THE CHRONOLOGY IN INDIAN HISTORY AND THREE PHASES..mapping it on Swami Vivekananda's vision from Colombo to Almora lectures and tracing evolution of Consciousness.

 

THE  CHRONOLOGY IN INDIAN HISTORY AND THREE PHASES

The three phases can be roughly as follows

The Beginning

Part I – Year 2000000 BC to  3200 BC and Year 3200 B.C. - 712 A.D.

The phases related prominently to this phase

The Vedic Vision

The Beginning of beginnings

The Ascent of consciousness and emergence of Life

Manifesration of Mind

The Quest for beauty and its tussle with ethics The religion and spirituality Age of shastra, Philosophy and Metaphilosophy Age of reason, of Science and towards seeming terrestrial omnipotence

The journey

Part II - Year 712 A.D. - 1605 A.D.

Part III - Year 1612 A.D. - 1857 A.D.

The phases related prominently to this phase

The Quest for Beauty and Harmony

The significance and prominence of religion

Age of shastra, of Philosophy and Metaphilosophy

Age of reason, of Science and seeming terrestrial omnipotence

The Divine unfoldment

Part IV - Year 1863 A.D. - 1910 A.D. &

Part V - Year 1910 A.D. – onwards 2017 and ahead

The phases related prominently to this phase

Agni, the messenger, god and the illumined Will

The Consummation of all

The new realization and renaissance

The Dawns of tomorrow

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The study here is based on Complete works of Swami Vivekananda esp his lectures from Colombo to Almora. It is also based on some important works of Sri Aurobindo, esp. on The Secret of Vedas, The Upanishads, The Renaissance in India, The Foundations of Indian Culture, The Life Divine, The Human Cycle, The ideal of a Karmayogin:  

 

“ A mighty tree produces a beautiful ripe fruit. That fruit falls on the ground, it decays and rots, and out of that decay springs the root and the future tree, perhaps mightier than the first one. This period of decay through which we have passed was all the more necessary. Out of this decay is coming the India of the future; it is sprouting, its first leaves are already out; and a mighty, gigantic tree, the Urdhvamula, is here, already beginning to appear.” -Swami Vivekananda in ‘The Future of India’ Complete works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 3. 

 

 

·       The luminous seed of Veda: A study of the luminous and secret seed of Veda and Upanishads in the light of the stage of Involution and Subjective age / symbolic age, the formation of the individual and Nation soul and the possibility of the role of involutionary beings and evolutionary beginnings.

 

·       Efflorence of the seed in Indian Culture: A study of innumerable expressions of the seed of Veda in the land of Dharma and Shastra in the age of Typal and Conventional: OR a study of Epics, Etihasas, Puranas and Shastras in the age of Reason and  Individual , as a result of the evolution  of individual and group consciousness.

·       Fruits of the seed in Indian civilization: A study of the arduous attempt to even mould vital and physical life of human being and wider and deeper understanding of religion, ethics, morality, aesthetics, philosophy, science, polity, arts, society, economy, trade and industry in India and its spread all over the world which in turn was part of if not cause of moulding their nation souls and their evolutions.

 

·       Fall of the Indian culture A study of the last flowering of Indian genius i.e. Bhakti, Tantra, Varnashrama, more superfluous visual and performing arts; their respective rise, perversion, fall; thereby a study of true and false subjective age in India with the chaos which led to degeneration and misunderstanding of “true soul” and other souls.

 

·       Resurrection and sprouting of the seed: A study of the Initial reaction of India to external attacks in 19^th-20^th AD which was not as per Nation soul and so poor in will, feeble in form and ineffective in results; to realize the importance of the renaissance in India and its uniqueness which centered on the nation as a soul-being and a Devi – Shakti.

 

·       Root and branch reform out of the decay: A study of the clash of nations, cultures and civilizations, in the age of increasing techno commercialization leading to multidisciplinary crisis in the light of the starting of the next evolution of consciousness, of nation souls, and realizing the ideal of human unity while surpassing it for a next future.

