See also: 1938 in India, other events of 1939, 1940 in India and the Timeline of Indian history.

Events

• 3 March - In Bombay, Mohandas Gandhi begins to fast in protest of the autocratic rule in India.
• 3 May - The All India Forward Bloc is formed by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Births

• 21 November - Mulayam Singh Yadav, politician and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
• 12 December - Swadesh Bharati, poet, novelist and literary critic.

Full date unknown

• Bani Basu, author, essayist, critic and poet.
• Arun Joshi, novelist (d.1993).