Indira Gandhi

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (née Nehru) (19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) remains one of the most influential and controversial figures in modern Indian political history. She was India’s first and — to date — only female Prime Minister, serving for over fifteen years across two non-consecutive terms. Her tenure marked decisive shifts in India’s economic, social, and foreign policies, but also engendered criticisms around authoritarianism, civil liberties, and political centralisation.

Early Life and Family Background

Indira was born in Allahabad (then part of the United Provinces) into a prominent political family: her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, was a central figure in India’s freedom struggle and later became the first Prime Minister of independent India. Her grandfather, Motilal Nehru, was also an influential leader in the Indian National Congress.
She was raised primarily at Anand Bhavan, the Nehru family estate, where political meetings and intellectual discussions were a frequent feature. Her mother, Kamala Nehru, died in 1936 of tuberculosis, leaving Indira relatively early without a maternal guide.
Her childhood was marked by exposure to India’s struggle for independence; both her parents were deeply involved in nationalist politics and were frequently arrested, leaving young Indira to cope with absences, uncertainties, and disruptions.
Indira’s education was varied and cross-continental. She studied at institutions in India (including schools in Allahabad and in Uttar Pradesh), and also in Europe (Switzerland and England). She attended Somerville College, Oxford, though her studies were intermittently interrupted by her family’s political commitments.
In 1942, she married Feroze Gandhi (not related to Mahatma Gandhi), a Parsi journalist and politician. The marriage initially faced familial disapproval because of religious and social differences, but ultimately was accepted. They had two sons: Rajiv Gandhi (born 1944) and Sanjay Gandhi (born 1946).
During her father’s tenure as Prime Minister (1947–1964), Indira frequently served as his hostess and aide, accompanying him on diplomatic trips and managing social and political engagements.

Entry into Politics and Rise to Power

In the mid-1950s, Indira formally entered the organisational structure of the Indian National Congress. In 1955 she was elected to the Congress Working Committee, and in 1959 she became President of the Congress Party. During her presidency, she played a role in dissolving the communist-led state government in Kerala, thereby demonstrating her political influence beyond ceremonial office.
After the death of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964, Indira was nominated to the Rajya Sabha (the Upper House of Parliament), and she was appointed Minister of Information and Broadcasting under Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. When Shastri died unexpectedly in January 1966, the Congress Parliamentary Party faced a leadership choice. Indira contested the leadership and defeated Morarji Desai, emerging as the new leader of Congress and thus becoming Prime Minister on 19 January 1966. She thereby made history as the first woman to lead India.
At the time, many in the Congress believed she would be a pliable figure (“a puppet”). The derisive nickname “goongi gudiya” (“dumb doll”) was used by critics, but Indira gradually proved herself an independent and strong leader.
In 1967, India held general elections, and though the Congress suffered losses, Indira and her leadership retained enough strength to continue. She also entered the Lok Sabha by contesting a seat and won from the Raebareli constituency.

Policies and Challenges: First Premiership (1966–1977)

Indira’s first period in office was marked by bold policy initiatives, turbulence, and growing centralisation of power.

Economic and Social Policy

• Bank nationalisation (1969): She presided over the nationalisation of 14 major private banks, a step that aimed to extend credit to underprivileged sectors and reduce concentration of wealth. This move was controversial but resonated with her populist orientation.
• Twenty-point programme and poverty alleviation: Indira placed poverty alleviation at the centre of her political narrative, launching schemes for land reform, rural employment, and food security.
• Language policy & bilingualism: Under Indira’s regime, a constitutional amendment was passed in 1967 to ensure that both Hindi and English would function as official languages, responding to tensions from non-Hindi speaking states.
• Green Revolution and food self-sufficiency: Her government promoted high-yield seed varieties, irrigation expansion, and input subsidies, which enabled India to move from frequent food shortages to grain surpluses.
• Nuclear test: In 1974, India conducted its first peaceful nuclear explosion (Pokhran-I) under Indira’s leadership, asserting India’s technological and strategic autonomy.

