The British East India Company initially arrived in India in the early 1600s for trade purposes but gradually expanded its influence and control over the Indian subcontinent.
Following the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the Company began to establish its rule, leading to widespread exploitation and oppression.
By the mid-19th century, the British Crown had taken direct control, formally instituting the British Raj in 1858 after the Revolt of 1857, also known as the First War of Indian Independence.
On August 15, 1947, India officially gained independence. The transfer of power was marked by the raising of the Indian national flag and a speech by Jawaharlal Nehru