prasad was elected as its president.
Mountbatten Plan (June 3, 1947):
On June 3, 1947, Lord Mountbatten put forward his plan which outlined the steps for the solution of
India's political problem. The outlines of the Plan were:
India to be divided into India and Pakistan.

Bengal and Punjab will be partitioned and a referendum in NEFP and Sylhet district of Assam would
be held.
There would be a separate constitutional assembly for Pakistan to frame its constitution.
The Princely states would enjoy the liberty to join either India or Pakistan or even remain
independent.
Aug.15, 1947 was the date fixed for handing over power to India and Pakistan.
The British govt. passed the Indian Independence Act of 1947 in July 1947, which contained the
major provisions put forward by the Mountbatten plan.
Partition and Independence (Aug 1947):
All political parties accepted the Mountbatten plan.
At the time of independence, there were 562 small and big Princely States in India.
Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the first home minister, used iron hand in this regard. By August 15, 1947,
all the States, with a few exceptions like Kashmir, Hyderabad and Junagarh had signed the
Instrument of Accession. Goa was with the Portuguese and Pondicherry with the French.

Posted by Raghu at 12:21 AM 1 comments

Labels: HISTORY

ADVENT OF THE EUROPEANS

1.Shakespeare termed India as a land of great opportunities. Hegel called India as the
land of desires. Until 15th Century there were three trade routes only. First route to
Caspian and Black Seas through Central Asia; Second to Mediterranean Sea through
Syria. Third route to Egypt via Red Sea. But in 1453 with the conquest of Constantinople
by Turkish all the routes were closed.
2.Portugese: Vasco da Gama reached Calicut on 20.5.1498 and Zamorin King welcomed
him. This new Sea route via Cape of Good Hope and discovery of America were termed as
two greatest by Adam Smith. He again came in 1502. First Governor was Fransiscl Almedia.
In 1509 Alfonso d Albuyquerque came to India as Portuguese Governor and captured Goa
from Bijapur in 1510. Capital transferred from Cochin to Goa in 1530 by by Nino- da
cuncha,. Lost Hoogli in 1631 to Shajahan.1661 Bombay given Royal dowry toCharles II for

marrying Catherine. But they could not continue in India due to religious intolerance and
piracy. They taught us tobacco cultivation. Goa freed in 1961
3.Dutch In 1595 Dutch merchants started going to India They formed Dutch East India
Company(VOC) in 1602. They established a few trading depots at Surat, Cambay,
Ahmedabad.Lost to British in 1759 in the battle of Bedara 1759.
4.East India Company It was originally known as Governor and Company of Merchants of
London Trading into the East Indies and Queen Elizabeth I granted royal charter on
31.12.1600. The first Governor was Thomas Smith and Groups were known as Merchant
Adventurers. Hawkins was given 400 manasabs by Jahangir. In 1615 James I sent his
Ambassador Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of Jahangir. First they started factory at Surat, in
1633 at Musulipattam. Fort St. George was constructed in 1640 and a factory was opened at
Bangalore in 1642.
a) Got madras in 1639 from Raja of Chandagiri and Fort St George
b). In 1661 Bombay was received as royal dowry from Portuguese for marrying their
Princess Catherine Braganza with Charles II. The Company got it from the King in 1668 for
an annual rent of 10pounds.
c) In 1715 three villages Sutanati, Kalikota and Govindpur got by Hamiltongained firman in
1717 called magna carta of the company.
5) Danes: Came in 1616 Coy- Tarangampadi- Serambore capital.Sold all settlements to
British in 1845.
6) French: 1664 company- First factory at Suratr and machilipattinam- First governor
wasFrancois Martin- Dupliex powerful and Carnatic Wars.
7.Carnatic War French were the last to come a.First war 1745 to 1748 due to capture of
French ship by Barmett and Duplleix opposed it . Fought at St, Thome and French won.
However end of war of Austria also ended this war and Madras was given to English.
b.Second war 1749-54. French supported Muzaffar Jung and Chanda Sahib. French lost
and Arcot was captured by Clive. Chanda Sahib executed.
c.Third War Outbreak of seven years war in Europe and Capture of Chandra Nagoor by
Clive led to the War.

8.Battle of Plassey 1757 Between Siraj-ud-daula and British British won and it paved a
way for British Monarchy of Bengal marked beginning of drain of wealth from India to
Britain.
9.Battle of Buxar 1764 Between Munro and Mir Quasim, Shuja-ud-daula and Shah Alam
II. British won and became defacto rulers of Bengal.
10.Anglo Maratha War. a.First 1775-1782 defeated of Britain.
1805c.Third 1817-1818.

b.Second 1803-

INDIA IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY

1.Political and other Conditions Generally it was fluid and past deteriorating.
Disintegration of Mughal Empire, Growth of Marathas and Peshwas and rise of autonomous
states and foreign invasions were the salient future. Women were treated badly and were
victims of Saty, Child marriage, Infanticide, Purdha (both muslims and higher caste Hindus
wore it) and Devadasi system in Orissa and Tamil Nadu.
2.Disintegration of the Mughal Empire
I.It started with death of Aurangzeb in 1707. During Shah Alam II its boundary shrink from
Alam to Palam - Red Fort to Village.
II.Three sons of Aurangzeb fought a.Muhammad Muazzam was first son called Bahadur
Shan I captured power and prevented demolitions of temples. He was called Shah-IBekhabar b.Second son was Muhammad Azam and was killed c. Third son was Kam
Bakhas who was favourites to his father and was called Deen Panah (Saviour of the
religion)
III.In 1712 Jahandar Shah came to throne with the support of Zulfikar Khan. He did away
Jaziya tax. He honoured Rana Jai Singh of Amer as Sawai.
IV.He was killed by Farrukh Siyar with the help of Saiyid brothers and he rulled from 17131719. Saiyid brothers were Abdulla Khan and Hussain Ali Khan. Who were known as king
makers.
V.After death of Siyar, two princes Rafi-ud-Darajat and Daula came to throneand finally
Muhammad Shah rulled Delhi from 1719-1748. HENCE DURING 1719 THERE WERE
FOUR MULSIMS RULERS.
vi.After death of Muhammad Shah his son Ahmad Shah ruled for six years from 1748-1754.
During his period Ahmad Shah Abdali raided India several times.
VII.Hence Aziz-ud-din came to throne and was called Alamgir II. His successors were Shah
Alam II 1759-1806, Akbar Shah II 1806-1837 and Bahadur Shah II 1837-1857.
VIII.There were many manasabs in the Mughal Court. They were Irani from Iran, Turani from
Central Asia, Afgan and Hindustani. Saiyid brothers were Hindustani. If Saiyid brothers
continued they would have succeeded in establishing frank and powerful Government.
3.Maratha Power
I.After Ahahuji Raja Ram came to throne. II.Shahiji was released by Bahadur Shah I. III.Civil
War between Shahuji and Tara Bai widow of Rajaram. IV.Shahuji appointed Balaji
Vishwanath as first Peshwa which was hereditary. Second Peshwa was Baji Rao and third
was Balaji Baji Rao and last was Baji Rao II. Their seat of power was Poona. They own
many baters but lost the crucial third batter of Panipat. Even though they own Hydrabad in
1760.
4.Rice of Autonomous Statesa.Awadh Saadat Khan established. He was also called
Burhan-ul-Mulk. He joint hands with Nadir Shah and later committed to suicide. Safdarjand
and Shuja-ud-Daula were prominent rulers.

b.Bengal in 1700 Murshid Quli Khan became Diwan of Bengtal.

c.Hydrabad Nisamk-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah found it in 1724 and found Asafjahi dynasty. It entered
with subsidiary alliance of Britian.
d.Mysore I.Haider Ali associated with first two An glo Mysore Wars and killed in second
war. First he was appointed as Faujdar of Dindigul. First war (1767-1769) He conquered
Malabar and Coorg. Second Anglo war 1780-1784 and he died in 1782.
II.Tipu Sultan Ruled from 1782-1799. His attempt to remove commander of Bednur was
vital. During his period treaty of Mangalore find after second war and he withdrew from
Carnatic. In 1787 he proclaimed himself as kPadshah. Third Anglo Mysore war 1790-1792
and jktreaty of Seringapattam and he paid three crore rupees. Fourth war 1799 and Tipu
was killed. He sent Ambassador to Foreign Country
e.Kerala Started by King Martanda Verma. In 1805 Travancore joind subsidiary alliance
with Britain.
f.Rajput Sawai Jai Singh built Jaipur. He was expert in Geometry, Trignometry and
Sanskrit.
g.Sikhs He started with Guru Nanak Dev. Guru Gobind Singh was the 10th and last Guru
and he formed Sikh Khalsa with 12 Sikh confederations (misls). Ranjit Singh was Ch8ief of
Misls.
h.Assam It was also known as Kamrup and Pragjyotishpur. They resisted all foreign
invasions.
5.Foreign Invasions a. Nadir Shah Persian ruler whose father was Shepherd. In 1738
he conquered Kandhar. In 1739 he invaded India and fight at Karnal. He defeated Nadir
Shah. He took seventy crore rupees and also peacock throne built by Shah Jahan and
famous Kohinoor diamond. b.In 1747 Nadir Shah was assassinated. Ahmad Shah Abdali
became ruler and invaded seven times India and looted many properties. His significant win
was third battle of Panipat, which was fifth invasions in which he defeated Marathas in 1761
under Baji Rao I. Even to day there is a memorial at Panipat in honour of Marathas soldiers
who were killed.
THE BRITISH ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE AND ORGANISATION OF GOVERNMENT
IN INDIA (1757-1857)
-Until 1765, the East India Company was basically a trading concern.

Lord Clive, during his second term as Governor, established Diarchy in Bengal and
this system was continued for 7 years.`
The College established by Lord Wellesley, at Fort Williams in 1800 which
integrated training in history, customary laws and languages did not find the favour of
the Court of Directors and it was continued only language training School till 1854.
The Company established in 1806 its own training College in England in the name of
East India College at Hailsbury.

Cornwallis first Governor General established a regular police force on the British pattern
in India.

