Renaissance & Freedom Movement Modern India The Revolt of 1857 Discontent in the British Indian army on the issue of the use of greased cartridges is the primary cause behind the revolt of 1857. Soldiers had to bite the cartridges with their teeth before loading them into their rifles and the reported presence of cow and pig fat was offensive to Hindu and Muslim soldiers. 29th March 1857 - First spark of revolt at Barrackpore, Meerut in Bengal where Mangal Pandey killed the British adjutant and was later hanged for firing on senior officer. Mangal Pandey was the first Martyr of revolt of 1857. He was hanged on 1857 April 8. He was the member of 34 th Bengal Infantry. 10th May 1857 - Ninety sepoys of 3rd Native Regiment at Meerut (UP) revolted on the issue of the greased cartridges. The rebelled soldiers reached Delhi and they proclaimed Bahadursha Zafar as the Emperor of Hindustan. Bahadurshah was the last Mugal ruler in India. Bahadurshah II was the leader of the revolt of Delhi only for name sake. The revolt was actually led by the commander in chief Bakht Khan. The imperial city of Delhi was regained by the British on September 1857. Bahadurshah II surrended to Lt. Hudson on September 21, 1857 at Humayun s Tomb in Delhi and was deported to Rangoon, where he died in 1862. Maulavi Ahamedullah revolted at Faizabad. He later joined Begum Hazrat Mahal at Lucknow. Awadh was annexed in 1856 on charges of maladministration and Jhansi was annexed owing to the Doctrine of Lapse. The company took over the princely states of Satara (1848) Jaipur and Sambalpur (1849) Nagpur and Jhansi (1854) using this Doctrine. Rani of Jhansi became folk heroine in the nationalist movement in India. On 17th June 1858 the Rani became a martyr while fighting bravely. The best and the bravest military leader of the rebels Sir Hugh Ross said this about Rani of Jhansi. The original name of Rani of Jhansi was Mani Karnika. Jawaharlal Nehru described Rani Lakshmi as "Light in a dark background'. In Kanpur Nanasahib was proclaimed as the Peshwa and his troops were led by the brave leader Tantiya Tope. Nana Sahib was refused pension, as he was the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II. Azimulla Khan was the foreign minister of Nana Saheb. Nana Saheb escaped to Nepal. Tantiya Tope was captured and hanged. In Bihar Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur led the revolt and defeated the British Army near Arrah, but he died on 23 April 1858. The revolt was completely crushed in 1858. But it promoted the spirit of Nationalism and patriotism.
The Centres and Leaders of the Revolt Lucknow....Begum Hazrat Mahal (Awadh) Kanpur....Nana Saheb, Tantiya Tope & In August 1858, the British Parliament passed an Act, which put an end to the rule of the company. The control of the British government in India was transferred to the British crown. The Queen's proclamation of 1858 is known as 'The Magnacarta of the people of India'. A minister of the British Government called the Secretary of state was made responsible for the Government of India. The British Governor - General of India was now also given the title of Viceroy who was also the representative of the Monarch. Lord Canning was appointed as the First Viceroy of India. Azimulla Khan Delhi....Bahadur Shah II, General Bhaktkhan Bihar....Kunwar Singh Jhansi....Rani Lekshmi Bai Faizabad... Bareily....Khan Bahadur Khan He was the Governor General of India when the revolt of 1857 took place. Maulavi Ahmadulla? What is Doctrine of Lapse? Ans: The Doctrine of Lapse was an annexation policy of Governor General Lord Dalhousie. According to the Doctrine, any Princely state or territory under the direct influence of the British East India Company would automatically be annexed if the ruler was died without a direct heir. Book on Revolt of 1857 The last Mugal... William Darlimbil The Great Rebellion... Ashok Mehta Indian Mutiny... G.B. Malleson The Indian's first war of Independence... V.D. Savarkar Eighteen fifty Seven...S.N. Sen Civil Rebellions in the Indian Mutinies... S.B. Chaudhary The first Secretary of State was Edward Henry Stanly. Longest Serving Secretary of the State - George Hamilton. Last Secretary of the State - William Francis Harre. The administration by Indian Civil Service officials started as a result of the Govt. of India Act of 1858 (Queen Victorias Proclamation) Educated middle class section of Indian population did not support the revolt of 1857. V.D. Savarkar was the first to called it as an organised war for national independence. Ashok Mehta in his book The Great Rebellion has tried to prove this to be a national revolt. Benjamin Disraeli described the revolt as a National Rising. Cultural & Social Changes of India The 19th century saw India make a late entry into the modern age from medieval times. The ideas and activities of Rajaram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar, Vivekananda, Swami Dayananda Saraswathi and many other reformers directed the regeneration of Indian Society.? What is Wood Despatch? Ans: The Educational Despatch of 1854, also known as Wood s Despatch by Charles Wood. Charles Wood became the President of the Board of Control. Later he became the second secretary of state for India. Woods Despatch generally considered as the Magna Carta of English Education in India.
