Indian National Movement: Key Events, Leaders, and Timeline (1857-1947)
Comprehensive notes on the Indian freedom struggle — from the Revolt of 1857 to Independence. Key movements, leaders, Congress sessions, and the timeline that PSC exams test most.
The Indian National Movement is one of the highest-weightage topics in Kerala PSC exams. Expect 5-8 questions in any Graduate Level paper. These notes cover the complete timeline with emphasis on what PSC actually asks — based on NCERT Class 8 (Our Pasts III) and Class 10 (India and the Contemporary World II).
Social and Religious Reform Movements (Pre-Nationalist Foundation)
These movements laid the intellectual groundwork for nationalism. PSC frequently asks about them.
| Reformer | Organisation/Movement | Key contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Raja Ram Mohan Roy | Brahmo Samaj (1828) | Abolished Sati (1829); “Father of Modern India” |
| Dayananda Saraswati | Arya Samaj (1875) | “Back to Vedas”; opposed idolatry and caste |
| Swami Vivekananda | Ramakrishna Mission (1897) | Addressed Parliament of Religions (Chicago, 1893) |
| Jyotirao Phule | Satyashodhak Samaj (1873) | Anti-caste movement; women’s education pioneer |
| Sri Narayana Guru | SNDP Yogam (via Dr. Palpu, 1903) | “One Caste, One Religion, One God”; Kerala renaissance leader |
| Ayyankali | Sadhu Jana Paripalana Sangham (1907) | Dalit rights in Travancore; right to use public roads |
| Chattampi Swamikal | — | Anti-caste philosopher; contemporary of Narayana Guru |
Kerala Renaissance leaders are PSC gold: Sri Narayana Guru, Ayyankali, Chattampi Swamikal, Vakkom Moulavi (Muslim reformer, journal Swadeshabhimani). Know each one’s contribution.
Phase 1: The Revolt of 1857 and Early Nationalism
The Revolt of 1857
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | 10 May 1857 (started at Meerut) |
| Also called | First War of Independence, Sepoy Mutiny, Great Rebellion |
| Immediate cause | Introduction of Enfield rifle cartridges greased with cow and pig fat |
| Key leaders | Bahadur Shah Zafar (Delhi), Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi), Tantia Tope, Nana Sahib (Kanpur), Begum Hazrat Mahal (Lucknow), Kunwar Singh (Bihar) |
| Result | Suppressed by British; East India Company abolished; British Crown took direct control (Government of India Act, 1858) |
PSC Favourite: “Who was declared the leader of the 1857 Revolt?” — Bahadur Shah Zafar (the last Mughal emperor) was declared the nominal leader by the rebels in Delhi.
Formation of Indian National Congress (INC)
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Founded | 28 December 1885, Bombay (Mumbai) |
| Founder | A.O. Hume (Allan Octavian Hume) |
| First President | W.C. Bonnerjee (Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee) |
| First Session | Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay |
| Delegates | 72 |
Phase 2: Moderate Phase (1885-1905)
The Moderates believed in constitutional methods — petitions, prayers, and persuasion within the British system.
Key Moderate leaders:
- Dadabhai Naoroji (“Grand Old Man of India”)
- Gopal Krishna Gokhale (Gandhi’s political guru)
- Surendranath Banerjee
- Pherozeshah Mehta
- W.C. Bonnerjee
Dadabhai Naoroji’s “Drain of Wealth” theory is a PSC staple. He argued that British policies drained India’s wealth to Britain. His book: Poverty and Un-British Rule in India.
Phase 3: Extremist Phase (1905-1919)
The Extremists believed in self-reliance (Swaraj), boycott, and direct action.
Key Extremist leaders (Lal-Bal-Pal):
- Lal — Lala Lajpat Rai (“Lion of Punjab”)
- Bal — Bal Gangadhar Tilak (“Lokmanya”)
- Pal — Bipin Chandra Pal
Tilak’s famous quote: “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it” — asked frequently in PSC exams.
Partition of Bengal (1905)
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Announced by | Lord Curzon |
| Date | 16 October 1905 |
| Reason given | Administrative convenience |
| Real motive | Divide Hindu-Muslim unity in Bengal |
| Revoked | 1911 by Lord Hardinge (at Delhi Durbar) |
The Swadeshi Movement emerged as a response — boycott of British goods and promotion of Indian-made products.
