Dadabhai NaurojiHe is known as the ‘Grand Old Man’ of India. He was one of the founder members of the Congress and remain President of Congress many times. He pleaded for India’s cause in Britain and became the first Indian to be elected member of British Parliament in 1892.Surendra Nath BanerjeeHe left the Indian Civil […]

The Indian press after 1857 developed rapidly owing to the increasing political consciousness of the people. The history of the press in India starts with the Englishmen in the days of East India company. The Bengal Gazette was started as a weekly in 1780 by Hicky. The journal criticised Warren Hastings the Governor-General and the

Indian economy on the eve of British ruleAncient India was a rich and prosperous county. It had been nicknamed as the ‘Golden Sparrow.’ Wealth of India was considered to be abundant. The standard of living of Indians was very high. Foreign travellers to Indian frequently reported a general prosperity. India had achieved a high industrial

1. The preamble of the Indian constitution resolves to establish a Sovereign Democratic Republic. It declares that Sovereignty vests in the people of the country. The preamble also refers to justice, liberty, fraternity and equality.2. There were four kinds of states under the constitution viz. Part A States, Part B States, Part C States and

The Regulating Act of 1773The Regulating Act of 1773 has been described the first landmark in the constitutional development of India. It was though this Act that the British Parliament for the first time interfered into the affairs of India. In the early days of the Company its three important settlements of Bombay, Madras and

For nine years after the Surat split the Congress was dominated by the moderates. The British Government took advantage of the dissensions in the ranks of the Congress to widen the gulf between the parties and to drive a wedge between the Hindus and Muslims. The Morley-Minto Reforms were meant to rally the moderates. They

Perceiving the increasing intensity of the Indian feeling A.O. Hume, a retired civilian wanted to divert them into a constitutional channel. He was convinced that India needed a political organisation, which would perform the function which Her Majesty’s opposition did in England. According to Mr. Hume’s plan was taken up by some prominent Indians and

The 19th Century was a period of Renaissance in India because many political, economic, religious, social, cultural and literary changes took place during this period. There was an unprecedented awakening and progress in religious, social, literary, cultural and scientific fields. Several reformist movements were started during this period. On account of ignorance of the people

The first signs of unrest appeared early in 1857 at Barrackpore and Berhampore in Bengal; they were, however, quickly suppressed and the culprits were punished. But the Sepoys broke out into open revolt at Meerut on the 10th May, 1857, swarmed into the prisons, released their imprisoned comrades, murdered a few European officers and burnt

For nearly twenty years the Carnatic—the name given by the Europeans to the Coromandel Coast and its hinterland—became the scene of a long-drawn contest between the French and the English, which led to the ultimate overthrow of the French power in India.In order to understand fully the nature of the struggle, we have to keep

India had commercial relations with the countries of the West from time immemorial. Vasco da Gama found out a new route to India and reached the famous port of Calicut on the 17th May, 1498.The PortugueseThe discoveries of Vasco da Gama, who received friendly treatment from the Hindu ruler of Calicut brought the merchants of

The fear of British arms, and the apprehension that the jealous Sikh States on the east of Sutlej would throw themselves under British protection, led Ranjit to sign a treaty of perpetual friendship with the English at Amritsar on the 25th April, 1809. By the treaty, Ranjit’s activities were confined to the right side of

The death of Aurangzeb on the 3rd March, 1707, was the signal for the disintegration of the mighty Mughul Empire. No sooner had he breathed his last than his three sons entered into bitter quarrels for the possession of the throne of Delhi. Of the three brothers, Muazzam was then governor of Kabul, Azam of

Shivaji was born in the hill-fort of Shivner near Junnar in 1630. Shahji removed to his new jagir with his second wife, leaving Shivaji and his mother Jija Bai under the guardianship of Dadaji Khonddev. Jija Bai, a lady of virtuous temperament and extra ordinary intellect, infused into her child’s mind high and inspiring ideas

The history of India from A.D. 1526 to 1556 is mainly the story of the Mughul-Afghan contest for supremacy in this land. Infact, there were three phases in the history of the Mughul conquest of India. The first phase (1526-1530) was occupied with the subjugation of the Afghans and the Rajputs under Rana Sanga. The