1939 in India

← 1938 1937 1936 1939 in India → 1940 1941 1942
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s
See also:	List of years in India Timeline of Indian history

Events in the year 1939 in India.

World War II breaks out and political dead lock in India

Incumbents

• Emperor of India – George VI
• Viceroy of India – Victor Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow

Events

• National income - ₹31,845 million

January - June

• 2 January – The Muslim League at Patna disapproves the Federation scheme which has already been disapproved by Congress. ^[1]
• 29 January – Subhas Chandra Bose is reelected president of Congress at Bombay (a victory for opponents of Federation). ^[2]
• 22 February – Thirteen right-wing members of the working committee, including Pandit Nehru, resign from Congress. ^[3]
• 3 March – In Bombay, Mohandas Gandhi begins to fast in protest of the autocratic rule in India.
• 12 March – Congress at Tripuri passes a resolution of adherence to the party of Gandhi. ^[4]
• 29 April – S. C. Bose resigns as president of Congress and is succeeded by Rajendra Prasad. ^[5]
• 1 May – New Congress working committee announced. ^[6]
• 3 May – S. C. Bose announces the formation of a new left bloc under his leadership. ^[7]

July - December

• 3 September - Lord Linlithgow declares Emergency in British India.
• 8–14 September – Congress debates its attitude to the war; Gandhi calls upon the British to implement their declarations of faith in democracy. ^[8]
• 18 September – The Muslim League declares that the Federal scheme, now suspended, should be altogether abandoned. ^[9]
• 17 October – The Viceroy states the Allied objectives in the war and announces that at the end of the war the Government would consult the several communities, parties and interests in India. ^[10]
• 27–31 October – Congress working committee resolved that the Viceroy's statement was wholly unsatisfactory and asked for a statement of war aims; the ministries of Bombay, Madras and Bihar resign. ^[11]
• 3 November – Resignation of the ministry of the United Provinces. ^[12]
• 5 November – Resignation of the ministry of Orissa; the Viceroy announces that the parties having met have failed to agree. ^[13]
• 9 November – Resignation of the ministry of Central Provinces. ^[14]
• 23 November – At Allahabad the Congress working committee reaffirms its demand for "recognition of India's independence". ^[15]
• 2 December - Jinnah's call for observing 22nd as Day of Deliverance in favour of resignation and end of congress ministries in provinces.
• 27 December – The first contingent of Indian troops reaches France. ^[16]

Law

• 28 February – The budget is presented to the Legislative Assembly in which the duty on raw cotton is doubled. ^[17]
• 13 March – The Chamber of Princes approves its own reorganization. ^[18]
• 20 March – A new trade agreement with the UK till 31 March 1942 is signed after two years of negotiations. ^[19]
• 15 April – The new tariff bill is rejected by the Central Legislature. ^[20]
• 18 April – The Council of State passes the new tariff bill a second time. ^[21]
• Registration Of Foreigners Act
• Portuguese Code of Civil Procedure
• Commercial Documents Evidence Act
• Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act
• Limitation Act

Births

• 11 March – Bani Basu, author, essayist, critic and poet.
• 19 May – Balu Mahendra, film director and cinematographer (d. 2014).
• 27 June – R. D. Burman, composer, singer (died 1994)
• 7 July – Satya Prakash Agarwal, politician
• 20 July – Walter Devaram, retired Indian Police Service officer
• 25 July – Mahendran, Indian film director, screenwriter and actor (d. 2019)
• 1 August – Jambuwantrao Dhote, Indian politician (d. 2017).
• 16 August – Kanchana, actress.
• 17 August – Farooq Feroze Khan, Pakistani air chief marshal (d. 2021)
• 15 September – Subramanian Swamy, Indian politician and economist. ^[22]
• 29 October – Malay Roy Choudhury, poet and novelist (died 2023
• 22 November – Mulayam Singh Yadav, politician and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (died 2022)
• 14 December – Mythili Sivaraman, activist (died 2021)

Full date unknown

• Arun Joshi, novelist (died 1993).

Deaths

• 6 February – Sayajirao Gaekwad III, Maharada of Baroda (born 1863)
• 14 February – Samsa, playwright, poet and novelist (born 1898)
• 8 September – Swami Abhedananda, mystic (born 1866)

References

1. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
2. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
3. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
4. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
5. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
6. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
7. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
8. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
9. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
10. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
11. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
12. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
13. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
14. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
15. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
16. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
17. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
18. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
19. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
20. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
21. Everyman's Dictionary of Dates; 6th ed. J. M. Dent, 1971; p. 263
22. "Dr Subramanian Swamy Biography - About family, political life, awards won, history". Elections in India. Retrieved 2023-03-12.