 

 

 

Corrected table

A	EVOLUTION                                                                                                       INVOLUTION	God Sat Chit Ananda	The Beginning	Religious and spiritual	Maheshwari	Wisdom	Love	Psychic: Jivatma	Spirituality,   Religion Integral Philosophy and IY
B		Light		Mental	Mahakali	Power / Force	Knowledge	Mind : Manas	Philosophy, Literature & Scriptures Education,  Psychology Philosophy of technology, philosophy of management
			The journey
C		Freedom		Vital	Mahalakshmi	Harmony	Power	Vital : Prana	Politics, Economics and Sociology Management Trade and commerce
D		Immortality	The Divine unfoldment	Physical	Mahasaraswati	Perfection	Beauty	Physical : Anna	Architecture and sculpture, Assets and institutions , Performing arts and visual arts Environmental science,  Sports Material Science and Production

 

·       The next rise of the mighty tree: A study of possibility if India can give a decisive turn to the problems on which the mankind is stumbling, her efforts to avoid repeating occident’s perpetual cycles of failures and ‘to give a new meaning and vaster form’ to the eternal dharma which in turn is study of true role of India’s nation-soul in the future human unity and thereby her importance to facilitate the next evolutionary leap into Supramental race and Gnostic beings.      

              Indian Chronology (Part I)

                         The Beginning

·       The luminous seed of Veda: A study of the luminous and secret seed of Veda and Upanishads in the light of the stage of Involution and Subjective age / symbolic age, the formation of the individual and Nation soul and the possibility of the role of involutionary beings and evolutionary beginnings.

·       Fruits of the seed in Indian civilization: A study of the arduous attempt to even mould vital and physical life of human being and wider and deeper understanding of religion, ethics, morality, aesthetics, philosophy, science, polity, arts, society, economy, trade and industry in India and its spread all over the world which in turn was part of if not cause of moulding their nation souls and their evolutions.

 

 

The volumes related prominently to this phase

 

Table from above as it is till

Science, Technology, towards seeming  terrestrial omnipotence

 

 (Indus civilization, Birth and Rise of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam, Invasions of Alexander and Hun)

B.C.

2,000,000 - 100,000 BCE
		A skull fragment found in Hathnora in the Narmada Valley in central India indicate that India might have been inhabited in the Middle Pleistocene era around 250,000 years ago. Anek R. Sankhyan describes it as "debated and conveniently interpreted as "evolved" Homo erectus or "archaic".[1] Tools crafted by proto-humans that have been dated back two million years have been discovered in the northwestern part of the subcontinent.[2][3] The earliest archaeological site in the subcontinent is the palaeolithic hominid site in the Soan River valley.[4] Soanian sites are found in the Sivalik region across what are now India, Pakistan, and Nepal.[5][6][7] Some of the Bhimbetka shelters were inhabited by Homo erectus more than 100,000 years ago.[8][9] Madrasian Culture sites have been found in Attirampakkam (Attrambakkam=13° 13' 50", 79° 53' 20"), which is located near Chennai (formerly known as Madras),Tamil Nadu.[10] Thereafter, tools related to this culture have been found at various other locations in this region. Bifacial handaxes and cleavers are typical assemblages recovered of this culture.[11] Flake tools, microliths and other chopping tools have also been found. Most of these tools were composed of the metamorphic rock quartzite.[10] The stone tool artifacts in this assemblage have been identified as a part of the second inter-pluvial period in India.[12] Evidence for presence of Hominins with Acheulean technology 150,000-100,000 BCE in Tamil Nadu.[13] Paleolithic industries in South India Tamil Nadu 30,000 BCE[14]

90th century BCE[edit]

Year	Date	Event
9,000 BCE
		Early Neolithic culture with first confirmed semi permanent settlements appeared 11000 years ago in the Bhimbetka rock shelters in modern Madhya Pradesh, India. Some of the Stone Age rock paintings found among the Bhimbetka rock shelters are approximately 30,000 years old.[15] The ancient history of the region includes some of South Asia's oldest settlements[16] and some of its major civilisations.[17][18]

60th century BCE [edit]

Year	Date	Event
6000 BCE		Stone carvings of Edakkal Caves in Kerala.