Historians and their views about the nature of Revolt V.D. Savarkar - A Planned War of National Independence R.C. Majumdar - Neither first nor National War of Independence Sir James Outram - A Result of Hindu Muslim conspiracy Sir John Lawrence - Sepoy s Mutiny Benjamin Disraeli - A National Rising T.R. Holmes - War between Barbarism and Civilisation Introduction of Western Education and Modern Ideas The English East India Company showed very little interest in the education of its subjects. The Calcutta Madrasah set up by Warren Hastings in 1781 for the study and teaching of Muslim law. The Sanskrit College at Varanasi was set up by Jonathan Duncan in 1792 for the study of Hindu law and philosophy. The Asiatic Society was founded on January 15, 1784 by Sir William Jones. The establishment of the Universities of Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Punjab and Allahabad were some landmark developments of this period. The Indian Education Commission of 1882, generally known as Hunter Commission was appointed by Lord Ripon. Lord Curzon convened the first conference of Directors of Public instruction in 1901. Lord Curzon appointed a Universities Commission under Thomas Raleigh. The Sadler Commission was appointed by Lord Chelmsford to review the working of the Calcutta University. Bethune College was founded as a school in 1849 by J.E.D. Bethune at Calcutta and in 1879 it developed into the first women s college in India. In 1928 the Simon Commission appointed a five member committee with Sir Philip Joseph Hurtog as its chairman to report on the growth of education in British India. Basic education, also called Nai Talim was not so much a methodology of education. This scheme was first put forward by Mahatma Gandhi in 1937 in a series of articles in his weekly, the Harijan. The first conference on National Education as it was called, was convened at Wardha on 1937. Tribal Revolt Tribe Year Leaders Cause Bhills... 1817... Sewaram...Agrarian hardship Ramosi... 1822... Chittur Singh, Pratap Singh, Dattaraya Patkar...British Rule Ahom... 1828-33... Gomadhar Kunwar...British occupation Khasi... 1829-32... Tiruth Singh...British occupation Kol... 1831-32... Buddhu Bhagat...Land transfer to outsiders Santhals... 1855-56... Sidhu and Kanhu...British Rule
Indian Renaissance Socio-Religious Reform Movements The historic role of socio- religious movements can only be understood within the context in which they originated and functioned. Raja Rammohan Roy (1772-1833) & Brahmo Samaj Ram Mohan Roy established the Brahmo Samaj at Calcutta in 1828 in order to purify Hinduism and to preach monotheism. Believed in monotheism and opposed idol worship. Established the Atmiya Sabha in Calcutta in 1815 in order to propagate monotheism and to fight against the evil customs and practices in Hinduism. He also applied rationality to Christianity by publishing in 1820, a book entitled The percepts of Jesus, the Guide to peace and Happiness. In 1821, he started a Bengali Weekly called Samvad Kaumudi. Mirat-ul-Akbar (the Mirror of News) which was the first journal in Persian started in 1822. The Mughal Emperor Akbar Shah II gave Ram Mohan the title Raja. In the same year Ram Mohan and Dwarakanath Tagore jointly started a newspaper called Bangadatta. In 1825, he started the Vedanta College at Calcutta. In 1828, August he founded the BrahmaSabha Later in 1845 the name Brahmo Samaj was given to it by Devendranath Tagore. He led a life -long crusade against the practice of Sati. Finally in 1829 he succeeded in persuading Lord William Bentick to abolish it. After the death of Raja Ram Mohan Roy Brahmo Samaj was divided into several sects. Adi Brahmo Samaj led by Devendranath Tagore and Brahmo Samaj of India led by Keshav Chandra Sen were started in 1866. Devendranath Tagore was the founder of Tatwabodhinisabha in Calcutta in 1839. Keshav Chandra Sen started a paper called Indian Mirror in 1861. Sadharan Brahma Samaj was started by Anandmohan Bose in 1878. Surendra Nath Banerjee was the first Indian who took up his political activity on an all India basis. Tuhfat - ul- Muwahidin or Gift to Monotheists is also a work of Raja Ram Mohan Roy. Raja Ram Mohan Roy died of meningitis at Bristol, England in 1833 and was buried at Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol, England. Prarthana Samaj (1867) Founded in 1867 in Bombay by Dr. Atmaram Pandurang as an offshoot of the Brahmo Samaj. It was later joined by M.G. Ranade and R.G. Bhandarkar. It was a reform movement within Hinduism. It concentrated social reforms like inter-dining, inter - marriage, remarriage of women etc. Arya Samaj (1875) It was founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswathi at Bombay in 1875. He considered Vedas as eternal and infallible and said Go back to Vedas Dayananda Saraswati (1824-1883) was a Sanyasi from Gujarat. Dayananda, was known in his early life as Mool Shankar. He was the first to use the terms - Swarajya, Swabhasha and Swadharma.
He is called the Saint of Dakshineswar. Vivekananda was born on 12 January in 1863 at Calcutta. His birthday is celebrated as National Youth Day in India. (January 12) His real name was Narendranath Dutta. Swamy Dayananda Saraswathy Works : Satyartha Prakash (Hindi) Veda - Bhashya Bhumika (Hindi & Sanskrit) Veda - Bhashya (Sanskrit) He was the first to consider Hindi as the national language. He started the Suddhi Movement to re-convert to Hinduism those who were converted to other religions. He is known as Calvin of Hinduism. Lala Hansraj, a follower of Arya Samaj founded Dayanand Anglo Vedic College at Lahore in 1886. Aryaprakash was the news paper started by Dayanand Saraswati. Ramakrishna Mission (1897) It was founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1897 at Belur in West Bengal. Shri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa (1836-1886) was born in West Bengal. His early name was Shuddirama Gadhadhar Chatterjee. He attended the Parliament of The World Religions at Chicago in 1893. The first Ramakrishnamath was established at Baranagar. In 1894, he founded first Vedanta Society in New York. He started two papers - the monthly Prabuddha Bharata in English and Udbodhana in Bengali. Later he made his second visit to USA in 1899. He spoke at the congress of the History of Religions at Paris in 1900. He was described as the Cyclonic Hindu. He is called the patriot saint of India. Vedanta according to him was a fully rational system. In 1898 Sister Nivedita, (Margaret Elizabeth Noble) an Irish lady was initiated to brahmacharya by Vivekananda. His major works : Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga. Socio - Religious Reform Movements 1815... Atmiya Sabha... Raja Ram Mohan Roy 1828... Brahma Samaj... Raja Ram Mohan Roy 1867... Prarthana Samaj... Dr. Atmaram Pandurang 1873... Sathyashodhak Samaj... Jyotiba Phule 1875... Arya Samaj... Swami Dayananda Saraswathi 1887... Deva Samaj... Shiv Narayan Agnihotri 1897... Ramakrishna Mission... Swami Vivekananda
