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Indira Gandhi

Prime Minister of India (1966-1977; 1980-1984) · India · Politicians · Lived 1917 to 1984 · aged 66

Indira Gandhi is read about 5,098 times a day, in 140 languages.

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India's first and only female prime minister, she ruled for over fifteen years across two stints - centralizing power, waging wars that reordered South Asia, declaring a state of emergency that jailed over 100,000 opponents, and ending in assassination by her own Sikh bodyguards after ordering troops into the Golden Temple.

PoliticiansPoliticianPoliticsLiteratureIndiaAsia20th Century

A life in dates

2025EmergencyBiopic about her life17 January 2025, 2025 film directed by Kangana RanautIMDbThe anniversary of their death, on 31 October.31 October 20251986Indira Gandhi Peace PrizeNamed after her1985Indira Gandhi Award for National IntegrationNamed after her, award granted by the Indian National CongressOrder of José MartíAward1984Died31 October 1984Named Minister of External AffairsOffice6 September 1967 to 13 February 1969Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International UnderstandingAwardLenin Peace PrizeAward1983Gold Olympic OrderAward1981“We make no discrimination against the adherent of any religion. All faiths are entitled to equal protection and equal respect.”In their words28 January 1981, as quoted in Towards a New India (1994) by , p. 16.

Honorary Doctor of the Sorbonne Nouvelle UniversityAward1980Named Minister of DefenceOffice14 January 1980 to 15 January 1982Named Prime Minister of IndiaOffice24 January 1966 to 24 March 19771975“My father was a statesman, I'm a political woman. My father was a saint. I'm not.”In their words18 September 1975Quoted in "Indira's Coup," profile by Oriana Fallaci, The New York Review of Books (September 18, 1975).

“You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose.”In their words30 June 1975People, June 30, 1975

1971“There are moments in history when brooding tragedy and its dark shadows can be lightened by recalling great moments of the past.”In their words15 December 1971Letter to Richard Nixon (December 15, 1971) .

“India wants to avoid a war at all costs but it is not a one-sided affair, you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.”In their words19 October 1971Press conference, New Delhi (October 19, 1971), quoted in "Indian and Pakistani Armies Confront Each Other Along Borders" by Sydney H.

Bharat RatnaAward1970Named Minister of Home AffairsOffice27 June 1970 to 4 February 1973“A nation's strength ultimately consists in what it can do on its own, and not in what it can borrow from others.”In their words18 July 1970Government of India Planning Commission, July 18, 1970

1969Named Minister of FinanceOffice16 July 1969 to 27 June 19701967Named Minister of External AffairsOffice6 September 1967 to 13 February 19691966Named Prime Minister of IndiaOffice24 January 1966 to 24 March 19771964Named Minister of Information and BroadcastingOffice1 January 1964 to 1 January 19661917Born19 November 1917

Also in Deutsch

Photos 11

Young Indira with Mahatma Gandhi during his fast in 1924, Indira is dressed in a khadi garment and shown following Gandhi's advocacy that khadi be worn by Indians instead of British-manufactured textilesYoung Indira with Mahatma Gandhi during his fast in 1924, Indira is dressed in a khadi garment and shown following Gandhi's advocacy that khadi be worn by Indians instead of British-manufactured textilesIndira Gandhi and her father, Nehru at an antibiotics manufacturing facility, Poona, 1956.Indira Gandhi and her father, Nehru at an antibiotics manufacturing facility, Poona, 1956.Indira Gandhi with Australian Prime Minister John Gorton in 1968Indira Gandhi with Australian Prime Minister John Gorton in 1968Gandhi with U.S. President Richard Nixon, 1971Gandhi with U.S. President Richard Nixon, 1971Gandhi in 1977Gandhi in 19771984 USSR commemorative stamp1984 USSR commemorative stampGandhi on the stairs of the National Museum in Helsinki, Finland on 10 June 1983Gandhi on the stairs of the National Museum in Helsinki, Finland on 10 June 1983

In their own words 10

,
Indira Gandhi
,
10 statements, newest first

  1. We make no discrimination against the adherent of any religion. All faiths are entitled to equal protection and equal respect.

    Jan 28, 1981, 28 January 1981, as quoted in Towards a New India (1994) by , p. 16., Own words

  2. To be liberated, woman must feel free to be herself, not in rivalry to man but in the context of her own capacity and her personality.

    Mar 26, 1980, "True Liberation Of Women", speech, inauguration of the All-India Women's Conference Building Complex in New Delhi, India (March 26, 1980)., Own words

  3. My father was a statesman, I'm a political woman. My father was a saint. I'm not.

    Sep 18, 1975, Quoted in "Indira's Coup," profile by Oriana Fallaci, The New York Review of Books (September 18, 1975)., Own words

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Awards

Order of José Martí1985
Lenin Peace Prize1984
Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding1984
Gold Olympic Order1983
Honorary Doctor of the Sorbonne Nouvelle University1981
Bharat Ratna1971
Honorary Doctorate of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
Honorary Doctor of Waseda University
Honorary Citizen of Kyiv
Order of the Rose

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Indira Gandhi

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About this person

Daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister, she served as his hostess through his tenure and rose through the Congress party ranks, becoming prime minister in 1966 after outmaneuvering rival Morarji Desai. She led India to a decisive victory over Pakistan in 1971 that created Bangladesh and made India the sole regional power in South Asia, oversaw the country's first nuclear test in 1974, and aligned closely with the Soviet Union despite leading the Non-Aligned Movement. Her 1975-1977 emergency suspended civil liberties and imprisoned more than 100,000 dissenters; voters threw her out in 1977, but weak opposition governance returned her to office by landslide in 1980. Facing Sikh separatism in her final term, she ordered Operation Blue Star - a military assault on the Golden Temple that killed hundreds. On 31 October 1984, two of her Sikh bodyguards shot her dead in retaliation.

Country
India
Category
Politicians
Type
Politician
Status
deceased
Dates
Lived 1917 to 1984 · aged 66

In common with Indira

Satyajit RayAlso in The Adversary (1970)Sunil GangopadhyayAlso in The Adversary (1970)Dhritiman ChatterjeeAlso in The Adversary (1970)

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