Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's death anniversary is observed on 31 October every year. She was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in vengeance against her Operation Blue Star on October 31, 1984.
The Congress leader was the first and the only female prime minister of India who was one of the most controversial prime ministers the country ever had as her strong decisions would create a stir and she received huge criticism for her actions. As she was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, Indira was naturally inclined towards a political career.
Gandhi as she was called the Iron Lady had an impressive personality. She is known for bringing reforms such as the nationalisation of banks and the abolition of private purses of the royal families. She had also presided over several key events such as the 1971 India-Pakistan War, and Operation Blue Star.
Also Read: ‘Bell Bottom’: Twitterati AMAZED with Lara Dutta's transformation as Indira Gandhi
On the 37th death anniversary of Indira Gandhi, here are some interesting facts about the former prime minister of India.
1. Indira Gandhi was born in Allahabad, on November 19, 1917, to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and his wife Kamala Nehru.
2. She was the only child of Nehru as her younger brother died at an early age. She witnessed the freedom struggle closely. She grew up mostly with her mother Kamala Nehru at the Anand Bhavan, a large family estate in Allahabad and had a lonely and unhappy childhood.
3. Indira had received her primary education mostly at home by tutors and attended school only for matriculation in 1934. She was then Educated at Visva-Bharati University, Swiss schools and Somerville College, Oxford. Gandhi served as the significant assistant to Nehru during his time as India’s prime minister. She used to accompany her father on many foreign tours.
4. Indira Gandhi was elected as the president of the Indian National Congress in 1959 and in the year 1964, became a member of the Rajya Sabha.
5. After the sudden death of then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1966, Indira was elected as the first lady Prime Minister of India.
6. Under the Shastri cabinet, Indira had served as the Minister of Information and Broadcasting from the time of her father’s death in 1964 till 1966.
7. Gandhi has been the second longest-serving prime minister of the country, acquiring office from January 1966 to March 1977 and also from January 1980 to October 1984.
8. Indira was conferred with the highest civilian award - Bharat Ratna following India’s triumph in the 1972 war against Pakistan and the creation of the nation of Bangladesh.
Also Read: Post-WHO approval Covaxin, India can supply 5bn dosages to world
9. Emergency was declared by Indira Gandhi in the year 1975 when she was convicted by the Allahabad High Court of an election offence and was prohibited from politics for six years.
10. She married Firoze Gandhi in 1942 at the age of 25 and had two children - Rajiv and Sanjay who as adults followed the footsteps of their mother.
11. In the year 1999, Indira Gandhi was named "Woman of the Millennium" in an online poll organized by the BBC network.