Theosophical Society (1875) The Theosophical Society was founded by Madame Blavatsky and Col. H.S.Olcott at Newyork in 1875. Books written by Blavatsky : The secret Doctrine, Nightmare Tales, The key to Theosophy. In 1882, its head quarters was shifted to Adayar near Madras. Dr.Annie Besant came who to India in 1893, was its notable President. Annie Besant represented The Theosophical Society at Parliament of the World Religions of 1893 in Chicago In 1898, she started the Central Hindu School at Benaras (Varanasi), it later became Benaras Hindu University under Madan Mohan Malavya (1916). She started the Home Rule League with the Cooperation of Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1916. In 1914, Dr. Annie Besant founded two papers (a) The Common Weal (weekly) (b) New India (daily). Books written by Annie Besant : My path to Atheism, The Law of Population, Esoteric Christianity. She was the first woman President of Indian National Congress at the Calcutta session of INC in 1917. Young Bengal Movement Started by Henry Vivian Derozio, who was an Anglo Indian teacher in the Calcutta Hindu College. His followers were known as the Derozians. Their movement was known as Young Bengal Movement. They attacked the old traditions and decadent customs. He composed a poem To India My Native Land In 1828 he started the Academic Association. The official journal of Young Bengal Movement was Jnanvesan. Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar He contributed to the uplift of Indian Women by struggling in favour of widow remarriage. He opposed child marriage and polygamy. He evolved a new technique of teaching Sanskrit and a modern prose style in Bengali. Jyotiba Phule Born in 1827 at Poona, he belongs to the low caste of Mali from Maharashtra. Ghulam Giri is the work written by Jyotiba Phule. He struggled against upper caste domination and Brahaminical supremacy through his Sathyashodhak Samaj founded in 1873. Deva Samaj (1887) It was started in 1887 by Shiv Narayan Agnihotri at Lahore. The religious text of this Samaj was Deva Shastra and the teaching Devadharma. N.M Joshi He founded the Social Service League at Bombay in 1911. He also founded the All India Trade Union Congress in 1920 at Bombay. He left AITUC in 1929 and started the Indian Trade Union Federation. H.N. Kunzru He founded the Seva Samiti at Allahabad in 1914. Veeresalingam Pantulu He founded the Rajmundri Social Reform Association in 1878. He promoted widow remarriage. Sikh Reform Movements In 1873, the Sikh Sabha Movement was founded at Amritsar. Kuka Movement was started with the aim of Sikh reform and restoration of Sikh sovereignty in Punjab by driving the British away.
Kuka movement was founded by Bagat Jawaharmal, popularly known as Sian Sahib in the 19th century. Akali Movement The next important Sikh reform movement was Akali movement. Main aim was to purify the management of the Sikh gurudwaras by removing the corrupt and selfish priests from them. Muslim Reform Movement Aligarh Movement This movement was started by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan for the social and educational advancement of the Muslims in India. Sir Syed Ahmed fought against obscurantism through his journal - Tahzid-ul- Akhlaq. In order to promote English education among the Muslims, he founded a modern school at Aligarh in 1875. Sir Syed Ahmedkhan founded 'Scientific Society' in 1864 for the upliftment of Muslim Society. Later this school was developed into the Muhammadan Anglo - Oriental College. Deobond Movement It was a movement that began after the foundation of the Dar - ul - Ulum at Deoband in 1866 by Maulana Hussain Ahmed. Ahrar Movement It was a movement founded in 1910 under the leadership of Maulana Muhammad Ali, Hakim Ajmal Khan etc. It was against the loyalist politics of the Aligarh Movement. Ahmadia Movement It was also known as the Qadiani Movement. Founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmed at Qadiami in Punjab. Main aim : Reforming Islam Civil, Tribal & Peasant Uprisings Sanyasi Rebellion In this rebellion, the Sanyasis or Fakirs including the Hindu and Muslim ascetics stood up against the oppressive tax collection of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in 1765. They were suppressed and this suppression included massacre of 150 Fakirs in 1771. Santal Rebellion With the establishment of the permanent settlement in 1793, Indian landlords were given ownership over land as long as they paid a stipulated tax to the state annually. Thus Santal lands came under colonial control. The introduction of a money- based economy pushed them into the clutches of rapacious money lenders and unscrupulous Bengali traders. On 30 June 1855, two Santal rebel leaders, Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu mobilized 30,000 Santhals and declared a rebellion against British colonists. The revolt was brutally crushed and Sidhu and Kanhu were killed. Wahabi Movement Wahabi movement in India was a part of the Indian freedom struggle as it offered a serious threat to British supremacy in India in the 19th century. The movement was led by Syed Ahmed Barelvi The Wahabi Movement essentially condemned all changes and innovations to Islam. It was a revivalist movement which held that the return to the true spirit of Islam was the only way to get rid of the socio political oppression. After the death of Syed Ahmed in May 1831, the two brothers Wilayat Ali and Enayat Ali carried on their revolutionary activities to end British dominion in India.
