INDIRA GANDHI

She dominated Indian politics from 1966 until her death by assassination in October 31, 1984, shot to death by two of her own Sikh security guards (for me: A very painful death). Indira Gandhi was one of the outstanding woman political figure and political leader of her time and was prime minister of India.

Indira was born on November 19, 1917 in Uttar Pradesh state. She was educated at schools in England and Switzerland as well as in India. Jawaharlal Nehru was her father, the first prime minister of independent India. She married a lawyer named Feroze Gandhi in 1942. Rajiv and Sanjiv were their two sons.

Gandhi was concisely involved in the effort that led to Indian independence in 1947. After her father died in 1964, she served as minister of information and broadcasting under his successor, Lal Bahadur Shastri. In 1966, she became prime minister following Shastri’s death.

Unrivaled as a politician, Gandhi implemented a powerful hold over millions of Indians, principally in the countryside. India’s hasty victory over Pakistan in 1971, during the civil war between West and East Pakistan, increased her approval of the nation. In 1975, however, a high court ruled that she had violated election laws in 1971 elections. Refusing to resign, Gandhi declared a state of emergency. She suspended constitutional government and ruled as a dictator from 1975 to 1977.

She fell from command in 1977 elections, but returned to office in 1980. During the next four years, Gandhi was faced with growing political unrest, especially in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, and Punjab.

Published: December 29, 2018