History · Modern history

Indian National Movement

From the Revolt of 1857 to Independence in 1947, event by event, plus the Congress sessions asked in exams.

Timeline 1857–1947

1. 1857Revolt of 1857

   Began at Meerut on 10 May 1857 (Mangal Pandey's protest at Barrackpore in March). Leaders: Bahadur Shah Zafar (Delhi), Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi), Nana Saheb and Tantia Tope (Kanpur), Begum Hazrat Mahal (Lucknow), Kunwar Singh (Bihar).

2. 1858Crown takes over

   Government of India Act, 1858 ended Company rule; Queen Victoria's Proclamation.

3. 1885Indian National Congress founded

   28 Dec 1885 at Bombay, by A. O. Hume; first President W. C. Bonnerjee; 72 delegates.

4. 1905Partition of Bengal & Swadeshi

   Partition by Curzon took effect on 16 Oct 1905; Swadeshi and Boycott movement began.

5. 1906Muslim League

   Founded at Dhaka on 30 Dec 1906; Congress session at Calcutta adopted 'Swaraj' as its goal.

6. 1907Surat Split

   Congress split into Moderates and Extremists.

7. 1909Morley–Minto Reforms

   Separate electorates for Muslims.

8. 1911Partition annulled

   Delhi Durbar; capital moved to Delhi.

9. 1913Ghadar Party

   Founded in San Francisco by Lala Har Dayal and others.

10. 1916Home Rule Leagues & Lucknow Pact

    Tilak (April) and Annie Besant (September) Home Rule Leagues; Congress–League Lucknow Pact.

11. 1917Champaran Satyagraha

    Gandhi's first satyagraha in India, for indigo farmers in Bihar.

12. 1918Kheda and Ahmedabad

    Kheda Satyagraha (peasants) and Ahmedabad mill strike (Gandhi's first hunger strike).

13. 1919Rowlatt Act & Jallianwala Bagh

    Massacre at Amritsar on 13 Apr 1919 under General Dyer; Tagore returned his knighthood.

14. 1920Non-Cooperation & Khilafat

    Launched 1 Aug 1920; called off after the Chauri Chaura incident (4 Feb 1922).

15. 1923Swaraj Party

    Formed by C. R. Das and Motilal Nehru.

16. 1927Simon Commission

    All-white commission; boycotted with 'Simon Go Back'; Lala Lajpat Rai died after a lathi charge (1928).

17. 1928Nehru Report & Bardoli

    Nehru Report demanded dominion status; Bardoli Satyagraha gave Vallabhbhai Patel the title 'Sardar'.

18. 1929Lahore session: Purna Swaraj

    Nehru presided; tricolour hoisted on the Ravi on 31 Dec 1929; 26 Jan 1930 celebrated as Independence Day.

19. 1930Civil Disobedience & Dandi March

    Dandi March from Sabarmati, 12 Mar – 6 Apr 1930 (salt law broken); First Round Table Conference.

20. 1931Gandhi–Irwin Pact & Karachi

    Pact on 5 Mar 1931; Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev executed on 23 Mar 1931; Karachi session resolution on Fundamental Rights; Gandhi attended the Second Round Table Conference.

21. 1932Communal Award & Poona Pact

    Poona Pact between Gandhi and Ambedkar on 24 Sep 1932 gave reserved seats to Depressed Classes.

22. 1935Government of India Act

    Provincial autonomy; basis for much of the Constitution.

23. 1937Provincial elections

    Congress formed ministries in most provinces.

24. 1940Lahore Resolution & August Offer

    Muslim League's Pakistan Resolution (March); Individual Satyagraha (Vinoba Bhave first satyagrahi).

25. 1942Cripps Mission & Quit India

    Quit India resolution 8 Aug 1942 at Bombay; 'Do or Die'.

26. 1943Azad Hind Government

    Subhas Chandra Bose formed it at Singapore (21 Oct 1943); INA's 'Delhi Chalo'.

27. 1945–46INA trials & RIN mutiny

    Red Fort trials; Royal Indian Navy mutiny at Bombay (Feb 1946).

28. 1946Cabinet Mission & Interim Government

    Interim Government under Nehru (2 Sep 1946); Constituent Assembly met on 9 Dec 1946; Direct Action Day (16 Aug).

29. 1947Mountbatten Plan & Independence

    Plan of 3 June 1947; Indian Independence Act; India independent on 15 Aug 1947.

Important Congress sessions

• 1885 · BombayW. C. Bonnerjee · First session
• 1886 · CalcuttaDadabhai Naoroji
• 1887 · MadrasBadruddin Tyabji · First Muslim President
• 1888 · AllahabadGeorge Yule · First English President
• 1905 · BenaresG. K. Gokhale
• 1906 · CalcuttaDadabhai Naoroji · 'Swaraj' adopted as goal
• 1907 · SuratRash Behari Ghosh · Surat Split
• 1916 · LucknowA. C. Mazumdar · Lucknow Pact; Moderates and Extremists reunited
• 1917 · CalcuttaAnnie Besant · First woman President
• 1920 · Nagpur (regular)C. Vijayaraghavachariar · Non-Cooperation ratified
• 1924 · BelgaumMahatma Gandhi · Only session Gandhi presided
• 1925 · KanpurSarojini Naidu · First Indian woman President
• 1929 · LahoreJawaharlal Nehru · Purna Swaraj
• 1931 · KarachiVallabhbhai Patel · Resolution on Fundamental Rights and economic policy
• 1936 · LucknowJawaharlal Nehru
• 1938 · HaripuraSubhas Chandra Bose · National Planning Committee
• 1939 · TripuriSubhas Chandra Bose · Bose won but resigned; Rajendra Prasad took over
• 1940 · RamgarhMaulana Abul Kalam Azad · Presided till 1946
• 1946 · MeerutJ. B. Kripalani · President at Independence