McKinney's Timeline of India By olmc21 Jan 1, 1556 Humayun dies and his son Akbar becomes one of the greatest rulers of India Jan 1, 1631 Started building Taj Mahal Jan 1, 1751 Britain becomes the leading colonial power in India Jan 1, 1769 A famine kills ten million people in Bengal and the East India Company does nothing to help them Jan 1, 1853 Railway, postal services & telegraph line introduced in India Jan 1, 1857 First War of Indian Independence also known as Revolt of 1857 or Sepoy Mutiny Jan 1, 1857 India became a british colony Jan 1, 1858 British Crown officially takes over the Indian Government Jan 1, 1885 First meeting of the Indian National Congress Jan 1, 1947 Partition of India and Independence from the British rule