Modern India

India’s Historic Timeline (326 BC to 1947 AD)

All Mock Test

SSC CGL

NABARD

Insurance

RBI Assistant

SSC CHSL

IBPS PO

SBI PO

CAPF

India’s Historic Timeline (326 BC to 1947 AD)

Timeline of Indian's Important Battles

Name of the Battle	Year	Between	Winner	Significance
Battle of Hydaspes	326 BC	Alexander and Porus	Alexander	Fought on the bank of the Jhelum, which is called ‘Hydaspes’ in Greek; opened relations between India and the West?
Kalinga War	260 BC	Ashoka and the King of Kalinga	Ashoka	Vast destruction and bloodshed changed the attitude of Ashoka, and he embraced Buddhism.
First Battle of Tarain or Thaneswar	1191 AD	Prithviraj Chauhan and Mohd Ghori	Prithiviraj Chauhan	Prithviraj Victory, Mohd. Ghori ran away
Second Battle of Tarain	1192 AD	Prithviraj Chauhan and Mohd. Ghori	Mohd. Ghori	Establishment of an Islamic empire in India.
First Battle of Panipat	1526 AD	Ibrahim Lodhi and Babur	Babur	Onset of the empire in India.
Battle of Khanwa	1527 AD	Babur and Rana Sanga	Babur
Battle of Chausa	1539 AD	Sher Shah and Humayun	Sher Shah	Sher Shah became the emperor of India.
Second Battle of Panipat	1556 AD	Akbar and Hemu	Akbar	Ended Afghan rule, strengthened Mughal rule
Battle of Talikota	1565 AD	Combined force of 4 Muslim rulers of Deccan and Ramraja of Vijayanagar	Muslim forces	Destroyed the Hindu kingdom of the Deccan; sealed the fortunes of the Vijayanagar empire.
Battle of Haldighati	1576 AD	Rana Pratap and Akbar	Akbar	Rana Pratap fought gallantly and took refuge in a remote fortress.
Battle of Samugarh	1659 AD	Aurangzeb and Imperial forces led by Dara	Aurangzeb	Aurangzeb captured the Mughal throne.
Battle of Plassey	1757 AD	Sirajuddaula and English forces under Clive	English forces	Fought at Plassey. The English became masters of Bengal, laying the foundation of British rule.
Third Battle of Panipat	1761 AD	Ahmed Shah Abdali and Marathas	English Shah Abdali	Gave a setback to the Marathas in the north: sealed the destiny of the Mughal empire and made British entry easier.
Battle of Buxar	1764 AD	Joint forces of the Muslim and English forces	English forces	Led to the English occupation of India.
Third Mysore War	1790-1792 AD	English forces and Tipu Sultan	English forces	Tipu Sultan had to sign the treaty of the Seringa-pattam
Fourth Mysore War	1799 AD	English forces and Tipu Sultan	English forces	Fought at Malavali and brought the Mohammedan dynasty of Mysore to an end.
Second Sikh War	1848-1849 AD	English forces and Sikhs	English forces	Sikh kingdom came under the British.

