General Knowledge for SSC Exams (Indian History:

Important Dates)
I. Ancient

BC
2300–1750 : Indus Valley Civilization.

From 1500 : Coming of the Aryans.

1200–800 : Expansion of the Aryans in the Ganga Valley.

600 : Age of the 16 Mahajanapadas of northern India.

563–483 : Buddha’s Life-span.

540–468 : Mahavir’s Life-span.

362–321 : Nanda dynasty.

327–326 : Alexander’s invasion of India. It opened a land route between India and
Europe.

322 : Accession of Chandragupta Maurya.

305 : Defeat of Seleucus at the hands of Chandragupta Maurya.

273–232 : Ashoka’s reign.

261 : Conquest of Kalinga.

145–101 : Regin of Elara, the Chola king of Sri Lanka.

58 : Beginning of Vikram era.

AD
78 : Beginning of Saka era.

78-101 : Kanishka’s reign.

319–320 : Commencement of Gupta era.

380 : Accession of Chandragupta II ‘Vikramaditya’

405–411 : Visit of Chinese traveller Fahien.

415 : Accession of Kumargupta I.

455 : Accession of Skandagupta.

606–647 : Harshavardhan’s reign.

II. Medieval
712 : First invasion in Sindh by Arabs (Mohd. Bin Qasim).
836 : Accession of King Bhoja of Kannauj.

985 : Accession of Rajaraja, the Chola ruler.

998 : Accession of Sultan Mahmud Ghazni.

1001 : First invasion of India by Mahmud Ghazni who defeated Jaipal, ruler of
Punjab.

1025 : Destruction of Somnath Temple by Mahmud Ghazni.

1191 : First battle of Tarain.

1192 : Second battle of Tarain.

1206 : Accession of Qutubuddin Aibak to the throne of Delhi.

1210 : Death of Qutubuddin Aibak.

1221 : Chengiz Khan invaded India (Mongol invasion).

1236 : Accession of Razia Sultana to the throne of Delhi.

1240 : Death of Razia Sultana.

1296 : Accession of Alauddin Khilji.

1316 : Death of Alauddin Khilji.

1325 : Accession of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq.

1327 : Transfer of capital from Delhi to Devagiri (Daulatabad) in Deccan by the

Muhammad-in-Tughlaq.

1336 : Foundation of Vijaynagar empire in the South.

1351 : Accession of Firoz Shah Tughlaq.

1398 : Timur’s invasion of India.

1469 : Birth of Guru Nanak.

1494 : Accession of Babur in Farghana.

1497–98 : First voyage of Vasco di Gama to India (discovery of sea route to India
via the Cape of Good Hope)

1526 : First Battle of Panipat; Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi; foundation of

Mughal dynasty by Babur.

1527 : Battle of Khanwa-Babur defeated Rana Sanga.

1530 : Death of Babur and accession of Humayun.

1539 : Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun in the battle of Chausa and became
India’s emperor.

1555 : Humayun recaptured the throne of Delhi.

1556 : Second Battle of Panipat (Bairam Khan defeated Hemu).

1556 : Battle of Talikota (Rakshasa-Tangadi).

1576 : Battle of Haldighati-Rana Pratap was defeated by Akbar.

1582 : Din-i-Ilahi founded by Akbar.

1600 : English East India Company established.

1605 : Death of Akbar and accession of Jahangir.

1606 : Execution of Guru Arjun Dev, the 5th Guru of Sikhs.

1611 : Jahangir marries Nurjahan.

1615 : Sir Thomas Roe visits Jahangir.

1627 : Birth of Shivaji and death of Jahangir.

1628 : Shahjahan becomes emperor of India.

1631 : Death of Mumtazmahal.

1634 : The English permitted to trade in India (in Bengal).

1659 : Accession of Aurangzeb, Shahjahan imprisoned.

1665 : Shivaji imprisoned by Aurangzeb.

1666 : Death of Shahjahan.

1675 : Execution of Guru Teg Bahadur, the 9th Guru of Sikhs.

1680 : Death of Shivaji.

1707 : Death of Aurangzeb.

1708 : Death of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Guru of Sikhs.

1739 : Nadir Shah invades India.

1757 : Battle of Plassey, establishment of British political rule in India at the hands
of Lord Clive.
1761 : Third battle of Panipat.
III. Modern

1764 : Battle of Buxar.

1765 : Clive appointed Company’s Governor in India.

1767–69 : First Angle-Mysore War.

1780 : Birth of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

1780-84 : Second Anglo-Mysore War.

1784 : Pitt’s India Act.

1790-92 : Third Anglo-Mysore War.

1793 : The Permanent Settlement of Bengal.

1799 : Fourth Anglo-Mysore War;Death of Tipu Sultan. 1802 Treaty of Bassein.

1809 : Treaty of Amritsar.

1829 : Practice of Sati prohibited.

1830 : Raja Rammohan Roy visits England.

1833 : Death of Raja Rammohan Roy at Bristol, England.

1839 : Death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

1839–42 : First Anglo-Afghan War.

1845–46 : First Anglo-Sikh War.

1852 : Second Anglo-Burmese War.

1853 : First Railway line opened between Bombay and Thane and a Telegraph line
in Calcutta.

1857 : The Sepoy Mutiny or First War of Independence.

1861 : Birth of Rabindranath Tagore.

1869 : Birth of Mahatma Gandhi.

1885 : Foundation of Indian National Congress.

1889 : Birth of Jawaharlal Nehru.

1897 : Birth of Subhash Chandra Bose.

1903 : Tibet Expedition.

1905 : Partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon.

1906 : Foundation of Muslim League.

1911 : Delhi Darbar, King George V and Queen visit India; Delhi becomes the
capital of India.

1914 : World War I begins.

1916 : Lucknow Pact signed by Muslim League and Congress, Foundation of BHU,
Home Rule League founded.

1918 : World War I ends.

1919 : Montague-Chelmsford Reforms introduced, Jallianwala Bagh massacre at

Amritsar.

1920 : Khilafat Movement launched, first meeting of All-India Trade Union

Congress, Hunter Commission Report on Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Published
First Non-cooperation movement launched by Gandhi.

1922 : Violent incidents at Chaura Chauri Gandhi calls of Non-cooperation

movement.

1925 : Communist Party of India organised at Kanpur.

1927 : Boycott of Simon Commission, Broadcasting started in India.

1928 : Death of Lala Lajpat Rai, Nehru Report.

1929 : Resolution of ‘Poorna Swaraj’ (complete independence) passed at Lahore

Session of INC.

1930 : Civil disobedience movement launched, Dandhi March by Mahatma Gandhi

(April 6, 1930) First round table conference held in London.

1931 : Gandhi-Irwin Pact, Civil Disobedience movement suspended Second round

table conference held.

1932 : MacDonald announces communal award (modified by Poona Pact,

September 24).

1935 : Government of India Act.

1937 : Provincial Autonomy, Congress forms ministries.

1938 : All India Kishan Sabha formed.

1939 : World War II begins (September 3), Resignation of Congress Ministries in

Provinces.

1941 : Escape of Subhash Chandra Bose from India and death of Rabindranath
Tagore.

1942 : Arrival of Cripps Mission in India, Quit India movement launched (August
8).
1943– 44 : SC Bose forms Provisional Government of Free India and Indian
National Army in Singapore; Bengal famine.

1945 : Trial of Indian National Army at Red Fort, Shimla Conference; World War II
ends.

1946 : British Cabinet Mission visits India; Interim government formed at the
Centre. The Muslim league decides on “Direct Action” for winning Pakistan.

1947 : Division of India; India and Pakistan form separate independent dominions.