The Supreme Court held its proceedings on the basis of English laws. The Sadar Diwani
and Sadar Nizamat Adalats (Criminal) operated on the basis of Indian laws.
The first Law Commission constituted to codify and improve rules and regulations was
framed Indian Penal Code (IPC) which came into effect in 1860.
Warren Hastings established a Board of Revenue to improve the system of revenue
administration. .
In 1854, Sir Charles Wood sent a comprehensive dispatch on education to the
Government of India in which the issues regarding the establishment of departments of
public instructions in five provinces of the Company, promotion of western education in
English and Indian languages and the pattern of grants in aid to encourage private
participation in the field of education were recommended.
Despatch recommended the establishment of one University each in Calcutta, Bombay and
Madras, on the Model of the London University. In 1857 the three Universities were
established on the basis of Woods recommendation.
In July 1856, J.P.Grant, a member of the Governor Generals Council tabled a bill supporting
widow remarriage was passed on 13 July 1856 and came to be called the Widow
Remarriage Act 1856.
In 1846 the minimum marriageable age for a girls was only 10 years. In 1891, through the
enactment of the Age of Consent Act, this was raised to 12 years.
In 1930, through the Sharda Act, the minimum age was raised to 14 years.
After independence, the limit was raised to 15 and 18 years, respectively in 1948 and 1978.
Equal rights were given to men and women only after independence through the 1956 Right
to Hindu Inheritance of Property Act to own property.
In 1917, the issue of women franchise was taken up in relation to the elections for the
Provincial Councils, Municipalities and other local self-governing bodies. Prominent women
leaders of this time like Sarojini Naidu, Meera Behn, Masturba Gandhi and Rajkumari Amrit
Kaur played significant roles in this regard.
The Government of India Act of 1935 granted limited franchise to the Indian women.
Mahatma Gandhi brought out a paper, the Harijan, and also organized the Harijan Sevak
Sangh. The Ryotwari settlement was introduced mainly in Madras, Berar, Bombay and
Assam.
In 1833, the Mahalwari settlement was introduced in the Punjab, the Central Provinces and
parts of north western provinces (Present UP)
. Kutch, Sind and Punjab were known for manufacturing arms; Kolhapur, Satara, Gorkhpur,
Agra, Chittor and Palaghat had earned a reputation for their glass industries.Despite
enjoying fame in the world, the Indian handicraft industry had begun to decline by the
beginning of the 18th century.

In 1769, the first steam engine was invented. Comet Napoleon used the first steamer
in 1812 in an expedition to Russia.
The first railway line was developed between Bombay to Thane. Its
inauguration was done on 16 April 1853. First Telegraph Line 1852 between
Calcutta and Agra. Postal 1854.

1857 REVOLT
1. It was a land mark in Indian history. It was termed as first war of Independence by
Savarkar. But ridiculed as Sepoy Mutiny by British as only a part of central India
participated in it. Any way it was starting point against British Rule. Had it succeeded,
there would has been a different chapter in the History of India.
2. Previous Mutinies Bengal 1764, Vellore 1806, 47th Regiment 1824 and 34th, 22nd, 66 and
37 native infantry in 1844, 1849, 1850 and 1852.
3. Reasons for the Revolt- It can be divided into individual Reasons and social, Economic,
political and administrative Reasons
4. Individual Reasons
a) Grievance of Native Rulers Doctrine of Lapse Annexation of Awadh abolition of
titles. Successor of Bahadur Shah would be known as princes.
b) Grievance of Sepoys Para 2 above
c)Grievance of
Orthodox and conservative people Domination of Christian missionary- abolition of Sati,
widow remarriage act, protection of converts from Hinduism 1856
d)Grievance of crafts man, peasants and Zamindars Village and
crap
destroy, Zamindars affected by permanent settlement and strict collection of Revenue
5. Economic Causes Heavy Taxation Borrowed from Money lenders drain of wealth
Destruction ofvillage industries and crafts manship and permanent settlement
b) Political Cause Subsidiary Allowance, doctrine of lapse
c) Social Cause Conversion, Sati, Widow Re-marriage
d) Administrative Cause: Corruption
6) Immediate cause Introduction of New Enfield Rifle in
January 1867 with
th
Greased Cartridge with fat of Cows and Pigs Sepoys of 19 N.I. at Berhampur disobey
on 26.02.1957 and Mangal Pandey of 34 N.I. at Barakpur started it.
7. Courses of Revolt
a) Beginning 10.05.1957. Sepoy at Merut started British tried to control
by declaring Bahadur Shah as Emperor of India No effect Massacre of British Civil
Military Officers.
b) Spread to various Places as detailed below.
c)Centres, leaders and suppression

I. Delhi Bahadur Shah II Arrested and deported to Rangoon

II Kanpur Nana sahib, Tantiatope Killed at Gwaliar
Lucknow Begum of Awadh defeated Bihar - Kunwar Singh

III

IV Jansi Rani Lakshmi Bai She Captured Gwaliar Lost later

8. Reasons for failure : a) Only Central region participated
b) Un Sympathetic attitude and Hostility of many native rulers seek non participation by
Bengal, Punjab, Bombay, Madras
c) Hostility of Money lenders and
Merchants
e) Weakness of Revolters f)Strong British
9) Hindu Muslim unity factor First time Witnessewd Accepted Bahadur Shah Sentiment
of Both respected Ban on Cow slaughter ordered Both Hindu and Muslim were included
in main positions .
Conclusion: It was not successful due to factors mentioned above yet it was starting
point. It was more than Sepoy- Mutiny Due to these there was major transformation in
British policy- Try divide and rule by provoking Muslims. Above all companys rules ended.
IMPORTANT WARS
1) First Carnatic War- 1745-48-Austrian War cause- Nawab ofCarnatic supported
British but lost- Victory forFrench- difference between Dupleix andLa BourdaunarisTreaty of
Aix.La Chapple- Madras given back-Proved superiority of foreign army over Large local
Army
2) Second Carnatic War-1749-54-Originally Dupleix,Chanda Sahib, and Nasir Jung
joined and defeated Md Ali in the battle of AMBUR..later Marathas, Tanjore and British
supported him and Capture ofArcot by Clive- French influence restricted toHyderabad.
Treatyof Pondichery
3) Thir CarnaticWar- 1758-63-Capture of Chandernagore by Clive and more British
army at Bengal- Battle of Wandiwasi1760 and defeat of Lallyat Eyre Coteled- Treaty of
Paris- ended French ambitionin India.
4)Battle of Plassey: 1757-Why Bengal-Siraj ud dowla and Mir jafar and Mir KasimWanted to overthrow- Clive entered and defeated
5) Battle of Buxar-1764 Mir Kasim shifted his capital from Murshidabad to MonghyerVansitrat andMir Kasim-Lost- Shah alam became puppet.
6) Anglo Mysore War1 : 1767-69: Haider Ali+Nizam+French- Vs English- Hyder wonTreaty of madras
7) Anglo Mysore 1780-84War2:Hyder+ Nizam+Marathas Hyder killed- Treaty

ofMangalore8) Third War: 1790-92- TipuVsEnglish-Nizam and Marathas- Tipu lost- Treatyof
Seerangapattinam-Tipu helped Hindus- Temple- coin-Foreign embassy
9) Fourth War: 1799-Tipu- Vs English- Tipu killed
10) First Anglo maratha War: 1775-1782- Sawai Madhava Rao vs English with
Ragnath Rao- Treaty of Salabi-20 yearspeace
11) SecondAnglo Maratha War: 1803-05- Baji Rao II- Treaty of Bassein
12) Third War- 1817-1818Lasr PeshwaNanaSahib dethroned and sent to Kanpursatara captured by British
13)First Anglo Sikh War- 1843-46-4 battles ended with Treaty of Lahore and Sikhs
ceded Jullundur to British- Treaty of Bhairowal- Duleep singh made King by British
14) Second Anglo sikh War: 1848-49- To suppress revolt of Mulraj- Annexation of
Punjab in 1849- DuleepSingh pensioned off to England
15) First Afghan War- 1839-42- Forward Policy of Lord Auckland
16) Second War 1878-1880- Lyttons Forwardpolicy led to the war
17) Burmese Wars
a) First- 1824-26 b) Second- 1852 c) 1885- Lord dufferin.
18) Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816) over Nepals southward and Britains northward
expansion in India. Although the British defeated Nepal, they were so impressed by the
Gurkha fighters that they enticed them to enter the British (and subsequently, Indian)
army. The Gurkhas, known for carrying razor-sharp curved knives called kukris,

RELEGIOUS AND SOCIAL REFORMS MOVEMENTS

1. 19th Century witnessed New vision Also called renaissance. Impact of British Rule,
Religious superstition, Boredom with religious movements social conditions, Caste
factor raising of nationalism and democracy LED TO REFORMS.
2. Social base Emergence of Middle Class and Western Educational intellectual through
renaissance, Re-formation and enlightenment
b) Ideological base Nationalism, Religiosm , Universalism, Humanism and
secularism. Authority in religion was given up and truth in religion was searched. Universal
theism of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Social Reform movements played important
role. Movements like Brahma Samaj, Pradhana Samaj, Aligarh movements which were
reformed and Arya Samaj, Deoband which were revivalist played important role
3. Social Reform

a) Social equality and equal worth of individuals which were humanistic and idealist had
major impact. Originally it was integral part of Religious Reform. But later on adopted
secular approach. Originally upper caste followed; later lower strata of society also
followed. Various organisation and individuals also played important role. Languages
played important rule and Drama, Poetry and press spread their use. Broadly
Social Reform had 2 point Agenda
(i) Betterment status of Woman in Society (ii) Removing caste inequalities
4. Betterment of Woman
a) Abolition of Sati Raja Ram Mohan Roy- 1829 Bengal Presidency abolished and from
1830 Madras and Bombay presidency
b) Female Infanticide Prevalent among upper class Bengalis and Rajputs. Bengal
regularisation 1795, 1804 declared infanticide has equivalent to Murder and Act 1870
made compulsory Registration of Birth. Widow Remarriage Brahmo Samaj had the issue
in its agenda.
c) Widpw Remarriage But Eswar Chandra Vidhaya Sagar (1822-1891) Principal of Sanskrit
College at Calcutta was instrumental in passing Act of 1856. Vishnurajagiri Pandit founded
Widow remarriage association in 1850. V. Bandulu made in Madras. Karve marriage a
widow in 1893 and became Secretary of Widow remarriage association and opened a home
in Pune. Set up Indian woman university at Bombay in 1916.
d) Child marriage
First prohibited in 1872through Native Marriage Act. But limited as not applicable to Hindus
and Muslims- through age of Consent act 1891. marriage age was raised to 12. Other acts
to be noted.
e) Education of Woman
Christian Missionary in 1819. Vidhyasagar was associated with 35 Girls School in Bengal-.
Iin 1914 Woman Medical Service. Trained Nurses and Midwife. Karreys Indian Woman
University 1916 Laid Harding Medical College in Delhi.
f) Participation in the Swadeshi and acted participation and human rule moments were new
openings and woman faced lathis and Bullets and imprisonment later they took part in
Trade union. Later elected to legislative/ Local bodies.
Sarojini Naidu became president of Indian National Congress 1925 and First Governor of
United Provinces of India Woman Conference 1927.
g) Various legislative measures in India after Independence to be analysed.
5) Struggle against Caste-Based Exploitation.
a) Various Castes Chaturvarnashrama Caste determined who could get education,
ownership, profession, dress, food etc.,
b) Factors which reduced caste Regidities.

