India GK one liner - History of India

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Ancient India: Indus Valley Civilization and Vedic Period

• Who first discovered the Harappan Civilization (Indus Valley Civilization) in the year 1921? - Dayaram Sahni
• In which state is 'Lothal', the famous port city of the Indus Valley Civilization, located? - Gujarat
• Evidence of the 'Great Bath' has been obtained from which city of the Indus Valley? - Mohenjo-daro
• From which site of the Indus Valley Civilization was the famous statue of the 'Dancing Girl' found? - Mohenjo-daro
• From which city of the Indus Valley Civilization have evidences of a 'Ploughed Field' been found? - Kalibangan (Rajasthan)
• Which is considered the largest site of the Indus Valley Civilization in India? - Rakhigarhi (Haryana)
• How many Mandalas and Suktas are there in total in the Rigveda? - 10 Mandalas and 1028 Suktas
• In which Mandala of the Rigveda is the famous 'Gayatri Mantra' mentioned? - In the third Mandala
• Which was the river considered most sacred in the Rigvedic period? - Saraswati River
• From which Upanishad is the sentence 'Satyameva Jayate' taken in the Vedic period? - From Mundaka Upanishad
• Which is the oldest Veda among the four Vedas? - Rigveda
• Which Veda is considered related to music? - Samaveda
• In which Veda is the description of spells, magic, and medicines found? - Atharvaveda
• In which Veda are the rules related to sacrifice and ritual mentioned? - Yajurveda
• What was the basic social unit of Vedic society? - Kula or family
• On the banks of which river was the famous 'Battle of the Ten Kings' (Dasharajna War) fought? - Parushni (Ravi) River
• Which sacrifice was performed at the time of the king's coronation in the Later Vedic period? - Rajasuya Yajna
• How many Upanishads are there in total? - 108
• How many 'Vedangas' were composed to correctly understand the Vedas? - 6 Vedangas
• What type of script did the Indus Valley Civilization have? - Pictographic, which has not yet been deciphered

Mahajanapadas, Buddhism and Jainism

• How many major Mahajanapadas are mentioned in India in the 6th century BCE? - 16 Mahajanapadas
• In which Buddhist text is the list of 16 Mahajanapadas found? - In Anguttara Nikaya
• What was the initial capital of the Magadha Mahajanapada? - Rajgriha (Girivraja)
• Where was Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, born? - Lumbini (Nepal)
• Where did Gautama Buddha give his first sermon (Dhammacakkappavattana)? - Sarnath (Varanasi)
• At which place on the banks of the Niranjana River under a Peepal tree did Gautama Buddha attain enlightenment? - In Bodh Gaya
• In which Mahajanapada was Kushinagar, the site of Gautama Buddha's Mahaparinirvana (death), located? - In Malla Republic
• Where was the first Buddhist Council held during the reign of Ajatashatru? - In Rajgriha
• Where was the second Buddhist Council held during the reign of Kalashoka? - In Vaishali
• Where was the third Buddhist Council organized during the reign of Emperor Ashoka? - In Pataliputra
• Where was the fourth Buddhist Council held during the reign of Kanishka, in which Buddhism was divided into Hinayana and Mahayana? - In Kundalvana (Kashmir)
• Who was the first Tirthankara and founder of Jainism? - Lord Rishabhdev (Adinath)
• Who was the 23rd Tirthankara of Jainism? - Lord Parshvanath
• Who was the 24th and final Tirthankara of Jainism? - Lord Mahavira Swami
• Where was Lord Mahavira Swami born? - In Kundagram of Vaishali
• In which language did Lord Mahavira Swami give his first sermon? - In Prakrit (Ardhamagadhi) language
• What are the Triratna (Three Jewels) of Jainism? - Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct
• What are the 'Tripitaka' in Buddhism? - Sutta Pitaka, Vinaya Pitaka, and Abhidhamma Pitaka
• Which fifth Mahavrata did Mahavira Swami add to the four Mahavratas given by Parshvanath? - Brahmacharya
• Where was the first Jain Council held under the chairmanship of Sthulabhadra? - In Pataliputra

Mauryan Empire and Shunga Dynasty

• Who founded the Mauryan Dynasty in 322 BCE after defeating Dhanananda? - Chandragupta Maurya
• Who was the Prime Minister of Chandragupta Maurya and the author of the famous text 'Arthashastra'? - Chanakya (Kautilya/Vishnugupta)
• Which Greek ambassador came to the court of which Mauryan ruler? - Megasthenes, in the court of Chandragupta Maurya
• What was the name of the famous book written by Megasthenes? - Indica
• From whom did Chandragupta Maurya take initiation into Jainism in his last days? - Bhadrabahu
• At which place did Chandragupta Maurya die through Sallekhana (fasting)? - In Shravanabelagola (Karnataka)
• What name was given to Bindusara, the son of Chandragupta Maurya, by Greek writers? - Amitraghata (Slayer of enemies)
• In which year did Emperor Ashoka sit on the throne of Magadha? - In 269 BCE
• In which year was the famous 'Kalinga War' fought? - In 261 BCE (8th year of his coronation)
• Which inscription of Ashoka provides information about the heart-wrenching description of the Kalinga War? - From the 13th inscription
• After the Kalinga War, from which Buddhist monk did Ashoka take initiation into Buddhism? - Upagupta
• Who first read Ashoka's inscriptions in 1837? - James Prinsep
• In which script are most of Ashoka's inscriptions written? - Brahmi script
• Which Mauryan Emperor built the Sanchi Stupa (Madhya Pradesh)? - Emperor Ashoka
• What was the chief tax-collecting officer called in the Mauryan period? - Samaharta
• Who was the last ruler of the Mauryan Empire? - Brihadratha
• Who founded the Shunga Dynasty in 185 BCE by killing Brihadratha, the last ruler of the Mauryan Empire? - Pushyamitra Shunga
• Patanjali was the priest of which Shunga ruler, who composed 'Mahabhashya'? - Pushyamitra Shunga
• During the period of which dynasty did the famous Bharhut Stupa undergo restoration? - In the Shunga period
• Agnimitra, the hero of the play 'Malavikagnimitram' composed by Kalidasa, was a king of which dynasty? - Shunga Dynasty