Key Events of This Phase
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1905 | Partition of Bengal; Swadeshi Movement begins |
| 1906 | Muslim League founded (Dhaka) |
| 1907 | Surat Split — Congress divides into Moderates and Extremists |
| 1909 | Indian Councils Act (Morley-Minto Reforms) — introduced separate electorate for Muslims |
| 1911 | Partition of Bengal revoked |
| 1916 | Lucknow Pact — Congress and Muslim League unite; Home Rule Leagues by Tilak and Annie Besant |
| 1919 | Rowlatt Act; Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919, Amritsar, General Dyer) |
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919): General Dyer ordered firing on a peaceful gathering in Amritsar. Hundreds killed. Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood in protest. The Hunter Commission was appointed to investigate.
Phase 4: Gandhian Era (1919-1947)
Mahatma Gandhi’s Major Movements
| Movement | Year | Cause | Key Feature | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaran Satyagraha | 1917 | Indigo farmers’ exploitation | Gandhi’s first Satyagraha in India | Farmers freed from tinkathia system |
| Kheda Satyagraha | 1918 | Crop failure, tax demand | First non-cooperation with revenue | Partial tax relief |
| Ahmedabad Mill Strike | 1918 | Workers’ wage dispute | Gandhi’s first hunger strike | 35% wage increase |
| Khilafat Movement | 1919-1924 | Support for Ottoman Caliphate | Hindu-Muslim unity | Allied with Non-Cooperation |
| Non-Cooperation Movement | 1920-1922 | Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh, Khilafat | Boycott of courts, schools, titles | Withdrawn after Chauri Chaura (1922) |
| Civil Disobedience Movement | 1930-1934 | Demand for Purna Swaraj | Salt March/Dandi March | Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931) |
| Quit India Movement | 1942 | Failure of Cripps Mission | ”Do or Die” | Leaders arrested; underground movement |
Simon Commission (1928)
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Appointed by | British Government |
| Chairman | Sir John Simon |
| Purpose | Review the working of the Government of India Act, 1919 |
| Why boycotted | No Indian member on the commission — all 7 members were British |
| Slogan | ”Simon Go Back” |
| Consequence | Lala Lajpat Rai injured in lathi charge during protest (Lahore, 1928); he died shortly after |
PSC favourite: “Why was Simon Commission boycotted?” — Because it had no Indian member. In response, the Nehru Report (1928) was drafted by Motilal Nehru as India’s own proposed constitution.
Cripps Mission (1942)
Sir Stafford Cripps was sent to India in March 1942 to secure Indian cooperation during WWII. He offered Dominion Status after the war and the right for provinces to opt out. Rejected by Congress (too little, too late) and the Muslim League (didn’t guarantee Pakistan). Gandhi called it a “post-dated cheque on a crashing bank.”
The failure of the Cripps Mission directly triggered the Quit India Movement in August 1942.
The Salt March / Dandi March (1930)
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Date | 12 March to 6 April 1930 |
| Distance | 385 km (Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi) |
| Duration | 24 days |
| Purpose | Break the British salt monopoly |
| Significance | Launched the Civil Disobedience Movement |
PSC numbers to remember: Dandi March — 12 March 1930, 385 km, 24 days, 78 followers started with Gandhi.
Important Congress Sessions
| Year | Place | President | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | Bombay | W.C. Bonnerjee | First session |
| 1905 | Benares | G.K. Gokhale | Swadeshi resolution |
| 1906 | Calcutta | Dadabhai Naoroji | ”Swaraj” as goal adopted |
| 1907 | Surat | — | Surat Split |
| 1916 | Lucknow | A.C. Mazumdar | Lucknow Pact |
| 1920 | Nagpur | C. Vijayaraghavachariar | Non-Cooperation approved |
| 1929 | Lahore | Jawaharlal Nehru | Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) declared |
| 1931 | Karachi | Sardar Patel | Fundamental Rights resolution |
| 1938 | Haripura | S.C. Bose | Bose first elected president |
| 1939 | Tripuri | S.C. Bose | Bose re-elected; conflict with Gandhi |
Most asked Congress session: Lahore 1929 — Jawaharlal Nehru as president, Purna Swaraj declared, 26 January 1930 celebrated as first Independence Day (this is why Republic Day is on 26 January).