i) Creation of Private property in land ii) New Industries and Opening of New Economy
iii) Equality before law

Iv) Judicial functions of caste Panchayats taken away

v)Education and Recruitment open to all vi) Social Reform Movements

(vii)National Movement
viii) Congress Government did work for upliftment of the depressed Classes like free
education for Harijans etc.,
ix) Gandhiji founded All India Harijan Sangh in 1932
x)Government of India act 1935 which clear representation.
xi)Jyotiba Phule and Ambedkar who opened All India Schedule Caste Federation in
1942 xii) Other self respect movement.
xiii) New Constitution and Directive Principles.
6) Various Organisations
Brahmo Samaj Raja Ram Mohan Ray founded called father of Indian Renaissance

At the age of sixteen, Rammohun became convinced of the futility of idol worship and
to that effect wrote a treatise, Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhidin (Gift to Monotheists) in Persian.
In 1815, he founded the Atmiya Sabha.
On 20 August 1828, he founded the Brahmo Samaj.
He strongly denounced idol worship and called upon the Hindus to abandon it.
He called upon the British to make India their permanent home, so that the drain of
Indian wealth could be stopped.
According to the eminent writer Satyendra Nath Majumdar, Rammohun was the first
Hindu of his time to go abroad.

He Translated Vedas and Upanishads and he set up Atmiya Sabha in Calcutta in 1814. He
wrote Precepts of Jesus in 1820. He was a linked between east and west culture. He knew
more than 12 languages. Practice against Sati. He supported David Hare to found Hindu
College in 1815 in 1825. He established a Vedanta College.
b)Maharishi Debendranath Tagore Father of Tagore Succeeded Roy He also found
Tattvabodhini Sabha in 1839.

After the demise of Raja Rammohun Roy in 1833, the leadership of Brahmo Samaj
was passed on to the hands of Maharishi Devendranath Tagore (1817-1905), the
grandfather of Rabindranath Tagore.
In 1839, he had founded the Tattvabodhini Sabha, which was meged with Brahmo
Samaj in 1842.

In 1866 the Brahmo Samaj was split into the Brahmo Samaj of India headed by Keshav
Chandra Sen and the Adi Brahmo Samaj, which remained under the guidance of
Devendranath Tagore
Brahmo Samaj aimed at 5 principles .
i) It denouonced polytheism and idol worship

ii)It discarded faith in divine avataras (incarnation)

iii)It denied that any scripture could enjoy the status of ultimate authority transcending
human reason and conscience
iv) It took no definite stand on the doctrine of karma and transmigration of soul and left it to
individual Brahmos to believe either way v) It criticised the caste system

c) Prarthana Samaj
K.C. Sen found in Bombay Paramhansa Sabha founded in 1849.
d) Young Bengal Movement Radical, intellectual trend among the youth under Henry
Derozio started. He got inspiration from French Revolution. He was called first nationalist
poet of modern India.
e) I.C.Vidyasagar.

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820-1891) occupied a prominent place among the

social reformers and educationists of the 19th century.

In 1849, he founded the Bethune School at Calcutta. The main aim of this school was to
encourage female education.
He was Principal of Sanskrit College 1850 and open it to admit non brahmins. Introduced
western thought in Sanskrit College, Secretary of Bethune School 1849. Started Movement
in support of Widow remarriage. remarriage.
f)B.C. Chatterjee: The eminent Bengali novelist as well as the composer of the famous
national song Bande Mataram, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (1838-1894) aroused a new
consciousness in the 19th century Bengali society.
In 1872, he started the publication of a monthly magazine under the title Banga Darshan
from Behrampur.His novel is Anand Math

g) SERVANTS INDIA SOCIETY: G.K. Gokule founded in 1905. TO

TRAIN National Machinery and to promote interest of Indian people. In
1915 Srinivasa Sasthri took over as President.
h) Social Service Leaque Narayana Malhoth Joshi founded in Bombay. He also founded
All India Trade Union Congress in 1920.
i) Ramakrishna Movement Started to propagate Bakthi Yoga by Ramakrishna
Pramahamsa (1834-86) Vocation Priest of Kali Temple in Dakshineshwar. He taught
salvation by renunciation, mediation and Bakthi. He said all Gods are same though names
are different. (Mutt) founded by Ramakrishna.
j) Vivekananda (1862-1902) Known as Narendira Nath Datta Found Ramakrishna
Mission in 1897 with Headquarters at Belur. Vivekananda used technology at modern type in
the service of mankind. His famous speech at Chicago in 1893 is world famous. He never
gave any political message. He was considered as spiritual father of the Modern National
Movement.Subhas Chandra Bose regarded him as the founder of modern India who

possessed the heart of Buddha and the intellect of Shankaracharya. Tagore He is genius of
creation.
k)Dayananda Saraswathi Dayananda founded the Arya Samaj inm Bombay on 10 April
1875 based on a set of 28 principles of Lahore.

For the cause of national liberation Swami Dayananda stressed on Swadeshi,

swadharma, swabhasha and swarajya.
Annie Besant, the famous Theosophist regarded Dayananda as first person, who
gave slogan of Indian nationhood, emphasizing the superiority of Indian culture.

His famous wok was Sathiyach Prakash. He gave the slogan back to Veda Revival of
Vedic learning. He was against Orthodoxy, Caste, Untouchablity and Polytheism. He
supported Cheturvarma - Man not born in any caste but according to occupations he
followed. It prescribes marriageable age as 25 and 16. He started Dayanand Anglo Vedic
(DAV) School first at Lahore in 1886. He gave ten principles.
l) Seva Sadhan - Started by Parsi Chromji. Malabari. It took care of women and their
welfare.
m)Dharma Sabha. Radha Khan Beg founded in 1830.
n) Sri Narayana Guru Dharma Paribalana Ezahavas of Kerala 1902 - Admission,
Appointment, Assess to temple and Political representations.
o) Vokkaliga Sangam Launched in1905 in Mysore.
p) Justice Movement D.N. Mudaliar, T.M.Nair and Sri Thiyakaraja to secure jobs and
representations for non-Brahmin. In 1917 Madras Presidency Association was found.
q) Self Respect Movement started by E.B.R. in 1920.
r)Aravippuram Movement in 1988 on the occasion of Sivarathiri by Narayana Guru to install
ideal of Shiva.
s)Temple Entry Movement Narayana Guru Kumaran and T.K.Madhavan in 1924
Vaikom Sathya Giraha of Kesava wanted
opening Hindu Temple to untouchables Jothas in Punjab.
t) Indian National Conference founded by M.G. Ranadate in 1887 at Madras.
u) Theosophical Movement Madam Blagalsky and Thomas Alcott founded in 1875 at
USA. In 1882 Shifted Headquarters to Adyar. Believed special relationship could be
established between God and Soul by prayer revelation et
v)Annie Besant became President in 1907 after the death of Alcot. She came to India in
1893 and laid foundation of Central Hindu College in Banaras in 1898. It became Banaras
Hindu University in 1916.
separate peoples and increased communal consciousness. v) Historical process of
evolution of composite culture arrested to some extent.
INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

* Founded by 1885 by A.O. Hume.

* Venue of 1st Session Gokul Tejpal Sanskrit School of Bombay.
* First President W.C. Banerjee. * First Women President Annie Besant (1917
Calcutta). * First Indian Women President Sarojini Naidu.(1925, Kanpur)
* First English President George Yule * First Muslim President Badaruddin Tayabji*
Women President Annie Besant (1917), Sarojini Naidu (1925) and Nalin Sengupta. *
Thrice President (Maximum times) Dadabhi Naoroji (1886,1863,1906), J.L. Nehru (1929,
1936, 1937).
* First Session to hold in village 1937 (Fazipur). * First split of congress 1907 (Surat). *
First Joint Session of Congress and Muslim League Lucknow (1916).
* Word Swaraj was first used from congress platform (1906) Calcutta.
* Only session presided over by Gandhi Belgaon (1924).
* Complete Independence was demand for the first time (1929), Lahore.
* For the first time National Song was sung in the Calcutta Session (1896) of INC. i.e.,
Vande Mataram * For the first time National Anthem (Jana Gana Mana ) Was sung in
Calcutta session (1911) of INC.
* Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was the youngest president of Inc.
* The first session of congress (Bomaby 1885) was attended by 72 representatives.During
the fourth session of INC (1888, Allahabad) emphasized was given on formation of its
constitution. * Nagpur Session (1891) the word National was added to Congress. * Poona
session(1895), representatives second time discussed on the formation of its constitution.
* Calcutta session of 1906, its president for the first time used Swaraj in his speech. * In
Lucknow Session of Congress (1916) the two factions of congress (extremists and
Moderates) reunited.
* During Ahmedabad Session of INC (1921) , C. R. Das was elected its President but
Azamal Khan presided over the session because C.R. Das was in prison.
* During Gaya Session (1922 ) differences arose over the issue of council entry. C.R.Das
and Motilal Nehru organized Swaraj Party in 1922.
* During its Delhi session (1923) INC decided to establish All India Khadi Borad.
* Gandhi presided over only Belgaon session (1924) of INC.
* During this session knowledge of weaving was fixed as minimum qualification for its
members. Gandhi decide to set up All India Charkha Association declared 1926 as year of
keeping silent.
* During Guwahati session of Inc (1926) wearing Khadi was made compulsory for its
workers.