Gupta Empire and Vardhana Dynasty

• Who is given the credit for the establishment of the Gupta Empire? - Srigupta
• Who was the first great ruler of the Gupta dynasty who assumed the title of 'Maharajadhiraja'? - Chandragupta I
• Which Gupta ruler started the Gupta Era (319-320 CE)? - Chandragupta I
• Which Gupta ruler is called the Napoleon of India? - Samudragupta
• Who described the achievements of Samudragupta in the Prayag Prashasti (Allahabad Pillar Inscription)? - Harisena
• Which Gupta ruler is shown 'playing the Veena' on his coins? - Samudragupta
• Who was the famous Gupta ruler who assumed the title of 'Vikramaditya'? - Chandragupta II (Chandragupta Vikramaditya)
• Which famous Chinese traveler 'Faxian' came to India during the reign of which Gupta ruler? - Chandragupta II
• Which Gupta king's court was graced by Navratnas (like Kalidasa, Dhanvantari, Varahamihira)? - Chandragupta II
• Which Gupta ruler founded the Nalanda University? - Kumaragupta I
• Which Gupta ruler is credited with repelling the Huna invasion of India? - Skandagupta
• Which period is called the 'Golden Age' of ancient India? - The Gupta period
• The famous astronomers Aryabhata and Varahamihira were great scholars of which period? - Gupta period
• Where was the Vardhana (Pushyabhuti) dynasty founded? - In Thanesar (Haryana)
• Who was the most powerful and great emperor of the Vardhana dynasty? - Harshavardhana (606-647 CE)
• Where did Emperor Harshavardhana move his capital from Thanesar? - To Kannauj
• During whose reign did the famous Chinese traveler 'Xuanzang' come to India? - Harshavardhana
• What are the famous books composed by Banabhatta, the court poet of Harshavardhana? - Harshacharita and Kadambari
• Which Chalukya king defeated Emperor Harshavardhana on the banks of the Narmada River? - Pulakeshin II
• What are the three famous Sanskrit plays composed by Harshavardhana? - Priyadarsika, Ratnavali, and Nagananda

South Indian Dynasties

• Which three major dynasties were ruling in South India during the Sangam period? - Chola, Chera, and Pandya
• Who founded the Pallava dynasty and where was its capital? - Simhavishnu (Capital: Kanchipuram)
• Which Pallava ruler built the famous 'Ratha Temples' (Seven Pagodas) of Mahabalipuram? - Narasimhavarman I
• Which Pallava ruler built the famous 'Kailasanathar Temple' of Kanchipuram? - Narasimhavarman II
• Who was the greatest ruler of the Chalukya dynasty of Badami (Vatapi)? - Pulakeshin II
• Who founded the Rashtrakuta dynasty in 753 CE? - Dantidurga (Capital: Manyakheta)
• Which Rashtrakuta ruler built the world-famous monolithic 'Kailasa Temple' (Cave No. 16) of Ellora? - Krishna I
• Who re-established the medieval Chola dynasty in the 9th century? - Vijayalaya (850 CE)
• Where was the capital of the Chola Empire located? - Thanjavur (Tanjore)
• Which Chola ruler built the famous 'Brihadisvara Temple' (Rajarajeshwara Temple) of Thanjavur? - Rajaraja I
• Who was the Chola king who attained full victory over Sri Lanka and assumed the title of Gangaikonda Cholapuram? - Rajendra I
• What was the most significant and unique feature of Chola administration? - Autonomous Rural Administration (Local Self-Government)
• The famous bronze statues of Nataraja are the finest gift of the art of which empire? - The Chola Empire
• Who was the great ruler of the Chalukya dynasty of Kalyani in whose court Vijnaneshwara, the author of 'Mitakshara', lived? - Vikramaditya VI
• Which Rashtrakuta king composed the Kannada text named 'Kavirajamarga'? - Amoghavarsha
• Where was the capital of the Hoysala dynasty located? - Dwarasamudra (Halebidu)
• Where was the capital of the Pandya dynasty located, which was famous for its pearl trade? - In Madurai
• Who was the most powerful king of the Chera dynasty who started the 'Pattini Puja' (Sati worship)? - Senguttuvan (Red Chera)
• What were gold coins called in the Chola period? - Kalanju
• During the reign of which Pallava ruler was the 'Shore Temple' of Mahabalipuram built? - Narasimhavarman II

