Indian History

Jayaprakash Narayan is popularly known as Loknayak ('People's Leader'). He played major roles in the freedom movement and later led the movement for 'Total Revolution' in the 1970s.

The root vid in Sanskrit means “to know”; Veda therefore carries the sense of knowledge or sacred knowledge.

8 August 1940 marked the August Offer announced by Viceroy Lord Linlithgow during the Second World War.

Balban strengthened the theory of exalted kingship and used the Persian concept Zil-i-Ilahi, meaning Shadow of God.

Samudragupta was called the “Napoleon of India” by historian V. A. Smith because of his extensive military campaigns; the Prayaga Prashasti records his achievements.

Smog originally described a mixture of smoke and fog. Classical industrial smog is strongly associated with coal burning, smoke and sulfur dioxide.

Karnam Malleswari won bronze in women’s 69 kg weightlifting at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal.

21 April 1526 was the First Battle of Panipat, where Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, establishing Mughal power in North India.

The title “Father of the Nation” is widely associated with Subhas Chandra Bose’s address to Gandhi in 1944 from Singapore.

Indian Military Academy was established at Dehradun in 1932 and trains officers for the Indian Army.

1638 marks Shah Jahan’s decision to shift the Mughal imperial capital from Agra to Shahjahanabad in Delhi.

The Battle of Plassey was fought on 23 June 1757; Robert Clive led the East India Company forces against Siraj-ud-daula.

The Ajanta Caves span several centuries; their finest surviving paintings and sculptures are especially associated with the Vakataka period, contemporaneous with the Gupta age.

India adopted decimal coinage from 1 April 1957, replacing the rupee-anna-pie system; 1 rupee was divided into 100 naye paise.

Amir Khusrau (1253–1325) was a major Indo-Persian poet and musician associated with the Delhi Sultanate and is popularly called the “Parrot of India”.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is called the “Bismarck of India” for his decisive role in integrating princely states after independence.

Lord Mountbatten was the last Viceroy of India, serving from 1947; he continued as the first Governor-General of independent India until June 1948.

Alauddin Khilji adopted the title Sikander-i-Sani (“Second Alexander”) to project imperial ambition.

Takshashila was a major ancient centre of learning in the north-western Indian subcontinent and is traditionally associated with Chanakya.

Mrichchhakatika (The Little Clay Cart) is a Sanskrit drama traditionally attributed to Shudraka.