The history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Anatomically modern

humans, as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus from
about 500,000 years ago.[1]
The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern part of
the Indian subcontinent from c. 3300 to 1300 BCE in present-day Pakistan and northwest
India, was the first major civilization in South Asia.[2] A sophisticated and technologically
advanced urban culture developed in theMature Harappan period, from 2600 to 1900 BCE.
[3]

This civilization collapsed at the start of the second millennium BCE and was later followed

by the Iron Age Vedic Civilization, which extended over much of the Indo-Gangetic plainand
which witness the rise of major polities known as the Mahajanapadas. In one of these
kingdoms, Magadha, Mahavira and Gautama Buddha propagated
their Shramanic philosophies during the fifth and sixth century BCE.
Most of the subcontinent was conquered by the Maurya Empire during the 4th and 3rd
centuries BCE. From the 3rd century BC onwards Prakrit and Paliliterature in the north and
the Sangam literature in southern India started to flourish. [4][5] The famous Wootz
steel originated in south India in the 3rd century BC and was also exported to foreign
countries.[6][7][8]
Various parts of India were ruled by numerous Middle kingdoms for the next 1,500 years,
among which the Gupta Empire stand out. This period, witnessing a Hindu religious and
intellectual resurgence, is known as the classical or "Golden Age of India". During this period,
aspects of Indian civilization, administration, culture, and religion (Hinduism and Buddhism)
spread to much of Asia, while kingdoms in southern India had maritime business links with
the Roman Empire from around 77 CE. During this period Indian cultural influence spread
over many parts of Southeast Asia which led to the establishment ofIndianized
kingdoms in Southeast Asia (Greater India).[9]
The most significant event between the 7th and 11th century was the Tripartite
struggle between the Pala Empire, Rashtrakuta Empire, and Gurjara Pratihara
Empire centered on Kannauj that lasted for more than two centuries. Southern India saw the
rule of the Chalukya Empire, Chola Empire, Pallava Empire,Pandyan Empire, and Western
Chalukya Empire. Seventh century also saw the advent of Islam as a political power, though
as a fringe, in the western part of the subcontinent in modern day Pakistan.[10] The Chola
dynasty conquered southern India and successfully invaded parts of Southeast Asia and Sri
Lankain the 11th century.[11][12] The early medieval period Indian mathematicsinfluenced the
development of mathematics and astronomy in the Arab world and the Hindu numerals were
introduced.[13]

Muslim rule started in parts of the north India in the 13th century when theDelhi
Sultanate was founded in 1206 CE by the central Asian Turks.[14] The Delhi Sultanate ruled
the major part of northern India in the early 14th century, but declined in the late 14th
century, which saw the emergence of several powerful Hindu states like the Vijayanagara
Empire, Gajapati Kingdom, Ahom Kingdom and Mewar dynasty. In the 16th
century Mughals came from Central Asia and covered most of India gradually. The Mughal
Empire suffered a gradual decline in the early 18th century, which provided opportunities for
theMaratha Empire, Sikh Empire and Mysore Kingdom to exercise control over large areas in
the subcontinent.[15][16]
Though western exploration and trade started in some parts of India in the 16th century; from
the late 18th century to the middle of 19th century, large areas of India were annexed by the
British East India Company. Dissatisfaction with Company rule led to the Indian Rebellion of
1857, after which the British provinces of India were directly administered by the British
Crown and witnessed a period of both rapid development of infrastructure and economic
stagnation. During the first half of the 20th century, a nationwide struggle for
independence was launched with the leading party involved being the Indian National
Congress which was later joined by other organizations as well.
The subcontinent gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, after the British
provinces were partitioned into the dominions of India and Pakistan and the princely
states all acceded to one of the new states.