Early Medieval India and Rajput Era

• Between which three powers was the Tripartite Struggle fought for control over Kannauj? - Palas, Pratiharas, and Rashtrakutas
• Who was the founder of the Pala dynasty of Bengal? - Gopala (750 CE)
• Which Pala ruler founded the Vikramshila University (Bihar)? - Dharmapala
• Who was the most powerful and great ruler of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty? - Mihira Bhoja
• By which Tomar ruler was the city of Delhi founded in the 11th century? - By Anangpal Tomar
• Who was the court poet of Prithviraj Chauhan (Prithviraj III) who wrote 'Prithviraj Raso'? - Chand Bardai
• Between whom was the First Battle of Tarain (1191 CE) fought and who was victorious? - Between Prithviraj Chauhan and Muhammad Ghori (Prithviraj Chauhan victorious)
• In the Second Battle of Tarain (1192 CE), whom did Muhammad Ghori defeat? - Prithviraj Chauhan
• In the Battle of Chandawar (1194 CE), which Gahadavala king of Kannauj did Muhammad Ghori defeat? - Jaichand
• By which dynasty were the Khajuraho temples of Bundelkhand built? - By the Chandel dynasty
• Who built the famous Dilwara Jain temples of Rajasthan (Mount Abu)? - By the ministers of Solanki (Chalukya) ruler Siddharaj/Bhimdev
• Which Ganga dynasty ruler built the famous 'Sun Temple' in Konark, Odisha? - Narasimhadeva I
• Which ruler built the famous Jagannath Temple of Puri (Odisha)? - Anantavarman Chodaganga
• Jayadeva, the author of 'Gita Govinda', was the court poet of which Bengal ruler? - Lakshmana Sena
• Which ruler of the Karkota dynasty of Kashmir built the Martand Sun Temple? - Lalitaditya Muktapida
• Who was the most powerful king of the Paramara dynasty who was known for his scholarship and architectural patronage? - Raja Bhoja
• Who made the first Muslim invasion of India on Sindh in 712 CE? - Muhammad bin Qasim
• How many times did Mahmud of Ghazni invade India in total? - 17 times
• In which year did Mahmud of Ghazni invade the Somnath Temple (Gujarat)? - In 1025 CE
• Who was the author of the book 'Kitab-ul-Hind' (Tahriq-e-Hind) who came to India with Mahmud of Ghazni? - Al-Biruni

Delhi Sultanate: Slave, Khalji and Tughlaq

• Which ruler of the Slave dynasty founded the Delhi Sultanate in 1206 CE? - Qutubuddin Aibak
• Which ruler of the Slave dynasty was given the title 'Lakh Baksh' (Giver of Lakhs)? - Qutubuddin Aibak
• In whose memory did Qutubuddin Aibak lay the foundation of 'Qutub Minar' in Delhi? - Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
• Who completed the construction work of Qutub Minar? - Iltutmish
• Qutubuddin Aibak died in 1210 CE falling from a horse while playing which game? - Chaugan (Polo)
• Who was the real founder of the Delhi Sultanate and the ruler who started the 'Iqta system'? - Iltutmish
• Who formed the 'Turkan-i-Chahalgani' (Chalisa), a group of forty Turkish nobles? - Iltutmish
• Who was the first woman Muslim ruler of India? - Razia Sultan (daughter of Iltutmish)
• Which ruler of the Delhi Sultanate started the 'Sijda' and 'Paibos' practices and the Navroz festival? - Ghiyasuddin Balban
• Which ruler followed the strict policy of 'Blood and Iron'? - Balban
• Who founded the Khalji dynasty in 1290 CE? - Jalaluddin Firuz Khalji
• Who was the famous ruler who implemented the 'Market Control System' (Price Control) in the Delhi Sultanate? - Alauddin Khalji
• Who started the practices of 'Dag' (branding of horses) and 'Huliya' (descriptive roll of soldiers)? - Alauddin Khalji
• Who was the famous general of Alauddin Khalji who led the South India campaigns? - Malik Kafur (Hazar Dinari)
• Who built the 'Alai Darwaza' and 'Hazar Sutun Palace'? - Alauddin Khalji
• Who founded the Tughlaq dynasty in 1320 CE? - Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
• Which ruler shifted his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (Devagiri)? - Muhammad bin Tughlaq
• Who first introduced 'Token Currency' of copper/brass in India? - Muhammad bin Tughlaq
• In whose reign did the famous traveler from Morocco 'Ibn Battuta' come to India? - Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1333 CE)
• What is the name of the famous travelogue book written by Ibn Battuta? - Rihla (Kitab-ul-Rihla)

Delhi Sultanate: Syed, Lodi and Vijayanagara

• Which tax did Firuz Shah Tughlaq impose on Brahmins as well, who were previously exempt? - Jizya tax
• Who established 'Diwan-i-Khairat' (Charity Department) and 'Diwan-i-Bandagan' (Department of Slaves)? - Firuz Shah Tughlaq
• Who launched a terrible invasion on Delhi in 1398 CE during the Tughlaq period? - Timur Lane
• Who founded the Syed dynasty in 1414 CE? - Khizr Khan
• Which was the first Afghan dynasty to rule over the Delhi Sultanate? - Lodi Dynasty
• Who founded the Lodi dynasty? - Bahlul Lodi
• Who founded the city of 'Agra' in 1504 and made it his capital in 1506? - Sikandar Lodi
• Who started the standard scale for measuring land called 'Gaz-i-Sikandari'? - Sikandar Lodi
• Under which pseudonym did Sikandar Lodi write poems in Persian? - By the name Gulrukhi
• Between whom was the First Battle of Panipat (21 April 1526) fought? - Between Babur and Ibrahim Lodi
• Which two brothers founded the Vijayanagara Empire in 1336 CE? - Harihara and Bukka
• Where was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire located, whose ruins are on the banks of the Tungabhadra River? - In Hampi (Karnataka)
• Who was the most great and powerful ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire? - Krishnadevaraya (Tuluva dynasty)
• What was the group of eight Telugu poets in the court of Krishnadevaraya called? - Ashtadiggajas
• Which Vijayanagara king composed 'Amuktamalyada' (Telugu text)? - Krishnadevaraya
• During the period of which Vijayanagara ruler did the Italian traveler Niccolo Conti come? - Devaraya I
• During whose reign did the Persian ambassador Abdur Razzaq come to Vijayanagara? - Devaraya II
• In which year did the famous Battle of Talikota (Battle of Rakshasa-Tangadi) occur, in which Vijayanagara fell? - On 23 January 1565
• Who founded the Bahmani state in 1347 CE? - Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah (Hasan Gangu)
• Which ruler of the Delhi Sultanate founded 'Diwan-i-Amir-Kohi' (Department of Agriculture)? - Muhammad bin Tughlaq