Quit India Movement (1942)
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Date | 8 August 1942 |
| Place | Bombay (Gowalia Tank Maidan, now August Kranti Maidan) |
| Gandhi’s call | ”Do or Die” (Karo Ya Maro) |
| Resolution moved by | Jawaharlal Nehru, seconded by Sardar Patel |
| Result | All major leaders arrested; underground resistance continued |
Key underground leaders:
- Aruna Asaf Ali — hoisted the Congress flag at Gowalia Tank after leaders were arrested; called the “Grand Old Lady of the Independence Movement”
- Jayaprakash Narayan — escaped from Hazaribagh jail; led underground resistance
- Ram Manohar Lohia — organised underground radio and resistance networks
Subhas Chandra Bose and the INA
- Founded Indian National Army (INA) / Azad Hind Fauj
- Gave the call “Give me blood, I shall give you freedom”
- Established Azad Hind Government (1943) in Singapore
- “Jai Hind” was his greeting
- First INA was organised by Captain Mohan Singh (Bose reorganised it)
Path to Independence (1946-47)
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Cabinet Mission | March 1946 |
| Direct Action Day (Muslim League) | 16 August 1946 |
| Interim Government formed | 2 September 1946 |
| Mountbatten Plan | 3 June 1947 |
| Indian Independence Act | 18 July 1947 |
| Independence Day | 15 August 1947 |
Important Viceroys and Their Acts
| Viceroy | Period | Key Act/Event |
|---|---|---|
| Lord Canning | 1856-62 | Revolt of 1857; first Viceroy |
| Lord Ripon | 1880-84 | Local Self Government; “Father of Local Self Government” |
| Lord Curzon | 1899-1905 | Partition of Bengal (1905) |
| Lord Hardinge | 1910-16 | Annulment of Bengal Partition (1911); capital shifted to Delhi |
| Lord Chelmsford | 1916-21 | Rowlatt Act; Jallianwala Bagh; Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1919) |
| Lord Irwin | 1926-31 | Civil Disobedience; Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931) |
| Lord Linlithgow | 1936-43 | Quit India Movement (1942) |
| Lord Mountbatten | 1947-48 | Last Viceroy; Independence; Partition |
| C. Rajagopalachari | 1948-50 | First and last Indian Governor-General |
Kerala-Specific Freedom Movement Questions
Kerala PSC frequently asks about the freedom movement in Kerala:
| Event | Detail |
|---|---|
| Vaikom Satyagraha | 1924-25; movement for right to use roads near Vaikom Temple; led by T.K. Madhavan; Gandhi visited; E.V. Ramasamy Periyar also participated |
| Guruvayur Satyagraha | 1931-33; temple entry movement; led by K. Kelappan (“Kerala Gandhi”); supported by Gandhian activists |
| Malabar Rebellion | 1921; anti-British, anti-landlord, Khilafat-influenced uprising; Variyankunnathu Kunjahammed Haji led |
| Punnapra-Vayalar Uprising | 1946; communist-led workers’ uprising in Alappuzha against Travancore Dewan Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer |
| Temple Entry Proclamation | 12 November 1936; Maharaja Chithira Thirunal of Travancore; Dewan Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer drafted it |
| Abstinence Movement (Nivartana Prasthanam) | 1930s; movement for representation of backward communities in Travancore legislature |
Temple Entry Proclamation (1936): Maharaja Chithira Thirunal of Travancore opened all temples to all Hindus regardless of caste. Gandhi called it a “miracle of modern times.” Date: 12 November 1936. The Dewan who drafted the proclamation was Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer — PSC asks this.
Quick Timeline for Revision
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1857 | First War of Independence |
| 1885 | INC founded |
| 1905 | Partition of Bengal |
| 1906 | Muslim League founded |
| 1909 | Morley-Minto Reforms |
| 1916 | Lucknow Pact; Home Rule Leagues |
| 1917 | Champaran Satyagraha |
| 1919 | Rowlatt Act; Jallianwala Bagh (13 Apr) |
| 1920 | Non-Cooperation Movement |
| 1922 | Chauri Chaura; NCM withdrawn |
| 1928 | Simon Commission; Nehru Report |
| 1929 | Lahore Congress — Purna Swaraj |
| 1930 | Salt March (12 Mar); Civil Disobedience |
| 1931 | Gandhi-Irwin Pact; Karachi Congress |
| 1935 | Government of India Act |
| 1942 | Quit India Movement (8 Aug) |
| 1943 | Azad Hind Government (Bose) |
| 1946 | Cabinet Mission; Direct Action Day |
| 1947 | Independence (15 Aug) |
Notes based on NCERT Class 8 Our Pasts III (Ch. 5, 10, 11) and Class 10 India and the Contemporary World II (Ch. 2, 3). Kerala-specific content from PSC previous year papers. Updated April 2026.