Champaran Satyagraha Gandhi s first great experiment in Satyagraha came in 1917 in Champaran, a district in Bihar. The European planters had been forcing the peasants to grow indigo on 3/20 of the total land (known as the Tinkathia system) and also to sell their products at a very low price. Gandhi started a satyagraha against this Tinkathia System. Government appointed a committee of enquiry on which Gandhiji served as a member. The committe of enquiry recommended some measures to alleviate the miseries of Indigo cultivators thereby bringing the satyagraha to an end. The British took brutal measures against this movement and were able to subdue it completely in 1870. Kuka Namdhari Movement This movement started in Punjab under the leadership of Jawarmal and Ram Singh in 1845. Its aim was to purify the Sikh religion but soon it drifted to become a political movement. English education, mill made cloth and other imported goods were boycotted. In 1872, Ram Singh was deported to Rangoon and died in Rangoon in 1881. Then the movement was crushed. Indigo Revolt (1859-1869) It was an uprising of indigo farmers against the indigo planters. The revolt started from Nadia where Bishnucharan Biswas and Digambar Biswas first took up arms against the planters. The indigo planters were put into public trial and executed. The revolt was ruthlessly suppressed. Kheda Satyagraha 1918 Gandhi s first no-revenue campaign. Due to the failure of crops, the peasants of Kheda, Gujarat had expressed their inability to pay the revenue. Gandhiji supported their cause and asked them to withhold the payment of revenue till their demand for its remission was met. Following the satyagraha the government had to ultimately accede to the demands of the peasants and issued instructions to collect the revenue only from those who could afford to pay it. During the Kheda Satyagraha, many young nationalists such as Sardar Vallabhabhai Patel and Indulal Yagnik became Gandhi s followers. Viceroys of India Lord Canning (1856-62) Revolt of 1857. Queen Victoria s Proclamation or India Act of 1858. Withdrawal of the Doctrine of Lapse in 1859, which was passed by Lord Dalhousie. Bardoli Satyagraha Bardoli satyagraha 1928 was a major episode of Indian independence movement. The movement was led by Vallabhbhai Patel. In 1925, Bardoli in Gujarat suffered from flood and famine. However the government of the Bombay Presidency had raised the tax rate by 30%. Patel organised no revenue campaign. Finally the government instiuted a commission under the chairmanship of Maxwell Broomfield to look into the Bardoli land revenue. The committe recommended to reduce land revenue to 6.02%
Foundation of the Universities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1857. Indigo Revolt in Bengal in 1859-60. White Mutiny by the European troops of East India Company in 1859. Indian Penal Code - 1860. Indian High Court Act - 1861. Bahadurshah II was sent to Rangoon Indian Councils Act of 1861. Enactment of Indian Code of Criminal Procedure. In 1859 a Rent Act was passed to protect the cultivators of Bengal from the oppression of the land - lords. He was the last governor general and the first viceroy of India. Lord Elgin (1862-63) Suppressed the Wahabi Movement Lord Elgin succeeded Lord Canning as Viceroy in 1862. He died of heart disease in 1863. Sir John Lawrence (1864-69) Created the Indian Forest Department. Followed a policy of rigid non-interference in Afghanistan called policy of masterly inactivity. Lord Mayo (1869-72) Wahabi and Kuka movements were active. He established the Rajkot college at Kathiawar and Mayo College at Ajmeer for the Indian Princes. He organised the Statistical Survey of India. Lord Mayo organised the first comprehensive census of India in 1872. He created a Department of Agriculture and Commerce. He was the only viceroy to be murdered in office by a convict in the Andamans in 1872. Lord Northbrook (1872-76) Kuka movement of Punjab turned rebellious during his period. He was believer of free trade. He lowered the import duty and abolished export duties on many commodities. Lord Lytton (1876-80) He is known as Viceroy of Reverse Character. Passing of the Royal Titles Act of 1876 and the assumption of the title empress of India (kaiseri-hind) by Queen Victoria, this event is called as Delhi Durbar (1877). Passing of the Vernacular Press Act of 1878. Passing of the Arms Act of 1878. Lowering of maximum age from 21 years to 19 years for the Civil Services Examination, an attempt to prevent Indians from entering Civil Services. Appointment of first Famine Commission under Sir Richard Strachey. Started Statutory Civil Service. Second Anglo Afghan war in 1878. Lord Ripon (1880-84) Passing of the first Factory Act in 1881 for the welfare of child labour. We do not ask favours, we only want justice - Dadabhai Naoroji. Dadabhai Naoroji is the author of the book Poverty and UnBritish Rule in India which contains the famous drain theory. Aurobindo Ghosh called INC a begging institute Bibin Chandra Pal viewed INC playing with bubble. Tilak, the father of Indian unrest said INC should distinguish between begging and claiming right Tilak said Rights are not begged they are claimed.
Repeal of Vernacular Press Act in 1882. Foundation of the Local Self Government (1882) Holding of the first decennial and regular census in 1881 which put the total population at 254 million. Appointment of an Education Commission under Sir William Hunter in 1882. He was a true liberal of the Gladstonian era with a strong belief in the virtues of peace, Laissez faire and self government. He took great interest in the welfare of the peasants and workers. He introduced a Tenancy to improve the condition of the ryots of Bengal and Oudh. The Ilbert bill controversy was occured. Lord Dufferin (1884-88) He was the Viceroy when Indian National Congress formed in 1885 December 28. Third Anglo Burmese war Commented on the Congress being a microscopic minority. Lord Lansdowne (1888-94) Factory Act of 1891. Indian Council Act of 1892. Appointment of Durand Commission to define the line between British India and Afghanistan. Lord Curzon (1899-1905) Creation of a new province called the North West Frontier Province. Appointment of Universities Commission in 1902 under Sir Thomas Releigh