Mughal Empire: Babur to Akbar

• Who was the founder of the Mughal Empire in India? - Babur (1526 CE)
• Which war strategy did Babur use in the First Battle of Panipat (1526)? - Tulughma strategy and artillery
• Between whom was the famous Battle of Khanwa (1527 CE) fought? - Between Babur and Rana Sanga of Mewar
• In which language was Babur's autobiography 'Tuzuk-i-Baburi' (Baburnama) originally written? - In Turkish language
• Between whom were the 'Battle of Chausa' (1539) and the 'Battle of Kannauj (Bilgram)' (1540) fought? - Between Humayun and Sher Shah Suri
• Humayun's sister composed 'Humayunnama', what was her name? - Gulbadan Begum
• Where is the tomb of Sher Shah Suri located in the middle of a lake? - In Sasaram (Bihar)
• Which ruler built the famous 'Grand Trunk Road' (GT Road)? - Sher Shah Suri
• What was the silver coin introduced by Sher Shah Suri called? - Rupee
• Between whom was the Second Battle of Panipat (5 November 1556) fought? - Between Akbar (guardian: Bairam Khan) and Hemu (Hemchandra)
• Who was the guardian of Emperor Akbar? - Bairam Khan
• In which year did Akbar end the 'Slave system'? - In 1562 CE
• In which year did Akbar abolish the pilgrimage tax? - In 1563 CE
• In which year was the 'Jizya tax' abolished by Akbar? - In 1564 CE
• In which year did Akbar establish the 'Ibadat Khana' (House of Worship) in Fatehpur Sikri? - In 1575 CE
• What was the name of the new religion/sect started by Akbar in 1582 CE? - Din-i-Ilahi
• Who was the first and only Hindu to accept Din-i-Ilahi? - Birbal (Mahesh Das)
• Between whom was the famous Battle of Haldighati (1576 CE) fought? - Between Maharana Pratap and Akbar's general Man Singh
• Who was the pioneer of Akbar's land revenue system 'Dahsala system'? - Raja Todar Mal
• What was the original name of the famous musician Tansen in Akbar's court? - Ramtanu Pandey

Mughal Empire: Jahangir to Aurangzeb and Decline

• What was the childhood name of 'Jahangir', who sat on the Mughal throne after Akbar? - Salim
• Which Mughal Emperor was famous for his 'Chain of Justice' (Golden chain)? - Jahangir
• Whose reign is called the 'Golden Age of Painting'? - The period of Jahangir
• Which Mughal ruler gave the death penalty to the 5th Sikh Guru, Arjun Dev? - Jahangir (1606 CE)
• Which ambassadors of the East India Company, 'Captain Hawkins' and 'Sir Thomas Roe', came to the court of which Mughal ruler? - Jahangir
• What was the real name of Jahangir's queen 'Nur Jahan'? - Mehr-un-Nissa
• Whose reign is called the 'Golden Age of Architecture'? - The period of Shah Jahan
• Who built the Red Fort of Delhi, Jama Masjid, and the Taj Mahal of Agra? - Shah Jahan
• Who was the last Mughal Emperor to sit on the 'Peacock Throne' (Takht-e-Taus) built by Shah Jahan? - Muhammad Shah 'Rangila'
• In 1739 CE, which Persian invader Nadir Shah invaded India and looted the Peacock Throne and which diamond? - Koh-i-Noor diamond
• Which Mughal Emperor was called 'Zinda Pir' and 'Alamgir'? - Aurangzeb
• Which Mughal ruler had the 9th Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur ji killed in 1675? - Aurangzeb
• In which year did Aurangzeb re-impose the Jizya tax? - In 1679 CE
• Where is the tomb of Aurangzeb's wife Rabia-ud-Daurani, 'Bibi Ka Maqbara' (Second Taj Mahal), located? - In Aurangabad (Maharashtra)
• Who started the 'Do-aspa and Si-aspa' practice by improving the Mansabdari system in the Mughal period? - Jahangir
• In which year and at which place did Aurangzeb die? - In 1707 CE, in Ahmednagar
• Who was the last Mughal Emperor who was exiled to Rangoon (Myanmar) after the revolt of 1857? - Bahadur Shah Zafar (Bahadur Shah II)
• Which Mughal king was defeated by Nadir Shah in 1739 in the Battle of Karnal? - Muhammad Shah
• In which five places did Raja Jai Singh II of Jaipur build astronomical observatories (Jantar Mantar)? - Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi, and Mathura
• 'Sahib-i-Qiran' and 'Insan-i-Kamil' were titles of which Mughal ruler? - Shah Jahan