35th century BCE[edit]

Year	Date	Event
3300 BCE		Phase of the Indus Valley Civilization begins. The civilization used an early form of the Indus signs, the so-called Indus script.

27th century BCE[edit]

Year	Date	Event
2600 BCE		The cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro become large metropolises and the civilization expands to over 2,500 cities and settlements across the whole of Pakistan, much of northern India, and large parts of Afghanistan,[19] covering a region of around one million square miles, which was larger than the land area of its contemporaries Egypt and Mesopotamia combined, and also had superior urban planning and sewage systems. The civilization began using the mature Indus script for its writing system.
2600 BCE		End of the Early Dynastic II Period and the beginning of the Early Dynastic IIIa Period in Mesopotamia.
2900 BCE – 2334 BCE		Mesopotamian wars of the Early Dynastic period.

26th century BCE[edit]

Year	Date	Event
2600 BCE		Mature Harappan phase of the Indus Valley Civilization begins. The cities of Harappa, Lothal, Kalibangan, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi and Mohenjo-daro become large metropolises and the civilization expands to over 2,500 cities and settlements. The civilization began using the mature Indus script

18th century BCE[edit]

Year	Date	Event
1800 BCE		Adichanallur urn-burial site in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu. In 2004, a number of skeletons dating from around 3,800 years ago.

15th century BCE[edit]

Year	Date	Event
1500 BCE		Early Vedic Period (to 1000 BCE)

13th century BCE[edit]

Year	Date	Event
1300 BCE		Cemetery H culture comes to an end

12th century BCE[edit]

Year	Date	Event
1200 BCE		Rigveda (to 1000 BCE)

More recent  history: 1200 BC onwards:

1200-1000		Rigveda compiled
1000-500		Age of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata or the Bhagwad Gita.
623-543		Traditional years of birth and death of the Buddha (Sidhartha). Buddhism founded in India (Sanchi, Bihar)
540-468		Traditional years of birth and death of Mahavira (Founded Jainism)
326		Invasion of India by Alexander
324		Maurya Empire founded by Chandragupta
273-232		Reign of Asoka : Asoka spreads message of Buddhism to China and towards East.
190		Greek Kingdoms of N.W. India.
187		End of the Maurya dynasty
187-75		Rule of the Sungas
58		Beginning of Vikram Era.
64-225	Kushan dynasty in N.W. India; South Indian Kingdoms of Cholas, Cheras and Pandavas.
78	Accession of Kanishka. Beginning of Saka Era.
320-475	Gupta dynasty; Ajanta Cave frescoes and Ellora Cave carvings
335-376	Reign of Samudra Gupta.
376-414	Reign of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya).
405-11	Fa-Hien from China travels India.
454	First Hun invasion.
480-90	Fall of Gupta Empire.
606-647	Reign of Harshavardhana.
630-644	Another Chinese Hiuen Tsang travels India.
600-700	Birth and Rise of Islam in the Middle East and Jerusalem area. Followers instructed to spread Islam around the world.
712	Arab conquest of Sind by Mohammed bin Qasim.

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***

 

Indian Chronology (Part II)

The Journey

 

 

·       Fall of the Indian culture A study of the last flowering of Indian genius i.e. Bhakti, Tantra, Varnashrama, more superfluous visual and performing arts; their respective rise, perversion, fall; thereby a study of true and false subjective age in India with the  chaos which  led to degeneration and misunderstanding of “true soul” and other souls.

 

The volumes related prominently to this phase

 

The Quest for beauty

The Realm of religion

Philosophy and Metaphilosophy

Science towards terrestrial omnipotence

 

 

 

(Period of Islamic invasions, North India enslaved by 1200 A.D., Entire India enslaved by 1526 A.D., Foundation of Sikhism, Defiance against Mughal rule by Rajput King Rana Pratap, East India Co. founded in India)

 