and passing of Indian Universities Act 1904. Early Associations Year Organisation founder... Place 1838 Landholders society Dwaraknath Tagore... Calcutta 1839 British India Society William Adams... London 1843 Bengal British Indian Society George Thomson... Calcutta 1851 British India Association Devendranath Tagore... Calcutta 1862 London India Committee C.P. Mudaliar... London 1866 East India Association Dadabhai Naoroji... London 1867 National Indian Association Mary Carpenter... London 1872 Indian Society Anand Mohan Bose... London 1875 Indian League Sisir kumar Ghosh... Calcatta 1876 Indian Association Anand Mohan Bose and S.N. Banerjee... Calcutta 1883 Indian National Society Shishir Chandra Bose... Calcutta 1884 Indian National Conference S N Banerjee... Calcutta 1885 Bombay Presidency Association Mehta and Telang... Bombay 1888 United India Patriotic Association Sir Syed Ahmed Khan... Aligarh 1905 Servants of India Society g.k. Gokhale... Bombay 1920 Indian Trade Union Congress NM Joshi (founder)... Lucknow Lala Lajpat Rai (President) 1924 All India Communist Party Satyabhakta... Kanpur 1928 Khudai Khidmatgar Abdul Gaffar Khan... Peshwar 1936 All India Kisan Sabha Sahajananda and N.J. Ranga... Lucknow 1940 Radical Democratic Party M.N. Roy... Calcutta
Partition of Bengal took place in 1905. Created Archaeological Department under the leadership of John Marshal. Foreign policy was mainly concerned with Afghanistan, Peria and Tibet. The Punjab Land Alienation Act of 1900 provided against eviction of cultivators by money - lenders. The Land Revenue Regulation of 1902 made assessment and classification of revenue more liberal. Gopal Krishna Gokhale compared Lord Curzon to the Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb and the Czar of Russia. Lord Minto II (1905-1910) Popularisation of anti-partition and Swadeshi Movement. Split in congress in the annual session of 1907 in Surat. Establishment of Muslim League at Dhaka in 1906 by Aga Khan and Salimullah. Indian Councils Act 1909. He is regarded as the father of communal electorate system in India. Separate electorate for Muslims. Lord Hardinge (1910-1916) Repeal of partition of Bengal. Transfer of Capital from Calcutta to Delhi. Delhi Durbar and coronation of King George V and Queen Mary Establishment of Hindu Mahasabha by Madan Mohan Malavya. Defense of India Act was passed in 1915. Lord Chelmsford (1916-21) The Government of India Act of 1919 was passed. Rowlact Act, 1919 Foundation of women s university at Poona. Appointed Hunter Commission to investigate Jalianwala Bagh Massacre. Chamber of Princes established in 1921. Home Rule League founded by Annie Besant. Third Afghan war started. Aligarh Muslim University was founded in 1920. Lord Reading (1921-26) Foundation of Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh by K.B. Hedgewar at Nagpur in 1925. Beginning of Indianisation of the officers cadre of the Indian Army. Railway Budget was separated from General Budget in 1921. Hilton Young Committee on currency was appointed in 1926. Viswa Bharati University started by Rabindra Nath Tagore. Train Robbery at Kakori. The British Viceroy who abolished Devadasi System. Chauri - Chaura incident occured. Rowlat Act repealed. Lord Irwin (1926-31) Popularly known as Christian Viceroy. Simon Commission arrived in Bombay - 1928 February. Meerut conspiracy case. Gandhi started his Dandi March. Chitagong Armoury Raid. Lahore Congress, declaration of Poorna Swaraj held. First Round Table Conference was his period. Gandhi-Irwin pact - 1931 March Lord Willingdon (1931-36) Communal Award in 1932 by Ramsay Mac Donald. Poona Pact was signed. Third Round Table Conference in 1932.
White Paper on Political reforms in India was published in 1933. Burma was separated from British Empire in 1935. Govt. of India Act of 1935. Lord Linlithgow (1936-43) August Offer by the Viceroy in which he declared dominion status as the ultimate goal of British policy in India. In 1940 individual Civil Disobedience Movement was started. 1942 Cripps Mission came. Congress starts Quit India Movement. Lord Wavell (1943-47) Wavell Plan, Simla conference Congress represented by Maulana Azad Royal Naval Mutiny of 1946. Interim Government was formed (September 2, 1946) Prime Minister of Britain Clement Atlee announced to give independence to India before June 1948. Cabinet Mission arrived in 1946. 16th August 1946, Muslim League observed Direct Action day. Lord Mountbatten (1947-48) Last Viceroy of British India and first Governor General of free India. Indian Independence Act was prepared. India was divided under his leadership. His plan to make India free on August 15, 1947 is also known as June 3rd Plan. Indian National Congress The INC was founded in December 28, 1885 at the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay. Founder of Indian National Congress: A.O. Hume 72 delegates participated in the first session of the INC. First president of INC : W.C. Banerjee G. Subramanya Iyer moved the first resolution in the first session. The Indian Association of S.N. Banerjee and Anand Mohan Bose, organised an All Indian National Conference at Calcutta in 1885 December. The term congress was derived from the history of The United States of America. Congress means assembly of the people. A.O. Hume was the first General Secretary of INC. The Second Session of the INC met at Calcutta in December 1886, under the presidentship of Dadabhai Naoroji. The second session was attended by 436 delegates. The period from 1885 to 1905 is known as the Moderate Phase of Indian National Congress. Prominent leaders of this phase were Dadabhai Naoroji, Badruddin Tyabji, Feroz Shah Mehta, S u rendranath B a n e r j e e, G o p a l a k r i s h n a Gokhale etc. The Congress Sessions lasted only for three days a year. The Grand Old Man of India: Dadabhai Naoroji (also known as Father of Indian Economics and Politics) Dadabhai Naoroji founded the East Indian Association in 1866. The name Congress was suggested to the organisation by Dadabhai Naoroji. Naoroji was the first Indian to become a member of the House of Commons on the Liberal Parties ticket. Naoroji became the president of INC thrice, in 1886, 1893 and 1906. He was the chief propounder of Brain Drain Theory and "Wealth Drain Theory.
