Exploring the chronology of Ancient India to Modern India unveils a captivating narrative of growth, conflicts, innovations, and cultural marvels. From the Indus Valley Civilization’s mystery to the Mughal grandeur, and colonial struggles to an independent nation’s emergence, this journey illuminates the evolution that shapes India’s present.
| Indian History Timeline | All Important Events |
| Pre Historic Period : 30,00,000 BC – 600 BC | |
| 9000 BCE | Early Neolithic Time Period |
| 7000 to 3300 BCE | Mehrgarh Culture |
| Indus Civilization : 2500 BC – 1750 BC | |
| 3000 – 2600 BCE | Early Harappan Time Period |
| 2600 – 1700 BCE | Mature Harappan Time period |
| 1700 – 1500 BCE | Later Harappan time period |
| 1400 BCE | Decline of Harappan towns |
| Vedic Culture : 1500 BC – 600 BC | |
| 1500 to 1000 BCE | Early Vedic age, or Rigvedic period |
| 1000 BCE | Iron age of India |
| 1000 to 500 BCE | Later Vedic Period |
| Mahajanapada Period : 600 BC – 322 BC | |
| 600 BCE | 16 Mahajanapadas Period |
| 563 BCE | Birth of Gautama Buddha (Founder of Buddhism) |
| 540 BCE | Birth of Vardhamana Mahavira (Founder of Jainism) |
| 516 BCE | Penetration of Iranian ruler, Darius into Northwest India |
| 326 BCE | Invasion of India by Alexander of Macedonia (Battle of Hydaspes) |
| Maurya Period : 322 BC – 185 BC | |
| 322 BCE | Establishment of the Mauryan dynasty |
| 273 to 232 BCE | The Ashoka Time period |
| 265 BCE | Beginning of Kalinga war |
| 261 BCE | End of the Kalinga war |
| 250 BCE | The Third Buddist Council was held |
| 200 BCE | invasion of Bactrian Greeks |
| 184 BCE | Decline of the Mauryan Empire |
| 100 BCE | Satavahana Dynasty in Deccan |
| 78 BCE | Shaka era Established (the Kushan ruler, Kanishka) |
| 57 BCE | Beginning of the Vikram era |
| 78 CE | Gautamiputra Satakarni becomes Satavahana ruler |
| Gupta Period 319 AD – 550 AD | |
| 240 CE | Gupta Empire by Sri Gupta |
| 319 CE | Era of Gupta begin by Chandragupta I |
| 319 to 334 CE | Chandragupta I |
| 335 to 380 CE | Samudragupta |
| 380 to 412 CE | Chandragupta II |
| 450 CE | End of Gupta Empire and Hunas invasion |
| 606 to 647 CE | King Harshavardhana Dynasty |
| Medieval Period | |
| 973 to 1190 CE | Chalukyas of Kalyani |
| 753 CE | Start of the Rashtrakuta dynasty by Danti Durga |
| 760 to 1142 CE | Palas Dynasty in Eastern India |
| 788 CE | Birth of Adi Sankaracharya |
| 985 to 1014 CE | Rajaraja Chola Dynasty |
| 1014 to 1044 CE | Rajendra Chola Dynasty |
| 1000 to 1027 CE | Mughal Invasion of India by Mahmud of Ghazni |
| 1191 CE | First Battle of Tarain (Mohammad Ghori defeated by Prithviraj III) |
| 1192 CE | Second Battle of Tarain (Prithviraj III defeated by Mohammad Ghori) |
| 1192 to 1206 CE | Turkish rule |
| Sultanate Period 1206 – 1526 | |
| 1206 CE | Delhi Sultanate estiblished by Qutbuddin Aibak |
| 1210 CE | Death of Qutbuddin Aibak |
| 1210 to 1236 CE | Iltutmish Ruled |
| 1236 to 1240 CE | Raziya Ruled |
| 1265 to 1287 CE | Balban Ruled |
| 1290 CE | Khalji dynasty by Jalaluddin Khalji |
| 1290 to 1296 CE | Jalaluddin Khalji |
| 1296 to 1316 CE | Alauddin Khalji |
| 1320 CE | Tughlaq dynasty by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq |
| 1320 to 1325 CE | Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq Ruled |