Foreign Policy and Strategic Moves

• 1971 Bangladesh War: The crisis in East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) triggered a refugee exodus into India. India intervened militarily, leading to the surrender of Pakistani forces and the creation of Bangladesh. This victory considerably enhanced Indira’s standing domestically and abroad.
• After the war, she negotiated the Simla Agreement (1972) with Pakistan, committing both nations to resolving disputes through bilateral dialogue.
• She pursued Non-Alignment in global diplomacy but also improved relations with the Soviet Union, especially during Cold War alignments.
• In 1974, the Indira–Sheikh Accord was signed between the government of India and Jammu & Kashmir leadership (Sheikh Abdullah) to stabilise the state’s governance.

Constitutional & Political Challenges

As her authority solidified, opposition and critique rose. In the 1971 Lok Sabha election, Indira’s Congress (R) won a sweeping victory, but the manner in which she concentrated power alarmed many.
In 1975, the Allahabad High Court invalidated her 1971 election, citing electoral malpractices and barred her from public office for six years. Rather than resign, Indira swiftly declared a National Emergency on 25 June 1975 under Article 352 of the Constitution, citing internal disturbance. This period lasted until March 1977.
During the Emergency:

• Civil liberties were suspended; press censorship was imposed.
• Thousands of opposition leaders were detained, including famed political figures like Jayaprakash Narayan.
• The 42nd Amendment of the Constitution was enacted, significantly curbing judicial review and strengthening Parliament’s powers.
• Controversial mass sterilisation drives and slum demolitions in Delhi and elsewhere, part of her “family planning” and urban renewal campaigns, drew sharp criticism.

The Emergency deeply polarised Indian politics. In the 1977 elections that followed, the Congress was voted out, and Morarji Desai became Prime Minister leading the Janata coalition. Indira herself lost her Lok Sabha seat and was briefly imprisoned on corruption charges.

Return to Power and Final Years (1980–1984)

After political instability and fragmentation of the Janata government, Indira rejuvenated her leadership. In 1980, her newly formed faction Congress (I) (the “I” denoting Indira) won decisively, and she returned as Prime Minister. Her second term, however, was fraught with challenges.
Her younger son Sanjay Gandhi, who had become politically prominent during her earlier years, died in a plane crash in June 1980, altering internal power dynamics and causing personal grief.
In Punjab, the rise of Sikh separatism became a pressing challenge. Indira authorised Operation Blue Star (1–8 June 1984), a military action aimed at expelling Sikh militants (led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale) from the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) complex. The operation resulted in heavy damage to the temple, many casualties, and severe resentment among Sikhs.
On 31 October 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated at around 9:30 a.m. at her residence in Safdarjung Road, New Delhi, by two of her Sikh bodyguards, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, in retaliation for Operation Blue Star. Her death led to widespread anti-Sikh riots across the country.
Her funeral on 3 November 1984 was held with full state honours. Rajiv Gandhi, her elder son, was sworn in as Prime Minister.

Legacy and Evaluation

Indira Gandhi’s legacy is complex, characterised by dramatic achievement and deep controversy.

• She is India’s only female Prime Minister and one of the longest-serving, with a cumulative tenure of 15 years and 350 days, second only to her father, Nehru.
• Her populist policies, emphasis on poverty alleviation, and programmatic rhetoric helped her connect with India’s masses and remain electorally potent.
• Under her leadership, bank nationalisation, land reforms, rural development, and food security became central pillars of governance.
• Her bold foreign policy, including the Bangladesh intervention and nuclear assertion, secured India’s international stature.
• On the other hand, the Emergency, the suppression of dissent, censorship, and alleged human rights violations have deeply marred her reputation. Many critics argue she undermined India’s democratic institutions and centralized power excessively.
• Operation Blue Star and her assassination triggered traumatic communal violence and fractured India’s secular promise.
• Indira’s centralisation of power within the Congress and the emergence of dynastic politics (preparation of sons for succession) entrenched criticism about personality politics in India.
• Nonetheless, many recognise her as the “Iron Lady of India” — a forceful, resolute, and transformative leader whose imprint on Indian politics remains enduring.

Across decades, academic and popular assessments continue to revisit the contradictions of her life: the tension between democratic ideals and authoritarian impulses, between social justice and institutional overreach, between visionary statesmanship and personal ambition.