Indian National Congress and its Important Sessions Year Place President 1885 Bombay W.C. Banerjee 1886 Calcutta Dadabhai Nauroji 1887 Madras Badruddin Tyabji 1888 Allahabad George Yule 1889 Bombay William Wedderburn 1890 Calcutta Pheroz Shah Mehta 1893 Lahore Dadabhai Nauroji 1896 Calcutta M.A. Sayani 1897 Amaravati C. Sankaran Nair 1904 Bombay Henry Cotton 1905 Benaras Gopal Krishna Gokhale 1906 Calcutta Dadabhai Nauroji 1907 Surat Rash Bihari Ghosh 1910 Allahabad William Wedderburn 1911 Calcutta B.N. Dhar 1916 Lucknow A.C. Majumdar 1917 Calcutta Anni Besant 1923 Kakinada Maulana Mohammad Ali 1924 Belgaum Mahatma Gandhi 1925 Kanpur Sarojini Naidu 1929 Lahore Jawaharlal Nehru 1931 Karachi Vallabhbhai Patel 1933 Calcutta Nellie Sengupta 1938 Haripura Subhash Chandra Bose 1939 Tripuri Subhash Chandra Bose 1940 Ramgarh Moulana Abul Kalam Azad 1946 Meerut J.B. Kripalani He was the author of famous book Poverty and UnBritish Rule in India. We do not ask favours, we only want justice words of Dadabai Naoroji. He founded Gyan Prakash Mandali and Bombay Association in 1852. First Muslim president of INC: Badruddin Tyabji Badruddin Tyabji was the first Indian barrister at Bombay High Court. He became the third president of INC in Madras session in 1887. During the forth session of INC (1888 Allahabad) emphasis was given on the formation of its constitution. George Yule was the first foreigner to become the President of INC (1888 Allahabd) The British Committee of INC was founded in 1889. William Wedderburn was the second foreigner to became the President of INC (1889 Bombay) He was the first foreigner to preside twice the INC Sessions. (1889 Bombay, 1910 Allahabad) During the Nagur Session of 1891, the word National was added to congress. For the first time National Song Vande Mataram was sung in the Calcutta session of INC 1896. C. Sankarannair was the first Malayali to become the President of INC. He presided 13th session of INC at Amaravathi on 1897. Gopal Krisha Gokhale presided the Benaras Session of Congress 1905. In this session INC decided to start Swadeshi and boycott movement against partition of Bengal. Ravindranath Tagore composed Amar Sonar Bengala as a part of anti partition movement which later became the National anthem of Bangladesh. Boycott of British product was first suggested by Krishna Kumar Mitra in Sanjivanis. The split between the moderates and extremists came at the Surat Session of the congress in December 1907.
Dr. Rash Behari Ghosh was the President of the INC at the time of this split. The main leaders of the extremist group were Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh. During the Madras Session (1908) INC formed its constitution. In the Lucknow session of the congress (1916) the two functions of congress (extremists and moderates ) reunited. This session was presided by Ambika Charan Majumadar. Mrs. Annie Besant was the first woman President of INC (1917 Culcutta). During the Delhi Session (1918) along with SN Banarjee many liberals resigned from congress. During the special session of the congress in Calcutta (1920) Gandhiji proposed to start Noncooperation movement. During the Delhi Session (1923) Indian National Congress decided to establish All India Khadi Board. Only session presided over by Gandhi - Belgaum (1924). Sarojini Naidu was the first Indian woman to become the President of Indian National Congress (1925 Kanpur). During the Guwahati Session of INC (1926) wearing Khadi was made compulsory to its workers. For the first time National Anthem Jana Gana Mana was sung in the Calcutta session of INC 1911. In Madras Session of the INC (1927) proposals for independence and to boycott Simmon Commission were passed. During Calcutta Session (1928) All India Youth Congress was established. Complete independence was demanded for the first time at Lahore Session in 1929. It was presided by Jawaharlal Nehru. Jawaharlal Nehru observed the Early congress to be an English Knowing Upper Class affair. During the Karachi Session (1931) Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy proposals were passed. Nelli Sen Gupta became the third woman to become the President of Indian National Congress (1933 Calcutta) First Session held in a village was 1937 session held at Faizapur. In this session congress decided to take part in election of 1937. 1938 Session of congress was held in Haripura village, it was presided by Subash Chandra Bose. First in Indian National Congress First President W.C. Banerjee First Muslim President Badruddin Tyabji First English President George Yule First Malayali President C. Sankaran Nair First Woman President Anni Besant First Indian Woman President Sarojini Naidu First Elected President Subhash Chandra Bose During the Tripuri Session (1939) Subash Chandra Bose defeated Pattabi Sitaramayya (Gandhi s candidate in presidential election) In Ramgarh Session (1940) decision was taken on individual sathyagraha. Acharya J.B. Kripalani was the President of INC when India wins freedom.
Partition of Bengal (1905) Partition of Bengal was announced in July 1905 by the Viceroyalty of Lord Curzon. The partition came into effect on October 16, 1905. The government version was that the partition of Bengal was purely an administrative measure. Partition of Bengal led to staunch opposition. The Indian national congress viewed the partition as an attempt to divide and rule policy. Agitation against the partition manifested itself in the form of mass meetings, rural unrest and Swadesi movement. They started mass movement declaring October 16, 1905 as the days of mourning in Calcutta. In 1906 Rabindranath Tagore wrote Amar Sona Bangla as a cry against the partition of Bengal. The ceremony of Raksha Bandhan was observed on October 16, 1905. Hindus and Muslims tied rakhis on each other s wrist showing solidarity. But due to extensive political protest against Bengal partition, the eastern and western part of Bengal were reunited in 1911. Swadeshi Movement 1905 The Swadeshi movement started with the partition of Bengal by the viceroy Lord Curzon in 1905 and continued up to 1911. Its chief architects were Aurobindo Ghosh, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandrapal and Lala Lajpat Rai. This movement involved the boycott of the British products. The western clothes were thrown in burn fires and it was an act of honour to wear the local Indian clothes. A resolution to boycott British goods was adopted on August 7, 1905 at a meeting of INC at Calcutta. Charka came to typify the popular concern for country s economic self - sufficiency. Swadesh Bandhav Samiti of Barisal founded by Ashwini Kumar Dutt was the largest volunteer body to support Swadeshi Movement. First real labour union - The Printers Union was formed on October 1905. Tilak began the Swadesh Vastra Pracharine Sabha to propagate Swadeshi Movement. Savarkar founded Mitra mela. The main drawback of the Swadeshi movement was that it was not able to garner the support of the mass Muslims. Formation of Muslim League 1906 Muslim League was setup in 1906 under the leadership of Aga Khan, Nawab Salimullah of Dhaka and Nawab Mohsin - ul- Mulk. In 1928, the Muslim League rejected the Nehru Report, as it did not incorporate all their demands. This led to the estrangement of Jinnah and formulated his infamous fourteen points (including separate - electorates, reservation of seats in the centre and provinces, reservation of jobs for Muslims, creation of new Muslim majority provinces etc.) which became the text of the communal demands. Muhammed Iqbal, who presided over the Allahabad session of the League in 1930 gave the idea of Separate Muslim State in North West India. In 1939, December 22 - The Muslim League observes the resignation of the congress ministries as Deliverance Day.