712	Arab conquest of Sind by Mohammed bin Qasim.
730	Accession of Yasovarman of Kanyakubja
735	First Parsi settlement
750-1202	Palas & Senas of Bengal
820	Death of Sankaracharya
800-900	Kashmir's Hindu/Budhist culture destroyed. Temples buried.
960-1200	Chandellas of Bundelkhand
1000-1026	Islamic invasion of India by Mahmud of Ghazni.
1050	Buddhist missions to Tibet
1191	Invasion of Muhammad of Ghur
1192	Defeat and Death of Prithviraj, the last Rajput King of Delhi
1206-1290	Establishment of Muslim rule in North India; Reign of Slave Kings
1221	First Mongol invasion by Chengiz Khan.
1228	Conquest of Assam by the Ahoms.
1230	Vijaynagar Kingdom founded in the South.
1290-1316	Reign of the Khalifis at Delhi
1320-1412	Reigh of Tughlak Sultans of Delhi
1347	Bahmani Kingdom of Deccan founded in the South.
1398	Invasion of Timur.
1436-1533	Life of Sri Chatanya, Saint of Bengal.
1451-1526	Reign of Lodi Sultans of Delhi.
1469-1545	Birth and Hindu reformist teachings of Guru Nanak. Exiled by Slave Hindu King. Foundation of Sikhism.
1494	Foundation of Agra by Sikander Lodi.
1498	Vasco da Gama (Portugese) discovered India by sea route & reached Calicut.

 

Indian Chronology (Part III)

(Moghul Decline, British arrive in India, Building of the Taj Mahal, Terror of Aurangzeb, Shivaji outsmarts Mughuls, Courageous Sikh resistance to Islamic terror and oppression, Nadir Shah sacked North West India, East India Co. takes over North East India, Reforms in Hindu practices, English introduced as medium of instruction in 1835, Indian Mutiny of 1857, India governed by British Crown in 1858)

1612	1st English factory set up at Surat.
1627	Birth of Shivaji
1627-57	Reign of Shah Jahan.
1644	Farman permitting the English to trade in Bengal.
1658-1707	Reign of Aurangzeb.
1668	1st French factory set up at Surat.
1675	Sikh resistance to Moghuls intensifies. Execution of Guru Teg Bahdur, 9th Sikh Guru, by Aurangzeb.
1680	E.I. Company established trading center at Calcutta.
1686-87	Fall of the Kingdoms of Bijapur and Golconda.
1698	The E.I. Co. obtained Zamindari of three villages of Sutanati, Kalikata, and Gobindpur - nucleus of Calcutta.
1707	Death of Aurangzeb, the "terrorist" Mughul King.
1734	Nadir Shah sacked North India/Delhi.
1757	Battle of Plassey
1761	Third Battle of Paniput.
1764	Battle of Buxar.
1765	Grant of Dewani of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to E.I. Co. by Mughal Emperor Shah Alam.
1772	Warren Hastings appointed first Governal-General of British India.
1775	Execution of Nanda Kumar.
1781	First Newspaper, Hickey's Calcutta Gazette in India.
1784	Pitt's India Bill passed by the British Parliament.
1786-90	Reforms of Cornwallis.
1790	Third Mysore war.
1792-1839	Ranjit Singh succeeds his father as leader of a Sikh Misl. Had lavish life style and Harems, Hindu's eldest son raised as Sikh. Tenth Guru Govind Singh's teachings, Sikhs brave Islamic terror and oppression.
1793	Permanent settlement of Bengal.
1799	Death of Tipu Sultan.
1828-35	Lord Bentinck as Governor-General.
1829	Brahmo Samaj founded by Raja Rammohan Roy; Prohibition of Sati.
1835	Introduction of English as medium of instruction.
1839	Death of Ranjit Singh.
1839-42	Anglo-Afghan War.
1854	First postage stamp introduced.
1856	Annexation of Oudh by the British; Introduction of Hindu widow marriage.
1857	Indian Mutiny. Tantaya Tope, Jhansi Rani Lakshmi Bai bravely fight the British army but lose the 'freedom movement'. British reassert.
1858	Transfer of India from E.I. Co. to British Crown.

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Indian Chronology (Part IV)

The Divine unfoldment

·       Resurrection and sprouting of the seed: A study of the Initial reaction of India to external attacks in 19^th-20^th AD which was not as per Nation soul and so poor in will, feeble in form and ineffective in results; to realize the importance of the renaissance in India and its uniqueness which centered on the nation as a soul-being and a Devi – Shakti.