Maratha and Sikh Empires

• Where was Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire, born? - In Shivneri Fort (1627 CE)
• The coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was performed in 1674 CE in which fort by scholar Gagabhatt? - In Raigad Fort
• By what name was the cabinet of Shivaji Maharaj known? - Ashtapradhan
• What was the Prime Minister (highest official) called in Ashtapradhan? - Peshwa
• What was the protection tax collected by Shivaji Maharaj from neighboring states called? - Chauth (1/4 part) and Sardeshmukhi (1/10 part)
• Between whom was the 'Treaty of Purandar' (1665 CE) signed? - Between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Mughal general Jai Singh
• Which Peshwa is considered the 'second founder of the Maratha Empire'? - Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath
• Who was the first combatant Peshwa who won the Battle of Palkhed (1728), famous for the film 'Bajirao Mastani'? - Peshwa Bajirao I
• Between whom was the Third Battle of Panipat (14 January 1761) fought? - Between Ahmad Shah Abdali and the Marathas
• Who was the Maratha Peshwa at the time of the Third Battle of Panipat? - Balaji Bajirao (Nana Saheb)
• Which Sikh Guru started the Gurmukhi script in Sikhism? - Guru Angad Dev ji
• Which Sikh Guru founded the city of Amritsar and built the 'Santokhsar' lake? - Guru Ram Das ji
• Who built the Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) and compiled the 'Adi Granth'? - Guru Arjun Dev ji
• Who was the Guru who converted Sikhs into a military sect and established the 'Akal Takht'? - Guru Hargobind ji
• To which Misl did Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the greatest of the Sikh Empire, belong? - Sukerchakia Misl
• What were the political capital Lahore and the religious capital of Maharaja Ranjit Singh? - Amritsar
• Between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and which British official did the 'Treaty of Amritsar' (1809 CE) occur? - Between Charles Metcalfe, representative of Lord Minto
• Who was the last Sikh Maharaja who was sent to England after being pensioned? - Maharaja Duleep Singh
• Which treaty occurred after the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845-46)? - Treaty of Lahore (1846)
• Who successfully used the 'Guerrilla warfare' system against the Mughals? - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

European Arrival and British Expansion

• Vasco da Gama, the first European traveler to arrive in India in 1498 CE, at which port did he arrive? - In Calicut (Kerala)
• Which local Hindu king of Calicut gave a grand welcome to Vasco da Gama? - Zamorin
• Who was the first Portuguese Governor in India who implemented the 'Blue Water Policy'? - Francisco de Almeida
• Who is considered the real founder of Portuguese power in India who conquered Goa in 1510? - Afonso de Albuquerque
• Where did the Portuguese establish their first trading post (factory) in India? - In Kochi (1503)
• Where did the Dutch open their first trading post in India in 1605 CE? - In Masulipatnam (Machilipatnam)
• When did Queen Elizabeth I of England grant the East India Company the charter for trade in the East? - 31 December 1600
• Where did the English establish their first trading post in South India? - In Machilipatnam (1611 CE)
• Where did the English get permission to open their first permanent factory in 1613 CE? - In Surat
• Where did the French establish their first factory in India in 1668 CE? - In Surat (by Francois Caron)
• By what name are the three wars fought between the English and French for supremacy known? - Carnatic Wars
• In the famous 'Battle of Wandiwash' (1760 CE), whom did the English (Eyre Coote) defeat? - The French (Count de Lally)
• On which date was the historic Battle of Plassey fought? - 23 June 1757
• Who betrayed Nawab Sirajuddaula of Bengal in the Battle of Plassey? - Mir Jafar
• In the Battle of Buxar (22 October 1764), which joint army did the English (Hector Munro) defeat? - Mir Qasim, Shah Alam II, and Shujauddaula
• Under the Treaty of Allahabad (1765 CE), what did the English receive for Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha? - Diwani rights (right to collect tax)
• Who started the 'Diarchy' in Bengal in 1765 and who abolished it in 1772? - Start: Robert Clive; Abolition: Warren Hastings
• Who was the Governor-General who extensively implemented the 'Subsidiary Alliance system' in India? - Lord Wellesley
• Which was the first state/princely state in India to accept the Subsidiary Alliance? - The Nizam of Hyderabad (1798)
• Who was the Governor-General who implemented the 'Doctrine of Lapse'? - Lord Dalhousie

Revolt of 1857

• On 10 May 1857, from which cantonment did the formal start of the revolution of 1857 occur? - From Meerut cantonment
• Who was the Mughal Emperor of India and nominal leader during the revolt of 1857? - Bahadur Shah II (Zafar)
• Who was the Governor-General of India at the time of the revolt of 1857? - Lord Canning
• Who was the Prime Minister of Britain at the time of the revolt of 1857? - Lord Palmerston
• Which Indian soldier fired on British officials in protest against greased cartridges on 29 March 1857 in the Barrackpore cantonment (34th NI Regiment)? - Mangal Pandey
• Who led the real military leadership of the revolt of 1857 in Delhi? - Bakht Khan
• Who led the revolt of 1857 in Kanpur, whose general was Tatya Tope? - Nana Saheb (Dhondu Pant)
• Who led the revolution of 1857 in Lucknow (Awadh)? - Begum Hazrat Mahal
• Who was the great heroine who attained martyrdom leading the struggle of 1857 in Jhansi? - Rani Lakshmi Bai (Manu/Manikarnika)
• Whom did British general Hugh Rose call the 'only man among the rebels'? - Rani Lakshmi Bai
• Which 80-year-old brave zamindar led the revolt of 1857 in Jagdishpur (Arrah), Bihar? - Kunwar Singh
• Which Maulvi led the revolt of 1857 in Faizabad and called for jihad against the English? - Maulvi Ahmadullah
• Who led the revolt of 1857 in Allahabad (Prayagraj)? - Liaquat Ali
• Who called the 1857 struggle as 'India's First War of Independence'? - V. D. Savarkar (Vinayak Damodar Savarkar)
• Who was the author of the book 'The Indian War of Independence 1857'? - V. D. Savarkar
• Which British historian called the revolt of 1857 only a 'Sepoy Mutiny'? - Sir John Lawrence and Seeley
• What was the primary reason for the failure of the 1857 revolution? - Lack of central leadership and a unified plan
• Where was 'Queen Victoria's Proclamation' (1 November 1858) by the British Crown read out after the revolt of 1857? - In Allahabad (by Lord Canning)
• To whom was the rule of India handed over after the 1858 Act ending the East India Company's rule? - To the British Crown (British Parliament)
• Which commission was formed for the reorganization of the British army after the revolt of 1857? - Peel Commission

