Textbook
History of Modern India
The old-NCERT modern India classic, from the decline of the Mughals to independence.
Sir William Jones
Scholar / historian
British East India Company
1746 – 1794
Founder of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
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 East India Company 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
| 1746 | French capture Madras (First Carnatic War) |
| 1747 | Ahmad Shah Durrani founds the Durrani Empire |
| 1749 | Battle of Ambur Anwaruddin Khan was killed; Chanda Sahib, backed by the French, took Arcot. |
| 1751 | Siege of Arcot Clive's defence of Arcot turned the Second Carnatic War in Britain's favour. |
| 1757 | Battle of Plassey Siraj ud-Daulah was defeated and Mir Jafar became a Company-backed nawab. |
| 1760 | Battle of Wandiwash French power in India was broken. |
| 1761 | Third Battle of Panipat The Marathas were crushed by Ahmad Shah Durrani and their northward expansion checked. |
| 1764 | Battle of Buxar The Company defeated Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-Daula and Shah Alam II together. |
| 1765 | Diwani of Bengal granted The Company won the right to collect revenue in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. |
| 1767 | First Anglo-Mysore War |
| 1768 | Prithvi Narayan Shah conquers Kathmandu Kathmandu became the capital of a unified Nepal. |
| 1769 | Treaty of Madras Ended the First Anglo-Mysore War with mutual restitution of conquests. |
| 1770 | Great Bengal Famine |
| 1773 | Regulating Act; Warren Hastings Governor-General |
| 1775 | First Anglo-Maratha War begins |
| 1780 | Battle of Pollilur Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan destroyed a Company force under Colonel Baillie. |
| 1782 | Treaty of Salbai The First Anglo-Maratha War ended with a return to the status quo. |
| 1784 | Asiatic Society founded |
| 1784 | Treaty of Mangalore Ended the Second Anglo-Mysore War on the basis of mutual restitution. |
| 1792 | Treaty of Seringapatam Tipu Sultan ceded half his kingdom and gave two sons as hostages. |
| 1793 | Permanent Settlement of Bengal |
Contemporaries
Sorted by how long their lives overlapped. The bar shows when, within Sir William Jones’s life.
Velu Nachiyar
Queen / royal · 1730 – 1796
Queen of Sivaganga who fought the East India Company
Overlap: 48 years
Nana Fadnavis
Statesman / administrator · 1742 – 1800
Peshwa minister called the 'Maratha Machiavelli'
Overlap: 48 years
Pazhassi Raja
General / commander · 1753 – 1805
Kerala ruler who fought the Company in the Cotiote War
Overlap: 41 years
Veerapandiya Kattabomman
General / commander · 1760 – 1799
Palayakarar chieftain hanged for resisting the Company
Overlap: 34 years
Tyagaraja
Artist / musician · 1767 – 1847
Carnatic composer, one of the musical Trinity
Overlap: 27 years
Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Social reformer · 1772 – 1833
Founder of the Brahmo Samaj who campaigned against sati
Overlap: 22 years
Lalon Fakir
Poet / writer · c. 1774 – c. 1890
Baul mystic poet of Bengal
Overlap: 20 years
Kunwar Singh
Freedom fighter · 1777 – 1858
Octogenarian leader of the 1857 revolt in Bihar
Overlap: 17 years
Kittur Chennamma
Queen / royal · 1778 – 1829
Queen of Kittur who led an armed revolt against the Company in 1824
Overlap: 16 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
From Plassey to Partition and After
A balanced, analytical history of colonial India; excellent for Mains answers.
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