Indian History Event in Chronology from Ancient to Modern

Indian History Event in Chronology:- Because of the cultures and civilizations that existed in this subcontinent, many people, including foreigners, are interested in Indian history. India’s history can be studied from a political, cultural, religious, or economic point of view.

Indian History Event in Chronology

Chronologically, Indian History can be classified into three periods – Ancient India, Medieval India and Modern India.

Ancient India (Pre-historic to AD 700)

Proto-humans (Homo erectus) were active in the Indian subcontinent 20 lakh years (2 million years ago), and Homo sapiens have been present since 70,000 BC. They were, however, gatherers/hunters.

Tribals such as the Nagas (North-East), Santhals (East-India), Bhils (Central India), Gonds (Central India), Todas (South India), and others may have been the first inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent. The majority of them speak Austric, pre-Dravidian languages like Munda and Gondvi. Dravidians and Aryans are thought to be later immigrants to the subcontinent.

Based on the type of stone/metal tools people used, ancient India can be studied under different headings such as Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Chalcolithic.

Palaeolithic Period (2 million BC – 10,000 BC)

• Fire
• Tools made up of limestone
• Ostrich Eggs
• Important Paleolithic sites: Bhimbetka (M.P), Hunsgi, Kurnool Caves, Narmada Valley (Hathnora, M.P), Kaladgi Basin

Mesolithic Period (10,000 BC – 8,000 BC)

• Major Climatic Change happened
• Domestication of animals ie Cattle rearing started
• Microliths found at Brahmagiri (Mysore), Narmada, Vindya, Gujarat

Neolithic Period (8000 BC – 4,000 BC)

• Agriculture Started
• Wheel discovered
• Inamgaon = An early village
• Important Neolithic Sites: Burzahom(Kashmir), Gufkral(Kashmir), Mehrgarh(Pakistan), Chirand(Bihar), Daojali Hading(Tripura/Assam), Koldihwa(UP), Mahagara(UP), Hallur(AP), Paiyampalli(AP), Maski, Kodekal, Santana Kaller, Utnur, Takkala Kota.
• NB: Megalithic Sites: Brahmagiri, Adichanallur

Period of the Chalcolithic (4000 BC – 1500 BC):-

1. The Copper Age. Can be considered a Bronze Age period.
2. Indus Valley Civilization (BC 2700 – BC 1900) (Bronze = Copper + Tin)
3. Cultures can also be found in Brahmagiri, Navada Toli (Narmada region), Mahishadal (West Bengal), and Chirand (Ganga region)

Iron Age (BC 1500 – BC 200)

• Vedic Period (Arrival of Aryans ie. BC 1600 – BC 600) – Nearly 1000 years (Basic books of Hinduism, ie Vedas were composed, might have been written down later.)
• Jainism and Buddhism
• Mahajanapadas – Major Civilization after Indus Valley- On banks of river Ganga
• Magadha empire – Bimbisara of Haryanka Kula
• Sisunga dynasty – Kalasoka (Kakavarnin)
• Nanda empire – Mahapadma-nanda, Dhana-nanda
• Persian- Greek: Alexander 327 BC

Mauryan Empire (321-185 BC):-

Important rulers of the Mauryan Empire: Chandra Gupta Maurya, Bindusara, Asoka

Post-Mauryan Kingdoms (Middle Kingdoms):-

1. Sunga (181-71 BC), Kanva (71-27BC), Satavahanas (235-100BC), Indo-Greeks, Parthians (19-45AD),
2. Sakas (90BC-150AD), Kushanas(78AD)
3. South Indian Kingdoms – Chola, Chera, Pandyas (BC 300)

Gupta Kingdom (300AD – 800AD):

Classical Period Important rulers of the Gupta Period: Samudra Gupta (Indian Napoleon)

Post Guptas or Contemporary Guptas

Harshvardana, Vakatakas, Pallavas, Chalukyas. Also, Hunas, Maitrakas, Rajputs, Senas and Chauhans.

Medieval India (AD 700 – AD 1857)

• AD: 800-1200: Tripartite struggle – Prathiharas, Palas, and Rashtrakutas
• Attack of Muhammed Bin Kassim (AD 712)
• Rise of Islam and Sufism
• Mohammed Ghazni (AD 1000-27)
• Mohammed Ghori (AD 1175-1206)

Delhi Sultanate (1206 AD – 1526 AD)

The following dynasties flourished one after the other during the Delhi Sultanate period.

1. Slave Dynasty
2. Kilji Dynasty
3. Tuglaq Dynasty
4. Sayyid Dynasty
5. Lodi Dynasty

Mughals (AD 1526 – AD 1857)

• Great Mughals
• Later Mughals

Mughals from Babar (1526) to Aurangazeb (1707) were more powerful and hence known as Great Mughals. Mughals who ruled from 1707 to 1857 were known as Later Mughals.

• Arrival of Europeans
• Other Kingdoms of North India – Marathas, Sikhs

Modern Indian History Event in Chronology (AD 1857 +)

• First War of Indian Independence (1857)
• Formation of Indian National Congress (1885)
• Formation of Muslim League (1906)
• Non-Co-operation Movement (1920)
• Civil Disobedience Movement (1930)
• Quit India Movement (1942)
• Partition of India (1947)
• Constitutional Development of India (1946 – 1950)
• Economic Development of India
• Wars – India-Pak – Formation of Bangladesh; India- China
• New Economic Policy of 1991
• Nuclear, Space and Defense Development

List of the events is as follows;

List of the events is as follows;