* During Madras session of INC 91927), proposals for independence and to boycott Simon
commission were passed. Gandhi did not participate.
* During Karachi Session (1931) Fundamentals Rights and Economic Policy Proposals
Passed.
* During its 1932 and 1933 session government had declared it an illegal organization.
* During Lucknow Session (1936), J.L. Nehru explained socialism for the first time. * During
Fazipur Session (1937) congress decided to take part in election of 1937. * 1938 session of
congress held in a village Haripura.Netaji elected unopposed. * In Ramgarh Session (1904)
decisions on Individual Satyagarha.
* The word Congress Or INC was taken from the history of USA which means group of
people. * While Britishers tried to use congress as a safety valve, Indian leaders tried to use
it as lightening conductor,* During Tripuri Session Of INC (1939) Subhash Chandra Bose
Defeated Pattabhi Sitaramaya(Gandhis candidate in presidential election) but later resigned
and Rajendra Prasad became its president.* During Calcutta Session (1928) first All India
Youth congress was established.* During Delhi session (1918) along with S.N. Banerjee
many liberals resigned from INC.
IMPORTANT SESSIONS OF INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
YEARS

PRESIDENTS

PLACES

1885

Womesh Chandra Banerjee

Bombay

1886

Dadabhai Naoroji

Calcutta

1887

Badaruddin Tayabji

Madras

1888

George Yule

Allahabad

1889

Sir William Wederburn

Bombay

1905

Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Vanaras

1906

Dadabhai Naoroji

Calcutta

1907

Rashbehari Ghosh

Surat

1908

Rashbehari Ghosh

Madras

1916

Ambika Charan Majumdar

Lucknow

1917

Smt. Annie Besant

Calcutta

1920

Lala Lajpat Rai

Calcutta

1922

Chittaranjan Das

Gaya

1924

M.K.Gandhi

Belgaon

1925

Sarojini Naidu

Kanpur

1928

Motilal Nehru

Calcutta

1929

J.L.Nehru

Lahore

1931

Vallabhbhai Patel

Karachi

1933

Smt. Nalini Sengupta

Calcutta

1934

Rajendra Prasad

Bombay

1938

Subash Chandra Bose

Haripura

1939

Subash Chandra Bose

Tripura

1946

J.B.Kriplani- On Independence

Meerut

1947

Rajendra Prasad

Delhi

1948

Pattabhi Sita Ramaiya

Jaipur

INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENTS ( 1885 -1905)

1. Commonly the period between 1885-1905 is known as the period of moderates or of
moderate nationalism.
2. The moderate leaders of the Congress belonged to the educated middle class. They held
the belief that the English were basically truthful and just.Banerjee, Naoroi, Mehta, SN
banerjee, Tyabi, Dutta, Gokale were known as moderates
3. In its very first session the moderates asked for reform in the Indian Council. They also
asked for the abolition of the post of Secretary of State for India and India Council.
4. The moderates laid great emphasis on the question of appointing Indians to high
governmental posts.
5. In the beginning, the Congress paid no attention to agricultural matters, but in its fourth
session they asked for a reduction and subsequent fixation of the land revenue.
6. In 1901 a demand for industrial expansion also began.
7. Under the leadership of William Digby, the Congress opened a branch in England in1888
and started publishing a magazine called India.
8. In 1905, Gokhale had established the Servants of India Society. He had also rejected the
title of knighthood and refused to accept a position in the Council of the Secretary of State
for India.
9. In 1893 Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) arrived in hey city of Chicago in America with
great difficulty, to attend the world Parliament of Religion. In the conference, he was given
two minutes to speak on the very first day. It was in this year on November 16 that Annie
Besant (1847-1933) arrived in India. The year 1893 was also important year in the life of

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948). This was the year when he went to South Africa in
connection with the trial of a Merchant, Abdullah Seth.
10. Lokmanya Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal (who are known in Indian History
as the revolutionary trio) filled in the Indian people the ideas of self-respect, self-confidence,
patriotism and courage and inspired the work for Indias independence.The above three and
Aurobind Ghosh wereknown as Extremists.(Moderate Extremist split in sural Session
1907 and reunited in 1916 Session due to efforts of Annie Besant.From 1916 Extremists got
upper hand.
11. Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920) was popularly known as a Lokamanya Tilak. In reality
he was the chief propagator of a new national consciousness in the country. Before
Mahatma Gandhi no other leader matched his stature. He was born on 23 July 1856 at
Ratnagiri in Maharastra. In 1881, he began his drive for new awakening by among the
Indians publishing two newspapers i.e., the Maratha (English) and Kesari (Marathi). He
participated in the Bombay session in 1889 for the first time and for the next thirty years he
remained its main leader. By introducing the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi and Shivaji
festivals he tried to bring the Indian society together and inspired patriotic feelings among
the people. In 1906 he introduced two slogans Swaraj is my birth right and Our life and
religion are useless without the attainment of Swaraj. In 1908 and was sentenced to six
years of imprisonment. The Britishers called him the Father of Indian disaffection and the
biggest traitor.
12. The second great leader in this category was Lala Lajpat Rai (1865-1928). He was also
known as Sher-e-Punjab. He was born in village Dhoondke in Ferozepur district in Punjab on
28 January 1965. He encouraged the use of Hindi language in daily life. He was impressed
by the ideas of Arya Samaj. He began his practice of Law in Hissar but soon he shifted to
Lahore. He published a few newspapers like The Punjabi. Later he also published The
Pupil in English. While demonstrating against the Simon Commission he was hit by a baton
on the head and after a short while died on 17 November 1928. Lord Minto wrote that the
Congress was very loyal but Lala Lajpat Rai was a very dangerous man.
13. The third member of the trio was Bipin Chandra Pal (1858-1932). He was born on 7 November
1858. He had come into contact with the Brahmo Samaj and had went to Central Europe and
America as its spokesman. He started English weekly called New India. In 1907 he was tried for
treason and was sent to jail.14. The period of Lord Curzon witnessed another terrible famine during
1899-1900. But he never paid any head to it and held a Royal Durbar in Delhi in 1903 in order to
commemorate the coronation of Edward VII which was an expensive affair.

PARTITION OF BENGAL
1. Reason: Curzons imperialist policy of divide and rule manifested itself most glaringly in
the partition pf Bengal. The reasons given were --The area and population of the Provinces
of Bengal was too large. There was a problem of communication. Highways were not safe.
The peasants of this province were a harassed lot.
2. But actually the cause behind the partition was much more political than administrative.
Bengal was becoming the nerve centre of nationalist activities in India.

3. On 19 July 1905 the Government of India formally proposed the partition of Bengal.
According to this proposal Chittagong, Rajshahi and Dacca were merged with Assam to
form the new province.
4. The proposed area of the new province was fixed at 1 lakh 6 thousand 5 hundred 40
square miles and its population was 3 crore 10 lakh out of which the Muslims accounted for
1 crore 80 lakh and Hindus 1 crore 20 lakh.
5. Curzon announced the partition of Bengal on 16 October 1905. Sir Aurobindos
Ghosh (1872-1950) played a prominent parting the nationalist movement of India.
Particularly his contribution to the movement against the partition of Bengal was
unparalleled. Sir Aurobindo left Baroda to work in the National College in Calcutta with a
view to make education compatible to the national needs. The National College in Calcutta
had been established on 14 August 1906. Sir Aurobindos second revolutionary contribution
was the editing of the Bande Mataram paper. A series of seven articles published by Sir
Aurobindos, between 11 and 23 April 1907 under the heading, Doctrine of Passive
Resistance in Bande Mataram became very popular. The Partition of Bengal infused a
sense of nationalism among the Indians and also gave birth to the swadeshi movement
which galvanized the masses against the partition of Bengal. Since 16 October 1905, the
reactions against the partition of Bengal started taking shape. This day was observed as a
Black Day. People took holy dip in the Ganga and kept vows. They also tied Rakhi in each
others hand as symbol of unity.(Partition of Bengal was annulled in 1911 by Lord Hardine.)

MUSLIM NATIONALIST MOVEMENT

1. Sir Sayyid was born in 1817 in Delhi. His father was an officer in the court of Muguals.
He felt that the relations of the Muslims with the British should be improved and therefore he
brought out a paper with the title of the Loyal Muhammadans of India. He also inspired the
Muslims to adopt the Western education and the Western mode of scientific thinking. He
brought out an Urdu Paper with the title of Tahaib-al-Akhlaq. In 1875 he found the
Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh, which later grew into the Aligarh
Muslim University in 1920. He opposed Polygamy, Purdah. William Graham wrote in the
biography of Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan. He also founded the Patritotic Association with the
assistance of Raja Shivprasad of Banaras. Another organization by the name Muhammadan
Anglo-Oriental Defence Association too was set up by him. He opposed it by calling it a
Hindu organization.
2. Deoband Movement was founded by Maulanna Hussan Ahmad and Moulana Abul kalam
Azad was associated with it. represented by Mohammad Qasim Nanautavi (1832-1880) and
Rashid Ahamd Gangohi (1828-1916). Found the Dar-ul-Ullema madarsa at Deoband,
b) Wahabi Movement started by Shah Walliullah. Sayid Ahmad Khan found Aligarh
Movement Ahmadia movement by Mirza gulamAhmad .Arhar movement by Mula
Mohammad Ali in 19110.
3. Muslim League: The meeting of a Muslim delegation under the leadership of Aga Khan
with Viceroys of India, Lord Minot at Shimla in October 1906 was very significant.
Demands were for a separate electorate, more representations in the Legislative Assembly
and government services the establishment of a Muslim University and provisions for
Muslims representation in the Viceroys Council. Muslims leaders gathered at a meeting

presided over by Nawab Wakar-ul-Mulk on 30 December 1906 at the invitation of the Nawab
Salim Ullah Khan of Dacca. The All Indian Muslim League was the result of this conference.
The Constitution of the League was prepared in 1907 at Karachi. Aga Khan became the
President of the Muslim League. The objectives behind the formation of the Muslim League
were to create a sense of loyalty among the Muslims towards the British Government, to
safeguards the political and other rights of the Muslims, to represent the aspirations and
sentiments of the Muslims interest and to appoint Sir Aga Kahn as the permanent President
of the League,-first session at Amristar. League also supported the partition of
Bengal.Nawab Salimullah of Dacca and Nawab Moshin ul Mulk were others who were
involved in formation of League.

REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS
1. Two Brothers- Damodar and Balkrishna Chapekar began the process of revolutionary
activities in India. They formed the Hindu Dharma Sangrakshini Sabha in 1893 and started
celebrating the birthday of Shivaji and Ganesh Utsavs.
2. In 1896-97 the Chapekar brothers had set up a gymnasium in Pune. The Famine
Commissioner of the Pune, Rand and Lt. Ayrst was killed by them
3. The Savakar brothers (Ganesh, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Narayana Savakar), like
the Chapekar brothers had been infused with a sense of patriotism since their very
childhood.Savarkar was qualified as a barrister but for his patriotic stance he was neither
decorated with its degree not was he given the degree of Bachelor Arts. Book (The Indian
War of Independence) had been seiged by the British government before being
published.He was perhaps the first individual who had set fire to foreign clothes. There he
organized the New Indian Association. (The Indian House had been founded by Shyamji
Krishna Verma). Savarkar was linked to the assacination of Jackson at Aurangabad. On 8
July 1910, he was arrested and then sent to India, by a ship. He was sentenced to
imprisonment in Andaman between 1911-1924. In Bengal an organization by the name of
Anushilan Samiti was founded. Barindra Kumar Ghose and Bhupendranath Dutta had
started the paper Yugantar in 1906. A 15 year old youth, Khudiram Bose had been entrusted
with the task of throwing the bomb at Kingsford District Judge of Muzzafarbur. vehicle. On
August 11, 1908 Khudiram inspite of being a minor was hanged to death while his associate
Prafulla Chaki shot himself. Lala Hardayal (1884-1938) had played an important role in the
Gadar Movement and Basant Kumar Biwas were hanged whereas Ram Bihari Bose
succeeded in feeling to Japan..
Ghadar party: Started by HarDayal and Sohar Singh Bhakna in 1913 at San Fransisco in
North America and brought out a Urdu and Gurumukshi weekly viz Ghadar.During firstworld
war moved to Germany and set up Indian Independence committee.
1906 - 1917
Four major resolutions i.e., Swaraj, Swadesh, Boycott of foreign goods and National
education were passed in this session. Morley-Minto Reforms (Act of 1909) were
announced. Though the moderates did not welcome the reform, yet consented to assist in
their implementation. Every effort was made in 1911 to make Aga Kahn preside over the
incoming Congress Session at Bankipur. The 1912 Bankipur session was the shortest in

duration during the entire history of the Congress. In total, 207 representatives had taken
part in this session but not a single representative had come from the Muslim majority
province of Punjab. To bring the Muslims closer the 1913 session of the Congress was held
at Karachi under the president ship of Nawab Sayyid Muhammad Bahadur. Bahadur
belonged to a lineage, which had familiar relations with that of Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan.
The moderates thought that Britain was fighting the War in the interest of democracy and
after the war she will do something in this direction in India. Therefore the moderates
decided to support the British with men and material. During her visit to Ireland in 1913, the
Home Rule League there had suggested Annie Besant to launch a similar movement in
India. On her return to India she had brought out a weekly paper by the name of Common
Will followed by a daily called New India. Both these papers had been used to demand
Home Rule for India. The aim of the Home Rule Movement was to obtain for India a status
equivalent to other colonies of the British Empire. In short the Home Rule Movement was
neither entirely moderate nor was thoroughly revolutionary. A Home Rule League had been
established by Annie Besant at Madras in September 1916. Annie Besant herself was its
President. The other prominent member of the League was Arundale, P.C. Ramaswamy Iyer
and V.P. Wadia. By October 1916, around 500 branches of the league had come up in the
country. The Congress had also passed a resolution in its 1915 Bombay session demanding
Home Rule for India. Prior to the establishment of the Home Rule League by Annie Besant.
It was Lokmanya Tilak who had set up a Home Rule League at Pune in April 1916. Both
Annie Besant and Tilak had agreed to conduct this movement in cooperation with each
other. The Home Rule Movement left a deep impact on Indian politics. Not only it revived the
nationalist movement but also it made the Indian conscious of their rights. In 1915 the
prominent leaders of the Congress viz. Mahatma Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu and Madan Mohan
Malaviya took part in the Muslim League Session. This session of the Muslim League was
presided over by Muhammad Ali Jinnah; The session gave emphasis on Hindu-Muslim unity.
The Lucknow Pact was signed on the basis of an agreement in 1916.

MAHATMA GANDHI, NATIONAL MOVEMENT

* In 1887, Gandhi went to England for higher education and returned to India in 1892 after
becoming a Barrister.
* In 1893 he went to South Africa for a year spent twenty two years in that country.
* He returned to India on January 9 NRI Day.
* Gandhi recorded his initial thoughts in 1909 in Hind Swaraj.
* Gandhis four preconditions a) perfect chastity b) adopt poverty c) follow truth and d)
cultivate fearless.
* Gandhi began his experiments with Satyagraha Champaran in Bihar in 1917 Indigo
Planters.Committee of enquiry of which Mahatma Gandhi himself was made a member.
* The Committee of Enquiry recommended some measures to alleviate the miseries of the
Indigo cultivators thereby bringing the Satyagraha to an end.

* The movement launched by the peasants at Kheda(1917) in Gujarat was another instance
Peasants not able to pay rent. Vallabhbhai Patel, who became one of the most active and
dedicated followers of Mahatma Gandhi from Kheda.
* In 1918 the mill workers of Ahmedabad got into dispute 35 Percent increases.
* Gopal Krishna Gokhale as his political Guru (mentor).
* On 30th March 1919 it was decided to launch first nationwide hartal against Rowlatt Act
which was called Black Law and which empowered arrest without reasons.. But, as the
decision could not reach everywhere in the country, the date was postponed to 6 April
* Satyagarha Sabha organized at Bombay Hindu Muslim unity was seen.
* In Delhi hartal organized on 30 March 1919. * On April 1919 Gandhi arrested.
* Jallianwala Bagh - 13 April day of Baisakhi Punjab as a special day to celebrate the
harvesting season Government proclaimed a ban.* At 4.00 p.m on the same day a public
meeting was called Jallianwala Bagh was not a garden rather it was an open space near
the Golden Temple in Amristar.At one point of time it was a personal property of a person
named Jalli.
* General Dyre when speakers reciting the poem Fariyad ordered troops to shoot at the
crowd from the exit point.
* As per Government Report 179 people were killed in the accident - according to the
Congress Committee the number of people who died could around one thousand.
* An enquiry committee under the Chairmanship of Hunter was setup on 19 October 1919.
The committee submitted its report after about a year on 26 May 1920.Some
* Called him as the the defender of the British Empire and honored him with sword and an
amount of 2,00,000 pound Gandhi after this event the British lost the moral authority to rule
over India Rabindranath Tagore renounced knight hood titles as a mark of protest.
* Khilafat Sultan of Turkey was regarded as the Caliph or the religious head of the
Muslims all over the worlds a movement to express the Muslim support for the Caliph of
Turkey against the allied powers, particularly Britain.
* Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Dr. M.A. Ansari, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew, Maulvi Abdulbari
(Lucknown), Hakin Ajmal Khan and the Ali brothers were the prominent leaders of this
movement.
* On October 1919, he whole country had observed the Khilafat day Committee had been formed
in September 1919. March 1920 committee under the leadership of Maulanan Shaukat Ali and
Mohammad Ali was also sent to England.
* British Government signed Treaty of Tibers on 10 August 1920 Turkey was partitioned
Sultan was made a prisoner and sent to Constantinople.

* On 1, August 1920, in a communication to the governor General, Mahatma Gandhi

announced his plan to begin non-cooperation with the Government as a sequel to the Rowlat
Act, Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the Khilafat movement.
* Gandhis plan was approved by the Indian national congress in a special session at
Calcutta in December 1920.C.R.Das opposed it.
* Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Annie Besant and Bipin Chandra Pal were not in agreement with
the congress declaration of non-cooperation and, thus they left the Congress.
Features of Non Cooperation: Boycott of Law Courts, foreign clothes, establishment of
panhayattis, promotion of Khadi.Prince of Walesboycotted in Nov 1921 during his visit.
* The Khilafat meeting in Malabar incited so much of communal feelings among the Muslims
peasants (The Moplahs) that it took an anti-Hindu turn in July 1921 Moplah rebellion.
* On 5 February an agitated crowd gheraoed the police station at Chauri chaura in the
Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh and set fire it. Twenty two policemen including the station
officer died in the incident.
*Gandhi announced the suspension of the movement.
Revolutionary movements :
Kakori Robbery: * Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil occupies a special place. He published book
with the title How did America get Freedom and a pamphlet with the heading A Message
for the countrymen * On 9, August 1925 when the money sent by the government from
Saharnpur to Lucknow by train was looted at the Kakori railway station. In December 1927,
on the charges of conspiracy, Ram Prasad bismil, Rajendra Lahiri, Roshan singh and
Ashfaquallah Kahn were hanged.
* Ashfaqualah Khan was the first Muslim revolutionary of India to be hanged for the sake of
the countrys freedom.
Saunders Murder and Central hall Bomb throwing: * On 9, June 1931 Harishen was
hanged on the grievous charges of murder. Sardar Bhagat Singh born in Banga in Layalpur
district found the Punjab Naujawan Bharat Sabha in 1926.
* Lala Lajpat Rai owing to a police lathi charged led by Saunders was taken as a national
humiliation and the later was assassinated on 17 December 1928.
* Bhagat Singh in the mean time had left Lahore in disguise. He had also participated in the
congress Session at Calcutta in 1928 he chose the Central legislative Assembly at Delhi
as his targets * The throwing of the bomb in the Assembly on 8 April 1929 by Bhagat
Singhand Batukeshwar Dutt shook up the whole country into a new enthusiasm Bhagat
Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged.
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE MOVEMENT
Swaraj party- Pro and No Changers: * The leaders of the congress were spilt into two
groups. The first group comprised of those who wanted a change in the programme of the
Congress and in reality did not approve the Non-Cooperation Movement. Prominent among

such leaders were Deshbandhu Chittranjan Das and Motilal Nehru, who were called prochangers.
* The other groups consisted of those members who supported the non-cooperation
movement and retained full faith in the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. This group came to
be known as no-changers. Prominent among the no-changers were C.Rajagopalachari and
Dr. M.A. Ansari.
* In March 1923, Chittaranjan Das along with Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party at
Allahabad to take parting November 1923 council elections.
* Elections in November 1923 Motilal Nehru became the leader of the party whereas in
Bengal the party was headed by Chittranjan Das.
* Simon Commission the act of 1919 included a provision for its review after a lapse of
ten years. Thus, such a review was due in 1929.
* The Conservative Party appointed the review commission two years ahead of its schedule,
in 1927.
* Simon commission after the name of its chairman, Sir John Simon all its seven members
were Englishmen, the Commission was also called the White men Commission.
* There were no Indian member in it, the Commission faced a lot of criticism all the political
parties including the Congress, the Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League decided to
oppose the Commission tooth and nail 3 February 1928 when the Commission reached
Bombay.
* At Lahore the student took out a large anti-Simon commission - LalaLajpat Rai was
seriously injured in the police lathi charge ordered by Saunders, assistant superintendent of
Police of Lahore. As a result of which he passed away after one month His last words,
Every blow on my body will prove a nail in the coffin of the British Empire.
* With the sole exception of a few members of the Muslim League, the rulers of the Princely
States and zamindars, all political parties and the sections of the Indian people opposed the
Simon Commission report published in May 1930 Dyarchy was unsuccessful
recommended special powers to Governor General at the centre and Governors at the
Provinces.
* Indians rejected the Simon commission report out of Hand as it did not mention anything in
regard to conferring the Dominion Status Simon Commissions report became the basis for
enacting the Government of India Act 1935.]
* Secretary of State, Lord Birkenhead, while delivering a speech on the floor of the British
Parliament challenged the Indians to produce a Constitution.
* The Report published by this Committee in July 1928 came to be known as the Nehru
Report.
* Muslim League Central Sikh League, Sardar Kharak Singh also rejected it Maulana
Abul Kalam Azad, Dr. M.A. Ansari and Hakim Ajmal Kahn supported it. * Jinnah, thereafter

