Gorkhaland agitation: The quest for identity
1907: Demand for a separate administrative unit in Darjeeling raised for the first time. The Hillmen's Association of Darjeeling submits a memorandum to the committee drafting the Minto-Morley Reforms
1917: The Hillmen's Association submits a memorandum to the chief secretary of Bengal and the Viceroy for the creation of a separate unit comprising Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts
1929: Hillmen's Association raises the demand again before the Simon Commission
1930: Hillmen's Association, Gorkha Officers Association and the Kurseong Gorkha Library submit a joint petition to Sir Samuel Hoare, secretary of the state of India
1941: The Hillmen's Association again urges the Government of India to exclude Darjeeling from Bengal and make it a chief commissioner’s province
1947: Darjeeling district committee of the Communist Party of India submits a memorandum to the Constituent Assembly demanding the formation of Gorkhasthan comprising Darjeeling and Sikkim 1952: Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL) president, NB Gurung, meets Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and submits a memorandum
1980: The president of political party Pranta Parishad, Indra Bahadur Rai, writes to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi demanding new state in Darjeeling. Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) is formed by Subash Ghisingh
1986: GNLF launches a violent agitation for Gorkhaland that claims the lives of 1,200 people
1988: Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council accord signed between the GNLF, the then Left Front government headed by Jyoti Basu, and the Centre.
1992: Nepali language is included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution
2005: Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Centre, then Left Front government and Ghisingh for special status to the hills under 6th Schedule status to the Constitution
2007: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is formed by Bimal Gurung.
2008: Subash Ghisingh is unseated from the hills and starts residing in Jalpaiguri
2010: Leader of All India Gorkha League, Madan Tamang, is murdered in Darjeeling. He supported creation of Gorkhaland but was opposed to Bimal Gurung
2011: Three GJM supporters die in police firing at Sipchu (Dooars), sparking violent agitation. Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) is formed
2012 - The GJM sweeps the first-ever elections to the GTA, winning all the 45 seats
2015 - Bimal Gurung, chief executive of GTA, charged with murder, conspiracy to murder and rioting in the murder case of Madan Tamang.
2017 - Fresh agitation in the hills during Mamata Banerjee’s visit over the state government’s decision to make Bengali mandatory in schools