Social and Religious Reform Movements

• Who is considered the 'Father of Modern India' and 'Pioneer of Renaissance'? - Raja Ram Mohan Roy
• Which famous social-religious organization was founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in 1828 CE? - Brahmo Samaj
• Through whose efforts did Lord William Bentinck abolish 'Sati Pratha' by law in 1829? - Raja Ram Mohan Roy
• Who edited the magazines 'Sambad Kaumudi' (Bengali) and 'Mirat-ul-Akbar' (Persian)? - Raja Ram Mohan Roy
• Who founded the 'Arya Samaj' in Mumbai in 1875 CE? - Swami Dayananda Saraswati
• Who gave the slogan "Back to Vedas"? - Swami Dayananda Saraswati
• What is the name of the famous book composed by Swami Dayananda Saraswati? - Satyarth Prakash
• Who founded the 'Ramakrishna Mission' in Belur (Kolkata) in 1897 CE? - Swami Vivekananda
• Who glorified India's name with his eloquent speech at the 'World Parliament of Religions' held in Chicago, USA in 1893? - Swami Vivekananda
• By Atmaram Pandurang and whose cooperation was the 'Prarthana Samaj' founded in Mumbai in 1867 CE? - Mahadev Govind Ranade
• Who founded the 'Satyashodhak Samaj' in Maharashtra in 1873 CE? - Jyotirao (Jyotiba) Phule
• Who wrote the famous book 'Gulamgiri' for the upliftment of the oppressed castes? - Jyotiba Phule
• Which great social reformer's main contribution was getting the Widow Remarriage Act (1856) implemented in India? - Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
• Where was the headquarters of the 'Theosophical Society' in India, which was founded in 1875 in New York by Madam Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott? - In Adyar (Chennai)
• To whom goes the credit for popularizing the Theosophical Society in India and founding the Banaras Central Hindu College (now BHU)? - Annie Besant
• Who started the 'Aligarh Movement' to spread modern education in the Muslim community? - Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
• What did the 'Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College' established by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in 1875 later become famous as? - Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)
• Who were the initiators of the 'Young Bengal Movement'? - Henry Vivian Derozio
• Who started the 'Self-Respect Movement' against caste discrimination in Tamil Nadu? - E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker (Periyar)
• Who founded the 'Servants of India Society' in 1905? - Gopal Krishna Gokhale

INC and Early Nationalists

• In which year and on which date was the 'Indian National Congress' (INC) founded? - On 28 December 1885
• Who was the founder of the Indian National Congress, who was a retired British administrative official? - Allan Octavian Hume (A.O. Hume)
• Where was the first session of the Indian National Congress held? - In Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College (Mumbai)
• Who presided over the first session of the Congress in which 72 representatives participated? - Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee (W.C. Bonnerjee)
• Who was the Viceroy of India at the time of the founding of the Indian National Congress? - Lord Dufferin
• Who was the first Muslim president of the Congress who presided over the 1887 Madras session? - Badruddin Tyabji
• Who was the first English president of the Congress who presided over the 1888 Allahabad session? - George Yule
• In which session of the Congress was the national song 'Vande Mataram' sung for the first time? - In the 1896 Kolkata session (President: Rahimtulla M. Sayani)
• Who first propounded the 'Drain of Wealth Theory'? - Dadabhai Naoroji
• Who was the author of the book 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India'? - Dadabhai Naoroji
• Who is called the 'Grand Old Man of India'? - Dadabhai Naoroji
• Who was the first Indian to win an election to the British House of Commons? - Dadabhai Naoroji (from Finsbury in 1892)
• What was the main working method of the Moderate phase? - Petitions, prayers, and constitutional protest (3P - Petition, Prayer, Protest)
• Who were the prominent Moderate leaders? - Dadabhai Naoroji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Pherozeshah Mehta, Surendranath Banerjee
• Which organization formed by 'Surendranath Banerjee' merged with the Indian National Congress in 1886? - Indian Association
• By what name were Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Bipin Chandra Pal collectively known? - Lal-Bal-Pal (Extremist phase)
• Who gave the slogan "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it"? - Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• What were the two famous newspapers started by Bal Gangadhar Tilak? - Kesari (Marathi) and Mahratta (English)
• Who started 'Ganpati Festival' (1893) and 'Shivaji Festival' (1895) to awaken national consciousness in Maharashtra? - Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• Whom did Valentine Chirol call the 'Father of Indian Unrest'? - Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Swadeshi and Home Rule