convened an All Indian conference of the Muslims where he drew up a list of fourteen point
demand.
* Nehru Report was approved by a majority vote in the annual session of the Congress held
in Calcutta on 2 December 1928, an ultimatum was served on the British government to
accept the Report by 31 December 1929.
* Poorna Swaraj-The annual session of the congress was held at Lahore in December 1929.
The place where this session was held was named as the Lajpat Rai Nagar.
* Dandi March Gandhi reached the coast of Dandi on 5 April 1930 after marching a
distance of 200 miles with 78 handpicked followers and on 6 April formally launched the Civil
Disobedience Movement by breaking the salt laws.
* On 9 April, Mahatma Gandhi laid out the programme of the movement which included
making of salt in every village in violation of the existing salt laws; picketing by women
before the shops selling liquor, opium and foreign clothes; organizing the bonfires of foreign
clothes; spinning clothes by using charkha; fighting untouchability; boycotting of schools and
colleges by students and resigning from government jobs by the people.
* Many Muslims kept themselves aloof from this movement northwest Frontier Province an
organization of Khudai Khidmatgar (Servants of God) was formed under the leadership of
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Most of the volunteers donned red clothes, because of which they
came to be known as the Red Shirts.
* The khudai Khidmatgars accepted the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and participated in
the movement in full measures.
* The government had to send a detachment of the 18th Royal Garhwal Rigles to suppress
this movement. But as the Garhwali soldiers refused to open fire on the unarmed people, the
government pressed the air force into action.
* Round table conference first such conference held on 12 November 1930 at London,
failed to resolve he communcal question as it was boycotted it by the Congress.First civil
disobedience movement Gandhi put 11 demands including cut in military expenses, total
prohibition,release of political prisoners etc,.
* On 8 March 1931 the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was singed. As per this pact Gandhi agreed to
suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement and participate in the Second Round Table
conference but most of the leaders did not like this pact.
* On 7 September 1931, the Second round Table conference was held at London; Gandhi
joined the Conference on 12 September but returned o India disappointed as no agreement
could be reached on the demand of complete independence on the communal question.
* On 3 January 1932, the civil disobedience Movement was resumed. The government
responded to it by arresting Gandhi and Sardar Patel and by reimposing the ban of the
Congress Party.

(Dr Ambedkar: * In July 1924 Ambedkar had organized a Bahishkrit hitkar Sabha (the
Depressed Classes Institute) with the objective of raising the moral and material status of the
untouchables.)
* Fist Round Table Conference he had demanded separate electorates for depressed.
* On 16 August 1932, British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald made an announcement,
which came to be as the communcal Award.
* According to this award the depressed classes were considered as a separate community
and as such provisions were made for separate electorates for them.
* Gandhi protested against the Award and went on a fast unto death in the Yeravada jail on
20 September 1932.
* Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Ghanshyam and Das Birla, C.
Rajagopalachari and Dr. Ambedkar gathered at Pun and hammered out an agreement with
the consent of Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar. This agreement came to be called as the Poona
Pact British Government also approved of it.
* 148 seats in different Provincial legislatiures were reserved for the Depressed Classes in
place of 71 as provided in the Communal Award. A Common electorate of all Hindu,
including the Depressed Classes was agreed upon.
* Special provision for representation of the depressed people in local bodies and civil
service were also made.
* The Third Round table conference was held from 17 November to 24 December 1932.
The Congress once more did not take part in it.
* In March 1933, the British Government issued a White Paper, which became the basis for
the enactment of the Government of India Act, 1935.
* In July 1933, the Congress decided to launch an Individual Civil Disobedience in place of
Mass Civil Disobedience.
* Under the Morely-Minto Reforms of 1909 only one percent , and under the Montague
Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 two and half percent of Indian got voting rights, under
the Government of India Act of 1935 only 13 percent of Indias population became
eligible voters.
* In accordance with the provinces of the government of Indian Act of 1935 elections to the
Provincial Legislatures were held in February 1937.
* Congress virtually swept the polls Muslim League faced miserable defeat out of the
482 Muslim seat it could register victory only in 81 seats.
* On 7 July 1937, after the Viceroy Lord Linlithgow assured the Congress of his cooperation the party
formed its Ministery in 7 Provinces.
THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND THE INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT

* Congress Ministeries were formed in seven states of India. These states were the North
West Frontier Province, the Central Provinces, Bombay, Bihar, Orissa, the United Provinces
and Madras.In two provinces namely Sindh and Assam, ministries were formed with the
Congress support whereas in Punjab the Unionist Party and the Muslim League formed the
coalition ministry of Krishak Praja Party and the Muslim League came to power.
* Second World War broke out. The British Government without consulting the people of India
involved the country in the war. The Congress vehemently opposed it also resigned from Ministries
in all Provinces.
* Muslim League raised the slogan Islam is in danger. At this juncture, Jinnah also
presented the two-nation theory inflamed communal feelings by saying that now Hindi
would become the national language of India and Bande Mataram would be its national
song.
* Pirpur Report and the Sharif Report also inflamed the communal passions.
* Muslim League celebrated 12 December 1939, the day on which the Congress Ministries
from office as the Deliverance Day accepting two-nation theory in its annual session at
Lahore Jimait-ul-Ulema-e-Hind opposing the demand for Pakistan Khudai Khidmatgar
and the Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-hind too opposed the idea.
* On 8, August 1940 which came to be known as the August Offer- It said Indians would set up to
frame the new Constitution. Mahatma Gandhi decided to launch individual Staygraha limited
symbolic and non-violent in nature On 17, October 1940, Vinoba Bhave was the first to offer
Satyagraha and he was sentenced to three months imprisonment.
* Jawaharlal Nehru was the second Satyagrahaist ; the third Satyagrahi was Brahma Dutt continued for nearly 15 months
British sent Sir Stafford Cripps to India on 23 March 1942.
* Cripps proposals included Dominion Status to India, protection of minorities and setting up of
Constituent Assembly. The major political parities of the country rejected the Cripps proposals.
* The Muslim League was also dissatisfied as its demand for Pakistan had not been
conceded 26 April 1942, he asked the British to quit India.
* In July, the Congress Executive Committee passed the Quit India Resolution at Wardha.
The All India Congress Committee further considered it at Bombay in its meeting on 7-8
August 1942. * Mahatma Gandhi was kept in prison a Poona.
* Working Committee of the Congress Socialist Party was in session, where it was decided to carry
forward the movement from under ground. Among its prominent leaders who took this decision
were Ram Manohar Lohia, Achyuta Patwardhan, Ramananda Mishra and S.M. Joshi.
* Quit India Movement had passed through four stages. The first stage was from 9 to 11
August 1942 when strikes, demonstrations and public meeting wee organized in various
towns and cities.

* In its second stage from 12 August to 22 September the movement reached the rural areas. During
this stage the Government adopted a policy of repression. Government structures, municipality
buildings, railways stations, police stations, post offices and trains came under public ire.
* In the third stage from 23 September 1942 to February 1943 there were armed attacks on
government buildings in Madras and Bengal. Bombs were thrown at many places in Bombay
and the United Provinces
* February 1943 to 9 May 1944 was the fourth stage of the movement when Gandhi was
released from jail. During this period, many demonstrations were held, processions taken
out, anniversaries of national leaders celebrated and national weeks observed. Students
peasants and workers took active part in it. The Muslims by and large, remained indifferent.
* Participation lower middle class, political parities, Communists, Muslim league, Liberals opposed
the movement, Savakar criticized the Government and directed his followers not to take part in the
movement, and Anglo-Indian Community under the leadership of Anthony opposed the movement.
* Hindu Mahasabha established in 1915 on the occasion of the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar by
Madan Mohan Malaviya.
* Lord Linlithgow described it most dangerous since the 1857 revolt.
* The Communist Party of India had come into being by 1925. The British government which
declared the organization illegal in 1934. This ban continued in 1942.British Removed the ban on the
Communist Party of India in July 1942 in return for the latters promise to extend full cooperation to
the British in its war efforts.
* Subash Chandra Bose was born on 23 January 1897 at Cuttack in Orissa. He passed the
Civil Services Examination in 1920 but not joined to serve the nationalist cause instead of
serving the British Empire.
* Chittaranjan Das was instrumental in inspiring him top join the national freedom struggle
unanimously elected President of the Congress at its Haripura session.
* In May 1939, Subash Chandra Bose formed a new group which came to be called the
Forward Bloc. July 1940 subhas was arrested under the Defence of India Rules. In the guise
of a Pathan left the country on 16 February 1941 and reached Kabul along with his friend
Bhagat Ram.
* He went to Germany and met Hilter. He was first addressed as Netaji in Germany. Indian
National Army goes to Captain Mohan Singh, who set up the first division of the INA on 1
September 1942.
* On 2 July 1943, Subhas Chandra Bose reached Singapore and gave the rousing war cry of
Dilli Chalo.
* Formation of the Azad Hind Government and proclaimed Give me blood and I will give you
freedom. He organized the Indian National Army and gave the country the slogan of Jai Hind.

* the name of the INAs three Brigades were the Subhas Brigade, Gandhi Brigade, and
Nehru Brigade womens detacgnebt after the name of Rani Laximibai was recognized by
Japan, Germany, Italy, China, Ireland, Burma (Brahma Desh) and Philippines.
* On 8 November 1943, Japan headed over Andaman and Nicobar Islands to Subhas
Chandra. In turn, Nataji named these islands as Shaheed Island and
Swaraj Island respectively. Germany accepted defeat on 7 May 1945. On 6 August 1945,
atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
* After crossing the Formosa Island on his way to Tokyo died on 18 August 1945 as his
plane suddenly caught fire. The trial of the soldiers of INA was held at Red Fort in Delhi,
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhulabhai Desai and Tej Bahadur Sapru fought the case on behalf
of the soliders.
* On 20 January 1946, some soliders of the Air force staged a hartal against the British
Government in Karachi. The hartal soon spread to Bombay, Lahore and Delhi.
* About this time, on 19 February 1946, some Indians serving in the Royal Indian Navy also
ined mutiny. They also demanded equal treatment. The civilian population of Bombay also joined
hands with them by striking work due to the efforts of Sardar Patel, this agitation came to end.