Reforms / Acts

Name of the Reforms / Acts	Year	During the term of	Significance
Prohibition of Sati & Female Infanticide	1829	Lord William Bentick	Supported by Raja Rammohun Roy.
Doctrine of lapse	1848	Lord Dalhousie	Adoption of sons by rulers in the absence of their natural heirs was banned.
Widow Remarriage Act	1856	Lord Canning	Legalized the marriage of a Hindu widow, supported by Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar.
Indian Councils Act	1861	Lord Canning	Envisaged the association of Indians with the administration at a higher level.
Iberty Bill	1883	lord Ripon	To bring the Indian and European magistracy on equal footing.
Indian Councils Act	1892	Lord Lansdown	Membership of the Central Legislative Council was enlarged.
Morely- Minto Reforms	1909	Lord Minto II	Separate electorates to widen the gulf between Hindus & Muslims.
Moutagcu- Chelmsford Reforms	1919	L. Chelmsford	Dyarchy was introduced at the Provincial level. Dyarchy means a dual system of government.
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre	1919	L. Chelmsford	Massacre at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar by General Dyer.
Rowlatt Act	1919	L. Chelmsford	Extraordinary powers were given to suppress the freedom struggle with General Dyer as the Commandant.
Simon Commission	1928	Lord Irwin	To report working of the reforms; recommended dyarchy in provinces; India to be constituted as a federation, and Indianisation of armed forces.
Gandhi-Irwin pact	1931	Lord Irwin	Congress called off the agitation and agreed to participate in the Second Round Table Conference.
Communal Award	1932	Lord Willingdon	Envisaged communal representation for depressed classes besides Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs.
Separate electorates	1932	Lord Willingdon	(See Communal Award)
Government of India Act	1935	Lord Willingdon	Provided for a federal type of constitution, Dyarchy at the centre.
Cripps Mission	1942	Lord Linlithgow	Proposed Dominion Status for India after the Second World War.
INA Trial	1945	Lord Wavell	INA prisoners of war were put to trial at the Red Fort, Delhi, and Bhulabhai Desai defended them.
Wavell Plan	1945	Lord Wavell	Envisaged the constitution of the executive council in such a way as to give representation to all major communities in India.
Cabinet Mission Plan	1946	Lord Wavell	Envisaged the establishment of the Constituent Assembly to frame the Constitution.
Mountbatten Plan	1947	L. Mountbatten	Partition Plan
Indian Independence Act	1947	L. Mountbatten	India was partitioned and attained independence.

Educational Committees/ Commissions

Viceroy	Committee/ Commission	Year	Chairman	Objectives
Lord Ripon (1880-1884)	Hunter Commission	1882	William Hunter	To study the development in education.
Lord Curzon (1899-1905)	University Commission	1902	Thomas Raleigh	To study the Universities and introduce reforms.
Lord Chelmsford (1916-1921)	Calcutta University Commission	1917	Michael Sadler	To study the condition of the University.
Lord Reading (1921-1926)	Indian Disbandment Committee	1923	Lord Itchcap	To discuss the Central Committee of Education.
Lord Wavell (1943-1947)	Sargeant Plan	1944	John Sargeant	To raise the standard of Education like Britain

Famine Commissions

Lord Lytton (1876-1880)	Famine Commission	1880	Richard Strachey	To give relief to the famine-stricken.
Lord Elgin (1894-1899)	Famine Commission	1897	James Lyall	To suggest earlier reports
Lord Curzon (1899-1905)	Famine Commission	1900	Anthony McDonnell	To suggest the famine report
Lord Wavell (1943-1947)	Famine Inspection Commission	1943-44	John Woodhood	To investigate the events of the Bengal Famine.

Economic Committees/Commissions

Viceroy	Committee/ Commission	Year	Chairman	Objectives
Lord Lansdown (1888-1894)	Harshell Committee	1893	Hershell	To suggest currency.
Lord Lansdown (1888-1894)	Opium Commission	1893	-	To investigate the effect of opium on health.
Lord Elgin (1894-1899)	Henry Fowler Commission	1898	H. Fowler	To give suggestions on currency.
Lord Curzon (1899-1905)	Irrigation Commission	1901	Sir Wolvin Scott Monkinj	To plan for the expenditure on irrigation.
Lord Hardinge (1910-1916)	Maclagon Committee	1914-15	Maclagon	To advise on cooperative finances
Lord Irwin (1926-1931)	Linlithgow Commission	1928		To study the problem in agriculture. (Report by Linlithgow)
Lord Irwin (1926-1931)	Whitelay Commission	1929	J.H. Whitelay	To study the condition of labour in industries and gardens.
Lord Wellingdon 1931-1936)	Indian Measurement Committee	1935	Lary Hamand	To arrange for the inclusion of labour in the Federal Assembly.
Lord Reading (1921-26)	Ibrahim Rahimtoola, Fiscal Commission	1921	Ibrahim Rahimtoola	To advise about discriminatory protection to industries.
Lord Linlithgow (1936-1943)	National Planning Committee	1938	Jawaharlal Nehru	To prepare an economic plan.

