Humanities › History & Culture Timeline of Indian History Earliest times to present Print History & Culture Asian History South Asia Basics Figures & Events Southeast Asia East Asia Middle East Central Asia Asian Wars and Battles American History African American History African History Ancient History and Culture European History Genealogy Inventions Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History Military History The 20th Century Women's History View More By Kallie Szczepanski Kallie Szczepanski History Expert Ph.D., History, Boston University J.D., University of Washington School of Law B.A., History, Western Washington University Dr. Kallie Szczepanski is a history teacher specializing in Asian history and culture. She has taught at the high school and university levels in the U.S. and South Korea. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on July 03, 2019 The Indian subcontinent has been home to complex civilizations for more than 5,000 years. In the past century, it played a pivotal role in the decolonization process as well. This south Asian country has a rich and interesting history. Ancient India: 3300 - 500 BCE Terracotta figures from the Harappan Civilization of ancient India. luluinnyc on Flickr.com Indus Valley Civilization; Late Harappan Civilization; "Aryan" Invasion; Vedic Civilization; "Rig-Veda" Composed; 16 Mahajanapadas form in northern India; Development of caste system; "Upanishads" composed; Prince Siddharta Gautama becomes the Buddha; Prince Mahavira founds Jainism Mauryan Empire and Development of Castes: 327 BCE - 200 CE Hanuman the Monkey-God, a figure from the Hindu epic "Ramayana". truth82 on Flickr.com Alexander the Great invades Indus Valley; Mauryan Empire; "Ramayana" composed; Ashoka the Great rules Mauryan Empire; Indo-Scythian Empire; "Mahabharata" composed; Indo-Greek Kingdom; "Bhagavata Gita" composed; Indo-Persian kingdoms; "Laws of Manu" define four main Hindu castes Gupta Empire and Fragmentation: 280 - 750 CE Elephanta Island, first constructed during late Gupta era. Christian Haugen on Flickr.com Gupta Empire - "Golden Age" of Indian history; Pallava Dynasty; Chandragupta II conquers Gujarat; Gupta Empire falls and India fragments; Chalukyan kingdom founded in central India; South India ruled by Pallava Dynasty; Thanesar Kingdom founded by Harsha Vardhana in north India and Nepal; Chalukyan Empire conquers central India; Chalukyas defeat Harsha Vardhana at Battle of Malwa; Pratihara Dynasty in northern India and Palas in the east Read More Early Sources for Ancient Indian History By N.S. Gill Chola Empire and Medieval India: 753 - 1190 Ravages on Flickr.com Rashtrakuta Dynasty controls south and central India, expands northward; Chola Empire breaks off from Pallavas; Pratihara Empire at its height; Chola conquers all of south India; Mahmud of Ghazni conquers much of Punjab; Raja Raja of Chola builds Brihadeshvara Temple; Mahmud of Ghazni sacks Gurjara-Pratihara capital; Cholas expand into Southeast Asia; Palas Empire peaks under King Mahipala; Chalukya Empire breaks into three kingdoms Muslim Rule in India: 1206 - 1490 Amir Taj on Flickr.com Delhi Sultanate founded; Mongols win Battle of Indus, bring down Khwarezmid Empire; Chola Dynasty falls; Khilji Dynasty takes over Delhi Sultanate; Battle of Jalandhar - Khilji general defeats Mongols; Turkic ruler Muhammad bin Tughlaq takes Delhi Sultanate; Vijayanagara Empire founded in southern India; Bahmani Kingdom rules Deccan Plateau; Vijayanagara Empire conquers Muslim sultanate of Madura; Timur (Tamerlane) sacks Delhi; Sikhism founded Mughal Empire and British East India Co.: 1526 - 1769 India's Taj Mahal. abhijeet.rane on Flickr.com First Battle of Panipat - Babur and Mughals defeat Delhi Sultanate; Turkic Mughal Empire rules north and central India; Deccan sultanates become independent with breakup of Bahmani Kingdom; Babur's grandson Akbar the Great ascends to throne; British East India Co. founded; Shah Jihan crowned Mughal Emperor; Taj Mahal built to honor Mumtaz Mahal; Shah Jihan deposed by son; Battle of Plassey, British East India Co. begins political control of India; Bengali Famine kills some 10 million people British Raj in India: 1799 - 1943 Photo of the Prince of Wales on a tiger hunt in British India, 1875-1876. Library of Congress Prints and Photos British defeat and kill Tippu Sultan; Sikh Empire founded in Punjab; British Raj in India; British outlaw sati; Queen Victoria named Empress of India; Indian National Congress formed; Muslim League founded; Mohandas Gandhi leads anti-British campaign; Gandhi's salt protest and March to the Sea; "Quit India" movement Partition of India and Independence: 1947 - 1977 Mushroom cloud. Digital Vision / Getty Images Independence and the Partition of India; Mohandas Gandhi assassinated; First Indo-Pakistani War; Indo-Chinese border war; Prime Minister Nehru dies; Second Indo-Pakistani War; Indira Gandhi becomes Prime Minister; Third Indo-Pakistani War and creation of Bangladesh; First Indian nuclear test; Indira Gandhi's party loses elections The Turbulent Late 20th Century: 1980 - 1999 Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images Indira Gandhi returns to power; Indian troops attack Sikh Golden Temple, massacre pilgrims; Indira Gandhi assassinated by Sikh bodyguards; Union Carbide gas leak at Bhopal kills thousands; Indian troops intervene in Sri Lankan civil war; India withdraws from Sri Lanka; Rajiv Gandhi assassinated by Tamil Tiger suicide bomber; Indian Nation Congress loses elections; Indian Prime Minister travels to Pakistan to sign peace declaration; Renewed Indo-Pakistani fighting in Kashmir India in the 21st Century: 2001 - 2008 Paula Bronstein / Getty Images Gujarat earthquakes kill 30,000+; India launches first large orbital satellites; Sectarian violence kills 59 Hindu pilgrims and then 1,000+ Muslims; India and Pakistan declare Kashmir ceasefire; Mahmohan Singh becomes prime minister of India; Thousands of Indians die in Southeast Asian tsunami; Pratibha Patil becomes India's first female president; Mumbai terrorist attack by Pakistani radicals Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Szczepanski, Kallie. "Timeline of Indian History." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/timeline-of-indian-history-195507. Szczepanski, Kallie. (2023, April 5). Timeline of Indian History. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/timeline-of-indian-history-195507 Szczepanski, Kallie. "Timeline of Indian History." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/timeline-of-indian-history-195507 (accessed April 19, 2024). copy citation