• Which British Viceroy announced the 'Partition of Bengal' in 1905? - Lord Curzon
• Which historic movement started in protest against the partition of Bengal? - Swadeshi and Boycott Movement (1905)
• In what form was 16 October 1905, the date the partition of Bengal came into effect, observed in all of Bengal? - As Day of Mourning and Raksha Bandhan Day
• Which song composed by Rabindranath Tagore during the Swadeshi movement later became the national anthem of Bangladesh? - Amar Sonar Bangla
• Where and under whose leadership was the 'Muslim League' founded in 1906 CE? - In Dhaka (under the leadership of Aga Khan and Nawab Salimullah)
• In which session of the Indian National Congress did the first split (into Extremists and Moderates) occur in 1907? - Surat session (President: Rash Behari Ghosh)
• What was the main and controversial provision of the 'Morley-Minto Reforms' (1909)? - Separate Electorate for Muslims
• In which year was the partition of Bengal cancelled and the announcement made to move the capital of India from Kolkata to Delhi? - In 1911 (by Lord Hardinge II in the Delhi Durbar)
• In which year did Delhi formally become the capital of India? - In the year 1912
• Who founded the 'Ghadar Party' in San Francisco (USA) in 1913? - Lala Har Dayal and Sohan Singh Bhakna
• With which subject was the 'Komagata Maru' event (1914) related? - With the Japanese ship of Indian travelers who went on a journey to Canada
• On which date did Mahatma Gandhi return to India after 21 years of stay in South Africa? - 9 January 1915 (in memory of which Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated)
• Who was the political guru of Mahatma Gandhi? - Gopal Krishna Gokhale
• Who presided over the 1916 'Lucknow session' in which both factions of Congress (Extremist-Moderate) became one again? - Ambica Charan Mazumdar
• Whose main role was in getting the historic 'Lucknow Pact' (1916) between Congress and the Muslim League? - Of Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Muhammad Ali Jinnah
• Which two leaders started the 'Home Rule League Movement' (1916) in different regions in India? - Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Pune) and Annie Besant (Adyar/Madras)
• Where was the work area of Bal Gangadhar Tilak's Home Rule League primarily? - Maharashtra (excluding Mumbai) and Karnataka/CP
• What were the two famous newspapers published by Annie Besant? - New India and Commonweal
• Who became the first woman president of the Indian National Congress? - Annie Besant (1917 Kolkata session)
• By what name is the 1917 'Montagu Declaration' known? - Declaration to establish responsible government in India

Gandhian Era

• Which was Mahatma Gandhi's first successful Satyagraha in India? - Champaran Satyagraha (1917, Bihar)
• Which system was implemented in Champaran forcing farmers to cultivate indigo? - Tinkathia system (indigo on 3/20 part)
• Which local farmer leader gave the invitation to Mahatma Gandhi to come to Champaran? - Raj Kumar Shukla
• During which movement did Mahatma Gandhi do a 'hunger strike' for the first time? - Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918)
• In which year was the 'Rowlatt Act' (arrest without trial, without lawyer, without appeal on the basis of suspicion) passed? - In March 1919
• On which date did the tragic incident of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre occur in Amritsar? - 13 April 1919 (on the day of Baisakhi)
• Which British official gave the order to fire on the unarmed crowd in Jallianwala Bagh? - General Dyer
• Who renounced his 'Knighthood' (Sir) title in protest against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre? - Rabindranath Tagore
• Which committee was formed by the British government to investigate the Jallianwala Bagh massacre? - Hunter Commission
• Which movement was launched in India for the restoration of the position of the Khalifa of Turkey? - Khilafat Movement (1919-1920)
• When was the 'Non-Cooperation Movement' started by Mahatma Gandhi across the whole country? - On 1 August 1920
• Which title given by the British government did Mahatma Gandhi return during the Non-Cooperation Movement? - Kaiser-i-Hind
• Due to which violent incident did Mahatma Gandhi withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement on 12 February 1922? - Chauri Chaura incident (5 February 1922, Gorakhpur)
• Who formed the 'Swaraj Party' in Allahabad in 1923? - C. R. Das (Chittaranjan Das) and Motilal Nehru
• In which year did the Simon Commission arrive in India, whose all members were English? - 3 February 1928
• Which great leader died in a police lathi charge during the slogans "Simon Commission Go Back"? - Lala Lajpat Rai
• In which historic session (1929) of Congress was the 'Purna Swaraj' resolution passed? - Lahore session (President: Jawaharlal Nehru)
• When was Independence Day celebrated for the first time on the banks of the Ravi River? - On 26 January 1930
• When did Mahatma Gandhi start the famous 'Dandi March' (Salt Satyagraha) in support of his 11 demands? - From 12 March 1930 to 6 April 1930 (from Sabarmati to Dandi)
• In which year did the Gandhi-Irwin Pact take place under the Civil Disobedience Movement? - On 5 March 1931