 

 

·       Root and branch reform out of the decay: A study of the clash of nations, cultures and civilizations, in the age of increasing techno commercialization leading to multidisciplinary crisis  in the light of the starting of the next evolution of consciousness, of nation souls, and realizing the ideal of human unity while surpassing it for a next future.

 

·       The next rise of the mighty tree: A study of possibility if India can give a decisive turn to the problems on which the mankind is stumbling, her efforts to avoid repeating occident’s perpetual cycles of failures and ‘to give a new meaning and vaster form’ to the eternal dharma which in turn is study of true role of India’s nation-soul in the future human unity and thereby her

·       importance to facilitate the next evolutionary leap into Supramental race and Gnostic beings. 

The volumes related prominently to this phase

Agni, the illumined Will

The Supreme Consummation

The new Epiphany

The Golden Dawn

 

(British Rule, Birth of Rabindranath Tagore, M.K. Gandhi, Arya Samaj Founded by Swami Dayanand Sarsawati, Birth of Subhas Chandra Bose, Swami Vivekanand travels to America, Indian National Congress founded, Muslim League founded, British reforms, Gandhi returns to India from South Africa, Gandhi's quest for freedom and non-cooperation movement, Jalianwalabagh massacre by British at Amritsar, Sikhs join the freedom struggle against British, World War I, Burma separated from India, Provincial autonomy granted, Congress ministries in most provinces, World war II, Bose's I.N.A. movement, Cripps mission, Quit India movement. India partitioned, Freedom at midnight, Kashmir attacked by Afghan/Pakistan, Gandhi's assasination, India becomes Republic)

1861 1863 1867	Birth of Rabindranath Tagore Swami Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo
1869	Birth of Mahatama (Mohandas Karamchand) Gandhi (2nd October).
1874	Great Famine of Bengal
1875	Arya Samaj founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati.
1885	Indian National Congress founded in Bombay.
1892	Swami Vivekanand travels to America to attend First World Religious Conference. Enlightens attendies about Hinduism.
1897	Birth of Subhash Chandra Bose (23rd Jan).
1905	Partition of Bengal. Anti-Partition Movement begins.
1906	Foundation of the Muslim League
1907	Congress split between extremists and moderates.
1909	Morley-Minto Reforms.
1911	Partition of Bengal revoked. First inland airmail flight.
1913	Nobel Prize for Rabindranath Tagore.
1914	Gandhi returns to India from South Africa; Beginning of World War I
1918	Montague-Chelmsford Reforms; Jalianwalabagh massacre at Amritsar by British (13 April); Sikhs join Indian freedom struggle; Third Afghan war. World War I ends.
1920-22	Non-cooperation Movement; Khilafat Movement.
1930	Civil Disobedience Movement started by Congress
1931	1st Round Table Conference and Gandhi-Irwin pact.
1932	Second Civil Disobedience Movement.
1935	Government of India Act passed.
1937	Inauguration of Provincial Autonomy; Congress Ministries in most provinces; Burma separated from India (1st April).
1939	Second World War begins, Resignation of Congress Ministries in 9 provinces.
1941	Subhash Chandra Bose escapes from India to organize the I.N.A. Movement.
1942	Cripps' Mission; 'Quit India' Movement started by Gandhi. 1943 - Bengal Famines.
1946	Cabinet Mission's plan; Interim Government with J.L. Nehru as Prime Minister and widespread communal riots.
1947	Partition of India; India becomes independent (15 August); Home Minister Vallabh Bhai Patel consolidates Indian states. Jawahar Lal Nehru is the first Prime Minister. Kashmir attacked by Afghans/Pakistan. Raja Hari Singh signs Kashmir documents to make it a part of India.
1948	Mahatama Gandhi contends India owed Pakistan 55 million rupees. Volunteers to travel to Pakistan to seek reconciliation but is assasinated by Nathuram Godse (Jan 30). UN resolutions on Kashmir.
1949	India's new constitution passed into law (26 Nov)
1950	India becomes a Republic (26 Jan). Kashmir given special status. Indian History (Part V) (Source: Hindustan Year Book, Personal Recollections)

