IMPORTANT DATES & EVENTS IN INDIAN HISTORY – SHORT NOTES

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1. Ancient India (Indus Valley, Vedic, Maurya, Gupta)

Event / Period	Date / Century	Notes
Indus Valley Civilization (Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro)	3300–1300 BCE	Urban planning, drainage, weights, seals
Mature Harappan Phase	2600–1900 BCE	Peak of Indus Civilization
Decline of Indus Civilization	1900–1300 BCE	Climate change, floods, invasions
Vedic Period	1500–500 BCE	Rigveda composed, early Aryans
Later Vedic Period	1000–500 BCE	Iron tools, urbanization, Janapadas
Mahajanapadas	600–300 BCE	16 states, emergence of kingdoms
Rise of Magadha	6th century BCE	Haryanka dynasty, capital at Rajagriha
Buddha’s Life	563–483 BCE	Founded Buddhism
Mahavira	599–527 BCE	Founded Jainism
Persian Invasion	6th century BCE	Cyrus & Darius influence northwest India
Alexander’s Invasion	327–326 BCE	Battle of Hydaspes, Punjab region
Mauryan Empire	321–185 BCE	Founded by Chandragupta Maurya
Ashoka’s Reign	268–232 BCE	Kalinga war, spread of Buddhism
Gupta Empire	320–550 CE	Golden Age, Kalidasa, decimal system
Harsha’s Reign	606–647 CE	Kanauj as capital, patron of arts

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2. Medieval India (Delhi Sultanate, Mughals, Regional Kingdoms)

Event / Period	Date / Century	Notes
Rajput Kingdoms	7th–12th century	Strongholds in Rajasthan
Delhi Sultanate Established	1206 CE	Qutb-ud-din Aibak
Khilji Dynasty	1290–1320	Alauddin Khilji – Market reforms, military campaigns
Tughlaq Dynasty	1320–1414	Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Firoz Shah Tughlaq
Vijayanagara Empire	1336–1646	Southern India, Hampi
Bahmani Sultanate	1347–1527	Deccan region
Mughal Empire Established	1526	Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat
Akbar’s Reign	1556–1605	Din-i-Ilahi, expansion of empire
Jahangir’s Reign	1605–1627	Arts & culture flourish
Shah Jahan	1628–1658	Taj Mahal, Red Fort
Aurangzeb	1658–1707	Expansion, religious policies
Maratha Empire Rise	1674	Shivaji crowned Chhatrapati
Guru Nanak	1469–1539	Founded Sikhism
Bhakti Movement	7th–17th century	Saints like Kabir, Tulsidas, Meera Bai
Sufi Movement	12th–17th century	Influence in North India

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3. Modern India (Mughal Decline – Independence)

Event / Period	Date	Notes
Fall of Mughal Empire	1707 onwards	After Aurangzeb, regional powers rise
Establishment of British East India Company	1600	Trade & later political power
Battle of Plassey	1757	Robert Clive, Bengal under British
Battle of Buxar	1764	Consolidated British power in Bengal
Regulating Act	1773	First British parliamentary control
Pitt’s India Act	1784	Oversight of East India Company
Revolt of 1857	1857	First War of Independence / Sepoy Mutiny
Indian National Congress formed	1885	A.O. Hume
Partition of Bengal	1905	Curzon, anti-partition movement
Swadeshi Movement	1905–1908	Economic boycott of British goods
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre	13 April 1919	Amritsar, under Dyer
Non-Cooperation Movement	1920–22	Led by Gandhi
Civil Disobedience Movement	1930–34	Salt March, Dandi
Quit India Movement	1942	August 8, 1942, Gandhi’s call
India’s Independence	15 August 1947	Partition – India & Pakistan
Constitution Adopted	26 January 1950	India becomes Republic

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4. Freedom Movement & Revolts (Selected)

Event	Date	Notes
Revolt of 1857	1857	Mangal Pandey, Rani Laxmibai, Bahadur Shah Zafar
Indigo Revolt	1859–60	Bengal farmers uprising
Deccan Riots	1875	Peasant uprising against moneylenders
Partition of Bengal	1905	First major mass movement
Champaran Satyagraha	1917	Gandhi’s first Satyagraha in India
Kheda Satyagraha	1918	Gujarat farmers movement
Non-Cooperation Movement	1920–22	Nationwide civil disobedience
Salt March	1930	Dandi March, 24-day march
Quit India Movement	1942	Nationwide struggle for immediate independence

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5. Important Reformers & Social Movements

Personality	Period / Event	Contribution
Raja Ram Mohan Roy	1772–1833	Brahmo Samaj, abolished Sati
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar	1820–1891	Widow remarriage, education
Swami Vivekananda	1863–1902	Religious reform, 1893 Chicago address
Jyotirao Phule	1827–1890	Education for women & lower castes
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar	1891–1956	Social reformer, Dalit uplift, Constitution

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6. Cultural & Literary Events

Event / Period	Notes
Sangam Period	3rd century BCE – 3rd century CE, Tamil literature
Gupta Golden Age	4th–6th century CE, Sanskrit literature, arts
Bhakti & Sufi Movement	7th–17th century, devotional literature
Mughal Painting	16th–18th century, Akbar & Jahangir era
Modern Indian Literature	19th–20th century, Tagore, Premchand, Manto

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7. Key Dates in Indian Science & Technology

Event	Date	Notes
First Indian to go to space	1984	Rakesh Sharma
Launch of Chandrayaan-1	22 Oct 2008	India’s first lunar mission
Launch of Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter)	5 Nov 2013	First Asian country to reach Mars orbit
ISRO founded	1969	Space research organization
First nuclear test (Smiling Buddha)	18 May 1974	Pokhran, Rajasthan

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8. Post-Independence Milestones

Event	Date	Notes
First General Elections	1951–52	India became democratic
Green Revolution	1960s	Increased agricultural production
White Revolution	1970s	Dairy development – Operation Flood
Liberalization of Economy	1991	Economic reforms under P. Chidambaram & N. Rao
National Education Policy	2020	Modern education reforms

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9. Quick Revision One-Liners (Frequently Asked)

• First battle of Panipat → 1526 (Babur vs Lodi)

• Second battle of Panipat → 1556 (Akbar vs Hemu)

• Third battle of Panipat → 1761 (Marathas vs Ahmad Shah Abdali)

• First Governor-General of India → Warren Hastings (1773–1785)

• First Prime Minister of India → Jawaharlal Nehru

• Father of the Nation → Mahatma Gandhi

• First Nobel Laureate from India → Rabindranath Tagore (1913)

• First Indian Republic Day → 26 Jan 1950

• First Indian President → Dr. Rajendra Prasad

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✔️ Exam Tips

• Focus on revolts & freedom movements (dates, leaders)

• Memorize battles of Panipat, Plassey, Buxar

• Remember important social reformers & their works

• Note space, nuclear, and economic milestones post-independence