INDIA TOWARDS PARTITION

* The British, with an aggravating war situation were expecting increased cooperation from the
Indians. Thus, they began a process of diplomatic engagement with the Indian leaders by opening
negotiations on contentious issues. The Wavell Plan, Shimla Conference and Cabinet Mission Plan
were the results of these efforts.
* Lord Wavell came to India on October 1943, - barring Mahatma Gandhis release from
prison on 6 May 1944, nothing spectacular happened.
* Rajapolachari evolved a formula in March 1944. But it was shooting down by Jinnah, who would
not settle for anything less than a separate State.
* Lord Wavell also put forth on 14 June 1945, which came to be popularly known as the
Wavell Plan.
* The Principal objectives behind the plan were to assuage the widespread public ire in
India, obtain Indian cooperation against the surging military tide of Japan and build up public
opinion for the conservative party in the forthcoming general elections in Britain.
* Wavell invited the prominent Leaders of all political parties in the country to a conference in
Shimla on June 1945. Conference was held from 25 June to 14 July and was attended by 21
leaders.
* The conference began on a hopeful note but ultimately broke down due to the insistence of Jinnah
that the Muslim League alone represents Indian Muslims and hence no non-League member could
be nominated to the Viceroys Council.

* Clement Atlee took over as the Prime Minister and the Sir Pethick Lawrence was appointed as the
new Secretary of State for India.
*Cripps Mission: On 15 March 1946, Lord Atlees government made a historic
announcement in which the Indians right to self-determination and framing of a constitution
were conceded. Three members of the British Cabinet Pethick Lawrence Sir Stafford
Cripps and A.B. Alexander were sent to India.
* Features formation of union of India, Constituent Assembly, Interim Government. * On 6
June the Muslim League and on 25 June 1946 the Congress accepted the plan. Elections
were held in July 1946 for the formation of a Constituent Assembly. The Congress secured
205 out of 214 General seats. They also had the support of 4 Sikh members.
* The Muslim League got 73 out of 79 Muslim seats. Jinnah became greatly disturbed by the
elections results.
* End of July they resolved to withdraw its acceptance of the Cabinet Mission Plan and went
on to pass the Direct Action resolution. 16 August 1946 was fixed as the Direct Action Day
communal riots broke out.
* On 13 October 1946, communal riots also broke out in Noakhali. Mahatma Gandhi reached
Noakhali on 29 October. Interim government was formed under the leadership of Jawaharlal
Nehru on 2 September 1946.
* League joined the Interim Government on 26 October 1946, not to work it but to wreck it from
within. Atlee decided to sent Lord Mountbatten as viceroy to India in place of Lord Wavell.
* Lord Mountbatten armed with vast powers became Indias Viceroy on 24 March 1947. Put
forth the plan of partition of India on 3 June 1947.
* Sardar Patel also felt that if the plan of Indias partition had not been accepted them. We
would not have had one Pakistan but several.
* India would be divided in two parts, namely the Union Of India and Pakistan and both
would be granted freedom on 15 August 1947 instead on June 1948. India Independence
Act on 18 July 1947.
MAKING OF THE INDIAN CONSITUTION AND LIBERATION OF GOA AND
PONDICHERY
* Before Independence the number if native states in India was 562, which accounted for
48% of the countrys total area and 20% of its total population.
* In 1934 Dr. Rajendra Prasad proposed the introduction of responsible governments in the
Princely states Patel with a hurricane tour of 40 days to join the Indian Union by the 5th
of August.
* Only Hyderabad, Junagarh and Kashmir did not take a decision by the aforesaid date
about their joining the Union.

* The ruler of Junagarh was a Muslim whereas most of its people were Hindus. In February
1948, through a referendum the people of this state decided to join India. The Nawab of
Junagarh therefore left for Pakistan.
* Mahatma Gandhi also met the king of Kashmir, but in August 1947, the Pakistan in the
guise of Qubailis began intruding into Jammu and Kashmir.
* On October 26, Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir sent his Prime Minister. Meharchand
Mahajan, with the signed papers of merger to India, which were accepted.
* But in the meantime, on 21-22 October 1947, with the help of the Pathan Qubailis Pakistan
invaded Kashmir and these intruders advanced up o Srinagar.
* Even today about a third of Kashmir territory remains illegally occupied by Pakistan which it
calls as Azad Kashmir.
* Pakistan got a share of the countrys 40% of cotton production, 85% of jute production and
40% of wheat production whereas all the related mills and factories came under Indias
share. This led to a shortage of raw materials in India which in turn led to shortage of food
grains and textiles.
* In 1948, in the wake of announcing an economic policy, the first scheme known as the
Sarvodaya scheme was presented by Jaiprasksah Narain.
* Chandernagore had acceded to India on the basis of a plebiscite.
* In 1946 the French Indian National congress and the French Indian Students Congress
had been established with this objective. All these organization expressed their wish to
liberate Pondicherry from French control and merge with the Indian Union.
* Within two years, all the five French enclaves came under Indian control though the legal
transfer of territories took place only in 1962.
* The Portuguese had established their control over Goa, Diu and Daman since 1510, 1546
and 1559 respectively. Including Dara and Nagar Haveli this whole area used to be referred
to as Goa.
* a Goa Liberation Army constituting all political parties was formed to liberate Goa. The
Satyagraha of June 18, 1954 was particularly significant as several satyagrahis were
arrested in it for unfurling the national flag.
* On 22 July, Dadra and Nagar Haveli came under the control of the liberators.
* In November 1961, the Portuguese injured crew members of the ship S.S.Sabarmati
besides killing a fisherman. Ultimately the, Government of India announced operation Vijay
for the liberation of Goa. This military operation was carried out under the command of
general J.M. Choudhary on 17-18 December 1961 and was completed by 19 December. In
this way, the Indian Army freed Goa, Daman and Diu.

GOVERNOR-GENERALS AND VICEROYS

ROBERT CLIVE 1757-60 AND 1765-67: Battle of Buxar- Siraj Ud doula- Dual Govt in
Bengal- First Treaty of Allahbad in 1765 with Shuja ud Doula and second with Shah Alam
II..First Governor of Bengal. Battle of Plassey was in 1764 and Governor was Pensitrat
Warren Hastings (1772-85) First Governor-General of Bengal.

Creation of the post of Collector- Regulating Act of 1773

The Act of 1781 (it made a clear demarcation between the jurisdiction of the Governor
General-in-Council and that of then Supreme Court at Calcutta).
-Pitts India Act of 1784.--The Rohila war (1774) and annexation of Rohilkhand by the
Nawab of Oudh with help of the British.---First Maratha war (1775-82) and the Treaty of
Salbai (1782).--Second Mysore war (1780-84) (First one was fought in 1766-69).--Nand
Kumar episode (1775) First English translation Gita by Charles Wilkins --Foundation of
the Asiatic Society of Bengal by Hastings and Sir William Jones (1784). After his return to
England (1785), impeachment proceedings were started against him. After a prolonged trial
(seven years), he was finally acquitted.
Lord Cornwalls (1786-93)
Third Mysore War (1790-92) and the Treaty of Seringapatam (1792).
Permanent revenue settlement.Reform of the judiciary- Creation OF district Judge (1793)
Code Europeonisation of Civil Service.
Sir John Shore (1793-98)
In the introduction of the permanent settlement (1793) he played an important role as the
President of the Board of Revenue, but his Governor-Generalship was very uneventful.
Lord Wellesley (1798-1805)
Introduction of the system of Subsidiary Alliance (1798), and the first Subsidiary Treaty
with the Nizam of Hyderabad (1798)-Fourth Mysore War (1799) and the annexation of
many parts of Mysore.-Subsidiary Treaty of Bassein (1802) and Second Maratha War (180305).

Formation of the Madras Presidency after the annexation of the kingdoms of

Tanjore and Carnatic.
Fort Williams- Training College.

Lord Minto I (1807-13)Before Minto, Sir George Barlow was the governor-general for two
years (1805-07). Main event was the Vellore Mutiny (1806).
Treaty of Amritsar with Ramjit Singh (1809).--Charter Act of 1813
Lord Hastings (1813-23)
War with Nepal or the Gorkha War (1814-16); due to his success in this war, he was made
Marquis of Hastings (1816).

Third Maratha War (1817-1818) abolition of Peshwaship and annexation of all his
territories, and creation of the Bombay Presidency (1818).
Pindari wars (1817-1818).
Introduction of the ryotwari settlement in Madras Presidency by governor,
Thomas Munro (1820).

Lord Amherst (1823-28)First Burmese War (1824-26)Capture of Bharatpur (1826)

Lord William Bentinck (1828-35)- First Governor General of India.
Prohibition of sati (1829).

Suppression of thuggee (1829-35).-Charter Act of 1833.

Macaulays Minutes and introduction of English as the medium of instruction
(1833)
Visit of Rammohan Roy to England (1830) and his death there (1833).
Deposition of the Raja of Mysore and annexation of his territories (1831).

Charles Metcafle 1835-36- Famous Press law and Liberator of Press in India
Lord Auckland (1835-42)
First Afghan War (1836-42) disaster of the British in the war and recall of Auckland.-Death
of Ranjit Singh (1839).
Lord Ellenborough (1842-44).
Termination of the first Afghan war (1842).

Conquest and annexation of Sind (1843)-War with Gwalior (1843).

Lord Hardinge (1844-48)

First Sikh war (1845-46) and treaty of Lahore (1846)
Prohibition of female infanticide and suppression of the practice of human sacrifice among
the Gonds of central India.
Lord Dalhousie (1848-56)
Second Sikh war (1848-49) and annexation of the Punjab.

Second Burmesewar (1852) and annexation of Lower Burma.

Charter Act of 1853.
Application of the Doctrine of Lapse and annexation of Satara (1848), Sambalpur
(1849), Jhansi (1853) Nagpur (1854), etc.
Annexation of Oudh (1856).
Woods (President of the Board of Control) Education Despatch of 1854 and British
assumption of the responsibility of educating the masses.
Introduction of the Railways (First train-Bombay to Thana), Telegraph (First lineCalcutta to Agra) and the Postal System in 1853.
Widow/Remarriage Act (1856)
Establishment of a separate Public Works Department in every province.
Santhal uprising (1855-56)

Lord Canning (1856-57)

Establishment of three universities (at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay) in 1857.

Revolt of 1857.

VICEROYS (1858-62)
Lord Canning (1858-62)-First Viceroy
Queen Victorias Proclamation and the India Act of 1858.

