The Partition of India
August 14, 1947
Tarif Haque
What is the Partition of India?
The partition of India is the
separation of India on Aug. 14,
1947 and Aug. 15, 1947 into the
states of the Dominion of Pakistan
and the Union of India, respectively.
India was separated on the day of
gaining independence from British,
due to tensions between the Hindus
and the Muslims living in the country.
India gained independence after 350
years of British presence in the
country.
Above: A current day map of India
Basic Maps of the Partition
These two maps show how India was divided after gaining independence from the
British in 1947. The first shows India under British rule, before the partition. The
second shows how the region was divided after gaining independence and the
breakaway of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) from West Pakistan (Pakistan today)
in 1971 through the Bangladesh Liberation War.
Timeline of Events
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1600- British East India Company is established
1707- Mughal Empire collapsing; Indian states begin breaking away from Mughal control
1757- Robert Clive leads victory at Battle of Plassey; begins East India Company (British)
leading power in India.
1800s- Many Indians begin thinking more modernly, changing traditional ideas. Some
take ideas wanting to govern themselves.
May 10, 1857- Indian Rebellion of 1857 (Sepoy Mutiny) starts. Challenges East India
Company as fierce fighting breaks out.
1858- British government takes direct command of India, from East India Company.
Late 1800s- Nationalism surfaces in India
1885- Indian National Congress is formed
1906- Muslim League forms
1930- First proposed idea of partition by philosopher Allama Iqbal
Late 1930s- Muslims begin exiting Congress.
1943- Muslim League proposes “Divide and Quit” plan
July 18, 1947- Mountbatten Partition Plan is finalized
August 14-15, 1947- Independence is gained from Britain. Pakistan is formed immediate
next day.
The British East India Company
also known as The Honorable East India Company
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Britain becomes interested in India for
economic reasons in the 1600s.
The British East India company is
formed after a charter is issued by
Elizabeth I for favorable trading
privileges between India and England.
It began originally as a joint venture
with the Dutch East India Company.
Trading posts are set up in Bombay
(1638), Madras (1639), and Calcutta
(1690) by the company.
Because India was ruled by the
Mughal empire, at first, European
trading in the country was limited.
The company eventually transformed
itself from a commercial trade venture
to a group that basically ruled India, as
you will see in the next few slides.
Original flag of East India Company
This map shows European settlements in India from 1498 to 1739. As you can see, the British &
Dutch (from joint East India Company) together have the most settlements in the region, which
sets the stage for the British to begin ruling the area through the East India Company.
East India Company Gains Power
beginning over 100 years of British rule of India
 In 1617, The company is given trade rights in India by
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Mughal emperor Jahangir.
By 1707, Dozens of small Indian states begin breaking
away from Mughal rule. This sets the perfect time for the
British to take over.
In 1717, the British are given clear trading advantage when
Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar gives tax and duty free
trading to the company in Bengal.
Finally in 1757, the East India Company makes there
move. Led by Robert Clive, East India company troops win
a authoritative victory at the Battle of Plassey, defeating
Indian troops allied with the French.
From 1757 to 1858, the East India Company is the leading
power in India.
Impact of British Rule in India
Policies and Regulation
At first the East India Company ruled with little interference from the British
government until the 19th century. The company employed its own army and even had
an internal government structure. The British used India for the gain of Britain’s
Economy, and set up restrictions that didn’t allow India to operate on its own.
Positive Effects
A huge railroad system was placed in India by the British, making trade much more
efficient and brought together regions. The British modernized India by creating
telegraph, telephone, bridges, modern roads, canals and improving public health.
Schools and colleges are founded. They also helped put an end to local warfare.
Negative Effects
The British held almost all political and economic power and set restrictions on Indian
owned industries. Many villagers lost self-suffiency due to the British enforcing cash
crops. Most British carried racist attitudes towards the Indians in the country, and
adopted policies which did not abide by many religious practices in India. Traditional
Indian life was threatened due to British superiority.
The Indian Rebellion of 1857
also The Sepoy Mutiny
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In the 1800s, some Indians begin
thinking more modern and want a
greater role in governing
themselves.
Economic problems began arising
for the Indians due to British
restrictions.
In 1857, news spread to the sepoys
(Indian soldiers employed by British)
that there rifle cartridges were
greased with beef and pork. Hindus
and Muslims both resented having
to bite off the cartridge ends to use
the rifle because religious rules
stated that Hindus considered the
cow sacred, and Muslims didn’t eat
pork.
Almost 90 sepoys refused to accept
the cartridges. The sepoys were
jailed.
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The next day on May 10, 1857, the
sepoys rebelled. Fighting took place
across the country both sides trying to
slaughter each other’s armies.
The British government sent troops to
aid the East India Company. It took
over a year for them to regain power
and control.
Above: A painting of a battle during the Rebellion
British Government Takes Direct
Control of India in 1858
 After the Sepoy Mutiny, in 1858 the
British government took direct command
of India, from the East India Company.
 Raj was the term used to describe any
part of India under British rule, from 1757
to 1947.
