Textbook
History of Modern India
The old-NCERT modern India classic, from the decline of the Mughals to independence.
Annie Besant
Freedom fighter
British Raj (Crown Rule)
1847 – 1933
Theosophist who launched a Home Rule League in 1916.
Their world
Move along the chart to see their age in any year, who ruled and what happened; click anything to open it.
The map shows British Raj (Crown Rule) around their lifetime and where the events of their lifetime took place.
Hover a dot for the event; click it to open the full map in that year.
Rulers of the time
Kujula Kadphises
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 30 CE – c. 80 CE
Vima Taktu
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 80 CE – c. 95 CE
Huvishka
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 150 CE – c. 190 CE
Yajna Sri Satakarni
King, Satavahana Empire · c. 170 CE – c. 199 CE
Vasudeva I
Emperor, Kushan Empire · c. 190 CE – c. 230 CE
Sri Gupta
Maharaja, Gupta Empire · c. 240 CE – c. 280 CE
Mahasena
King, Anuradhapura Kingdom · c. 274 CE – c. 301 CE
Ghatotkacha
Maharaja, Gupta Empire · c. 280 CE – c. 319 CE
Chandragupta I
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 319 CE – c. 335 CE
Samudragupta
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 335 CE – c. 375 CE
Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya)
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 375 CE – c. 415 CE
Kumaragupta I
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 415 CE – c. 455 CE
Skandagupta
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 455 CE – c. 467 CE
Dhatusena
King, Anuradhapura Kingdom · c. 455 CE – c. 473 CE
Budhagupta
Maharajadhiraja, Gupta Empire · c. 477 CE – c. 495 CE
Kashyapa I
King, Anuradhapura Kingdom · c. 477 CE – c. 495 CE
Pulakeshin I
King, Chalukyas of Badami · c. 543 CE – c. 566 CE
Kirtivarman I
King, Chalukyas of Badami · c. 566 CE – c. 597 CE
Simhavishnu
King, Pallava Dynasty · c. 575 CE – c. 600 CE
Prabhakaravardhana
King, Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Dynasty · c. 580 CE – c. 605 CE
Mangalesha
King, Chalukyas of Badami · c. 597 CE – c. 609 CE
Mahendravarman I
King, Pallava Dynasty · c. 600 CE – c. 630 CE
Rajyavardhana
King, Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Dynasty · 605 CE – 606 CE
Harshavardhana
Emperor, Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Dynasty · 606 CE – 647 CE
Events in their lifetime
| 1848 | Doctrine of Lapse applied to Satara Satara was annexed because its ruler died without a natural heir. |
| 1849 | Punjab annexed The Sikh Empire ended and Maharaja Duleep Singh was pensioned off. |
| 1853 | First passenger railway: Bombay to Thane |
| 1855 | Santhal Hul (rebellion) Suppressed in 1856; the Santhal Parganas district was created. |
| 1856 | Awadh annexed Wajid Ali Shah was deposed on the charge of misgovernance. |
| 1856 | Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act Remarriage of Hindu widows was legalised. |
| 1857 | Revolt of 1857 begins at Meerut The revolt was suppressed by 1858 and Company rule was ended. |
| 1857 | Mangal Pandey's attack at Barrackpore Mangal Pandey was hanged; his regiment was disbanded. |
| 1857 | Rebels proclaim Bahadur Shah Zafar emperor Delhi became the centre of the revolt until retaken in September 1857. |
| 1858 | Government of India Act — Crown rule begins The Crown took over India, governed by a Viceroy and a Secretary of State. |
| 1858 | Rani Lakshmibai falls at Gwalior |
| 1859 | Indigo revolt in Bengal The Indigo Commission of 1860 ended forced indigo cultivation. |
| 1869 | Birth of Mahatma Gandhi |
| 1872 | First census of British India |
| 1875 | Arya Samaj and Aligarh (MAO) College founded |
| 1876 | Indian Association founded |
| 1877 | Delhi Durbar: Victoria proclaimed Empress of India |
| 1878 | Second Anglo-Afghan War |
| 1878 | Vernacular Press Act Indian-language newspapers were curbed; repealed in 1881. |
| 1885 | Indian National Congress founded It became the principal organisation of the freedom movement. |
| 1893 | Durand Line agreed The frontier between British India and Afghanistan was fixed. |
| 1905 | Swadeshi movement launched Boycott of British goods and promotion of Indian industry. |
| 1907 | Ugyen Wangchuck becomes first King of Bhutan |
| 1916 | Lucknow Pact The Congress and the Muslim League agreed on joint constitutional demands. |
| 1919 | Third Anglo-Afghan War; Afghan independence The Treaty of Rawalpindi recognised Afghanistan's control of its foreign affairs. |
| 1919 | Jallianwala Bagh massacre Nationwide outrage followed and Tagore renounced his knighthood. |
| 1919 | Rowlatt Act Gandhi called a nationwide Rowlatt Satyagraha. |
| 1928 | Simon Commission boycotted Lala Lajpat Rai died after a police lathi-charge. |
| 1930 | Salt March to Dandi Gandhi broke the salt law, launching the Civil Disobedience Movement. |
| 1931 | Execution of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru |
Contemporaries
Sorted by how long their lives overlapped. The bar shows when, within Annie Besant’s life.