Famous Conspiracy Cases Case Year Accused Nasik 1909-10 Vinayak Savarkar Conspiracy Alipore 1908 Aurobindo Ghosh Hawrah case 1910 Jatin Mukharjee Dacca Case 1910 Pulin Das Delhi case 1912 Amirchand, Awad Bihari & Rash Behari Bose Lahore case 1929-30 Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev Banaras case 1915-16 Sachindranath Sanyal Kakori case 1925 Rama Prasad Bismil In 1940, March - Lahore session of the Muslim League passed the Pakistan Resolution. On December 1943 the Karachi session of the Muslim League adopts the slogan Divide and Quit. The name Pakistan was framed by Rahmat Ali. Surat Split (1907) The INC split into two groups. The extremist and the moderates at the Surat session in 1907. Extremists were led by Balgangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal while the moderates were led by Gopala Krishna Gokhale. After the Surat Split the congress remained under the control of the Moderates. The Moderates did not approve the boycott of foreign goods but the Extremists favoured it. The Moderates continued to have faith in the good intensions of the British government. They wanted self government in gradual stages, while the Extremists wanted complete autonomy at the earliest. and Ashfaq Minto Morley Reforms of 1909 Minto Morley reforms envisaged a separate electorate for Muslims. The Indian Councils Act of 1909 is commonly known as the Minto- Morley reforms. It effectively allowed the election of Indians to the various legislative councils in India for the first time. It provided for the association of Indians with the executive councils of Viceroy and Governors. Satyendra Prasad Zinha became the first Indian to join the viceroys executive council. He was appointed as law member. Indian Muslims will be allotted reserved seats in the Municipal and district Boards, in the Provincial councils and in the imperial Legislature and that Muslims should vote for candidates for the Muslim seats (separate electorates) The real purpose of the reforms of 1909 was to confuse the Moderate nationalists and to check the growth of unity among Indians. Ghadar Party of India 1913 The word Ghadar means revolt or rebellion. It was started and organized by the Indian immigrants, to Canada and USA. The Ghadar party was initially known as Pacific Coast Hindustan Association. Formed by Lala Hardayal, Tarakanath Das and Sohan Singh Bhakna. The name was taken from a weekly paper, The Ghadar. The first issue of The Ghadar was published from San Francisco on Ist November 1913. Its head quarters was at San Francisco
They attempted to bring about an armed revolt in India on February 21, 1915. The plan was failed due to treachery. The rebellious regiments were disbanded and their leaders were either imprisoned or hanged. Home Rule Movement (1916) Home Rule Movement was started by Annie Besant and Tilak in 1916. The objectives of Home Rule movement were Self Government for India in British empire Work for national education, social and political reforms. Annie Besant launched a campaign through her two papers New India and Common weal. Tilak s Home Rule Movement was to work in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Central Provinces and Berar and Annie Besant s in the rest of India. Home Rule Movement declined after Besant accepted the proposed Montagu -Chelmsford Reform and Tilak went to Britain First Textile Mill : Bombay (1853) First Jute Mill at Rishra in Bengal (1855) First Factory Act was passed in 1881. The Second Factory Act was passed in 1891. First Industrial Commission was appointed in 1875. The first real labour union was formed in October 1901 in Calcutta called the Printers Union. The Madras Labour Union was the first organisation with regular membership and was started by G. Ramanujalu Naidu, G. Challapathi and was presided over by B.P. Wadia in 1918. Trade Union Act was passed in 1926 Lucknow Pact(1916) Lucknow Pact was signed in 1916. By this pact, the Congress accepted the separate electorates given to the Muslims by the 1909 Act. Lucknow pact was brought about by Tilak and Jinnah. It was first time that the congress recognised the Muslim League as the political party representing the Muslims of the region. The pact brought about a change, temporary although, in the attitude of the Muslims towards the Hindu Congress Both organisations jointly demanded dominions status for the country. The Lucknow Congress also demanded a further dose of constitutional reforms as a step towards self government. Montague-Chelmsford Reforms (1919) In 1918 Edwin Montague, the Secretary of State, and Lord Chelmsford, the Viceroy produced their scheme of constitutional reforms known as the Montague - Chelmsford Reforms, which led to the enactment of the Government of India Act of 1919. Salient Features of the Act The council of Secretary of State was to comprise 8 to 12 people, three of them Indian. Dyarchy system was introduced in the provinces. Provincial subjects were divided into Reserved subjects and Transferred subjects. The Central Legislature was to consist of two houses, the council of the state and the Legislative Assembly. Provincial legislatures were to be unicameral. Sikhs, Anglo - Indians, Christians and Europeans were also given the right of separate electorates.
The Legislature had virtually no control over the Governor General and his Executive Council. One important development during the period was the evolution of the office of the speaker. Rowlatt Act (1919) This Act authorised the Government to imprison any person without trial and convict in a court of law. The Rowlact Act came into effect on 10th March 1919. This Act thus, severely curtailed the civil liberties of Indians in the name of curbing terror. The official name of the Rowlatt Act was the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act (1919). Sir Sydney Rowlatt was the president of the committee to make proposals for the Act.. Gandhiji decided to start Satyagraha against the proposed Rowlatt Act. The date for the first country wide Hartal was fixed on March 30 and then shifted to April 6, 1919. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919) In protest to the Rowlatt Act, Amritsar observed Hartal peacefully both on 30 March & 6 April 1919. The arrest of Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlu and Dr. Satyapal on 10 April, 1919, under the Rowlatt Act in connection with satyagraha caused serious unrest in Punjab. The result was a public meeting announced for 13 April 1919 in Jallianwala Bagh. The meeting started and there were about 6000 to 10,000 people present in the meeting. Without giving any warning to the people to disperse General Dyer ordered the troops to fire. Many people were killed. On this occasion Tagore renounced his Knighthood in protest. Gandhiji renounced the Kaiser-i-Hind medal given to him for his work during the Boer War. Sarojini Naidu renounced the little 'Kaiser - i- Hind' Sardar Udham Singh, who took the name Ram Muhammed Singh, murdered Dyer in England as a revenge to the Massacre. Khilafat Movement (1920) During the first world war, Turkey was allied with Germany and Austria against the British. The Indian Muslims regarded the Sultan of Turkey as their spiritual leader, Khalifa. After the war, the British removed the Khalifa from power and fragmented Turkey. Hence, the Muslims started the Khilafat movement in India for the restoration of the Khalifa s position. Their main demand was Khalifa s control should be retained over the Muslim sacred places. A Khilafat committee was formed under the leadership of Ali brothers, Maulana Azad, Hakim Ajmal khan, and Hasrat Mohani. Gandhiji decided to extend support to the Khilafat movement as this was to him an opportunity of uniting the Hindus and Muslims On 1 June 1920 the Khilafat Committee at Allahabad unanimously accepted Gandhiji s suggestion of non co-operation and asked him to lead the Movement. The Khilafat Movement lost its relevance due to the reforms of Mustafa Kamal Pasha in Turkey. He abolished Khilafat and made Turkey a secular state. Non - Co-operation Movement (1920) The Non - Cooperation movement was formally launched on 1 August 1920.
