1839 in India

This article details events occurring in the year 1839 in India. Major events include the reduction of the Khanate of Kalat to a subsidiary ally of the British, and the capture of Aden in Yemen by the East India Company, creating an important stopover for voyages between Europe and India.

Incumbents

 * The Earl of Auckland, Governor-General, 1836-42.
 * Alexander Cunningham, aide-de-camp to Lord Auckland, 1836-1840
 * Sir John Keane, Lieutenant-General of the Bombay Army, 1834-1840
 * Zirat Prasad, regent of Bhaisunda, 1829-1840
 * Nau Nihal Singh, Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, 1839-1840
 * Bhao Rao Phanse, Dewan of Indore State, 1839-1840
 * Raghuji Bohonsle III, Maratha of Nagpur, 1818-1853
 * Gaya Prasad, Chaube of Taraon State, 1812-1840
 * Anand Rao Puar "Rao Sahib", Raja of Dewas State, 1817-1840
 * Dariao Singh, Rao of Paldeo, 1812-1840
 * Shiv Saran Singh, Rana of Baghal State, 1828-16 January 1840
 * Jashwant Singh, Raja of Nabha State, December 1783-21 May 1840
 * Kandhaji IV, Thakur Sahib of Palitana State, 1820-1840
 * Nonghanji IV, Thakur Sahib of Palitana State, 1824-1860
 * Henry Fane, Commander-in-Chief, India, 1835-1839
 * Gaya Prasad, Chaube of Taraon State
 * Anand Rao Puar "Rao Sahib", Raja of Dewas State
 * Shiv Saran Singh, Rana of Baghal State
 * Jashwant Singh, Raja of Nabha State
 * Ahmed Shah, King of the Maqpon dynasty
 * Chandrasinhji II Kesarisinhji, Maharana Raj Sahib of the Wankaner State, 1787-1839
 * Vakhatsinhji Chandrasinhji, Maharana Raj Sahib of the Wankaner State, 1839-1842
 * Ranjit Singh, founder and Maharajah of the Sikh Empire, 1780-1839
 * Kharak Singh, Maharajah of the Sikh Empire, 1839-1840
 * Jashwant Singh, Rana of Alirajpur State, 1818-17 March 1862
 * Raja Zalim Sen, Raja of Mandi State, 1826-1839
 * Raja Balbir Sen, Raja of Mandi, 1839-1851
 * Bhup Deo, Raja of Kanker State, 1818-1839
 * Padma Deo, Raja of Kanker State, 1839–1853
 * Major-General William Henry Sleeman heads the Thuggee and Dacoity Department from February 1839
 * Thug Behram, ruler of a Thugee death cult

Events

 * First Anglo-Afghan War, 1837–1842
 * Battle of Ghazni, part of the First Anglo-Afghan War, occurs on 23 July 1839 in Ghazni, Afghanistan
 * East India Company forces capture Aden to provide a coaling station for ships en route to India, founding the Aden Colony
 * Khanate of Kalat is reduced to a subsidiary alliance with the British Empire, self-governing under Khans
 * British India Society is founded in England
 * Jessop & Company work on construction of the first iron bridge in British India, Loha-ka-Pul over River Gomti at Lucknow, 1812–1840
 * 36th Jacob's Horse, a unit cavalry of the British Indian Army, is established
 * Feast of Saint Raphael, Ollur is held for the first time in Ollur, near Thrissur, Kerala
 * The cornerstone for St. Paul's Cathedral, Kolkata is laid
 * Bishop Hodges Higher Secondary School is established
 * St. Mary's Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School is established
 * St. Paul's Church, Landour is established
 * Thomas John Newbold is appointed deputy assistant adjutant-general and postmaster to the field force of the East India Company
 * John Nicholson, then a cadet in the East India Company's Bengal Infantry, reaches India
 * Sambad Prabhakar, a weekly newspaper, became a daily newspaper
 * The Statue of Thomas Munro was shipped to Madras
 * Mr. Grange (Sub Assistant to the Commissioner at Nowgong) lead the first expedition to the Naga Hills (Mezoma and Khonoma)

Law

 * Interest Act

Births

 * July - Baba Jaimal Singh, Founder of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (died 29 December 1903).
 * Allan Webb in Calcutta, second Bishop of Bloemfontein, baptised on 17 November
 * William Francis Frederick Waller, recipient of the Victoria Cross, born at Dagoolie, India on 20 August 1839
 * Hanson Jarrett, recipient of the Victoria Cross, on 22 March in Madras
 * Hugh Shaw, recipient of the Victoria Cross, on 4 February in Madras
 * Jamsetji Tata, pioneer industrialist, who founded the Tata Group, India's biggest conglomerate company, on 3 March in Navsari, Baroda, Bombay Presidency

Deaths

 * Ranjit Singh, first Maharajah of the Sikh Empire, on 27 June 1839 in Lahore, Punjab, Sikh Empire
 * Sankara Varman, astronomer-mathematician belonging to the Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics
 * George Havell, a painter
 * Chandrasinhji II Kesarisinhji, Maharana Raj Sahib of the Wankaner State
 * Jean-François Allard, French soldier and adventurer, in Punjab, Sikh Empire
 * William Francklin, English orientalist and army officer, on 12 April
 * Raja Zalim Sen, Raja of Mandi State, died in June 1839
 * Bhup Deo, Raja of Kanker State