| 1325 to 1351 CE | Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq Ruled |
| 1327 CE | Transfer of capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (by Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq) |
| 1333 CE | Arrival of Ibn Batuta to India |
| 1351 to 1388 CE | Firuz Tughlaq |
| 1394 to 1412 CE | Nasiruddin Mahmud |
| 1398 CE | Invasion of Delhi by Timur |
| 1412 CE | Tughlaq dynasty came to an end |
| 1414 to 1451 CE | Sayyid dynasty |
| 1451 CE | Establishment of the Lodi dynasty |
| 1451 to 1489 CE | Bahlul Lodhi |
| 1489 to 1517 CE | Sikandar Lodhi |
| 1517 to 1526 CE | Ibrahim Lodhi |
| 1526 CE | First Battle of Panipat (Babur Defeated Ibrahim Lodi) |
| 1336 CE | Establishment of the Vijayanagara Empire by Harihara and Bukka |
| 1377 to 1404 | Harihara II |
| 1404 to 1422 CE | Deva Raya I |
| 1425 to 1446 CE | Deva Raya II |
| 1509 CE | Tuluva dynasty was founded by Krishna Deva Raya |
| 1509 to 1530 CE | Krishnadeva Raya |
| 1565 CE | Battle of Talikota or Battle of Rakshasa-Tangadi. Decline of the Vijayanagara empire |
| 1346 CE | Establishment of Bahmani Kingdom |
| 1327 to 1358 CE | Ala-ud-din Hasan Bahman Shah |
| 1397 to 1422 CE | Firuz Shah Bahmani |
| 1419 CE | Defeat of Firuz Shah Bahmani by Deva Raya I |
| 1498 CE | Arrival of Vasco da Gama at Calicut |
| 1509 CE | Tuluva dynasty was founded by Krishna Deva Raya |
| 1510 CE | The Portuguese Governor, Alfonso Albuquerque captured Goa from the ruler of Bijapur. |
| Mughal Period 1526-1707 | |
| 1526 CE | First Battle of Panipat (Babur Defeated Ibrahim Lodi) |
| 1526 CE | Establishment of the Mughal Empire by Babur |
| 1527 CE | Battle of Khanwa |
| 1530 CE | Accession of Humayun to the throne |
| 1539 CE | Defeat of Humayun by Sher Khan at Chausa |
| 1540 CE | Battle of Kanauj between Sher Khan and Mughals |
| 1540 CE | Establishment of Sur Empire by Sher Shah |
| 1555 CE | Humayun recaptured the throne by defeating Sikandur Suri in the Battle of Sirhind. |
| 1556 CE | Accession of Akbar to the throne |
| 1556 CE | Second Battle of Panipat |
| 1556 – 1605 CE | Akbar Ruled |
| 1564 CE | Abolition of the Jizyah system by Akbar |
| 1565 CE | Battle of Talikota and end of Vijayanagar empire |
| 1575 CE | Ibadat Khana (Hall of Prayer) was constructed in Fatehpur Sikri |
| 1576 CE | Battle of Haldighati (Akbar Defeated Maharana Pratap) |
| 1581 CE | Promulgation of Din-i-Ilahi by Akbar |
| 1605 to 1627 CE | Jahangir empire |
| 1628 to 1658 CE | Shah Jahan empire |
| 1658 to 1707 CE | Coronation of Aurangzeb |
| 1679 CE | Jizyah system was reintroduced by Aurangzeb |
| 1707 CE | Death of Aurangzeb |
| Modern Period | |
| 1709 to 1712 CE | Bahadur Shah I Ruled |
| 1712 to 1713 CE | Jahandar Shah Ruled |
| 1713 to 1719 CE | Farrukhsiyar |
| 1719 to 1748 CE | Muhammad Shah |
| 1738 to 1739 CE | Persian emperor, Nadir Shah invaded India |
| 1739 CE | Battle of Karnal (Mughals were defeated by Nadir Shah) |
| 1740 to 1748 CE | First Carnatic War fought between English and French forces |
| 1748 to 1754 CE | Ahmad Shah |
| 1754 to 1758 CE | Alamgir II |
| 1757 CE | Battle of Plassey fought between East India Company Robert Clive & Siraj-Ud-Daulah (Nawab of Bengal) |
| 1758 to 1759 CE | Shahjehan II |