This movement was launched as per the resolution of Calcutta Session and ratified in Nagpur session in December 1920. It was the first mass based political movement under Gandhiji. The main emphasis of the movement was on renunciation of Government titles, boycotting law courts, Government educational institutions, foreign goods and advocacy of the use of the Charka. Swaraj or self rule redressal of Punjab wrongs and Khilafat issue were demanded through Non - Cooperation Movement. The Government declared the activities of the congress and Khilafat volunteers as illegal. By the end of 1921, all prominent nationalist leaders, except Gandhiji were imprisoned. The Government showed no signs of relenting as a result Gandhiji decided to intensify the movement. However before the movement could be further intensified mass violence erupted at Chauri Chaura, a village in the Gorakhpur district of UP. Congress volunteers burnt down a policestation and about 22 English policemen. Gandhiji called off the non Co-operation Movement on Feb. 12, 1922. Gandhiji was arrested and tried at Ahmedabad on March 18, 1922 and sentenced to six years imprisonment. Chauri Chaura Incident (1922) A mob of countrymen of Chauri - Chaura near Gorakhpur in UP, clashed with police. They burnt police station and killed 22 police men. This compelled Gandhiji to call off Non-cooperation Movement. The Swaraj Party (1922) The decision of Gandhiji to suspend non - cooperation movement resulted in the differences between the two sections of congress. As a result one section left the party and formed the Swarajist Party. The formation of the new party by C.R Das and Motilal Nehru was formally announced on January 1923 and its first conference was held at Allahabad in March 1923. They pleaded for the capture of seats in the legislatures. The Swaraj Party fought the election in 1923 and won a majority in the legislative council of the central provinces. Vithalbhai J Patel became the President (speaker) of the Central Legislative Assembly. With the death of Chittranjan Das in 1925 and with Motilal Nehru s return to the congress the following year, the Swaraj Party was greatly weakened. Kakori Conspiracy Kakori Conspiracy was a train robbery that took place between Kakori and Alamnagar, near Lucknow on 9 August 1925. The idea of this robbery was conceived by Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqullah Khan who belonged to the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). The objective of HSRA was to conduct an armed revolution against the British Government. On 9th August 1925, the number 8 down Train which carried the money bags belonging to the British Government Treasury in the guard s van was looted. Bismil was arrested on September 26, 1925 and Ashfaqullahkhan was arrested ten months later. Both were sentenced to death. Delhi Central Assembly bomb case Delhi Central Assembly bombing was done to protest the introduction of the Public Safety Bill and the Trade Dispute Bill.
The HSRA decided to bomb the Assembly while the bills were being introduced to arouse public opinion against them. On April 8, 1929 Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs at the empty treasury benches. They made no attempt to escape and courted arrest while shouting Inquilab Zindabad and Samrajyavad ko nash (down with the imperialism). This leaflet was also thrown in the assembly. No one was killed in the bombing as it was designed as a propaganda operation. Simon Commission In November 1927, the British Government appointed the Indian Statutory Commission, popularly known as Simon Commission, to go into the question of further constitution reform. Despite clear opposition of various political groups in India, the government announced that Simon Commission would visit India. As soon as the members of the Commission landed at Bombay a complete hartal was observed. Wherever the Commission went, it was greeted with black flags and slogans of Simon go back. The police mercilessly beat demonstrations at Lahore and Lala Lajpat Rai received serious lathi blows, which proved fatal. In May 1930 the Simon Commission Report was published. It did not recommend the establishment of either responsible government or dyarchy at the centre. Separate electorates were retained. It proposed reservation of seats for depressed classes. It recommended scrapping of dyarchy in the provinces and establishment of responsible unitary government in provinces. The report was rejected by almost all Indian parties. The outcome of the Simon Commission was the Government of India Act of 1935, which established representative government at the provincial level in India. Lahore Conspiracy After the death of Lala Lajpat Rai on 17 December 1928, Bhagat Singh, Azad and Rajguru assassinated Saunders, a police official at Lahore who involved in the Lathi - charge on Lala Lajpat Rai. In the Lahore Conspiracy Case Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru and Sukh Dev were executed in the Lahore jail on 23 March 1931. Trade Union Movement in India The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) was founded in 1920. Lala Lajpati Rai was the first president of AITUC. The Trade Union Act of 1926 organised trade unions as legal Associations. The Jamshedpur Labour Association was founded by S.N. Haldar and Byomkesh Chakravarthy in 1920. In 1929, All India Trade Union Federation was formed under the leadership of N.M Joshi. The Congress Socialist Party was founded in 1934. The main leaders were Jayaprakash Narayan, Basawon Singh and Acharya Narendra Dev. Kanpur Labour Enquiry Committee was founded under the chairmanship of Rajendra Prasad. Indian National Trade Union Congress (IN- TUC) is the trade union wing of the Indian National Congress. It was founded on May 3, 1947, affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation.