Modern Indian History of India

Introduction

The term “modern Indian history” refers to the history of India from the middle to late eighteenth century to the present time. In this period, the most important historical incidents are: the decline of the Mughal empire, British conquest of India, the revolt of the 1857 social reformation movement, two world wars and their socioeconomic effects, famines, the rise of nationalism, the Indian freedom movement, partition, the rise of leftist politics, India’s parliamentary democratic system, elections, non-alignment movement, Nehru’s role, effects of globalisation and change in economic policy, etc.

Modern Indian History

Modern Indian history begins in the middle of the eighteenth century. The most important incidents of this period are the decline of the Mughal empire and European penetration in India. The first European traders who came to India were the Portuguese, and they started to make their first colony in Goa. 

Though Mughal emperor Jahangir dealt with them and financially destroyed them, with the decline of Mughal emperors, several other European traders started to capture the Indian market. But later, with Mughal emperor Farukhshiar’s Farman, the British East India company acquired the right to trade freely inside the Mughal empire. With time, the British East India Company acquired power, and after their victories in the battle of Plassey in 1757 and in the battle of Buxa in 1764, the East India Company colonised India. 

After colonisation, the Europeans established schools and colleges to extend European education. The rise in western education led to a social reformation movement in India, which prioritises women’s rights, the eradication of caste-based discrimination, the diffusion of rational and scientific knowledge, etc. The British East India Company appointed a Governor General of India who was tasked with maintaining law and order in the colony. All these governor generals of India were infamous for their exploitation of Indian resources and their repressive policies.

The most infamous of them was Lord Dalhousie, whose policy of expanding the British empire caused a lot of anger among the native royals. Also, his exploitative policies almost financially ruined many native kingdoms, leaving many people barely surviving. All this repression and exploitation led to the uprising of 1857. This was an armed revolt that is often considered the “first war of independence.” Although this revolt was brutally suppressed, many of its leaders were executed, and the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Jaffar, was exiled in Rangoon. After this revolt, the English empress, Queen Victoria, was announced as the empress and ruler of India. But the effect of the 1857 revolt was long-lasting. It helped to establish the Indian National Congress in 1885, which is considered the first formal political consolidation of India and worked as a mediator between Indians and the British crown. In this way, some of the very first political movements in India were Two British officials were assassinated when they unleashed a series of tortures on the common people in the name of plague eradication. 

It was the first political assassination in the entire Indian subcontinent. The first era of Congress’s political activities was dominated by the moderates who believed in British generosity and demanded self-rule while still under the British crown. Their liberal politics frustrated a lot of people, and that led to the birth of more extremist and radical politics. In particular, Bengal, during the phase of partition of Bengal in 1905, witnessed the birth of several revolutionary organisations who believed in armed struggle and full freedom. The rise of Mahatma Gandhi in Indian politics is one of the most notable events of this time period. He first participated in the Khilafat movement when, after the First World War, the Ottoman Empire was defeated at the hand of the British. 

This movement was preceded by Champaran Satyagraha and Kheda Satyagraha. The year 1919 was marked by the introduction of a tyrannical repressive act called the Rowlatt Act, which gave the British police the right to detain anyone just on the basis of mere suspicion. When people peacefully protested and gathered in a park named Jallianwala Bagh, British police opened fire on them, killing thousands of protesters. This fuelled the Indian revolutionary movement and the rise of Bhagat Singh and many other such revolutionaries in India. After the non-cooperation movement, the civil disobedience movement started, which gained pan Indian momentum. This time also witnessed the rise of communal politics in India. This time, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar played a major role in politics. An election in the central and provincial legislatures took place. The Quit India movement in 1942, fuelled the Indian independence movement after the outbreak of World War II. 

This era of Indian politics was marked by the rise of Subhas Chandra Bose as a pan-Indian leader. He established the INA, took foreign aid and tried to liberate India through armed struggle. Though his efforts were unsuccessful, they left a long-lasting impact and influenced the Naval uprising of India. But due to a rise in communal and right-wing politics, the country was divided into two parts before its independence. The latter part of Indian history was marked by the development of parliamentary politics, India’s involvement in the non-alignment movement, the economic crisis, the war with Pakistan, the birth of Bangladesh, globalisation and changes in economic policies, and last but not the least, the effects of the pandemic.

Conclusion

India’s mediaeval history is mostly characterised by the Delhi Sultanate, different dynasties, Mughal rule, Rajput rule in north western India, the rise of Vijayanagar in southern India, and the rise and expansion of the Maratha empire. Indian history is very rich in culture and heritage.