1940 in India

Incumbents

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

Events

• National income - 35,084 million
• 24 March Lahore Session of AIML where Pakistan Resolution was proposed by Bengal PM Fazlul Haq and duly passed, hence the Jinnah-Muslim League demanded a separate homeland for the Indian Muslims openly for the first time here.
• 8 Aug - Viceroy Lord Linlithgow's August Offer to seek support in war efforts which was rejected by the nationalist.
• Re-entry of Gandhiji in political scene with organisation of individual satyagraha to speak and protest against army entry, against working in ammunition factories etc. to withdraw world war 2 support. First such satyagrahi to be arrested was Vinoba Bhave.
• Arrests by Govt including Netaji and Nehru. Latter was interned for 4 years for instigating peasants of UP.

Law

• 19 November – The Central Legislative Assembly rejects the Finance Bill.
• 21 December – The Finance Bill is certified by the Viceroy.
• Drugs and Cosmetics Act

Births

• 1 January – Asrani, actor.
• 6 January – Narendra Kohli, author.
• 10 January - K. J. Yesudas, playback singer.
• 20 January – Krishnam Raju, actor.
• 1 February – Ajmer Singh, athlete and educator.
• 20 April - Kenneth Powell. Olympic sprinter.
• 10 May - Ibrahim Sutar, social worker, poet and folk musician.
• 15 June - Elvera Britto, hockey player.
• 24 June - Murali Mohan, politician and member of parliament from Rajahmundry.
• 27 July – Bharati Mukherjee, writer.
• 28 July – Anil R. Joshi, poet and essayist.
• 1 August – Eunice de Souza, poet, literary critic and novelist.
• 7 August – Vijay Raghunath Pandharipande, physicist.
• 8 August – Dilip Sardesai, cricketer.
• 13 August – M. K. Cheriyan, retired college principal.
• 20 August – Rajendra K. Pachauri, economist and environmental scientist..
• 5 September – Siddeshwar Swami, spiritual leader.
• 20 October – Yamini Krishnamurthy, classical dancer.
• 12 November – Amjad Khan, actor and director.
• 7 December – Kumar Shahani, film director and screenwriter.
• 12 December – Sharad Pawar, politician, chief minister of Maharashtra.

Full date unknown

• Sa. Kandasamy, novelist.

Deaths

• 20 November – Abul Muhasin Muhammad Sajjad, scholar, freedom fighter and founder of Muslim Independent Party.