Indira Gandhi Biography

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FAMOUS WOMEN AND BEAUTY FEATURING: Indira Gandhi Biography 19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984 Indira Gandhi, 3rd Prime Minister of India

Indira Gandhi was the first woman Prime Minister of the Republic of India. She became famous for her dedication to democracy and improvement of the quality of life in her country.

Indira Gandhi Biography – family and character

Indira Gandhi was born in a family of Jawaharlal and Kamala Nehru. She was their only child. Her surname Gandhi was gained by Indira later, by her marriage to Feroze Gandhi. The political activism of her parents played an important role in forming her character, views and ambitions. A story of Joan of Arc had also a great influence on her. At the age of twelve, Indira established the Monkey Brigade, the children’s organization engaged in the struggle for independence of India.

In 1947, India won its independence from Great Britain. Jawaharlal Nehru, the father of Indira Gandhi, became the first India’s Prime Minister. Indira Gandhi became his trusted personal assistant. She accompanied her father on important political events, international trips and meetings and assisted him in leading the country.

Indira Gandhi Biography – Years as a Prime Minister

After the death of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964, his successor, Lal Bahadur Shastri appointed Indira Gandhi the Minister of Information and Broadcasting. In a country with a high level of illiteracy, radio and television played an important role in providing information to the public. Indira Gandhi opened radio and television to the opposition. For the first time, people were free to speak and share their views freely.

When Shastri died in 1966, Indira Gandhi was selected to serve as a Prime Minister until the following election. Next year, she was elected the Prime Minister of the Republic of India. Indira Gandhi remained the Prime Minister for three terms since 1966 until 1977 and for the forth term from 1980 until her death in 1984, which made a total of fifteen years.

Indira Gandhi Biography – Achievements

During her years as a Prime Minister, the political position of India had significantly improved. She led India to ending the war with Pakistan and resolving the issues between the two countries by negotiations. She sent the first India’s satellite into orbit. She supported agricultural innovation programs that solved the problems of food shortages, and further launched India to the position of a stable food exporter. She opened a campaign with a slogan "Abolish Poverty", which resulted in a considerable decrease of the percentage of population of India below the poverty line.

Indira Gandhi was admired by people, but also hated by many politicians for her charismatic personality and political acumen. The support for Gandhi was very strong, but the opposition from the right and left wing parties was growing stronger.

During the state of emergency in 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her opponents.

In many parts of rural India she is still remembered as Indira-Amma ("Amma" means "mother").

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