Long ago, India was ruled by Mogul emperors. Then the empire fell apart into smaller kingdoms, ruled by maharajas.
By the 1600’s, Europeans had come into India to trade for Indian spices, silks, cotton cloth, and tea.
In 1857, the British took control of India and ruled there until 1947. One very important man, Mohandas Gandhi helped India gain independence.
Gandhi practiced civil disobedience. That means that he would not do what the British wanted, but he was never violent.