White Mutiny by the European troops of the EICO in 1859.

India Councils Act of 1861. Portfolio system. Withdrawl of Doctrine of Lapse

Lord Elgin I (1862)
His sudden death in 1862; administration carried on by Sir Napier and Sir Denison from
1862 to 1864.
Lord John Lawrence (1864-69)
War with Bhutan in 1865.
Establishment of the High Courts at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1865.
Lord Mayo (1869-72)
Establishment of two colleges for the education and political training of the Indian Princesthe Rajkot College in Kathiawar and the Mayo college at Ajmer in Rajasthan.

First step in the direction of separation of central and provincial finances in 1870.Organisation of Statistical Survey of India.First Census

Establishment of a Department of Agriculture and Commerce.Beginning of the system of

State Railways.His assassination by a convict in the Andamans in 1872.
Lord North Brook (1872-76)
Visit of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) to India in 1875.

His resignation over the Afghan question.

Lord Lytton (1876-80)

Royal Titles Act of 1876 and the assumption of the title of Empress of India by Queen
Victoria; the Delhi-Durbar in January 1877.

Vernacular Press Act and the Arms Act of 1878.

Second Afghan War of (1878-80)
Appointment of the first Famine Commission under Sir Richard Strachey in 1878.

Lord Ripon (1880-84)

First Factory Act of 1881.

First Census taken in India (1881)-254 millions.

Introduction of Local Self-Government in 1882.

Repeal of the Vernacular Press Act in 1882.

Division of the finances of the center in 1882.
Appointment of an Educational Commission under Sir William Hunter in 1882.
The libert Bill Controversy (1883).
Coming into existence of the Famine Code in 1883.

Lord Dufferin (1884-88)Third Burmese war (1885-86)Foundation of the Indian National

Congress (Lord Cross was the Secretary of State at that time).
Lord Lansdowne (1888-94)
Second Factory Act of 1891.

Division of the Civil Services into Imperial, Provincial and Subordinate.

Indian Councils Act of 1892.
Appointment of the Durand Commission and its definition of the Durand Line
between British India and Afghanistan (now between Pakistan and Afghanistan)
in 1893.

Lord Elgin II (1894-99)

Assassination of two British officials by the Chapekar brothers of Poona in 1897.

Lord Curzon (1899-1905)

Appointment of a commission under Sir Thomas Raleigh in 1902 to suggest reforms
regarding universities, and the passing of the Indian Universities Act of 1904 on the basis
of its recommendations.
Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904.
Establishment of an Agricultural Research Institute at Pusa in Delhi.
Partition of Bengal in 1905.
Col.Younghusbands Expedition to Tibet in 1904. I.S.T.
Lord Minto II (1905-10)
Anti-Partition and Swadeshi Movements.

Surat Session and split in the Congress (1907)

Minto-Morley Reforms or the Indian Councils Act of 1909.
Foundation of the Muslim League by the Aga Khan, the Nawab of Dacca, etc, in
1906.

Lord Hardinge II (1910-16)

Annulment of the partition of Bengal and creation of a Governorship for Bengal like Bombay
and Madras in 1911. (Lieutenant Governorship for Bihar and Orissa, and Chief
Commissionership for Assam).

Transfer of the Imperial capital from Calcutta to Delhi (1911).

Coronation Durbar of King George V and Queen Mary at Delhi (December, 1911).
Death of G.K.Gokhale in 1915.Division of Bengal repealed

Foundation of the Hindu Mahasabha in 1915 by Madan Mohan Malviya and

some Punjabi leaders.

Lord Chelmsford (1916-21)

Foundation of two Home Rule League one by Tilak in April, 1916 and another by Mrs.
Annie Besant in September, 1916.

Lucknow session and the reunion of the Congress (1916) (Mrs.Besant played an
important role in the reunion).
Lucknow Pact between the Congress and the Muslim League in 1916. (Tilak
played an important role in this).
Return of Gandhi to India (1915); foundation of the Sabarmati ashram (1916);
Champaran satyagraha (the first time Gandhi experimented his new technique in
India-1917); satyagraha at Ahmadabad (1918); Khaira satyagraha (1918).
August Declaration (1917) by Montague, the then Secretary of State, and Montford
reforms or the Government of India Act of 1919.
Resignation of some veteran leaders led by S.N. Banerji from the Congress, and
their foundation of the Indian Liberal Federation (1918).
Rowlatt Act (March, 1919)and the Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre (13th April, 1919)
Death of Tilak on Ist August, 1920.
Formation of the Khilafat Committee and the launching of the Khilafat Movement
(1919-20).
Launching of the Non-cooperation Movement (1920-22).
Nagpur session of the Congress (Dec. 1920-kchanges in the constitution of the
Congress.
Foundation of the Womens University at Poona (1916)
Appointment of Sir S.P. Sinha as Lieutenant Governor of Bihar (Sir Sinha was the
first Indian to become a Governor and the second Indian to become a member of the
British Parliament, the first being Dadabhai Naoroji).

Lord Reading (1921-26)

Chauri Chaura incident (February 5, 1922) and the withdrawal of the Non-cooperation
Movement by Gandhi.

Formation of the Swaraj Party by C.R. Das (Deshbandu) and Motilal Nehru in
December 1922.
Foundation of the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangha (RSS) by K.B.Hedgewar at
Nagpur in 1925.
Repeal of the Rowlatt Act.
Holding of simultaneous examinations for the ICS in England and India with effect
from 1923.
Beginning of Indianisation of the officers cadre of the Indian army.
Foundation of the Communist Party of India in 1925.

Lord Irwin (1926-31)(Popularly known as the Christian Viceroy)

Appointment of the Simon Commission (Nov. 1927) and the boycott of the Commission by
the Congress.

Appointment of the Harcourt Butler Indian States Commission in Nov.1927 (to

recommend measures for the establishment of better relations between the Indian
states and the Central Govt.). and the convening of the All India Civil Services
Coaching Centre States Peoples Conference in Dec. 1927 by the states people in
response.

Deepavali Declaration by Lord Irwin (on 31st, 1929) that India would be granted
dominion status in due course.
Lahore session of the Congress (Deg. 1929) and the Poorna Swaraj resolution;
Fixing 26th Jan. 1930 as the first Independence Day.
Launching of the Civil Disobedience Movement by Gandhi with his Dandi March
(12th March, 1930), boycott of the first session of the Round Table Conference by the
Congress (1930), Gandhi-Irwin pact and the suspension of the movement
(March 1931).

Lord Wellingdon (1931-36) Participation of Gandhi in the second session of the Round
Table Conference (Sep. 1931) and the failure of the conference, return of Gandhi to India
(Dec.1931) and resumption of the movement, Gandhis imprisonment, final suspension of
the movement in May, 1934.

Third session of the Round Table Conference in London (1932) without the
representation of the Congress.
Announcement of the Communal Award by Ramsay Macdonald, British P.M. (1932);
Gandhis fast unto death in the Yeravadi prison and the Poona Pact between Gandhi
and Ambedkar (Sept.1932).
Government of India Act of 1935.
Separation of Burma from India (1935).
Foundation of the Congress/Socialist Party by Acharya Narendra Dev and Jai
Prakash Narayan (1934).
Formation of the All-India Kisan Sabha in 1936.

Lord Linlithgow (1936-43)

Formation of Congress Ministries in majority of the provinces (1937).
Resignation of Subhas Chandra Bose from the Presidentship of the Congress as well as
from its membership in 1939, formation of the Forward Block by Bose and his followers
(1939).
Resignation of the Congress Ministries after the out break of the World War II (1939).
Celebration of the Congress Ministries resignation as Deliverance Day by the Muslim
League (1939), and its Lahore Resolution (23rd March, 1940), demanding separate state for
the Muslims. (It was at this session that Jinnah propounded his Two-Nation Theory).
August Offer by Linlithgow (1940); its rejection by the Congress and the starting of
individual satyagraha by Gandhi.
Escape of S.C. Bose from India in 1941.
Cripps Mission (March, 1942) offering Dominion Status to India, and its rejection by the
Congress.
Passing of the Quit India Resolution by the Congress at Bombay (8th August, 1942), arrest
of all the Congress leaders and the outbreak of the August Revolution or Revolt of 1942.
Lord Wavell (1943-47)
C.R.Formula evolved by C.Rajagopala Chari in 1944 and the Gandhi-Jinnah Talks (1944)
based on it: failure of the talks.Famine in Bengal

-Wavell Plan and the Simla Conference (1945) to discuss it; its failure.
-INA Trials and the Naval Mutiny (1946).
-Cabinet Mission (Three members-Lawrence, Cripps and Alexander) and acceptance of its
plan by both the Congress and the League (1946)
-Formation of Interim Government by the Congress (Sep. 1946).
-Launching of Direct Action Day by the League (17th Aug. 1946) but it also joined the
Interim Govt. in Oct. 1946, though it abstained from the Constituent Assembly.
Lord Mountbatten (March-August, 1947) Mountbatten plan; partition of India and achievement
of freedom. Also First governor General of Free India Gandhi murder-Kashmir annexation
C.Rajajai :Second and Last GG of Independent IndiaCONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT POINTS
1.Regulating Act Governor General of Bengal SC at Calcutta Executive Council
with 4 members Dual Government abolished
2. Pitts India Act Board of Control E.C. 4 to 3 Bombay and Madras subordinate to
Bengal
3.1793 Charter Act Trade Monopoly extended for 20 years Local Government
Higher Post for Europeans
4. Charter Act 1813 Monopoly ended China Opium and Tea for 20 years
Education Advance Christian Missionary to India
5. Charter Act 1833 Governor General of India Law Member Macaulay Trade
Monopoly in China Ended Governor General can frame Law Patronage
system abolished
6. Charter Act 1853 Lt. Governor for Bengal Competitive Exam Legislative
Council with 12 members
7. Government of India Act 1858 Power Transfer-Secretary of State India Council - Home Government Viceroy abolition of the Board of Control and Court of Directors
8. Indian Councils Act 1861 Portfolio System, Legislative Councils in Madras,
Bombay and Bengal Rigid Centralisation Ordinance making Power of GG
9. Indian Councils Act 1892 Indirect Election- Budget Discussion, Question - no
voting
10.Minto Morley Reforms 1909 Direct Elections Separate electorate for Muslims
11. GOI Act 1919 Dyarchy in Provinces Central bicameral two lists towards
responsible Government Local Govt UPSC High Commissioner of India
12. Government of India Act 1935 Provincial Autonomy Dyarchy Abolition in

Province introduced at Centre Three lists Indian Council abolished communal

representation extended Federal Court