Indira Gandhi was the first and, to date, only female Prime Minister of India. She served two terms, from 1966 to 1977 and then again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984. Gandhi was born on November 19, 1917 in Allahabad, India to Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, and Kamala Nehru.
Gandhi received her education in India and abroad, attending schools in Switzerland and then earning a degree in history and political science from Oxford University. After completing her education, Gandhi returned to India and became involved in the country's independence movement.
In 1942, Gandhi married Feroze Gandhi, with whom she had two children, Rajiv and Sanjay. Tragedy struck the family in 1948 when Feroze Gandhi died of a heart attack at the age of 49.
In 1959, Gandhi was elected to the Indian Parliament and quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the Minister of Information and Broadcasting in 1964. In 1966, after the death of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, Gandhi was elected as the leader of the Congress Party and became Prime Minister of India.
During her first term as Prime Minister, Gandhi implemented a number of policies aimed at improving the lives of India's poor and marginalized populations. She introduced land reform measures and worked to increase access to education and healthcare. Gandhi also nationalized India's banks and established the Green Revolution, which aimed to increase food production and reduce India's reliance on food imports.
Gandhi's time in office was not without controversy, however. In 1971, she declared a state of emergency in response to civil unrest and political opposition, leading to the suspension of civil liberties and the arrest of political opponents. This period is widely considered to be a dark chapter in India's history.
Gandhi's second term as Prime Minister was marked by ongoing tensions with Pakistan and increasing unrest within India. In 1984, Gandhi ordered a military operation to flush out militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, a move that was deeply controversial and led to widespread protests. On October 31, 1984, Gandhi was assassinated by two of her bodyguards.
Gandhi's legacy is complex and multifaceted. While she is remembered for her efforts to improve the lives of the poor and for her role in the Green Revolution, she is also remembered for the controversial actions she took during the state of emergency. Regardless of one's perspective on her time in office, however, it is undeniable that Gandhi played a significant role in shaping modern India and remains an influential figure in the country's history.