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Indian Chronology (Part V)

(Independent India, Democracy and Elections, Economic Development- Five Year Plans, Indo-China war of 1962, Indo-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971, India's scientific & technological achievements, Jai Prakash Narain movement, Emergency Period of 1975-77, Growth of Indian opposition parties, Assam Unrest, Punjab/Sikh Unrest, Assasination of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi Leads, Indo Sri-Lanka Accord, Indias High Technology Ventures, Rise in Corruption, Decline of Rajiv Gandhi, India develops an alternative governing coalition, Kashmir Unrest, V.P. Singh, Rajiv Gandhi Assasinated, Rao leads)

1950	India becomes a Democratic, Socialistic Republic with its own Constitution (Jan 26).
1951	First Five-Year Plan launched.
1952	First General Election
1953	Mt. Everest conquered for the first time by Tenzing & Hillary.
1954	French Settlements in India merged to India; Doctrine of Panch Shila (Five principles of non-interference) accepted basis for Indo-Chinese relations. US supports Pakistan while USSR supports India on issues like Kashmir.
1956	Indian States reorganized on linguistic basis; 2nd Five-Year Plan launched.
1957	Second General Elections held.
1958	Metric System of weights and measures introduced.
1960	Bombay and Sourashtra regions converted into Maharashtra and Gujarat.
1961	Portugese surrender. Goa again becomes part of India.
1962	Communist China attacked India (Oct.); Third General Elections.
1963	Rocket centre of Thumba launched its first rocket.
1964	Jawahar Lal Nehru dies of heart attack (May 27), Lal Bahadur Shastri becomes Prime Minister (June 9).
1965	Mt. Everest conquered by Indians (May 20); Indo-Pak undeclared war (August 5 - September 22). India wins territories of Pakistan. Reaches very close to Lahore. Pakistan wins some parts of Kashmir.
1966	USSR mediates the talk between India and Pakistan. POWs and territories won to be returned to each other. Indian army viewed it as an unjust settlement. Lal Bahadur Shastri signs such accord and dies (Jan 11) suddenly in Tashkent, USSR after signing the accord. His death remained a mystery - Whether it was heart attack or an act of murder. Indians decide to negotiate on their own in future.
1966	Indira Gandhi becomes Prime Minister (24 Jan). Punjab unrest starts. Punjab partitioned again into Punjabi speaking Punjab and Hindi speaking Haryana.
1967	Fourth General Election held.
1968	Congress Party splits – Mrs. Indira Gandhi expelled from the Congress. 1970 - Creation of Meghalaya State.
1971	Himachal Pradesh becomes a State (2nd April): Mid-term Lok Sabha Elections (March), Nixon-Indira Gandhi meetings in US do not go well. Indira Gandhi pushes for and Indo-Soviet Friendship treaty (Aug 9) is signed; Indo-Pak war takes place (Dec 3-16). Bangladesh created.
1972	Fifth General Election; New States of Tripura and Manipur formed. Mutually negotiated Simla agreement signed between India and Pakistan to resolve differences between them without use of force.
1973	Indian dacoit gangs surrender under Jai Prakash  Narayan's efforts. JP starts movement for social equality. It slowly becomes a movement for greater socialism. Change of priorities from Science & Technology to more socialistic values is suggested.
1974	Indira Gandhi continues to push Science & Technology. India conducts underground nuclear explosion (May 18). Seen as deterrent to China.
1975	Sikkim becomes a State of India (April); First Indian satellite launched; Sanjay Gandhi pushes a very aggressive and ambitious family planning program. Excesses are committed with the villagers. Jai Prakash Narayan movement for Socialism gains momentum. State of Emergency declared.
1977-78	Dissolution of Lok Sabha and the nation goes to the polls. The Congress party led by Indira Gandhi is rejected by the people. Janata government gains power. Morarji Desai becomes PM. President F.A. Ahmed dies. Indira Gandhi is harassed and almost put into jail.
1979	PM Morarji Desai resigns in face of no-confidence motion (July 15). Chaudhary Charan Singh became the PM on July 28 but resigned on August 20. President Sanjiva Reddy dissolves the Lok Sabha (Aug 22).
