India's Sashtipurthi-chronological order of important events

1947 -India gains freedom, and Jawaharlal Nehru is sworn in as the first Prime Minister of Independent India.
1947-48 -Hundreds of thousands die in widespread communal bloodshed after partition.
1948- Mahatma Gandhi assassinated by Nathuram Godse.
1950- India becomes a Republic. Dr Rajendra Prasad is the first President of India.
1952- First general elections; Congress government comes to power
1956-The states are reorganized on a linguistic basis
1962- War with China and India loses
1964- Death of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
1965- War with Pakistan; ceasefire declared
1966-Tashkent Agreement reached. Shastri dies at Tashkent. Indira Gandhi becomes prime minister.
1971-Third war with Pakistan
1971-Twenty-year treaty of friendship signed with Soviet Union.
1972-Shimla agreement signed between India and Pakistan.
1974-India's first atomic device exploded at Pokhran in Rajasthan.
1975-Indira Gandhi declared state of emergency.
1977- Indira Gandhi's Congress Party loses general elections. Janata Party comes to power
1979-Janata Party splits; Seventh general elections held
1980-Indira Gandhi returns to power heading Congress party splinter group, Congress (Indira).
1984-Operation Blue Star. Indira Gandhi assassinated; son Rajiv Gandhi becomes Prime Minister
1987-India deploys troops for peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict. Goa becomes the 25th state of India.
1989-Rajiv Gandhi's Congress defeated in ninth general elections; minority government led by Janata Dal's V.P Singh comes to power
1990-Indian troops withdrawn from Sri Lanka.
1991-V.P Singh's government falls . Rajiv Gandhi assassinated. Congress government return to power with P.V. Narasimha Rao as Prime Minister
1992-The dome of Babri Masjid (mosque) in Ayodhya demolished by hindu fanatics; triggering widespread Hindu-Muslim violence.
1996 - Congress suffers worst ever electoral defeat as Hindu nationalist BJP emerges as largest single party. In May 16 AB Vajpayee is PM, until May 28; United Front Coalition forms government under Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda
1997 - Congress withdraws support to coalition government; I.K. Gujaral sworn in Prime Minister.
1998 - BJP forms coalition government under Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
1999 - Vajpayee makes historic bus trip to Pakistan to meet Premier Nawaz Sharif and to sign bilateral Lahore peace declaration.
1999 - Intense fighting in Kargil
2004 - Congress Party win in general elections. Manmohan Singh is sworn in as prime minister.