1949 in India

Incumbents

1 January –
- After eight months of fighting between the Indian forces and the Pakistan Army agreed to a ceasefire, ordered by the United Nations Security Council, takes effect in Kashmir region.
- The Reserve Bank of India was nationalized.
20-23 January - An international Conference of 19 nations took place in New Delhi for Indonesian National Revolution.
30 March - Fifteen Princely states joined the Dominion of India to form Greater Rajasthan.^[1]
28 April – India issues the London Declaration, enabling it (and, thereafter, any other nation) to remain in the British Commonwealth despite becoming a republic, creating the position of 'Head of the Commonwealth', and renaming the organisation as the 'Commonwealth of Nations'.
25 May - Kollam Textile Mill strike by United Trade Union Congress demanding payment of bonus to workers.
6 June – With the passage of the Bodh Gaya Temple Act by the Indian government, Mahabodhi Temple is restored to partial Buddhist control.

1 July - Princely state of Travancore and Kingdom of Cochin enters into Thiru - Kochi Pact.^[2]
27 July – India and Pakistan sign the Karachi Agreement
9 September – Queen Kanchanprabha Devi signs the Tripura Merger Agreement.
17 September - Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam a linguistic regional party based in Tamil Nadu formed.^[3]
18 September - Indian rupee suffers devaluation due to 30% devaluation of Pound sterling by Chancellor of the Exchequer.^[4]
21 September - Manipur (princely state) merges with India following agreement between V. P. Menon and Bodhchandra Singh.^[5]

11 October - Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru arrived at Washington, D.C. for a three week visit in United States and was received by Harry S. Truman.^[6]
15 October – Tripura becomes a part of the Union of India
15 November – Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte executed for assassinating Mahatma Gandhi.
26 November - Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India.^[7]
22 December - Planting of ram idol inside Babri Masjid by Abhiram Das.^[8]
28 December – Central Reserve Police Force Act enacted.
31 December - An armed group of Communist Party of India activists killed four Police officers in Travancore–Cochin.^[9]

1 January – Nana Patekar, actor and filmmaker.
13 January – Rakesh Sharma, Indian Air Force pilot and cosmonaut.
16 February – Milind Rege, cricket player and selector (died 2025).
7 March – Ghulam Nabi Azad, politician.
4 April – Parveen Babi, actress (died 2005).
1 June
- T. M. Abraham, theatre director.
- Gautam Chattopadhyay, musicologist and film maker, founder member of Moheener Ghoraguli. (died 1999).
29 June – A. Anwhar Raajhaa, politician.
10 July – Sunil Gavaskar, cricketer.
21 August – Ahmed Patel, politician (died 2020).
23 August – Bansi Kaul, theatre director (died 2021).
30 October – Pramod Mahajan, politician (died 2006).
12 December – Gopinath Munde, politician (died 2014).

2 March - Sarojini Naidu, Activism, (aged 70 years)
6 April – Narendra Nath Dutta, physician (born 1884)
10 April – Birbal Sahni, paleobotanist (born 1891).
19 June – Syed Zafarul Hasan, Muslim philosopher (born 1885).
15 November – Narayan Apte, accomplice in assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, executed (born 1911).
15 November – Nathuram Godse, assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, executed (born 1910).