Surendranath Banerjea
Freedom fighter · 1848 – 1925
Founder of the Indian Association in 1876
Overlap: 77 years
Jagadish Chandra Bose
Scientist / mathematician · 1858 – 1937
Pioneer of radio science and plant physiology
Overlap: 75 years
Bipin Chandra Pal
Freedom fighter · 1858 – 1932
Swadeshi leader, the 'Pal' of Lal-Bal-Pal
Overlap: 74 years
Sree Narayana Guru
Social reformer · 1856 – 1928
Kerala reformer who preached 'One caste, one religion, one God'
Overlap: 72 years
Rabindranath Tagore
Poet / writer · 1861 – 1941
First Asian Nobel laureate (Literature, 1913)
Overlap: 72 years
Madan Mohan Malaviya
Freedom fighter · 1861 – 1946
Founder of Banaras Hindu University
Overlap: 72 years
M. Visvesvaraya
Scientist / mathematician · 1861 – 1962
Engineer and Diwan of Mysore whose birthday is Engineers' Day
Overlap: 72 years
Prafulla Chandra Ray
Scientist / mathematician · 1861 – 1944
Chemist who founded Bengal Chemicals
Overlap: 72 years
Dadabhai Naoroji
Freedom fighter · 1825 – 1917
The 'Grand Old Man of India' who formulated the drain theory
Overlap: 70 years
Motilal Nehru
Freedom fighter · 1861 – 1931
Author of the Nehru Report of 1928
Overlap: 70 years
Allan Octavian Hume
Statesman / administrator · 1829 – 1912
Retired civil servant who helped found the Indian National Congress
Overlap: 65 years
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Freedom fighter · 1856 – 1920
Declared 'Swaraj is my birthright' and edited the Kesari
Overlap: 64 years
Pandita Ramabai
Social reformer · 1858 – 1922
Scholar who founded the Mukti Mission for women
Overlap: 64 years
Mahatma Gandhi
Freedom fighter · 1869 – 1948
Leader of non-violent satyagraha against British rule
Overlap: 64 years
Kasturba Gandhi
Freedom fighter · 1869 – 1944
Satyagrahi and wife of Mahatma Gandhi
Overlap: 64 years
Matangini Hazra
Freedom fighter · c. 1869 – c. 1942
'Gandhi Buri', shot while leading a Quit India procession
Overlap: 64 years
Lala Lajpat Rai
Freedom fighter · 1865 – 1928
'Punjab Kesari' who died after a lathi-charge during the Simon Commission protest
Overlap: 63 years
Sri Aurobindo
Philosopher · 1872 – 1950
Revolutionary turned yogi-philosopher of Pondicherry
Overlap: 61 years
W. C. Bonnerjee
Freedom fighter · 1844 – 1906
First President of the Indian National Congress
Overlap: 59 years
Raja Ravi Varma
Artist / musician · 1848 – 1906
Painter of Indian mythological subjects in oils
Overlap: 58 years
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Statesman / administrator · 1875 – 1950
'Iron Man of India' who integrated the princely states
Overlap: 58 years
Jamsetji Tata
Statesman / administrator · 1839 – 1904
Founder of the Tata Group
Overlap: 57 years
Sir John Marshall
Scholar / historian · 1876 – 1958
ASI Director-General who announced the Indus civilization in 1924
Overlap: 57 years
Muhammad Iqbal
Poet / writer · 1877 – 1938
Poet of 'Saare Jahan Se Achha'
Overlap: 56 years
📚 Recommended reading
Textbook
A Brief History of Modern India
The most-used exam book for modern India; dense, well organised and revision-friendly.
Reference
India's Struggle for Independence
The standard narrative of the national movement from 1857 to 1947.
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