| 1759 to 1806 CE | Shah Alam II |
| 1760 CE | Battle of Wandiwash |
| 1761 CE | Third Battle of Panipat fought between Maratha Empire and the Durrani Empire of Afghanistan. |
| 1764 CE | Battle of Buxar |
| 1765 CE | Diwani rights of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa were granted to the British East India Company by Shah Alam II |
| 1765 to 1772 CE | Dual Government in Bengal |
| 1767 to 1769 CE | First Anglo-Mysore war |
| 1770 CE | Great Bengal Famine |
| 1772 CE | Warren Hastings was appointed as Governor of Bengal |
| 1772 CE | Abolition of dual government in Bengal |
| 1773 CE | The Regulating Act of 1773 was passed |
| 1775 to 1782 CE | First Anglo-Maratha war |
| 1776 CE | Treaty of Purandhar |
| 1780 to 1784 CE | Second Anglo-Mysore war |
| 1782 CE | Treaty of Salbai |
| 1784 CE | Pitt’s India Act was passed |
| 1786 to 1793 CE | Lord Cornwallis served as the Governor-General |
| 1790 to 1792 CE | Third Anglo-Mysore War and Treaty of Srirangapatnam (1792) |
| 1793 CE | The Charter Act of 1793 was passed |
| 1793 to 1798 CE | Sir John Shore served as the Governor-General |
| 1798 CE | Lord Wellesley was appointed as Governor-General |
| 1798 CE | Introduction of Subsidiary Alliance |
| 1799 CE | Fourth Anglo-Mysore war |
| 1802 CE | Treaty of Bassein |
| 1803 to 1805 CE | Second Anglo-Maratha war |
| 1806 to 1837 CE | Akbar II |
| 1807 to 1813 CE | Lord Minto served as the Governor-General |
| 1813 CE | The Charter Act of 1813 was passed |
| 1813 to 1823 CE | Lord Warren Hastings served as the Governor-General |
| 1817 to 1819 CE | Third Anglo-Maratha war |
| 1823 to 1828 CE | Lord Amherst served as the Governor-General |
| 1828 CE | Brahmo Sabha was founded by Raja Rammohan Roy |
| 1828 to 1835 CE | Lord William Bentinck served as the Governor-General |
| 1833 CE | The Charter Act of 1833 was passed |
| 1836 to 1842 CE | Lord Auckland served as the Governor-General |
| 1837 to 1857 CE | Bahadur Shah II and the end of the Mughal empire |
| 1842 to 1844 CE | Lord Ellenborough served as the Governor-General |
| 1844 to 1848 CE | Lord Hardinge served as the Governor-General |
| 1845 to 1846 CE | First Anglo-Sikh War |
| 1848 to 1849 CE | Second Anglo-Sikh War |
| 1848 to 1856 CE | Lord Dalhousie served as the Governor-General |
| 1853 CE | The Charter Act of 1853 was passed |
| 1854 CE | Charles Wood’s despatch on Education |
| 1856 to 1858 CE | Lord Canning served as the Governor-General |
| 1857 CE | Revolt of 1857 |
| 1858 CE | Lord Canning was appointed as the Viceroy |
| 1861 CE | Indian Council Act of 1861 was passed |
| 1861 CE | Indian Civil Service Act of 1861 was passed |
| 1862 to 1863 CE | Lord Elgin served as Viceroy |
| 1864 to 1869 CE | Sir John Lawrence served as Viceroy |
| 1866 CE | East India Association was formed by Dadabhai Naoroji |
| 1867 CE | Poona Sarvajanik Sabha was founded by M.G.Ranade |
| 1869 to 1872 CE | Lord Mayo served as Viceroy |
| 1875 CE | Arya Samaj founded by Swami Dayananda |
| 1876 CE | Indian National Association was formed by Surendranath Banerjea and Ananda Mohan Bose |
| 1878 CE | The Vernacular Press Act was passed |
| 1880 to 1884 CE | Lord Ripon served as Viceroy |
| 1883 to 1884 CE | Ilbert Bill Controversy |