Administrative Committees/Commissions

Lord Dufferin (1884-1886)	Etkinson Commission	1886	Charles Etkinson	To involve more Indians in the Civil Service.
Lord Curzon (1899-1905)	Fraser Commission	1902	Fraser	To investigate the working of the police.
Lord Hardinge (1910-1916)	Royal Commission on Civil Service	1912	Lord Islington	To give 25% high posts to Indians
Lord Reading (1921-1926)	Royal Commission	1924	Lord Lee	To remove defects of the Civil Service
Lord Reading (1921-1926)	Sandhurst Committee	1926	Andrews Skeen	To suggest the Indianization of the Indian army
Lord Irwin (1926-1931)	Butler Committee	1927	Hercourt Butler	To examine the nature of the crown's relation with native States

Important Congress Session

Year	Place	Importance
1885	Bombay	At Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, 72 delegates
1886	Calcutta	436 delegates
1887	Madras	Tayabji became the first Muslim President.
1888	Allahabad	George Yule became the first English President
1889	Bombay	Congress represented all areas of British India.
1890	Calcutta	Decision taken to organise a session of Congress in London.
1895	Poona	Demand for a representative body only for the educated class.
1898	Madras	Social reform was set as the main goal.
1907	Surat	Congress split
1908	Madras	Constitution for the Congress
1916	Lucknow	Congress merger. Pact with the Muslim League, Gandhi attended.
1917	Calcutta	Annie Besant became the 1st woman President.
1920	Nagpur	Gandhian programme was adopted. Change in the Congress constitution.
1921	Ahmedabad	Hasrat Mohani demanded complete independence.
1922	Gaya	Formation of the Swaraj Party.
1924	Belgaum	Gandhi became President.
1925	Kanpur	Sarojini Naidu became the 1st Indian woman President.
1927	Madras	Nehru and S. C. Bose moved a resolution for independence, and it was passed for the 1st time.
1928	Calcutta	First All India Youth Congress.
1929	Lahore	'Pooma Swaraj' (Complete Independence) resolution and pledge for Independence Day on 26 January, 1930.
1931	Karachi	Resolution for Fundamental Rights and National Economic Policy.
1934	Bombay	Formation of the Congress Socialist Party.
1936	Lucknow	Support for socialism through democracy.
1936	Faizpur	Demand for Constituent Assembly.
1938	Haripura	Puma Swaraj was also to cover princely states.
1939	Tripuri	S. C. Bose resigned due to differences with Gandhi. After his resignation, Rajendra Prasad became President of the INC.

Final Thoughts

The history of India's freedom struggle and governance evolution is deeply rooted in its battles, reforms, commissions, and political movements. From the valor of ancient warriors like Porus and Ashoka to the rise of colonial dominance after battles like Plassey and Buxar, each conflict shaped the subcontinent's destiny.

Reforms and acts implemented during British rule reflect both oppression and progress, highlighting the complex dynamics of governance. Educational, economic, and administrative commissions played a crucial role in molding India's modern infrastructure.

Additionally, Indian National Congress sessions reveal the gradual shift from moderate demands to calls for complete independence. Together, these events form the foundation of India's transformation from a fragmented region into a unified, independent nation.

Modern India

India’s Historic Timeline (326 BC to 1947 AD)

India’s Historic Timeline (326 BC to 1947 AD)

Timeline of Indian's Important Battles

Name of the Battle

Year

Between

Winner

Significance

Reforms / Acts

Name of the Reforms / Acts

Year

During the term of

Significance

Educational Committees/ Commissions

Viceroy

Committee/ Commission

Year

Chairman

Objectives

Famine Commissions

Economic Committees/Commissions

Viceroy

Committee/ Commission

Year

Chairman

Objectives

Administrative Committees/Commissions

Important Congress Session

Year

Place

Importance

Final Thoughts

Needs Help !

Preparing for UPSC or State PSCs ?