Introduction -- Indus Valley civilization, prehistory to 1500 B.C. -- Coming of the Aryans, 1500-334 B.C. -- Mauryas: the first Indian empire, 330-184 B.C. -- Golden age of Indian civilization, 184 B.C.-A.D. 647 -- Rise of Islam, 647-1565 -- Mughal empire, 1526-1707 -- Receding tide uncovering rocks: the eighteenth century, 1707-85 -- Jewel in the crown: the British Raj, 1785-1914 -- Road to freedom, 1850s-1948 -- Midnight's children: Nehru and the New India, 1947-64 -- End of a dynasty: crisis and change -- Chronology of major events -- Governors-General and viceroys -- Heads of state since independence -- Prime ministers -- Historical gazetteer -- Further reading -- Index.