Quit India and Freedom

• After the 'Gandhi-Irwin Pact', in which Round Table Conference did Gandhi ji participate as a representative of Congress? - Second Round Table Conference (1931, London)
• Who was the Indian leader who participated in all three Round Table Conferences (1930, 1931, 1932)? - Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and Tej Bahadur Sapru
• Where did Gandhi ji go on a hunger strike against the 'Communal Award' announced by British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald in 1932? - In Yerwada Jail (Pune)
• When did the historic 'Poona Pact' occur between Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar for the reservation of the Dalit class? - On 24 September 1932
• What was the most important feature of the 'Government of India Act 1935'? - Ending diarchy in provinces and implementing 'provincial autonomy'
• Which party did Subhash Chandra Bose form after resigning from the post of Congress president in the year 1939? - Forward Bloc
• In which session (1940) did the Muslim League first pass a resolution demanding 'Pakistan' (separate Muslim nation)? - In Lahore session
• When was the Cripps Mission sent to India by the British government, which Gandhi ji called a 'Post-dated Cheque'? - In March 1942
• On which date from the Gowalia Tank maidan of Mumbai did the 'Quit India Movement' start? - 8 August 1942 (movement started from 9 August)
• Which famous slogan did Mahatma Gandhi give to the country during the Quit India Movement? - Do or Die
• Where did the English keep Gandhi ji arrested under 'Operation Zero Hour' as soon as the Quit India Movement started? - In Aga Khan Palace (Pune)
• In whose mind did the idea of 'Azad Hind Fauj' (INA) first occur? - In Captain Mohan Singh's
• Who formed the 'Arzi Hukumat-i-Azad Hind' (provisional government) in Singapore in 1943? - Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
• Which famous slogans did Subhash Chandra Bose give to the country? - "Delhi Chalo", "Jai Hind" and "Give me blood, and I will give you freedom"
• On which ship did the Royal Indian Navy Mutiny occur in 1946 after World War II? - On INS Talwar
• Who were the three members of the 'Cabinet Mission' sent to India in the year 1946? - Lord Pethick-Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps, and A. V. Alexander
• Who was the Vice-President/head of the interim government (1946) formed under the Cabinet Mission plan? - Jawaharlal Nehru
• On which date was the final plan for the partition of India, the 'Mountbatten Plan', presented? - 3 June 1947
• When was the 'Indian Independence Act 1947' passed by the British Parliament? - On 18 July 1947
• Who became the first Indian Governor-General of independent India? - C. Rajagopalachari (Chakravarti Rajagopalachari)

Governors-General and Viceroys

• Who was the first Governor-General of Bengal who took charge under the Regulating Act of 1773? - Warren Hastings
• Who was the Governor-General who implemented the 'Istamrari settlement' or 'Permanent Settlement' (1793) in India? - Lord Cornwallis
• Who is called the 'Father of Civil Services in India'? - Lord Cornwallis
• Who was the Governor-General who brought princely states under British control through the 'Subsidiary Alliance' policy? - Lord Wellesley
• Who became the 'first Governor-General of the whole of India' under the Charter Act of 1833? - Lord William Bentinck
• In whose reign did Macaulay's proposal for education (1835) to make English the medium of education in India come? - Lord William Bentinck
• Who is called the 'Liberator of Indian Press'? - Sir Charles Metcalfe
• In whose reign did the first passenger train (1853), telegraph service, and postage stamp start in India? - Lord Dalhousie
• Which was the first princely state annexed to the British Empire by Dalhousie under the 'Doctrine of Lapse'? - Satara (in 1848)
• Under whose period was the Wood's Despatch (1854), which is called the 'Magna Carta of Indian education', implemented? - Lord Dalhousie
• Who became the 'first Viceroy of India' under the Government of India Act of 1858? - Lord Canning
• During which Viceroy's reign did the first regular census (1881 CE) start in India? - Lord Ripon
• Who is considered the 'Father of Local Self-Government' in India? - Lord Ripon
• Who implemented the 'Vernacular Press Act' (1878) prohibiting newspapers in Indian languages? - Lord Lytton
• Which Viceroy repealed (cancelled) the Vernacular Press Act in 1882? - Lord Ripon
• In whose tenure did the 'Partition of Bengal' occur in 1905? - Lord Curzon
• Who was the Viceroy of India at the time of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and Rowlatt Act in 1919? - Lord Chelmsford
• In whose tenure did the Gandhi-Irwin Pact take place in 1931? - Lord Irwin
• Who was the Viceroy of India at the time of the 'Quit India Movement' in 1942? - Lord Linlithgow
• Who was the first Governor-General of independent India? - Lord Mountbatten

Constitutional Dev and Books

• Which was the first British law passed to regulate and control the functions of the East India Company in India? - Regulating Act of 1773
• Where was the first Supreme Court established in India in 1774 under the Regulating Act of 1773? - In Kolkata (Chief Justice: Sir Elijah Impey)
• By which law was the Board of Control formed separating the administrative and trading functions of the company? - Pitt's India Act of 1784
• By which Charter Act was the trading monopoly of the East India Company in India completely ended? - Charter Act of 1833
• By which act was Provincial Autonomy provided in India? - Government of India Act 1935
• Who started 'The Bengal Gazette' (1780), the first printed newspaper of India? - James Augustus Hicky (J.A. Hicky)
• Which was the first newspaper published in the Persian language by Raja Ram Mohan Roy? - Mirat-ul-Akbar
• Who edited 'Kesari' (Marathi) and 'Mahratta' (English) newspapers? - Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• What was the name of the newspaper published by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa? - Indian Opinion
• Which was the famous English weekly paper edited by Mahatma Gandhi in India? - Young India (and Navajivan/Harijan)
• Who brought out the Urdu newspaper named 'Al-Hilal'? - Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
• 'Ghadar' magazine was the mouthpiece of which party, whose first issue was published in Urdu? - Ghadar Party (1913)
• Who started the 'Independent' newspaper? - Motilal Nehru
• Who was the famous woman who operated the secret radio station during the 'Quit India' movement? - Usha Mehta
• Who is the author of the book 'The Discovery of India', which was written in the Ahmednagar Fort jail? - Jawaharlal Nehru
• Who was the author of the book 'India Wins Freedom'? - Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
• By whom was the book 'Unhappy India' written? - Lala Lajpat Rai
• Who was the author of the book 'India Divided', who became the first President of India? - Dr. Rajendra Prasad
• Who was the author of the play 'Neel Darpan' which exposed the exploitation of indigo farmers? - Dinabandhu Mitra
• From which famous novel by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay is our national song 'Vande Mataram' taken? - From Anandamath