1948 in India

Incumbents

Assassination of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi: The Martyr's Column at the Gandhi Smriti, (Birla House), the spot where Gandhi was assassinated.

30 January – Assassination of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi: The spiritual leader of India Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated by Nathuram Godse.
15 February – Junagadh and Manavadar (princely state) Rescinds accession to Pakistan, accedes to India.
8 March princely state of Jath accedes to India
24 February – Referendum approves accession to India.
25 February – Accession to India in effect.
15 April 1948 – Mandi District was formed by the amalgamation of the erstwhile princely states of Mandi and Suket on the formation of Himachal Pradesh.
1 May – First Kashmir War, India confronts the aggressors and fights the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 and is engaged with the Dominion of Pakistan for the first time
6 September – The Nizam of Hyderabad Deccan having failed to retain independence decides to accede to the Dominion of Pakistan, Pakistan instead takes the case to the UN, pending resolutions regarding the issue.
12 September – State of Hyderabad joins the Dominion of India.

7 January – Shobhaa De, columnist and novelist.
24 February – J. Jayalalithaa, Actress, Politician, Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. (Died 2016)
25 February – Danny Denzongpa, actor.
10 April – Jaya Bachchan, actress.
3 May – S. Ramesan Nair, lyricist and poet (died 2021).
14 June – Gokaraju Ganga Raju, politician and member of parliament from Narasapuram.
10 September – Bhakti Barve, actress (died 2001).
2 October – Persis Khambatta, actress and model (died 1998).
16 October – Hema Malini, actress and dancer-choreographer.
11 December – Raghuvaran, actor (died 2008).

30 January – Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, political and spiritual leader in India and the Indian independence movement, assassinated (born 1869).
1 February – Jatindramohan Bagchi, poet (born 1878).
9 August – Yellapragada Subbarow, medical scientist (born 1895).