| 1884 to 1888 CE | Lord Dufferin served as Viceroy |
| 1885 CE | The first session of the Indian National Congress |
| 1888 to 1893 CE | Lord Lansdowne served as Viceroy |
| 1892 CE | Indian Councils Act of 1892 was passed |
| 1893 to 1899 CE | Lord Elgin II served as Viceroy |
| 1899 to 1905 CE | Lord Curzon served as Viceroy |
| 1905 CE | Partition of Bengal |
| 1905 to 1910 CE | Lord Minto II served as Viceroy |
| 1906 CE | Swaraj was declared the goal of the Congress by Dadabhai Naoroji |
| 1906 CE | Formation of the Muslim League |
| 1907 CE | Surat Split of the Congress |
| 1907 CE | Seditious meeting act was passed |
| 1908 CE | Indian Newspapers Act was passed |
| 1909 CE | Morley-Minto Reforms |
| 1909 CE | Indian Councils Act of 1909 was passed |
| 1910 CE | Indian Press Act was passed |
| 1910 to 1916 CE | Lord Hardinge II served as Viceroy |
| 1911 CE | Annulment of Bengal Partition of 1905 |
| 1914 to 1919 CE | First World War |
| 1914 CE | The arrival of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in India |
| 1916 to 1921 CE | Lord Chelmsford served as Viceroy |
| 1916 CE | Home Rule League was set up by Tilak and Annie Besant |
| 1916 CE | Lucknow pact between Congress and Muslim League |
| 1916 CE | Readmission of Extremists into Congress at Lucknow session of Congress |
| 1917 CE | August declaration was made by Edwin Samuel Montagu |
| 1917 CE | Champaran Satyagraha |
| 1918 CE | Ahmedabad Mill Strike |
| 1918 CE | Kheda Satyagraha |
| 1919 CE | Montagu-Chelmsford Reform was introduced |
| 1919 CE | Government of India Act of 1919 was passed |
| 1919 CE | Rowlatt Act was passed |
| 1919 CE | Jallianwala Bagh Massacre |
| 1920 CE | Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement |
| 1920 to 1930 CE | Several revolutionary movements took place |
| 1921 to 1926 CE | Lord Reading served as Viceroy |
| 1922 CE | Chauri Chaura incident |
| 1926 to 1931 CE | Lord Irwin served as Viceroy |
| 1927 CE | All India Women’s Conference was founded by Margaret Cousins |
| 1927 CE | Appointment of Simon Commission |
| 1928 CE | Nehru Report was put forth |
| 1929 CE | Jinnah’s Fourteen points were proposed |
| 1930 CE | Gandhiji’s Dandi March and Civil Disobedience Movement |
| 1930 to 1931 CE | First-round Table Conference |
| 1931 CE | Second Round Table Conference |
| 1931 CE | Gandhi-Irwin Pact |
| 1931 to 1936 CE | Lord Wellingdon served as Viceroy |
| 1932 CE | Third Round Table Conference |
| 1932 CE | Announcement of communal award |
| 1932 CE | Poona Pact was signed |
| 1935 CE | Government of India Act of 1935 was passed |
| 1936 to 1944 CE | Lord Linlithgow served as Viceroy |
| 1939 to 1945 CE | Second World War |
| 1940 CE | August Offer was announced |
| 1942 CE | Cripps Mission headed by Sir Stafford Cripps was sent to India |
| 1943 CE | The Bengal Famine |
| 1944 to 1947 CE | Lord Wavell served as Viceroy |
| 1945 CE | Wavell Plan |
| 1946 CE | Cabinet Mission was sent to India |
| 1947 CE | Mountbatten Plan was announced |
| 1947 CE | Indian Independence Act was passed |
| 1947 CE | Partition of India into India and Pakistan |
| 1948 CE | Assasination of Gandhi |
| 1949 CE | The Constitution of India was adopted |
| 1950 CE | The Constitution of India came into force |
