1. The Indian National Congress was founded in Bombay in December 1885.

2. A retired British official, A.O. Hume, played a crucial role in bringing Indians from various regions together.

3. To ensure all regions were represented, sessions were rotated across the country, and the President always belonged to a region other than where the session was held.

4. Most Frequent Presidents: Dadabhai Naoroji presided over the Congress three times (1886, 1893, 1906). Jawaharlal Nehru also presided multiple times.

5. Youngest & Longest Serving: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad became the youngest INC president at the age of 35 in 1923. Because no sessions were held between 1941 and 1945 due to mass arrests and movements, he also became the longest-serving president during British Rule.

6. No Sessions Held: There were no sessions in 1930 (due to the Civil Disobedience Movement), 1935 (due to Elections), and 1941–1945 (due to the Quit India Movement).

Important INC Sessions and Outcomes (1885–1946)

1885: Bombay Session

• President: W.C. Bonnerjee.

• This was the first session of the INC, attended by exactly 72 delegates. The primary objectives of the Congress were outlined.

1886: Calcutta Session

• President: Dadabhai Naoroji.

• The National Congress and the National Conference formally merged during this session. It was also decided to set up Provincial Congress Committees across the country.

1887: Madras Session

• President: Syed Badruddin Tyabji.

• He became the first Muslim President of the INC. An appeal was made to Muslims to join hands with other national leaders.

1888: Allahabad Session

• President: George Yule.

• He became the first English (non-Indian) President of the INC.

1889: Bombay Session

• President: Sir William Wedderburn.

• It was noted that the Congress now officially represented all areas of British India.

1890: Calcutta Session

• President: Pherozeshah Mehta.

• Kadambini Ganguly, the first woman to graduate from Calcutta University, became the first woman to address the Congress.

1896: Calcutta Session

• President: Rahimatullah M. Sayani.

• The National song 'Vande Mataram', composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, was sung for the first time.

1899: Lucknow Session

• President: Romesh Chunder Dutt.

• Congress made a strong demand for the permanent fixation of land revenue and asked the British to stop the 'drain of wealth'.

1901: Calcutta Session

• President: Dinshaw E. Wacha.

• This marked the very first time Mahatma Gandhi appeared on the Congress platform, urging support against racial discrimination.

1905: Benaras Session

• President: Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

• The session expressed deep resentment against the partition of Bengal and formally proclaimed the Swadeshi movement. Divisions between the 'moderates' and 'extremists' began to surface.

1906: Calcutta Session

• President: Dadabhai Naoroji.

• The word 'Swaraj' (Self-Government) was mentioned from the Congress platform for the first time.

1907: Surat Session

• President: Rash Behari Ghosh.

• The famous "Surat Split" occurred, formally dividing the Congress into Moderates and Extremists.

1908: Madras Session

• President: Rash Behari Ghosh.

• The formal Constitution for the Congress was drawn up.

1909: Lahore Session

• President: Madan Mohan Malaviya.

• Congress expressed strong disapproval over the separate electorates introduced by the Indian Councils Act of 1909.

1911: Calcutta Session

• President: Bishan Narayan Dar.

• The National Anthem 'Jana Gana Mana' was sung for the first time.

1916: Lucknow Session

• President: Ambica Charan Mazumdar.

• The divided factions of Congress reunited, and the historic Lucknow Pact was signed via a joint session with the Muslim League.

1917: Calcutta Session

• President: Annie Besant.

• She became the first woman President of the Congress.

1919: Amritsar Session

• President: Motilal Nehru.

• The Congress strongly condemned the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and extended support to the Khilafat Movement.

1920: Special Session (Calcutta) & Annual Session (Nagpur)

• Presidents: Lala Lajpat Rai (Calcutta) and C. Vijayaraghavachariar (Nagpur).

• The Non-Cooperation Movement was approved, and the party's goal officially shifted to attaining Swaraj through peaceful and legitimate means.

• A 15-member Congress Working Committee (CWC) was formed to lead the party.

1921: Ahmedabad Session

• President: Hakim Ajmal Khan (Acting President).

• C.R. Das was officially elected as President, but because he was in prison, Hakim Ajmal Khan chaired the session. Harsat Mohani demanded complete independence.

1922: Gaya Session

• President: C.R. Das.

• Following an intense debate on council entry, C.R. Das and others broke away to form the Swarajya Party.

1923: Special Session (Delhi)

• President: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

• At just 35 years old, he became the youngest person ever to hold the post of INC President.

1924: Belgaum Session

• President: M.K. Gandhi.

• This was the only INC session ever presided over by Mahatma Gandhi.

1925: Kanpur Session

• President: Mrs. Sarojini Naidu.

• She became the first Indian woman President of the Congress.

1927: Madras Session

• President: M.A. Ansari.

• Passed a strict resolution to boycott the Simon Commission.

• The Creed of the Congress was redefined as "complete National Independence", a resolution moved by Nehru and S.C. Bose.

• Passed a resolution against the use of Indian troops in China, Iran, and Mesopotamia.

1928: Calcutta Session

• President: Motilal Nehru.

• The first All India Youth Congress came into being.

• The Congress warned the British government that a massive civil disobedience movement would start if India was not granted dominion status by December 31, 1929.

1929: Lahore Session

• President: Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.

• The resolution for 'Poorna Swaraj' (Complete Independence) was passed.

• The CWC was authorized to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement, and January 26, 1930, was fixed as the first Independence (Swarajya) Day.

1931: Karachi Session

• President: Vallabbhai J. Patel.

• The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was formally endorsed.

• Adopted a crucial resolution on Fundamental Rights which guaranteed: free speech, press, compulsory education, the right to form associations, the right to assemble, universal adult franchise, and strict protection for the culture, language, and script of minorities.

• Passed the National Economic Programme resolution.

1933: Calcutta Session

• President: Mrs. Nellie Sengupta.

• Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya was elected but was arrested before the session; Nellie Sengupta was elected to preside in his place, making her the third woman to do so.

1934: Bombay Session

• President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

• Wearing Khadi was made a mandatory criterion for elective membership in the party. The Congress Socialist Party was also formed.

1936: Lucknow Session

• President: Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.

• He strongly urged the Congress to adopt socialism as its ultimate goal.

1937: Faizpur Session

• President: Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.

• This was the first time an INC session was held in a village. A formal demand was made for a Constituent Assembly.

1938: Haripura Session

• President: Subhash Chandra Bose.

• A National Planning Committee was set up under Jawaharlal Nehru. Passed a resolution giving moral support to agitations in princely states.

1939: Tripuri Session

• President: Subhash Chandra Bose (later Rajendra Prasad).

• This session saw the first major electoral contest for the president's post. Bose defeated Pattabhi Sitaramayya, who was backed by Gandhi.

• Due to internal differences, Bose resigned and formed the Forward Bloc; Rajendra Prasad took over the presidency.

1940: Ramgarh Session

• President: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

• He became the longest-serving president during British Rule because no sessions were held between 1941 and 1945.

1946: Meerut Session

• President: J.B. Kripalani.

• This was the last INC session held before India achieved independence.

Important INC Sessions held in Bihar

Important INC Sessions held in Uttar Pradesh (UP)