 Britain promised to respect treaties made
to citizens by the East India Company,
and promised all Indian states would
remain free and independent. However,
Britain gained more and more control.
Nationalism Surfaces in India:
the Indian National Congress and Muslim League form
Nationalist feelings began arising in the country due to modernization and the
taking up of western ideas. It wasn’t long before the groups wanting to self
govern themselves. Two Major Nationalist Groups formed:
The Indian National Congress
The Muslim League
In 1885, the Indian National
Government formed- comprised mainly
of Hindus wanting to break free from
British rule.
In 1906, the Muslim League formed- another
nationalist group which focused on specific
concerns for the Muslim minority living in
India.
Above: Current flag of Indian National
Congress
Leading up to Partition: 1920-1932
•Not only were Indians struggling to
break away from British rule, but they
were also struggling internally due to
tensions between Hindus and Muslims.
•The formation of the Indian National
Congress and the Muslim League
defined a fine line between the two
major religions and their views.
•The first to propose separate states
was writer & philosopher Allama Iqbal in
1930. An excerpt from his conversation
with the Muslim League in 1930
appears on the right.
Left: Allama Iqbal
was a key figure in
proposing the
seperation of India
into two states.
Allama Iqbal’s 1930 Address to
Mulsim Leage:
“The Hindus and the Muslims
belong to two different religions,
philosophies, social customs
and literature… To yoke together
two such nations under a single
state, one as a numerical
minority and the other as a
majority, must lead to growing
discontent and final destruction
of any fabric that may be so built
up for the government of such a
state.”
Leading up to Partition: 1932-1937
•Not only were the Muslims pushing for separation, but so were the Hindus.
•Many Hindus despised the Muslims due to the Muslims formerly ruling India for 300
years under the Mogul Empire.
•Hindu organizations such as the Hindu Mahasabha pushed for the division of the
country and insisted the chasm between Muslims and Hindus was too great and was in
need of separate states.
In 1937, Veer Savarkar in his Presidential
Address to the Hindu Mahasabha:
“India cannot be assumed today to be Unitarian
and homogeneous nation, but on the contrary
there are two nations in the main — the Hindus
and the Muslims.”
Leading up to Partition: 1937-1946
•Although many groups called for the separation of India based on religion,
the majority of Congress members were secular and opposed to dividing the
country solely based on religion.
•By the late 1930s, Muslims begin exiting congress and forming separate
groups that were pushing the formation of a new Muslim state: Pakistan.
•At this time Britain did not directly rule India, but just oversaw the whole
country. Local and Regional governments comprised of full Indian rule.
•In 1943, The Muslim League proposes a quick plan to divide and gain
independence; also known as “Divide and Quit.”
•Soon India was ready to be partitioned. Muslims and Hindus were constantly
in quarrels, and a plan was proposed to the British.
Mohandas Gandhi
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Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) was
one of the major spiritual and
political figures in the move for
Indian independence
For years, Gandhi struggled to keep
the Muslims active in Congress so
India would not have to suffer the
consequence of separation and
losing unity.
Not only did Gandhi use non-violent
and non-cooperative methods, but
he also ceased much of the radical
hate ideas on both the sides of
Hindus and Muslims.
"Leave India to God. If that is too much,
then leave her to anarchy."
--Gandhi, May 1942
Above: Mohandas Gandhi
pictured in 1930
The Partition
 After Britain handed over self governance
to India on August 14, 1947, the plan for
the partition was put into action.
 The Mountbatten Plan is what India was
divided according to. The plan was written
by Cyril Radcliffe, who wrote it based on a
British commissioned report on India. The
plan was finalized on July 18, 1947 and
was put into action a month later.
 India was formed out of the mostly Hindu
regions and Pakistan was formed out of
the mainly Muslim regions. Pakistan was
formed in two dominions- East Pakistan
and West Pakistan, which were separated
geographically by India.
Above: British officials
discussing the Mountbatten
Plan, with a countdown to
handover of power in the
back.
Impact and Aftermath of Partition
The partition of India left both India and Pakistan devastated. Riots erupted, and looting broke
out widespread. Women were raped and battered by both the Hindus and Muslims, and trains
full of battered women and children would arrive between the borders of India and Pakistan
daily.
Over 15 million refugees were forced into regions completely new to them. Even though they
shared the same religion of thier new home, they still had not lost the bond to the region their
family and ancestors grew up in. The provinces of Bengal and Punjab were divided causing
outrage in many Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs alike.
Even after almost six decades after the partition, India and Pakistan have still not healed from
the wounds left by the partition. India and Pakistan have been to war twice since the partition,
and Pakistan suffered the bloody war of the breaking away of East Pakistan into Bangladesh.
The two countries are still arguing over the landlocked region of Kashmir. Many believe the
partition not only broke the unity of India, but also took away the sense of belonging to many
people who were tore apart from their native regions.
Left: Refugee train of Sikhs heading to India
Right: Man carrying wife and family across
the border.
“A moment comes, which
comes but rarely in history,
when we step out from the
old to the new, when an age
ends, and when the soul of a
nation, long suppressed, finds
utterance.”
-Jawaharlal Nehru,
1st Prime Minister of India