Detailed Timeline
Indian National Movement
1857 – 1947
Year-wise events + Complete list of Governor-Generals & Viceroys with key policies. Clean light theme for comfortable reading.
Began 10 May 1857 in Meerut. Leaders: Mangal Pandey, Rani Lakshmibai, Nana Sahib, Tantia Tope, Bahadur Shah Zafar.
28 December 1885, Bombay. First President: W.C. Bonnerjee. A.O. Hume played key role. Moderate phase begins.
Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal (16 Oct 1905). Triggered massive Swadeshi Movement (boycott of British goods). Rise of Extremists (Lal-Bal-Pal).
Founded Sabarmati Ashram. 1917 Champaran Satyagraha (first in India). 1918 Kheda Satyagraha & Ahmedabad Mill Strike.
Rowlatt Act (March). Nationwide hartal (6 April). Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April). Khilafat Movement begins.
Nagpur Session. Complete boycott of British institutions and foreign cloth. First mass movement.
1928: Simon Commission boycotted. Bardoli Satyagraha led by Sardar Patel. 1929: Lahore Session — Purna Swaraj declared under Jawaharlal Nehru.
12 March 1930: Gandhi starts Dandi March. Breaks salt law on 6 April. Nationwide Civil Disobedience begins.
1931: Gandhi-Irwin Pact + Karachi Session (Fundamental Rights). 1932: Poona Pact. 1935: Government of India Act passed (provincial autonomy).
8 August 1942. Gandhi’s final mass call. “Do or Die”. Most leaders arrested immediately. Brutally suppressed but showed British rule was unsustainable.
Cabinet Mission Plan (May). 16 Aug 1946 Direct Action Day → Calcutta Killings. Interim Government formed (Nehru as Vice-President).
Mountbatten Plan (3 June). Indian Independence Act (July). 15 August 1947 — India becomes independent. Jawaharlal Nehru — first Prime Minister. Partition creates Pakistan.
Governor-Generals & Viceroys (1857–1947)
Complete tenures with key events and policies. Extremely useful for Prelims & Mains.
• Government of India Act 1858
• Queen Victoria’s Proclamation (1858)
• Indian Councils Act 1861
• Focused on internal administration after 1857
• Assassinated in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
• Reduced import duties on cotton goods
• Vernacular Press Act (1878)
• Second Anglo-Afghan War
• Local Self-Government Resolution (1882)
• Ilbert Bill (1883)
• First Factory Act (1881)
• Third Anglo-Burmese War
• Durand Line (Afghanistan border)
• Swadeshi Movement triggered
• University Act, Police Commission
• Resigned due to differences with Kitchener
• Introduced separate electorates for Muslims
• Muslim League founded (1906)
• Delhi Durbar (1911) — George V visited
• Capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi
• Rowlatt Act (1919)
• Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919)
• Khilafat & Non-Cooperation Movement
• Chauri Chaura incident
• Gandhi arrested (1922)
• Bardoli Satyagraha (1928)
• Dandi March & Civil Disobedience (1930)
• Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931)
• Third Round Table Conference
• Communal Award & Poona Pact (1932)
• Government of India Act 1935
• Provincial Elections (1937)
• Quit India Movement (1942)
• Bengal Famine (1943)
• Cabinet Mission (1946)
• Direct Action Day (16 Aug 1946)
• Interim Government formed
• Indian Independence Act (July 1947)
• Independence on 15 August 1947
• Partition of India