1980	Seventh Lok Sabha Poll is held. Mrs. Indira Gandhi wins handily and returns as PM once again (Jan 14).
1981	Rohini Satellite launched from Sriharikota (May 31). First Telecomm. satellite APPLE put into orbit by European Space Agency.
1982-84	Sikh unrest starts. It becomes violent. Khalistan demands are made. Sant Bhindranwale directs a violent Sikh movement from the Golden Temple Complex. Indira Gandhi orders Army assault to capture Bhindranwale and crush the violent movement (June). Bhindranwale dies in the assault. Sikhs take revenge by assassinating Indira Gandhi in October. North India/Delhi witnesses widespread Hindu-Sikh riots. Almost 3000 of Sikhs are killed in revenge. Sikhs claim killings were organized and premeditated by Congress officials. Rajiv Gandhi is sworn as PM. Rajiv Gandhi seeks people's mandate and won handily in the December polls (Eighth Lok Sabha). Rajiv pushes Science & Technology, visions of taking India into 21st century.
1985-88	Assam agreement is signed with students. Assam life returns normal. Punjab problem continues. Sikhs remain emotionally alienated. Thousands are killed in Sikh terrorist violence in Punjab. Rajiv Gandhi pushes for economic development. High tech industries prop up. Consumerism and prices rise in India. Indian software industry becomes highly successful. Public corruption increases. Relations with US, Pakistan and China are improved. Relations with Sri Lanka and Nepal deteriorate. Indian peace keeping force is sent to Sri Lanka under Indo-Sri Lanka agreement to weed out extremists and bring peace to the strife torn island nation. It is met with mixed success. Tamil minority rights are gained but LTTE resists IKPF.India helps Maldives fight a government overthrow attempt.
1989	Rajiv Gandhi comes under strong fire from V.P. Singh and others for mishandling Bofors case. He is also cited as ineffective to solve the Punjab problem despite a strong people's mandate in 1984 polls. He is deemed inexperienced and adventurist. Ninth Lok Sabha elections are held and Rajiv Gandhi's congress party is rejected for power. Janata Dal, Bhartiya Janata Party and Communist Parties forge a ruling alliance. VP Singh, once defense and finance minster in Rajiv Gandhi's govt. becomes the Prime Minister. He makes attempt to sooth Sikh emotions by travelling to Golden Temple and meeting Sikh religious leaders. Kashmir militancy meanwhile rises.
1990	Kashmir unrest grows. External hand of Pakistan is seen. Indo-Pak relations take a steep fall. Kashmir is put under Governor's rule. Army is kept on the alert. Ayodhya temple issue flares up. VP Singh pulls out Mandal report and orders additional 27% reservations for Backward Castes (BC). Student unrest.
1991	VP Singh loses no confidence motion due to Ayodhya and Reservation Issues. BJP splits from coalition. Chandrashekar becomes PM with support from Rajiv Gandhi's Congress party. Devi Lal is the deputy PM. Devi Lal and Rajiv Gandhi don't get along. Rajiv Gandhi is harassed in Bofors case. Rajiv Gandhi withdraws support and govt. falls. New elections ordered by the President R. Venkataraman. Rajiv Gandhi is once again popular and is favorite to win election. Rajiv assasinated in Tamilnadu by LTTE suicide bomber.  Rao is chosen as successor. Narsimha Rao leads congress party and nation. BJP gains as a party and becomes major opposition.
1992-94	India almost defaults on foreign loans. Precarious foreign exchange situation. Manmohan Singh lauches widespread economic reforms. India rebounds economically. VHP leads Ayodhya temple issue. Babri site is destroyed and makeshift Ram temple is built on the disputed site. VHP is banned. RAA and BJP also banned but later restored. BJP governments in four northern states dismissed. State elections one year later has mixed results for BJP. Congress gains majority. Janata Dal splits. BJP continues as major opposition party. Foreign companies invest in India in large numbers. Stock exchange and major buildings in Bombay are rocked with Bomb explosions. Pakistani hand seen in violence in Bombay. Kashmir situation worsens. Punjab violence is controlled.